EARLY retirement has beckoned for a headteacher of a County Durham school.

Brian Ogden has been headteacher of Spennymoor School for the past 12 years, but forthcoming changes in education have prompted the 58-year-old to retire early.

He said: "We are moving on to the next phase of development and I don't feel it is right for me to be making decisions that will affect people five years ahead. I think it is better that somebody else takes things forward."

Mr Ogden has spent 36 years in teaching and looks back on his days at Spennymoor with affection.

He said: "The school has come a long way in raising standards of achievements during that time."

Among his proudest moments are when the school won the Arthur Anderson Management Today Excellence Award in 1999 and when, along with Tudhoe School and others, it achieved technology status.

He said: "What has been very very gratifying in the past few months is the number of people who have said to me 'we don't want you to go'."

Deputy head Neil Davis will take on the role of headteacher until a replacement can be found for Mr Ogden.