Stephen Carville, the new assistant principal of Peter Symonds' College, Winchester, says he is looking forward to the challenges ahead.

"I'm really delighted to be joining such a successful and well-run institution," he said.

"Peter Symonds' College has considerable national standing and it is one of the best, if not the best, sixth-form college in the country."

Mr Carville (43) took his first degree in French and German at the University of Southampton, followed by an MA at Birkbeck College, London University.

He has a post-graduate certificate of education and a master of business administration award from the University of Keele.

He started his career in Palmer's Sixth Form College, Essex, and moved to the Royal Forest of Dean College to become head of modern languages.

"After that, I spent a few years in Spain working for the British Council as a teacher-trainer," he said.

"I had my own translation business at one stage and was a radio presenter with Radio Color, an English language programme broadcast in the east of Spain.

"It was an experience I thoroughly enjoyed."

On returning to the UK, Mr Carville lectured at South Downs College, Havant, and then became head of modern languages at Barton Peveril College, Eastleigh.

After a year, he was promoted to curriculum manager and he was also in charge of adult education. He had yet another change when he joined Ofsted as an inspector and he was a key figure in the establishment of the new inspection regime of colleges.

As well as the management role at Peter Symonds', he will teach in the modern languages department.

He is married to Elizabeth and they have a little boy. In his leisure time, he enjoys walking and playing the piano.