Retiring teacher digs out school time capsule she wrote in 29 years ago on her last day at Adel Primary

Back then, she had re-located from London with her husband and young son Ben, who at the time was two and a half years-old, but had no intention to even stay living in Leeds.

However, the early years teacher retired from Adel Primary school on Friday, 29 years later and having taught thousands of children along the way - and some of their children too.

As part of an emotional afternoon of surprises and celebrations planned by the school, Mrs Harrison Place was asked to dig into the artefact and read the note she had left in there.

She said: "During a presentation the head whispered in my ear there is something else and said 'would you open the time capsule?' I just thought, 'my goodness, that was years ago'. It was really exciting because of what it represents and the time that has passed. I had put that I was new to the school, was the youngest teacher and had a little boy and was a proud mum. Part of the surprises were that as I read the letter my husband and son were stood opposite me, and he is 30 odd years old now.

"I didn't know when the time capsule would come out, at that time I didn't even know if I would still be on the planet and I was intrigued who would find it, never thinking it would be myself. It is a lovely part of Adel Primary School's history that I have been privileged to be part of."

It has prompted Mrs Harrison-Place to look back over her career in education. When Adel Primary School opened in 1992, there were just 20 children in that first intake and now the classrooms are at their 200 plus capacity.

"It is such a fantastic school. When you start there - you don't want to leave" - and she didn't. She added: "I had worked at a couple of schools in London and was moving with my family and husband for his work. We were completely new to Leeds and when we came it was going to be a transition, we did not think we would be here that long."

Always choosing to be a nursery teacher, Mrs Harrison-Place say it is a teaching role that is so much more than to play and have a nice time.

"Things are very different, certainly from when I started teaching. Things have moved a long way, but you don't think how long you will be somewhere. Certainly Adel was like that. It was very hard to leave and I had found my niche. I knew that I wanted to work with young children when they come in - you get to start them off on their learning journey. Young children are so curious and enthusiastic about life. I feel that you are really making a difference, instilling confidence, social skills and developing them.

"It is so rewarding when you think what they achieve is a small space of time, they can read and write by the time they leave reception."

While starting this week still felt like the beginning of the 29 summer holidays that have come before, Mrs Harrison-Place says while she has plenty to do now she has retired, it will hit her when it gets to September that her life is now "one long summer holiday".

"I am a firm believer that life is what you make it and there is a big wide world out there and I want to explore it. I will look forward to visiting gardens, looking after my own garden, reading books, going out every day whether it is walking in the Yorkshire Dales or my local park and in time travelling but I think the around the world cruise will be put on hold.

"Now it is the school holidays as normal but I think it will hit me at the beginning of September when everyone goes back and I am at home, it will be interesting to see how my emotions fair. I was given the most fabulous send off by the school. I was told to arrive at a certain time and the children were all on the field cheering and that brought tears to my eyes and I cried for the rest of the day.

"It was very emotional to think it was the end of an era and a career, it was very moving."