THE headteacher of Prime Minister Tony Blair's old school will bid a final farewell on Sunday when he moves on to pastures new.

After eight-and-a-half years as head of Durham's Chorister School, whose ex-pupils also include Rowan Atkinson, Stephen Drew is moving to Cambridge to take over as head of St Faith's School.

His last duty will be attending this Sunday's evensong at Dur-ham Cathedral, where the school will also say goodbye to two pupils, 13-year-olds Matthew Wilby and Alastair Ward.

During his time there, Mr Drew has seen the admission of the first girl to the once exclusively boys school. She begins her final year in September.

He has also seen its growth with the admission of more pupils, to reach its highest ever total of more than 200 next year.

Mr Drew said the decision to move to Cambridge with his wife Julie, a teacher at Durham High School for Girls, and daughter Olivia, 17, was prompted by the feeling that the time was right.

"I decided to move because I'm 51 and, if I'm going to do another job, I need to move now," he said.

"I thought it was probably the right time, as eight-and-a-half years is long enough for a school to have a head."

Mr Drew, who will be succeeded by Ian Hawksby, head of Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School, Seaton Carew, in September, said he had many fond memories of the school and the city.

"It's a very unusual school and a very special school to be head of," he said. "It will be hard to leave Durham, as it is lovely."