A NEWLY appointed headteacher has said taking up the post was the best decision he has ever made.

Simon Mason, head at Honywood School in Coggeshall, will be retiring next April.

He has welcomed James Saunders, who expressed his excitement to join the school.

Mr Saunders, who is from Lexden, said: "After meeting with learners and staff I can tell Honywood is somewhere that has not lost touch with what being a great school is all about.

"The ethos, culture and team spirit I witnessed first hand really cemented my desire to join your community and become a part of the next phase of Honywood’s journey."

He lives with his wife Nichola and two sons, aged seven and four, and many members of his family attended Honywood as children.

He is working as vice principal at Tendring Technology College and is headteacher of the Tendring Teaching School Alliance.

Mr Saunders also runs a school improvement hub as part of a national organisation called Challenge Partners, and he is also vice chair of governors at Heathlands Primary School in West Bergholt.

Dedicating his life to education, he even persuaded his wife to become a teacher at his workplace- she works in the art department at Tendring's Thorpe-le-Soken campus.

The teacher, who used to live in Braintree, said: "Children are like a blank piece of paper, their minds are ready to be filled and they soak everything up.

"Anything is possible when you are a child, and school is to make sure you encourage them and prepare them to get out there."

He will be working with Mr Mason over the next year to ensure a smooth transition.

He said: "Joining Honywood is the best decision I have ever made, I am very excited to be joining your community and can’t wait to work with you all."

Mr Mason said he was delighted to make the announcement in the school's newsletter.