A headteacher at one of Blackburn’s biggest schools has left his job to take up a new role.

Andy Burton, the headteacher of Witton Park Academy, announced his departure on Monday and thanked ‘pupils and staff for their support’. He had been headteacher at the school on Buncer Lane for seven years and was deputy headteacher before then.

He has been appointed an executive headteacher in a large multi-academy trust in Yorkshire and will leave in December.

The academy thanked Mr Burton for his contribution to the school and his 'tireless work at Witton'.

In a message to parents, Mr Burton said: “I have been privileged to work alongside a superb leadership team and wonderful staff body for an extended period of time. I have also been consistently very well supported by a dedicated and highly professional governing body.

“Having led Witton Park for seven years and been deputy headteacher of the school before then, I am immensely proud of our school and extended local community.”

He said parents, carers and the wider community had provided consistent support for which he was ‘extremely grateful’.

He said: “I have enjoyed seeing a large number of students develop and progress during their time at Witton Park. This is a unique privilege for any headteacher and one that has inspired and motivated me over time.

“The school is in a great position with consistent ‘Good’ Ofsted judgements, with a stable, expert staff.

"This year will see new outside cafe facilities, and a much-needed covered area. Staff have been focussed on improving attendance and behaviour - this is now amongst the highest and best nationally. A comprehensive intervention plan for year 11 will start after the mocks.”

Witton Park High School in BlackburnMr Burton added: “I believe that Witton Park is on a superb footing. Our foundations are very secure and we can look to the future with optimism and confidence.”

In 2015, Witton Park Academy worked together with Bowland High  to form a multi-academy trust (MAT).  The trust – 'Achievement through Collaboration (AtC)' was established in 2016, and Witton Park Academy formally became a member in 2017.

CEO at AtC, Jane Chambers said: "He is a long-serving, successful headteacher who has a track record of supporting both his school and others to achieve well. 

"As a long-serving headteacher within AtC and as a serving Ofsted inspector, he holds a valuable set of skills and extensive knowledge that we are very sorry to be losing from the trust.

"In order to capitalise on the skills and knowledge he holds and to capture it before he takes up a new position, we have asked Mr Burton to take on a role in the trust's central team until the end of term

"We are able to do this because Mr Burton has always been supported by a strong leadership team in whom we have the confidence to lead the school for the immediate future. 

"We'd like to take this opportunity to publicly thank Mr Burton for his tireless work at Witton and for always working with children at the heart of everything they do.

"We have no doubt that he will be successful in his new position, which will give him the opportunity to support and influence even more school leaders."