A HUGELY popular headteacher is leaving for pastures new after 37 years in the profession.

Ken Vann will bid a final farewell to his pupils today after 19 years as headteacher of Westhoughton High School.

When the 59-year-old arrived in Westhoughton in 1983 the school was the only undersubscribed one in the area, but for the past eight years it has had a long waiting list of parents trying to get a place for their children.

Mr Vann was brought up in London and studied Greek and Latin at Keele University, where he became a committed Christian.

Mr Vann has taught at schools all over the country, including a tough inner-city school in Knowsley, where he was proud to help persuade one pupil to become their first ever entrant to Cambridge University.

The father of two became deputy head of Canon Slade School in 1978 when it was on the verge of changing from a grammar school into a comprehensive. He stayed there for five years before moving to Westhoughton.

He had never dreamt he would become a headteacher, thinking his greatest achievement would be becoming the head of a department.

Mr Vann said: "It was quite daunting, but I wouldn't have accepted it if I didn't think I could do it."

His replacement will be Brendan Laughran.