FULNECK School in Pudsey has announced the appointment of its new principal.

Paul Taylor will succeed Deborah Newman as head of the school from September.

Mr Taylor is currently Deputy Head at Trent College, Nottingham, a post he has held since 2014. He was previously Assistant Head of Fulwood Academy in Preston and a Boarding Housemaster and Head of Politics at St Peter’s School in York. He said: “It is a huge privilege to have been chosen as the new Principal of such an established and highly regarded school. I am excited about the challenges which lie ahead and the opportunity to build on the hard work of Deborah Newman.”

Mrs Newman recently announced her intention to retire at the end of the current academic year following over 30 years in the teaching profession, 10 of which have been spent at Fulneck.

Commenting on her imminent retirement Mrs Newman said: ‘My years working at Fulneck have been the most fulfilling of my career and I have been honoured to serve as Principal for the last six of these. However I feel the time is now right to focus on my family and particularly my elderly parents.

"I am delighted that Paul has been chosen as my successor and I know he will be inheriting a healthy school with outstanding staff and a leadership team with a shared ethos of providing our pupils with the very best education and pastoral care."