Musician and headteacher adored by pupils

A FORMER headmaster of Benson Primary School has died, aged 64.

Martin Peters was at the school for almost 20 years, from 1985 until he retired in 2004. He was also a central figure in Oxford’s choral and classical music scene for more than 30 years.

Originally from Hayes in Middlesex, Mr Peters moved to Oxfordshire in the early Seventies.

His first teaching post was at St Mary and St John Primary school in Cowley and he later became headmaster at Dorchester Primary in Wallingford before taking up his role at Benson.

Despite a no-nonsense approach to discipline, he achieved a genuine rapport with his pupils. His mischievous, and contagious, sense of humour had much to do with this.