A LEADING figure in education in West Devon has spoken of his pride in staff and students as he retires after 34 years in teaching.

Daryll Chapman was principal at Okehampton College from 2006 until 2018, overseeing the college gaining an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted report in 2014.

He stepped down from day-to-day running of the school that year to take on the leadership of the Dartmoor Federation of Schools, a partnership between Okehampton College and some feeder primary schools. When a further nine schools joined that group to become the Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust in January 2018, Daryll led the trust as its chief executive.

Daryll, pictured, retired at the end of last month, with his successor now appointed to take reins of the trust, which sees Okehampton College work more closely with its counterparts in Tavistock and Holsworthy and 14 primary schools in the area.

‘I feel the time is right,’ he said. ‘I want to look at other opportunities while I still can. I haven’t decided what I am going to do yet.’

Daryll, 57, started out as a PE and science teacher and taught in schools in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire before moving with his wife Jill and their three children to Okehampton in September 2001, to take up the position of vice principal at Okehampton College.

He said he was ‘very excited’ to get the job at the large comprehensive after being deputy at a Buckinghamshire school.

Just four years later, he was appointed acting principal of Okehampton College following the sudden and tragic death of principal Chris Powell in October 2005 and was appointed principal in March 2006.

In 2010 he was seconded to Tavistock College for nine months after it was placed in special measures by Ofsted. He then returned to his duties at Okehampton College, steering it to achieving an ‘outstanding’ rating by Ofsted in 2014.

Daryll said he had never shied away from responsibility, which started very early on in his career when he was asked to step into the role of head of department after days in the job after his boss became sick.

‘I have never chased promotion,’ he said. ‘I wasn’t the sort of person who was desperate to get to the next step, but that is how my career has taken me.

He added: ‘I think Okehampton College was a school that had massive potential back in 2001 when I arrived and that school went onto realise that potential. I have been fortunate enough to work with some brilliant professionals, far too many to mention.’

Known in the area for his talent for inspiring youngsters, he is himself modest about his service to the school and the area.

‘I don’t know that there is any particular knack to it,’ he said. ‘I like to think it is about people, about the staff and the pupils, most importantly of all, getting the relationships right, and if you get the relationships right, other good things happen as a result.

‘Watching the youngsters develop and be successful in their own right, that is the thing that is most important,’ he added. ‘Those youngsters who gain amazing GCSEs and A-levels, of course that is brilliant, but equally important are the youngsters who are not necessarily academic, but have strengths in other areas. You don’t need to be academic to be successful; you can be vocational and very very successful. For me the pleasure comes in seeing each and every one of them develop and fulfil their potential.

‘Some of my proudest moments have been with youngsters who are really struggling and who are having difficulties in their personal lives, working with them and seeing them flourish,’ he added. ‘When I look back I hope I have done good job of supporting the youngsters, the staff and the community. That is what matters to me.'Tania Skeaping, chair of the trustees of the Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust, said: 'Whilst we will miss working with Daryll very much, we are very pleased for him that he will now be able to take this time and pursue his next adventures. 'Daryll has been integral in helping us build our wonderful trust, and we are very proud to have shared in the trust’s development with him. We wish him all the best in his new adventures.' Ian Courtney OBE, the founding chair of trustees of the Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust, added his good wishes.'I had the pleasure and privilege of working with Daryll for well over fifteen years; his dedication, not just to the young people directly in his charge, but to all he might reach has been unwavering and deeply humbling to witness,' he said. 'Daryll always handled difficult situations with creativity and his trademark impish humour; he is always willing to try something different if it might help even a single student and his sense of "The Right Thing" is unerring. 'I wish him much joy and fulfilment in the next stage of his remarkable career; thousands of young people will I have no doubt join me in thanking him for being part of our lives.'