The contents of the note is reproduced below…

Dear Parents,

The purpose of this letter is to inform you of a piece of news some of you may already have heard. Although there is nothing confidential about the information I know you would prefer to hear it from me directly.

I am going to retire at the end of the Autumn Term 2001. Although that seems a long way off and is certainly loger notice than I have to give, I realise that finding a suitable head can take quite a time and the advice I have received is that a year is an ideal period in which to make an appointment.

Having now enabled the governors to start the process I will be continuing as normal until December 2001.

Yours sincerely