THE headteacher at Uffculme School, Lorraine Heath, has been awarded the OBE for services to education.

Mrs Heath, 52, has been in the role 11 years and is responsible for 1,000 students and 150 staff. Born in Yeovil, she began her teaching career training in Exeter more than 30 years ago.

Her first job was at Ladymead School in Taunton and she went on to what is now Huish Academy at Langport and Court Fields School in Wellington where she was head of English.

She then left the classroom to work for Somerset County Council as an English consultant, supporting other schools and departments, before going back to Ladymead as assistant head and later deputy head.

She became head at Uffculme in 2008 following the retirement of Jeremy Roberts.

Mrs Heath has been married to Ronnie for 26 years and has two children – Molly who is working in London, and Joseph who is a student at Cardiff University.

The news of the OBE in the New Year’s Honours was posted on the school’s Facebook page.