STUDENTS and staff descended onto their school field to give their headteacher a surprise send off.

 

For weeks pupils at Abingdon Prep School had been keeping a secret from headmaster Crispin Hyde-Dunn as part of his goodbye.

 

On Tuesday morning Dr Hyde-Dunn was whisked away from his study and taken up in a light aircraft over the school in Frilford.

 

As he looked out of the plane he noticed his second surprise.

 

All of the boys, staff and the vice chairman of governors were out on the school field and had assembled themselves into the initials of the school.

 

Dr Hyde-Dunn said: "This morning's experience came as a complete surprise.

 

"One moment I was in my study in a meeting with our vice chairman of governors and the next I was in the air over south Oxfordshire.

 

"To fly over our school and see the whole community gathered on the sports field, with boys and staff forming the three giant letters APS, was a magical sight."

 

Dr Hyde-Dunn will be moving on as headteacher of the Dragon School, in Oxford in September.