THE man who has been at the helm of Midhurst Rother College for the past seven years is to leave the school in September.

Dr Joe Vitagliano will be joining United Learning’s central office team as a senior education advisor.

He took over as head and returned to the former Midhurst Grammar School, where he was a pupil, when it was taken over by United Learning as a new academy in 2009.

Advertisements for his replacement are being published this week, although Dr Vitagliano told parents he was “very keen to keep it business as usual” until the summer.

“The aim is to make a new appointment in good time so a smooth handover is in place for the appointee to start in September.

“Please rest assured, United Learning and the governing body are seeking to appoint an outstanding individual who can build on the legacy of the last seven years,” he said.

The former grammar school had been placed in “special measures” by Ofsted inspectors in March 2006. It was cleared in September 2007, but it was two years before the school was relaunched as an academy amid reorganisation of middle schools and senior schools in West Sussex.

The college continued in the old grammar school buildings next to Capron House until a new £31million building was opened in September 2012.

The college was rated “outstanding” by Ofsted inspectors in 2013.

Dr Vitagliano (right) said: “It has been a privilege to return to my old school and serve it since 2009.

“From starting Midhurst Rother College as a new academy in very uncertain circumstances – one of only 24 in England at that time – the school is now rated outstanding by Ofsted, is substantially oversubscribed in year seven, has a growing sixth-form sending its students to top universities, and offers an enrichment programme that is second to none in the state and private sector. The college is now the school of choice in our area – a far cry from the position in 2009.”