'˜You are showing the kids that anything is possible': Ashlyns School pays tribute to PE teacher and Bake Off winner Candice Brown

PE teacher and Great British Bake Off champ Candice Brown has hung up her whistle to pursue a career in baking after a brief return to teaching in Berkhamsted.
Candice BrownCandice Brown
Candice Brown

Candice, who worked as a PE teacher and specialised in working with pupils with special needs, went back to Ashlyns after shooting to fame.

But the 31-year-old, who lives in Bedford, has now made the difficult decision to put her job on hold after eight years of teaching.

The Bake Off winner planned to work up until Christmas but had her final day at the school on Friday after deciding it was the right time to focus on her baking.

Candice BrownCandice Brown
Candice Brown

“This has been such an agonising decision to make,” she said. “I have been teaching for about eight years now and I love it.

“But since winning the final, I have also been completely bowled over by the amazing opportunities that I have been offered.”

Candice, who is currently weighing up her options, paid tribute to the school and in particular headteacher James Shapland for encouraging her to take the plunge.

“They were so incredible and told me I had to grab everything whilst I could,” she said. “My headteacher told me ‘You’ve got to do this, you can’t do it half-heartedly’. I wouldn’t forgive myself if you missed out.

Candice BrownCandice Brown
Candice Brown

“He said ‘It’s not that we don’t want you here but you have to give it 100 per cent. If we can’t encourage our staff to follow their dreams and inspire, then we are not doing our job properly. You are showing the kids that anything is possible.” It was so incredibly lovely of him.”