HISTORY has been made at Marlborough College after it was announced that Louise Moelwyn-Hughes will become the first woman to be appointed master at the famous school.

Just over 13 years after Mrs Moelwyn-Hughes left the boarding school to teach elsewhere, the former Latin and Greek teacher will take the top job of all to replace Jonathan Leigh, who will retire as master in August 2018 after six years of service.

The current head of St Edmund's in Canterbury, who worked at the College between 1992-2005, said she was delighted to have been given this opportunity.

"It is a pleasure and a privilege to have been selected to lead Marlborough College into the next phase in its illustrious history," she said.

"The prospect of working alongside pupils, parents, colleagues and alumni to realise the ambitious and exciting vision of the Council is one that I greatly look forward to."

The former Housemistress of Mill Mead House, who also was a senior deputy head at the Perse School in Cambridge, was selected by the council of Marlborough College following a thorough search to find Mr Leigh's successor.

The chairman of of the council, Lord Malloch-Brown, said: "It seems wholly fitting that our first female Master should take up her post at a time when we celebrate 175 years since the foundation of the College and 50 years as a co-educational school.

"In a very strong field of candidates, Louise impressed the members of Council with her deep understanding of and love for Marlborough.

"She relished the richness of opportunity its full boarding tradition affords our pupils but was equally determined to build on Jonathan's legacy of improving academic performance and broadening the social diversity of the school.

"She impressed us with her vision for a Marlborough education at a time of radical change in the world of work. We felt under her leadership Marlburians would be equipped with the resilience, flexibility and lifelong curiosity to succeed in uncertain times.

"We look forward to welcoming Louise and her family back to Marlborough and for her to take the lead in steering the College through the next exciting and challenging stages in its development."

Mr Leigh added: “It is delightful that Louise Moelwyn-Hughes will be returning to Marlborough with her family to take up the leadership of the College.

"Having started her career here this represents the culmination of a most distinguished journey in education. Her understanding of true co-educational boarding made her a unique candidate for the post. She will continue to emphasise the values of what it means to be Marlburian”.