SIMON Spiers had a dual role yesterday — as a headteacher congratulating his students and as a proud parent.

For the past five years, the King Alfred’s Academy, Wantage, headteacher has watched his daughter, Katy, now 16, make her way up through his school.

And yesterday, all the hard work paid off as Katy received two A*s, five As, and four Bs.

Mr Spiers, who lives in Faringdon, said: “We are actually out of catchment for the school so we had to make a positive decision to send Katy to King Alfred’s and I felt it was the best place for our daughter with her interests.”

Headteachers receive all results a day early, so to make sure Katy didn’t get a clue as to how she had done, she stayed with a friend the night before and they picked up their results together.

While Mr Spiers has never taught his daughter, his wife, Juliane, will be teaching her next year as she takes PE A-Level.

Mr Spiers said: “Today has been an emotional rollercoaster.

“I am incredibly proud of my daughter both as a dad and a headteacher.”

Katy said she had so far never slipped up and called Mr Spiers ‘dad’ in school.

She said: “Sometimes it was really hard but once everyone grew up a bit about it it was much easier. When I walked in today and saw him, he was definitely a dad, rather than a teacher, which was really, really nice.”

She added: “I’ve had my mum’s taster lessons and I know I like the way she teaches. Hopefully she won’t be too uncomfortable teaching me and vice versa.”