A MAN once made the youngest headteacher in England is to take over Colchester’s largest secondary school.

Steven Clark, who was made headteacher of Tabor Science College in Braintree six years ago aged 31, has been appointed headteacher of Philip Morant School and College.

Mr Jones, who started his career as a science teacher at the Prettygate school in 1995, will return next spring to replace Sue Cowans, who is retiring.

Mr Clark, whose wife Ruth was also a pupil there, said he had happy memories of his five years at Philip Morant, and was looking forward to returning.

He said: “I’m very excited about the position.

“It’s a very good school and I want to work with staff and pupils to make it the best school.”

Mr Clark, who lives in Colchester with Ruth, a teacher at Maldon’s Plume School, and their two-year-old daughter, has an impressive track record.

He is also a giant of a man. Literally – he is 6ft 6ins tall.

He was only 27 when he became vice-principal at Colne Community School, in Brightlingsea, helping to turn it around before taking the call from the then Tabor High School.

His emphasis on discipline and an enthusiasm for the role saw record GCSE results this year, with 56 per cent of pupils achieving five or more A* to C grades.

He said: “I fundamentally changed the way the school works.

“Simple things, like the children’s behaviour, have really improved and there’s a really good atmosphere across the school.

“The school has got better and better, and the results have gone up year on year.

“The school has moved forward and we have got some great things going on, but it’s the right time and I’m looking forward to the new challenge.”

Mr Clark’s task at Philip Morant will be different.

The school is extremely popular, with an excess of parents wanting to make sure their youngsters are among the 2,100 pupils studying there.

But plans to expand the site using Government money have foundered, leaving the future of the school in limbo.

Mr Clark said: “One major challenge is looking at how we’re going to make sure the buildings are as good as they can possibly be.

“Most importantly, the one thing about how I work is that everything is about the young people who go to the school.

“I’m almost obsessively committed to making sure they have the best opportunities.”

As to whether the school could expand in years to come – a contentious subject for some who think it is already too big – Mr Clark says it is all down to parental choice.

He said: “I’m confident all the heads in Colchester will work together really closely to make sure everything works out.

“I’m really looking forward to getting to know the staff and pupils at the school and making sure I have a very good understanding of how things work. The future is going to be bright.”