THE headteacher of Stonyhurst College has announced he is to step down after 10 years.

Andrew Johnson, who has been in charge of the historic Jesuit school in the Ribble Valley since 2006, will leave at the end of the summer term next year.

MORE TOP STORIES:

The father-of-two will become the new headmaster at St Benedict’s School in Ealing, a school which is connected to a monastery with 14 monks in residence.

The independent boarding and day school caters for children from the age of 13 to 18-years-old and currently has around 450 students.

He said: “After 10 years at Stonyhurst College it’s time for a new challenge and I will be leaving with very fond memories.

“The school has grown enormously since I came in 2006 and I’m proud of the state I’m leaving it in.”

The school is the oldest continuously existing Jesuit school in the world and was founded in 1593.

Following a modern languages degree at Bristol University Mr Johnson has spent a career of more than 20 years in independent boarding and day schools.

Mr Johnson, 48, is married to Dawn who also works at the school and the pair are due to move down to their new home in London next summer.

He said: “The site has developed as well as the school in academic and pastoral terms since I joined.

“We are now offering the International Baccalaureate as well as A-Levels and the number of students has risen quite a bit as well.

“It has been a great privilege to be headmaster at Stonyhurst and a great opportunity.

“Now is the time to hand the baton on to someone else to continue to improve the school.

“Moving to a new school is exciting and also a challenge that I am very much looking forward to.”

The school is accepting applications for his successor until noon on Monday, October 19, and the successful candidate is expected to take up their new role in September 2016.

A spokesman for the school, which is located near Hurst Green, said: “The governors are seeking to make an outstanding appointment to this prestigious school and an attractive package and accommodation will be available.

“The head will provide the vision, inspiration and educational leadership for the further development of the college, nurturing and promoting its Jesuit identity, mission and ethos.

“They will work closely and collaboratively with the head of St Mary’s Hall, our prep school.”