Coombe Girls’ School is half way through its long goodbye to headteacher Carol Campbell who is stepping down after 37 years at the school.

Since January she has been undergoing a phased retirement as she shares the leadership of the school with her successor, Deborah Wallis.

Mrs Campbell first joined the school in a temporary post as a part-time assistant maths teacher in 1974, but soon became a permanent fixture in Clarence Avenue, New Malden.

She became head of physics and chemistry in 1979, head of house in 1981 and deputy headteacher in 1987 before being appointed to the top job in 1997.

Following their last visit in 2007, Ofsted inspectors wrote: “The headteacher’s leadership is outstanding as she has a clear vision and strong determination and has established a continuously improving ethos in a highly successful school.”

Mrs Campbell pointed to the 2002 link with King’s College School, Wimbledon, when Coombe became a specialist language school, and the introduction of the International Baccalaureate last September, as two milestones in her time at the school’s helm.

Looking back over the changes over four decades, she said: “What I think is most noticeable is the demands on young people these days in terms of the relentless examinations and tests.

“They go through quite a tough time, tougher than when I started, and they are facing a tougher jobs market.

“The most amazing thing for me is people coming to prospective parents’ evening and saying ‘You taught me’. That is very rewarding.”

Although she said she has no fixed plans for retirement apart from travelling and improving working on her golf, Mrs Campbell hopes to enjoy bridge, aiming to become the next Omar Shariff.

She said: “I have worked with some fantastic people over the years – staff and children. The children have been so wonderful and rewarding.”