Seeing pupils grow up is genuinely rewarding

During his 15-year tenure the school has undergone a transformation, with about £30 million invested in its buildings.

He said: “It’s an amazing record. A lot of that money has come from former pupils. Every building in the school has somehow been transformed.”

The 58-year-old’s retirement will come as the school begins to see the conclusion of the final piece of the jigsaw – a new, £9 million sports and performing arts centre due to open next summer.

Looking back to his early days at King’s, Mr Keyes said while much had changed, he hoped the school’s core values would stand firm.

He said: “I had previously been in four different boys’ schools, all near to London and very academic.

“There were two things I had to get used to – one, there being lots of girls at the school and also this being a place where academic potential was not the only thing by which you were judged as a pupil.

“What I hope will be one of the things I have developed most, is that success in life is more than A-level results, and you do better in life when you take on any challenge that comes your way.

“Keep making that brave choice. When I came, there were still a few boarders left and King’s had only been co-educational for seven years. There were many more boys than girls, but now it’s 50/50.

“It was also quite a difficult time for independent schools as the assisted places scheme had come to an end.

“I had to establish myself as a known person in the area and the early priority was the recruitment of pupils.

“Since then, we’ve developed the site hugely. Exam results have got better and better, and the value of involvement in worthwhile experiences has reinforced that.”

Mr Keyes said he was also proud of the school’s links with its former pupils, many of whom are keen to support King’s, both financially and through their fields of expertise by, for example, giving inspiring talks to the current intake.

He said: “The things I’m proudest of here are not exam results and achievements, although those in themselves are extraordinary, it’s witnessing the pupils growing up. It’s genuinely rewarding.

“The overall things they achieve between 11 and 18 sets them up for life.”

When Mr Keyes retires next summer, he willleave his home on site to set up home with wife Mary Anne just a few miles away in Ledbury.

He hopes to be able to spend more time pursuing his interests in choral singing, bell ringing and walking, as well as take an active role in his local church.

Explaining why he chose 2014 to retire,he said: “As I leave, the SPACE building finishes and ends a whole period of development of the site.

“We’ve done an awful lot with our pastoral system.

We had a very good inspection report last year that suggests in all key areas we’re doing what we should be. It’s time for some fresh thinking.”

And his advice to his successor at King’s Worcester?

“It’s essential that [the school] puts the overall development of young people at the heart of its agenda, and then other things follow,” said Mr Keyes.

“Both the pupils and teachers here are well aware of the school’s essential ethics and traditions, therefore it’s important to listen to what they say about this.

“Our partnership with the cathedral is a valuable thing to us and therefore continuing to nurture that should be a priority.”

Mr Keyes also paid tribute to colleagues at the school, pupils past and present, and their families.

He said: “The best thing about the school is it’s a community of people who at best really enjoy each others’ company and respect what other people do.

“I’ve had a wonderful group of colleagues here and 16 year groups of interesting, talented and decent young people and all those families who have been fully committed to the place and its ethics.

“I’ll miss the energising daily contact with teenagers.

“Teaching has many challenges, but being part of helping to affect lives in some small way of young people is incredibly rewarding.

“There are lots of exciting things to come.”