THE outgoing headteacher of Liskeard School and Community College is to hand over the baton to her deputy when she leaves her post in August. Following a rigorous recruitment process, which involved members of the community, the school governors have appointed Alex Lingard, 42. A spokesperson said Mr Lingard has already been instrumental in the rapid improvements seen at the school and is highly respected by governors, staff, students, parents and the wider community. Chair of governors Davina Finch said: 'The governing body has every confidence that Mr Lingard will build on the school's current success and continue the improvement journey leading to even better outcomes for our young people.' Current head Donna Bryant has spoken of her delight over the choice of her successor. She said: 'Alex Lingard is a man of personal integrity and is an inspiration to work with. 'He shares the same passionate belief that the local school should be the natural first choice for parents and their children, because it provides them with the very best education available, and not just because it is the nearest school to where they live. I know that I leave the school in very safe hands.'  In a tribute to Mrs Bryant, the chair of governors said: 'Over the seven years that Donna Bryant has led the school, we have seen the school go from strength to strength with improving results at both GCSE and A-Level, thanks to what the Ofsted inspectors called her "unrelenting pursuit of improvements to raise standards". 'Because of her leadership more and more young people from this community are able to get the good jobs they aspire to or go on to the university of their choice. 'Mrs Bryant also led us into the Co-operative Trust which is helping us to build closer links with our partner primary schools and a whole range of businesses and community groups.  'I wish her well as she moves to Helston Community College to take on a new challenge in the largest school in Cornwall.'  Mr Lingard had previously been a deputy head in two large schools before moving to Liskeard in 2011. Most of his teaching career has been in London.