Now Andrew Chubb is handing over the top job at Campion School to his deputy Mark Feldman.

He will be leaving to take on a new position in charge of a city academy in Hull.

Campion, on the Sydenham estate, was the former modern languages teacher's first job as headteacher and he says he will miss the school and its pupils.

Mr Chubb said: "In many ways I will feel a huge sense of loss.

"I have loved working with the students here and loved working with the staff.

"There will always be a part of me that is Campion."

When Mr Chubb took the job in 2004 Campion had among the worst GCSE pass
rates in the area and was losing pupils.

Almost immediately he instituted a 'back to basics' approach to discipline and uniform, but stressed he combined this with encouragement
and good teaching.

He added: "We let the pupils believe they could achieve great things and that is what they went on to do.

"The school had a negative image and we turned that around and gave the students the belief and the confidence they needed.

"We have built a teaching force that is second to none. We have excellent teachers and we have spent time learning about the most up-to-date methods."

Mr Chubb praised the school's governors for allowing him to make the changes he felt were necessary.

He also has great affection for the students, 80 per cent of whom were awarded five or more A* to C grades at GCSEs in the recent results.

He is confident Mr Feldman will continue working to help pupils and staff at the school.

Mr Chubb added: "A large part of the credit goes to Mark Feldman, who worked closely with me for the four years I was at Campion.

"It was down to his hard work and vision that we achieved these spectacular results.

"I am delighted that Mark has taken over the running of the school."