QUEEN ANNE High School will have a new rector in the New Year after Ruth McFarlane announced that she is leaving the post.

She has been seconded to Levenmouth Academy and will take on the top job there on January 5 "for at least one calendar year".

A letter to parents confirmed her impending departure and that Fife Council were seeking applications for an acting headteacher at the Dunfermline school.

Ms McFarlane has been in charge at Queen Anne since she replaced James Bellshaw in 2014 and said she would find it "incredibly hard" to leave.

In the school bulletin she wrote: "While excited by the opportunity to get to know the young people, staff and families within the Levenmouth community, and to work with them to improve outcomes for all young people, it means saying goodbye to QAHS for a wee while.

"In my 12 years of headship, nine have been at Queen Anne, and throughout this time, I’ve appointed 108 of our 127 teachers (85 per cent), including every principal teacher of curriculum.

"I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved together and it makes it incredibly hard to take this next step."

Ms McFarlane began her career in 1994 and taught in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, before returning to Scotland and taking up a position in 1998 as a biology teacher at Dunfermline High for three years.

She then moved on to become head of biology at St Andrews High, principal teacher of curriculum science at Beath and depute rector at Balwearie before being appointed as rector at Glenrothes in 2011, where she remained until coming to Queen Anne three years later.

The rector continued: "The QAHS team have supported the development of an inclusive, progressive and creative culture, much more special than many may realise.

"I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to lead the school.

"Our brilliant young people evidence a highly-successful team effort from all QAHS staff and a supportive community of families and partners who work alongside us."