Rick Weight, the headteacher at Saxton Primary School, will be leaving on February 12 to work at North Yorkshire County Council.

The 39-year-old has worked at the Dam Lane learning base for five years, and will be having a special celebration to mark his departure next week.

Mr Weight, who lives with wife Julia, who's also a teacher, and his two sons Robert, eight, and Christian, five, admitted he will miss the school.

He said: "I've had a great time here and it's a lovely place to be. I'm very sad, but it's a great opportunity to keep moving forward into new ideas."

Mr Weight, who studied a bachelor of education degree at Cambridge University, got his first teaching job in Gloucestershire before moving to Cambridgeshire and then taking up the deputy head post at Athelstan Primary School in Sherburn.

The school will be giving its headteacher a good send-off with a big celebration with staff, parents, governors and children. They will also have the headteacher's favourite school lunch – chicken korma with rice and fruit flapjack for pudding.

Speaking about his new job as a general primary advisor, Mr Weight said: "I've got a special responsibility for personal learning but I'll also be working on school improvement so I will be supporting schools and governors. I will definitely miss this place though!"

Mr Weight will be working at the Selby Education Office as part of his new role.