School head is leaving on a high

Mr Watson, 61, said: “I am confident I am leaving the school in a good place. It is a happy school and also one that gets good results.”

He said his one big regret is that he has not managed to get a sixth form for the school despite being very close on two occasions. He said: “Each time the goal posts have been changed at the last moment because of financial reasons.

“It is the single one thing that, if asked, most people connected with the school would say they would like to see.”

He said five years ago he was disappointed when funding for a sixth form project was withdrawn at the last moment by the Learning Skills Council.

A year later in 2011, when the school gained Academy status, he tried again for sixth form status only to fall again at the last hurdle because of cash problems. But he is confident that in the future the school will get its sixth form and it is likely to be one of the priorities of his successor, current deputy head Sarah Lowkis, who takes over in January.

Mr Watson, who is married with two grown-up sons, joined Lavington from Sheldon School, Chippenham, where he had been deputy head.

He said: “When I took over it was a very happy school but people seemed to be of the opinion that you couldn’t keep that friendly atmosphere if you asked the pupils to work harder.”

He decided it was possible to be both happy and improve results and set about proving it.

He said: “Some teaching staff took a bit of persuading but there were no sackings and no mass exodus. A few people possibly found it hard and over the first year or so some did leave a bit sooner than they might have been expected to.”

But it has not always been plain sailing. In 2008 the school was rated outstanding by Ofsted but four years later it was deemed as needing improvement when it was inspected again under new tougher rules.

By July the school was celebrating again when it was back up to good with some outstanding features, including leadership.

Mr Watson said: “I had originally planned to leave last summer even though I hadn’t made it public. Then I realised we would not have the Ofsted report by then and and I decided to wait.

“It is good to leave the school on a high.”

He will say goodbye to the school at assembly next Friday and then a staff party is being held at Erlestoke Golf Club in the evening.

But Mr Watson is not planning on total retirement. He hopes to work as a consultant to other schools and do Ofsted inspecting.

He is also chairman of Wiltshire Head Teacher’s Association and on a number of other education bodies and will continue with those for the rest of the school year.

Away from education he hopes to spend more time on his hobbies of water colour painting, supporting Bath rugby, walking, cycling and gardening.