The head teacher of Penryn Primary Academy has bid farewell to staff and students as he leaves after almost 20 years in the job.

The school organised a goodbye assembly for Robin Cowen, who took up the role in 1996, followed by an afternoon of cream teas and drinks for the governors, staff, and other adults.

In a speech in the afternoon, Mr Cowen told staff he thought he had "the most wonderful job in the world."

He spoke of the "spirit of the school" and how it is in all of the teachers past and present, who he has been privileged to work with.

"You are working as you do, every term, every day, because it matters for the children. I just want to applaud all of you, you fantastic, fantastic team."

He also spoke of his sadness at leaving, and said: "So many children are saying 'why are you leaving?' I genuinely don't have an answer.

"I can explain it to you, sort of, I can't explain it to the children."

After taking taking the two former schools, Penryn Infants and Penryn Juniors, through the process of merging as one academy, Mr Cowen has left to take up a new role as head of primary school improvement and research at The Learning Institute, working across Cornwall.

The Aspire Academy Trust, of which Penryn Primary Academy is a part, has announced that Andrew Earnshaw will become the executive principal at the school, with three assistant head teachers - Janice Eddy, James Brown, and Tina Armstrong.