A Mid Sussex college has appointed a new head teacher.

Jill Wilson takes up the post at Oathall Community College, Haywards Heath, in April.

She will take over from John Rimmer, who is retiring after 27 years.

Mrs Wilson, who has been teaching for about 30 years, said she was looking forward to her new role.

She said: "It's a new challenge and I'm really delighted. The college has a good reputation and has done so much.

"My job will be to maintain standards but also to improve on them and bring new ideas to an already excellent college.

"I will be looking at gaining specialist status for the college but I have to be in the school first to get to know it and its potential."

Mrs Wilson, of West Grinstead, near Horsham, is married to Mark, a teacher, and has two children, Alice, 12, and George, nine.

She said: "I get two perspectives, as a parent and a teacher, and it emphasises for me the importance of a teacher's role.

"Teachers are instrumental in building the self-esteem and confidence of children and in helping them reach their full potential."

Mrs Wilson, who is deputy head teacher at Oakmeeds Community College, Burgess Hill, said her priority would be to work closely with Oathall's 80 teachers and 1,400 pupils.

She said: "The most important thing is to retain teachers.

"There are such good, quality teachers that we need to keep in the profession, as well as encouraging new staff."

Mrs Wilson has been a teacher in Sussex since 1976, when she moved to Worthing.

She is a member of the National Education Research Forum and will join the National Teacher Research Panel in April.