Wigan deputy headteacher puts down megaphone as he retires after 30 years in classroom

Jonathan Miller began his career in education in 1993, before moving to Standish High School in 2002.

His time at the school has been memorable from the beginning – starting with a delayed arrival after the unexpected birth of his second daughter Evie during a family holiday in America.

Mr Miller became director of languages college in 2002 and very quickly secured a promotion onto the senior leadership team.

In September 2009 he was appointed as senior deputy headteacher, following the retirement of his friend and colleague Hilda Hodson.

Mr Miller said: “I have many happy memories of working at Standish. It’s always very special seeing the smiley, happy faces of the year 11s that come through to collect their results and it's just great to celebrate with them.

"There's been some amazing sporting achievements over the years too. I remember being on the touchline for some pretty big rugby finals and amazing days out at Wembley with the PE department – with some great rugby teams and some great students – so those memories will really stick with me.”

In the final bulletin of the academic year, Standish High said: “On behalf of all the staff, trustees and governors, I’d like to pass on our deepest thanks for everything you’ve done for this school. There are just two jobs left to do now: have a restful retirement and, most importantly, keep in touch!”

Mr Miller’s retirement celebrations began with him receiving the Outstanding Contribution to Local Education award courtesy of the National Education Union.

Mr Miller is sure to be remembered for patrolling the school yards with his iconic megaphone.

He said: “The megaphone is something that got handed to me from the previous senior deputy head and I will be handing it on to my colleague Mr Peters, who's going to become senior deputy head from September. Sometimes we find it hard to address people across a yard on a cold, wet, rainy November afternoon, or during a fire drill your voice just isn't enough, and so sometimes you need a megaphone to be able to throw your voice across two or three hundred people to get the message across.

"So the megaphone has actually been invaluable over the last few years and I shall gladly pass it on to the next generation. I'm sure Mr Peters will put it to good use, including a bit of banter hopefully!

"I have a little saying here, stuck to my desk with a little bit of Sellotape, and it says: ‘Act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God’. I would say that I've always tried to be to be dead fair with all the students I've ever dealt with and I've always tried to give them time when they needed it.

"Often, I know I can be dealing with kids going through tough times – some are neglected, some of them need that little bit of extra help – and so I've always tried to give people my time, my attention and to be dead fair just in all the ways I've dealt with them.”