A prestigious girls’ school in High Wycombe will welcome a new headmistress next year.

Jo Duncan - who is currently based at the Royal High School in Bath – will take the helm at Wycombe Abbey on September 1, 2019.

Before her current role, Mrs Duncan was headmistress at Princess of Helena College in Hertfordshire, and previously taught at Benenden School in Kent for seven years.

She has an MA in English Literature and Biblical Studies from the University of St Andrews, and went on to study her PGCE at Cambridge University.

Chairman of the council of Wycombe Abbey, Patrick Sherrington, said: “The council is delighted that Jo Duncan will be the next headmistress of Wycombe Abbey.

“Jo is the right person to build on Rhiannon Wilkinson's achievements and take the school to the next level in the challenging and changing market we will face in the years ahead.”

Mrs Duncan will take over from the current headmistress, Rhiannon Wilkinson, who will step down from the role at the end of the academic year.