She was a lifelong educator who spent 20 years at the helm of a Southampton school and had an impact on many thousands of children. 

Joyce Percival, who became the first headteacher of Wordsworth Infants School in Shirley in 1969, has died aged 95.

The school, now a primary, was the second she had launched and she stayed there for two decades, guiding young children and helping further the careers of dozens of teachers. 

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Born in Manchester in 1929 one of three children, avid reader Joyce gained a scholarship to grammar school and went on to train as a teacher in Liverpool and Keswick, where she fell in love with the great outdoors, fell walking and climbing. 

Joyce's first teaching post was close to her childhood home in Middleton and she became a headteacher in her late 20s, working in various English counties including Yorkshire and Shropshire as well as spending three years teaching at RAF Changi in Singapore. 

Joyce, who lived in Dibden Purlieu for many years, took a sabbatical during her Wordsworth years and gained an MA in education from the University of Southampton. 

She was the beloved aunt of John, Lana and Graham. 

John Percival told the Daily Echo: "She was committed to giving young children the best start in life that she could and it was also important to her to help young teachers with their careers in education.

"She had quite an impact and it would have been felt by  many thousands of people over the years.

"Someone described her as formidable and feisty and I think that was true."

Joyce, who loved gardening and cooking, was a decent sportswoman in her youth, a particularly good tennis player. She loved to watch cricket and never missed Wimbledon.

She was well travelled, having visited Australia and South Africa, as well as enjoying a European road trip.

Joyce loved to play bridge, particularly aboard cruise ships. 

She lived at Carpathia Grange in Hythe until her recent death. 

Joyce's funeral will take place on Thursday, March 6 at 11am at Hinton Woodland Burial Ground. 

Donations in her memory are being collected for her chosen charities Cancer Research UK, WaterAid and the RNLI