The Tamworth Public School teacher has spent almost four decades nurturing and educating local kids at the Carthage St campus, and said it was hard to believe his last day of a lengthy career had arrived. 

”It felt kind of good, but strange...it felt surreal,” he said.

“It is a really good school, when anyone asked me why I stayed for so long – I’d say, why would you want to go anywhere else?”

Having spent his whole teaching career at the same school, with the exception of a year in Muswellbrook, Mr Bussell holds many accomplishments to his name.

“One of the highlights would be winning the state hockey boys competition twice and we were runner up once,” he said. “I was also involved in rugby league, softball, netball and hockey.”

Having mostly taught year five and six students throughout his career, Mr Bussell was also credited with starting the first in a series of year-six farewell events. He’s also taught year four kids, and had a stint at teaching year two.

“That was interesting and it was fun – I enjoyed that year,” he said.

With 38 years under his belt, Mr Bussell said he’s taught the children of his former students – and now the grandchildren are starting to arrive. “They’re starting to come through now, I’m old enough and I don’t need to be reminded,” he said.

When Mr Bussell’s daughter went to university, the retired teacher decided to pursue a masters degree in education – 25 years after his initial degree. 

Over time, he said there had been many changes but none as distinct as technology.

“There used to be the good old blackboard and then we went upmarket and into white boards and now we’ve got smart boards,” he said.

“Once you know how to use them it makes you wonder how you managed to teach without them. There are plenty more computers in schools, when I first started they weren’t even thought of.”

With plenty of free time ahead of him, Mr Bussell said he’s happy to do “nothing” for a little while before deciding on his next move. “It will be nice to do nothing, when you don’t have to think about things or organise things,” he said.

“After that I might do some casual teaching and trip around – but not too far away. I’ll get back into lawn bowls again, I used to play until year ago and never had to the time to do it so I’ll definitely join a bowling club aswell and ride my bike.”

Mr Bussell will join his students on an excursion at Point Wolstoncroft after the school holidays as the final swan song to his career.