The shock news, which was broken exclusively on our website www.southyorkshiretimes.co.uk, came just days before the start of the new term and a week after the release of the school's GCSE results, which showed improvement on the previous year.

Mr Martin told the Times: "I have felt very privileged to be headteacher of Northcliffe School for the last ten years and to have worked with so many talented students and colleagues. I feel that the time is now right for me to move on as the school moves towards the next exciting stage in its history. I have thoroughly enjoyed working in this community and would like to express my thanks for all the support that I have been given. I will always hold Conisbrough and Denaby Main close to my heart."

The school is currently bidding for specialist status and is expected to opt to become an academy in the forthcoming Building Schools for the Future programme.

Chair of Governors at Northcliffe, Tracey Morton, said: "The Governors are very grateful to David Martin for all that he has done for the school over the last ten years. When he arrived at the school, around 20 per cent of students were achieving five or more A*-C grades whilst a similar percentage left with no qualifications at all. This year 40 per cent achieved five or more and all but 3 per cent gained qualifications to take with them.

"We hope very shortly to be announcing exciting plans for the future of the school. This is likely to involve academy status and the opening of a new school in the near future. We are currently in talks with various possible sponsors, together with the Local Authority and in partnership with Dearne Valley College. David Martin felt that this was therefore an appropriate time to stand down as Headteacher."

For the new school term Nigel Pattinson, Headteacher of The Armthorpe School, will be Executive Headteacher, with Gill Pollard (currently Deputy Head) as Associate Headteacher.