TAKING over the helm of the biggest school in Colchester is a daunting prospect.

But it is one the incoming head of Philip Morant School appears to be taking in his stride.

Roger Abo Henriksen is getting ready to take up the position as headteacher at a time when the Prettygate school is riding high.

It earned itself a good Ofsted rating, with some outstanding features, and continues to be one of the most sought-after secondary schools for parents sending their 11-year-olds on to the next rung of the education ladder.

He has more experience than most – his son, Adam, attended Philip Morant and his daughter, Kirsten, is still a pupil there.

He said: “I think it was quite a shock when she realised I would be coming in as headteacher, but hopefully, it is sinking in now.

“She will be in the upper sixth when I start, so there is a lot more independence at that point in the school and she will be concentrating on getting her grades for university.”

The thriving sixth form is one of the areas Mr Abo Henriksen thinks the school is proud of and he is keen to focus on this. He also wants to try and forge closer links with businesses and other educational establishments to improve the vocational experiences students have.

He said: “I think that is an area that can really be improved on.

“It is important to make sure there is good-quality experience for students so they achieve their real potential.

“But the main thing is we will be moving up and on in terms of academic standard. That’s the gateway for young people.

“We have got to make sure they come out with high quality, high grades to get into the sixth form and get them access to higher education.”

Mr Abo Henriksen is returning to a school having spent several years working for Essex County Council.

Before that, he had been a headteacher for almost 14 years, his most recent position being at the helm of Tabor School in Braintree. Coincidentally he handed the reins to Steve Clark, who was originally picked to become headteacher at Philip Morant before he turned the school down.

Mr Abo Henriksen said: “It was not a conscious decision to step away from being a headteacher.

“I always knew I would go back but I like to face a challenge and the position at Essex County Council was offering that.”

His post was head of strategic development in school improvement, meaning he was involved with the unsuccessful bid for £130million of building Schools for the Future money to reorganise Colchester Schools.

Philip Morant missed out on what former headteacher Sue Cowans saw as much-needed improvements to the school.

But Mr Abo Henriksen said it is too early to say what action can be taken to find alternative means to make sure this work happens.

He is spending as much time as he can familiarising himself with the site and getting out and about to meet people.

He added: “I am very passionate about the importance of the school as part of its community.

“These children will become part of that community, and we have to make sure we are reaching out and are including all the people who live nearby.”

He will not be drawn into commenting on the ongoing debate about the playing field which the school argued would have been needed to make way for an access road as part of the improvement plan. But he is adamant about having an open relationship with the nearby residents.

A group is now urging the field’s owners – Colchester Council and Essex County Council – to sign it over as a designated playing field, re-named Queen Elizabeth Playing Fields next year monarch’s diamond jubilee.

He added: “I see community involvement as being very important.

“It is difficult when you live close to a large school, and I want there to be a relationship between the school and those living near it.”

He also plans to work on Philip Morant’s relationships with the nearby primary schools.

He said: “If we do not engage with them early enough, then we might find in many cases the children are not well enough prepared to make that transition to a secondary school.

“It is a massive step up, whether they are starting a small secondary school or a large one such as this. It means we can avoid students either not being able to cope or feeling they are not challenged enough.”

Mr Abo Henriksen takes over in September.