The King’s School’s new headteacher is setting his sights on ‘making a difference’ and maintaining the ‘outstanding’ standards left by his predecessor, as he completes his first term in post.

Rob Gammon said it is a ‘huge privilege’ to come back to the school where he taught between 2006 and 2013 and it has been a ‘positive’ start to his leadership.

He praised his predecessor Faith Jarrett, who left the school after 12 years, as she acted as an unofficial coach and mentor during his first role as a headteacher.

Mr Gammon said: “As a school, we can make a difference to young people and this community because this school does shape Ottery and Ottery shapes the school and the surrounding area - it’s a two-way relationship.

“It’s really exciting to be in this role. It’s a great school and it’s a lovely school to work in.

“There is such a strong ethos and such strong values that resonate with my own.”

The father-of-three joined the school as a director of specialism in 2006 and became its deputy head.

As headteacher, Mr Gammon hopes to develop working relationships with schools around the local area, continue ‘outstanding’ exam results and build students’ personal development.

Mr Gammon added: “If we get that bit right, all sorts of opportunities will open up for them.”

He grew up in London and studied at Loughbourgh University. After completing his teacher’s training, Mr Gammon taught for nine years around Lincolnshire before his first stint at King’s.

He left the school to become headteacher of Robert Blake Science College in Bridgewater, which was rated as ‘required improvement’ by Ofsted when he took over three years ago. Under his leadership, the school made ‘significant improvements’ and was rated ‘good’. Mr Gammon said there were a number of reasons, both professional and personal, to return to King’s.

Mr Gammon, who has two children at the school, said: “The King’s School is the kind of school that attracts some fantastic opportunities, such as [astronaut] Tim Peake. That happens in a school like this because it has the reputation and the capacity to take on these activities.

“As a parent, my hope for my own children is that they leave here full of self-confidence with the ability to mix with anybody that they might come across and be able to engage with that person and take on whatever new challenge that life throws at them.

“I want them to leave here proud of the school they went to and that they have worked as hard as they could.”