THE head of Peter Symonds College Winchester is set to retire after 20 years in the post.

Neil Hopkins took over at the sixth-form college in 1993 but has announced that this will be his final year.

He will be replaced by current vice principal Stephen Carville in September.

Mr Carville will be only the third principal of the college since it became a college for 16-18 year olds in 1974. It was previously a boys-only grammar school.

He said: “It is an immense honour and huge privilege to have been selected as the next principal of Peter Symonds College. I look forward to the challenge of building on our excellent past to secure an even greater future."

The former Ofsted inspector joined the college in 2002 and became vice principal two years later.

Neil Hopkins said: “I have watched Stephen develop over the years he has worked at Peter Symonds.

He is a remarkable individual of great ability and with an in-depth understanding of what makes the college work.

“I can imagine no one better suited to the post, and no one in whose hands I would feel happier leaving the college as I retire.”

Peter Symonds has been rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted for the past decade and is consistently ranked as one of the best sixth-forms in the country.