One of Suffolk’s top performing high schools has announced the appointment of a new headteacher.

Andrew Sievewright will take over from Sue Hargadon at Farlingaye High School, in Woodbridge, from September.

Ms Hargadon has led the school to consecutive record exam success and outstanding Ofsted ratings over the last 20 years.

Since her arrival from Hartismere School at the end of 1995, the pupil population has grown from 1,100 to 1,950, including a sixth form of 475.

Governors announced that Dr Sievewright will take over following Ms Hargadon’s retirement in August.

He will arrive with five years’ experience as head of Acton High School, which has about 1,300 pupils and recieved overall ‘good’ grades in its last two Ofsted inspections.

A qualified English teacher, Dr Sievewright, who has strong family links with Suffolk, said: “Having worked in a range of senior leadership roles in schools in and around London for 16 years, I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to take up the post of headteacher at Farlingaye in September 2016.

“I have already spent some time at Farlingaye and, as someone dedicated to developing inclusive, aspirational and highly successful school environments, have been very impressed by what I have seen.

“I am now excited at the prospect of working with Farlingaye’s skilled and dedicated staff, and with its students, who are clearly proud of their school and of their progress and achievements.

“Over the next six months, I will be combining working very hard on behalf of my current school with preparing for my role at Farlingaye.

“I look forward to visiting Farlingaye several times before the start of the next academic year, so that Farlingaye’s staff and students and I can plan to continue the great work done in recent years by Sue Hargadon and her team.”

When she retires next summer, Ms Hargadon will be leaving a school rated outstanding in its last two Ofsted reports, with inspectors praising her “excellent leadership” following their last visit in 2013.

GCSE pupils last year combined to achieve the school’s best ever set of results – 72% getting five A*-C grades with English and maths. Meanwhile, 210 students sat A-level exams, posting an A*-E rate of 98.5% and an A*-C rate of 82%.

Tim Fosker, Chair of Governors, said, “Andrew takes up the post knowing the excellent track record of the school.

“We are confident that Andrew is very well placed to lead the school through the next series of challenges and continue to deliver an outstanding education for all of its students.”

Since 2011, Farlingaye has been a Teaching School, in partnership with Kesgrave High.

It became a specialist school for maths and computing in 2002, and for creative arts and English in 2006.

In 2003, it joined the Leading Edge network of high-performing secondary schools, and was given National Support School status in 2009.