Old Buckenham Hall School in Ipswich, a co-educational prep school for children aged three to 13, has appointed James Large as its new head with effect from September.

Large read zoology at the University of Southampton and completed his teacher training at the University of East Anglia. He has represented Great Britain as a sailor from a young age and, more recently, represented England in touch rugby.

Large said: “OBH is a school I have long held in high regard. My recent visits have only served to confirm that its reputation as one of the country’s premier prep schools, is very well-deserved. I am excited to begin a new chapter at Brettenham Park with my wife, Harriet, and our son, Albie, who will turn two in February. We share a genuine love of boarding schools and are very much looking forward to immersing ourselves in the hustle and bustle of life at OBH. We shall arrive in September having enjoyed 13 years in Norwich, during which time I have held various roles at Norwich School and Harriet at Norwich High School and Beeston Hall.

“I believe that schools should provide children with the opportunity to try new things and to discover what they are good at, but crucially, they must create an environment where children have the confidence to do so. Above all, I believe that relationships are at the core of every successful school. Not only is this true with our pupils and parents, who put so much trust in us as educators, but also within our organisations. OBH already delivers an outstanding education for its families, and my family and I are very much looking forward to joining the special community that has made this possible.”