A HEADTEACHER has announced she will be leaving a Vale school after more than six years for a new position.

Bryony Baynes will be swapping Ashton-under-Hill First School, near Evesham, for Kempsey Primary School which has been without a permanent head since early September after Adrian Osborne left for personal reasons.

Sue Parker, head at Callow End Primary, was appointed executive headteacher while a replacement was found.

But last week Worcestershire County Council confirmed the appointment of Mrs Baynes as Mr Osborne’s successor.

Mrs Baynes has been headteacher at Ashton-under-Hill First School for the past sixand- a-half years and will begin her new role at the start of the summer term in April.

Speaking to the Evesham Journal, she said she would miss the Elmley Road school, but the time had come for a new challenge.

Mrs Baynes said: “Ashton is such a lovely school. It deserves to have lots of people enjoying it.

“Kempsey is a school with huge potential and we need to unlock that potential. I’m confident that is going to be an amazing school.

“Whoever comes here (Ashton- under-Hill) will be really lucky. I’ll really miss it.”

Parents with children at Kempsey Primary School were handed a letter on the first day of the school year explaining that Mr Osborne would be leaving the post.

In a prepared statement released at the time, Jonathan Sutton, chairman of governors, said the governing body had received and accepted Mr Osborne’s resignation at the end of the summer term.

Interviews are due to be held this week to find Mrs Baynes’ replacement.