A RYEDALE head teacher is set to take charge of a York secondary school later this year.

Richard Crane, 39, is currently head teacher at Ryedale School in Nawton, but will take the reins at Joseph Rowntree School when its current chief, Maggi Wright, retires in August.

Mr Crane, who lives near York, took over as head of Ryedale, which has about 550 pupils, in 2010.

He said: “While I have really enjoyed my time at Ryedale School, I’m really looking forward to getting started at Joseph Rowntree School.

“Joseph Rowntree has a great reputation, it’s improved a lot under Maggi, who is a superb head teacher, and I’m looking to build on everything she has done with the team and to moving the school forward.

“The process of appointing my successor at Ryedale is under way and I am confident that the governors of the school will appoint the right person to continue to develop and improve the school.”

As The Press reported last year. Mrs Wright is set to retire at the end of the current academic year after 29 years at the New Earswick school, five of which were spent as head.

She joined Joseph Rowntree in 1984 as a head of department.

She then became head of house and later took on the role of deputy head for 11 years.

In a letter to parents, Mrs Wright said: “I congratulate Mr Crane on his appointment to an excellent school – a school which I am very proud of.

“Although it is a long time until September when Mr Crane takes over, I will be meeting him over the next eight months to share information about our school. Meanwhile, I look forward to our spring and summer terms which, as always, will keep us very busy.”

Mr Crane is married to Julia, a teacher at Sherburn High School, and has three children.