THE headmaster of Royal Grammar School Worcester (RGS) is moving on to pastures new after nine years of service.

Andrew Rattue will leave the school in July next year after being appointed head of King’s College, the British School of Madrid, starting next September.

He said: "I shall be extremely sad to leave RGS Worcester, a school which stands for everything I believe in.

“RGS is a wonderfully inclusive place, which brings out the best in every single pupil, whether in public exams, on the sporting field or in countless other activities.

“I have huge confidence in the senior team we have in place, the school is in very capable hands. The opportunity to move to Madrid will give me a new challenge and is one I relish."

During his time at the school, Mr Rattue has overseen some progressive changes including the development of co-education at RGS, and the merger between RGS Worcester and The Alice Ottley School in 2007.

He established another long-term project, with the launch of the Development Office in 2012 which forges closer links with former pupils.

Mr Rattue has also opened up international avenues by championing foreign universities to the school’s leavers, which now sees many former pupils in higher education in Europe and the USA.

Rosemary Ham, chairman of governors at RGS Worcester, said: “We shall be sad to lose a head of Mr Rattue’s calibre, but I am delighted that he leaves the school in such robust health.

“The latest exam results place RGS Worcester in the Top 100 of Independent Schools for the very first time, a legacy of which he can be enormously proud.

“We have an exceptional senior team in place to ensure the smoothest possible transition with an incoming Head.

“The Governors have already started the process of finding his successor. I am sure that we will attract a strong field of well-qualified and experienced applicants for such a high profile role.”