The headmaster of a Little Chalfont grammar school is to leave at the end of the academic year.

Ian Cooksey will take up the post as head of Watford Grammar School for Boys in September, stepping down from his current role at Dr Challoner's High School.

He has been in charge at the school since 2011.

Mr Cooksey said: "It is with great pride that I take up the mantle of being the 27th headmaster at Watford Grammar School for Boys. Leading such a successful school is a tremendous responsibility and a significant honour. It is also a delight.

"During the course of the recruitment process, I shared with the governors my vision for the school’s development over the next few years.

"True to the founding values of the school, our educational philosophy will continue to be defined through creating successful lifelong learners who will always positively impact the world around them.

"We have a national reputation for excellence in all areas and I look forward to building on that excellence. However, we are not, and will not become, simply an academic hot-house where pressures for exam success dominate all of school life and erode our students' self-esteem."

Paul Shearring, head of governors at the Watford school, said: "We were very impressed with Mr Cooksey’s vision for the future of the school and the unanimous decision of the governors appointment panel reflects the confidence we have in the direction the school is taking and the progress that will be made in the years to come.

"The school has ambitious plans and Mr Cooksey brings the right balance of skills and experiences to lead our school community through into the future."