A YORK head teacher is to face a misconduct hearing later this month.

Huntington School head John Tomsett is set to appear before a Teacher Regulation Agency professional conduct panel in Coventry.

The reasons for the hearing, which is due to be held from Monday to Friday next week, have not been disclosed. The agency's website refers to his former employment in Eastbourne.

A letter was recently sent out to Huntington parents saying Mr Tomsett "is taking a leave of absence for personal reasons from Friday, October 5."

It goes on to say that "Gail Naish and Matt Smith, deputy head teachers, will be leading the school in Mr Tomsett's absence. Please be assured that the day-to-day running of the school will be unaffected."

Mr Tomsett said he was unable to comment before the hearing when approached by The Press.

A City of York Council spokesperson said: "As this is a regulatory process, it is inappropriate for the authority to comment at this time."

Mr Tomsett has been a teacher for 30 years, and a head teacher for 15 years.

He has been head of Huntington since 2007.

He led the school to an "outstanding" rating in every area from Ofsted for the first time in its history following an inspection in October 2017.

In July, he welcomed education secretary Damian Hinds to the school, who visited as part of a fact-finding mission.

Mr Tomsett is a founding member of the Head Teachers’ Roundtable, a national forum aimed at revolutionising school education, born out of frustration with current Government educational policy and the Labour opposition response to it.

He has written a number of books and also writes for the TES.

In December 2010, The Press reported that Mr Tomsett pulled a drowning man to safety from the River Ouse, near Fishergate.

It was announced in October 2016 that Huntington was one of five schools across England to become “research schools”, with each receiving £200,000 over three years to build a network and help 1,000 other schools.