Dr Dena Coleman, head-teacher of Yavneh College since it opened six years ago, is to retire at the end of the academic year.

Dr Coleman said: “It has been a great privilege to set up Yavneh College and to see it grow into a successful, well-established school. I am very proud of what has been achieved and look forward to watching the school flourish still further over the coming years.”

When the go-ahead was given in 2005 by Hertfordshire School Organisation Committee for the establishment of the school, the first appointment was that of Dr Coleman as head. She has seen Yavneh College win numerous awards and the school is graded outstanding by Ofsted. This summer, the school was ranked sixth highest-performing non-selective school in The Times GCSE league tables.

Governors’ chair Sue Nyman said it had been “a privilege to work with Dr Coleman. We have all benefited so much from her wisdom and experience.”

The governors will now start the process of recruiting Dr Coleman’s successor for September 2013.