Former teaching colleagues have described her as a school leader who was held in high esteem and who “cared deeply for her pupils and staff”.

Miss Hogg, whose hometown was Melrose, began her teaching career at Newtown Primary in Newtown St Boswells in August 1974, teaching a P5-6 composite class. After more than a decade at the school, she moved to the post of headteacher at Fountainhall Primary in May 1986, and then to Glendinning in August 1989, where she was a teaching head. Latterly, she taught a P6-7 composite class.

Colleagues at Glendinning Terrace Primary paid tribute to her: “As a leader in her school, Irene was held in high esteem by all who knew her. She worked tirelessly for the school and cared deeply for her pupils and staff. She was strong in difficult situations and wholly dependable.

“In the wider community, Irene was also highly respected and admired for her integrity and commitment to her school. Behind her professional manner lay a person with a great sense of humour and fun.

“She took great pride in the achievements of all her pupils and was never happier than when she heard of former pupils’ successes. Irene believed in giving the youngsters in her care the opportunities to express the wide variety of their unique talents. She loved the comment, often heard, that Glendinning school was the ‘hidden gem’ in Galashiels.”

Miss Hogg was co-author of a textbook, Primary Maths in Action, had served as secretary for the Borders Headteachers’ Association and was an elected member of the General Teaching Council for Scotland.

Outside the classroom, she loved sport, both as a spectator and a participant. She played squash in Galashiels in the 1980s and was a member of the ladies’ team. In recent years, she had taken up golf and was ladies’ captain at Melrose and Minto golf clubs. On a Saturday afternoon she could often be found watching Melrose playing rugby.

Miss Hogg passed her passion for sport on to her pupils. Every year the school participated in the mini-Olympics in Tweedbank, at which she officiated.

She also enjoyed walking, reading, going to the theatre and attending local history groups. In recent years she had researched the history of Glendinning Terrace Primary and her expertise on the topic had led to a number of engagements as an after-dinner speaker.

Another of Miss Hogg’s interests was travel. She had visited Russia, Germany, Iceland and Australia, where she developed a particular fondness for Melbourne, the home of her brother Roger.

Above all, however, friends say Miss Hogg valued her family. She is survived by her parents, Henry and Nancy, and Roger.