The headmaster of a Hampton preparatory school and his wife, the school’s secretary, will retire this Christmas after serving a combined 34 years.

Michael McKaughan, who has headed up the independent schools national cricket team and is an independent schools inspector, and his wife, Gill, joined Denmead School 17 years ago.

Mr McKaughan, who is Australian by birth, said the biggest challenges he faced at the school was toward the beginning of his time at the helm, when he felt it was not achieving its full potential.

He said: "Some people at the school had maybe lost some confidence in it, so the challenge was getting it back on its feet.

"Now we are doing so well in terms of exam results and sporting achievements, and have waiting lists in each year group."

Mr McKaughan said the school was a very inclusive place and he would miss interacting with the children.

He said: "The little things in the playground - going past a child and getting a grin or a cheeky comment - it’s what it’s all about. They are a great bunch of kids."

Victoria Jennings, co-chairman of the Denmead Association and a parent of two children at the school, said she and her husband chose Denmead because of Mr McKaughan and the close relationship he had with his pupils.

She said: "We say goodbye with a little sadness but many, many thanks for all their hard work and good humour, and wish them a long and happy retirement."

Mr McKaughan, who has enjoyed being part of a husband and wife team for so long, is looking forward to spending some time back in Australia with Gill.

He said: "We are going back to Oz for a couple of months to catch up with some old friends and relatives "I’ll be getting back to the bush, which is where I spent a huge amount of time when I was younger, and maybe get some sheep shearing done."

Mr McKaughan will be succeeded by Tim Smith, currently deputy headmaster academic at the Hall School in Hampstead, who will take the helm at Denmead on January 1, 2015.