An ex-military engineer, with a comprehensive background in teaching, has been appointed as the new head of Tenby’s Greenhill School.

Ray McGovern will take over from retiring headteacher Janet Kingston on September 1, 2017, with the Tenby secondary school’s current deputy, Matthew Davies, to act as interim head from April onwards.

A native of Scotland, Mr. McGovern became headmaster of St. George’s School in Harpenden in 2013, a large co-ed school, that has achieved some of the best GCSE and A level results in the UK.

Prior to joining the teaching profession, Mr. McGovern served in the Royal Air Force as an aircraft engineer from 1983 to 1992.

His first job in education was as a lecturer in mechanical and aeronautical engineering at West Thames College London. From there he went on to become a teacher of design technology and deputy head of sixth form at Charles Darwin School in Kent.

Following this, he was appointed head of technology at Christ College, an independent boarding school in Brecon, becoming a housemaster the following year, and before his appointment to St. George’s, he was headmaster of Sexey’s School in Bruton, a state boarding school, where he was previously Deputy Head.

Mr. McGovern was also appointed chairman of the Boarding Schools’ Association in 2013.

Speaking of the appointment at Tuesday night’s meeting of Tenby Town Council, Clr. Mike Evans, one of Greenhill School’s governors, said that he and his fellow governors, along with teaching staff at the facility, were ‘very excited’ about the news after meeting with the future head.

“The school’s governing body is delighted with the appointment, and it shows the calibre of applicants that came forward for the role,” he said.

“I’d like for the town council to write to the school and new head to congratulate them on the news. There is a bright future ahead for Greenhill,” added Clr. Evans.