CHAFYN Grove School has appointed a new interim headteacher to run the school from September.

Headteacher Eddy Newton is leaving the Salisbury school at the end of this term after 11 years to become the director of the Cothill Educational Trust, a group of eight independent schools in the UK and Southern France.

Deputy headteacher Katie Walker said: "Mr Newton leaves with Chafyn as National Prep School Hockey champions and a fine record of scholarships, 20 in 2015, including an academic scholarship to Winchester College for Edward Clewer and the top academic award to Clifton College for Jack Goldsack."

Jeremy Griffith will be taking over as headteacher of Chafyn Grove from September for a year and will oversee the transition to a permanent appointee the following year in 2016.

Mr Griffith comes with recent experience in a similar role, having been interim head of Pilgrims’ School, Winchester last year and was previously the headteacher of St Andrew’s, Eastbourne and Winchester House, Northamptonshire.

A linguist, who was himself a pupil at Winchester College, his earlier teaching career was at Horris Hill, Newbury, The Dragon School, Oxford and Windlesham House, West Sussex.

Mrs Walker said: "Mr Griffith is seen as having a particularly safe pair of hands and the governors of Chafyn Grove, led by Annie Parnell, are confident that his strong track record of wise stewardship will ensure that the school continues to prosper."