TRIBUTES have been paid to creative and enthusiastic head teacher Kate Rawson, who died in a car crash on Wednesday.

Community leaders, pupils, parents and staff have rallied to praise the work of Mrs Rawson, who was head teacher at South Petherton Junior School for 14 years.

Mrs Rawson was also a director of Crewkerne Youth Theatre for 11 years and worked as an OFSTED inspector for many years.

South Petherton chair of governors Sue Slocombe said: "Kate took the school from strength to strength, making her passion for education into a reality for the pupils and the staff.

"The school is a major part of the South Petherton community and Kate was at the heart of that for 14 years. In addition to her passion for the arts, she revolutionised the ICT provision in the school, so that the children could be enthused and excited by what is possible with technology."

Mrs Rawson took the junior school into the top 1% of schools nationally for the last three years and was delighted to achieve other honours for the school, such as Investors In People, the Threshold Poetry Prize and two Arts Mark Gold awards.

Mrs Slocombe added: "Kate worked tirelessly to fundraise in order to provide a workplace of exceptional standards for the pupils and staff, and future generations.

"This will be a lasting testimony to her commitment to the children of South Peth-erton and a mark of her inspirational leadership."

Alison Rose, the head of art at Swanmead Community School, Ilminster, worked alongside Mrs Rawson when she was Swanmead's head of music in the 1980s.

Miss Rose said: "I'm really, really shocked. She was a valued and respected colleague and friend. She was a dedicated and caring teacher who was passionate about pupils' welfare.

"She was also a talented pianist and used to run an after-school drama group at Wadham Community School in Crewkerne.

"She is a great loss to the community."

More than 60 bunches of flowers have been received at the junior school, where staff and pupils were said to be coping as best they can on Monday.

To leave your own tribute to Mrs Rawson, click here

* THE community in South Petherton has been paying tribute to head teacher Kate Rawson.

Parents and pupils were informed of the tragedy on Thursday and news of the accident shocked the close-knit village community.

Parent and churchwarden Crispin Raikes, whose son Will is in year six at the junior school, said: "There's shock and sadness round the village.

"Some of the children were crying when they came out of school on Thursday, and the kids were hardly saying a word.

"It's a tribute to the staff, who were told in the morning and had to carry on teaching until the children were told at the end of the day.

"My impressions of Mrs Rawson were that she cared a hell of lot for the kids and wanted the best for them.

"She wanted them to live up to their greatest potential. She would encourage, and perhaps even badger them, but her aim was for their good."

Yeovil MP David Laws added: "I am terribly sad to hear the dreadful news. Kate was a fantastic head teacher who had led South Petherton Junior School for many years and who had turned it into one of the best schools in our area.

"My thoughts are with Kate's family and friends, and with all the staff, governors, parents and pupils at the school."

On behalf of the Lions Club of Il-minster, and South Petherton Carnival, John Nicholson, said: "We are shocked and saddened. Kate was a good friend to the Lions Club, supporting us whenever she could, as, for example, in August this year when she made the school hall available to us for a two-day book sale.

"She was at pains to ensure that the school played a part in South Petherton Carnival, sometimes producing an entry in a few days."

* AN inquest has yet to be opened into the death of Kate Rawson, whose full name was Glenys Catherine Rawson.

As the News went to press on Tuesday, the East Somerset Coroner, Tony Williams, had not yet opened and adjourned an inquest into the case.

A date for Mrs Rawson's funeral has yet to be arranged - details will be appear in the News and on this website when they become available.

The News first reported the tragedy on Friday, November 10 - Click here for more details