THE NEW headmaster of St Felix School in Reydon says he want to prepare children for the challenges of a fast-changing modern world.

Dr Simon Letman took up his post at the independent school at the end of the Easter holidays. He takes over from outgoing head David Ward.

Having lived in Suffolk for almost 20 years and spent 25 years working in independent education, Dr Letman said that he was 'hugely excited' to be leading the school through a new phase of development.

He said: 'St Felix offers a really distinctive and exciting educational experience where all boys and girls are taken on a journey of self-discovery and challenged to find that there is more in them than they could ever have imagined.

'The school's focus on equipping pupils with flexible skills and attitudes they will need to cope with the challenges of our fast-changing modern world is something that attracted me to the role.'

He went on to say that, in addition to focusing on achieving the best possible academic results, 'schools like St Felix concentrate on developing qualities like resourcefulness, resilience, flexibility and persistence, and this is what makes what we do here so distinctive and relevant to both the present and the future'.

Before arriving at the co-educational day and boarding school for pupils aged one to 18, Dr Letman worked as the director of professional development for the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC), a leading independent body for headteachers.

Prior to that, he spent 12 years working at the Royal Hospital School in Holbrook, near Ipswich, as head of history and later director of studies. He began his teaching career at Warwick School, where he was a housemaster.

Nigel Johnson, chairman of governors at St Felix said: 'We are delighted to welcome Dr Letman to St Felix School and excited about the challenge that it provides for us all.

'He has proven leadership experience both in the HMC and the wider educational world, and this makes me confident that he can take the school forward not only in the areas of teaching and learning but all aspects of the establishment.'

St Felix, in Halesworth Road, Reydon, currently has 433 pupils.