A HEADTEACHER has spoken out about how much she misses her pupils during coronavirus lockdown.

To mark National Thank a Teacher Day, Bryony Baynes, headteacher from Kempsey Primary School, said she misses her pupils.

Mrs Baynes said: “We miss the children.

“I miss their smiles and “hellos” when I walk around school. I miss their “Hey Mrs Baynes, I’ve got a joke...” I miss their hugs when I go out into the playground and I miss their enthusiasm and excitement for every aspect of school life.

“I miss every single one of them and I am so looking forward to when life returns to normal and we can go back to what we do best which is teaching and caring for our pupils.”

Mrs Baynes added: "National thank a teacher day is a lovely idea. However, it does make me think that perhaps we need to say thank you to everyone a bit more often?

“As teachers, we are doing our job. It’s lovely to be thanked and appreciated of course but we are doing what we should be doing.

“I think as human beings we are very quick to point out the negative and to criticise and complain. That is true in every walk of life not just education.

“So, I think it is important that we stop and say thank you to everyone not just the teachers.”