IT was the school he always wanted to lead.
Kevin Harcombe fell in love with Redlands Primary School when he first visited it in 1985 when he had just qualified as a teacher.
Now he has been head teacher and music teacher at the school in Redlands Road, Fareham, for the past 15 years.
Celebrating his 30th year in teaching and 22nd year as a head teacher, he says it’s the community feel that has kept him there for so long.
And he has another exciting year ahead, as work is set to begin this April on the school’s new multi-use games area.
It comes after the school was chosen as one of 16 in the country to get a £30,000 grant from Sport England to build the special playground, complete with goals, hoops and targets.
Redlands Primary School plans to open it in September, when it will be used by the school’s 315 pupils, including those in its football, cricket, netball and archery clubs.
Mr Harcombe is passionate about music and tries to pass that on to students, who sing popular songs during their assemblies and are encouraged to join the school’s choirs and bands.
He said: “I have done music with the kids since I started and I like to do something different with them so in assembly we don’t sing Kumbaya, we do things like Coldplay.
“The best song the children sing is Viva La Vida by Coldplay.
“We aim for happy children. If they’re not happy they’re not going to learn. We also aim for everyone who leaves here to be able to read, write and be numerate and able to get on at secondary school.
Pupils in a music session
“I like the community feel of the school. It’s one I have always wanted to be head of and when the opportunity came up I got it.
“It’s great because the parents are supportive of what we do. We have a nice mix of families of all shapes and sizes.”
In his spare time the dadof- three from Alverstoke, Gosport, performs at pubs across Hampshire with his band Mirror, which he has been a part of for the past five years.
Mr Harcombe, who won National Headteacher of the Year in the Teaching Awards 2007, has also written two books, Brilliant Primary Teacher and How To Survive and Succeed As A Headteacher.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here