ONE of Hampshire's longest-serving and most successful head teachers has announced his retirement.

Peter Jenner, head of Westgate School, Winchester, since 1983, has told parents he is leaving in August.

In a newsletter to parents, Mr Jenner, 62, said: "Although I found it an enormously difficult decision to make, I have decided to retire at the end of this school year.

"After nearly 24 years here as head teacher of Westgate School I shall miss the school immensely, particularly the people involved in the school.

"I believe Westgate school is, and long has been, an outstanding school and it has been a pleasure and a privilege to play a part in that."

Westgate School has made it on to an elite list of schools judged by Ofsted inspectors as "outstanding" Last year, 80 per cent of pupils achieved five or more GCSE A* to C grades at GCSE.

The 1,164-pupil school became a specialist science college two years ago and has now applied for a second specialism in arts including art, drama, music and English.

Mr Jenner said his biggest achievement had been the development of the new school buildings, including a £2m sports hall, new reception area and modern science labs.

Explaining his decision to retire, Mr Jenner said: "I felt it was the right time to go. The development project is done and there are lots of other things I want to do while I am still relatively fit and healthy."

The father-of three said he planned to continue voluntary work as a Samaritan and a football referee for local leagues as well as travel, finish writing a book and do consultancy work for schools.