Mr Hilton, formerly the Cornish All Blacks’ forward, will succeed current headmaster, Dan Thornburn, from April 2017.
As the current Year 6 teacher and director of sport, Mr Hilton has become very well known and highly regarded in the school community.
Co-workers have said he is a dedicated member of staff and has shown real commitment to his teaching and the well being of the children in his care.
He is equally well known locally, as an outstanding rugby player, having previously captained England counties and Cornwall.
As well as successes on the games field, he has been involved with all age groups across the Key Stages.
Over the past five years he has taught a variety of subjects from Reception to Year 6 including Art, Design Technology, Science and PE — as well as his regular group teaching of English and Maths.
Mr Hilton has an extensive knowledge of the school and its pupils, as well as its traditions and the plans for the future — the school’s governors said he was the outstanding candidate and that at his interview how ‘integrity, commitment and vision for the school’ shone through.
Mr Hilton is hoping to build on the recent success of St Petroc’s, which has seen the school pick up two national ISA awards and become the ‘Sunday Times Top 100 Prep School’ in the past two years.
Those at St Petroc’s have expressed their excitement at the news and have wished Mr Hilton all the best in his new role.
Following his new appointment, Mr Hilton said: “I am incredibly excited and honoured to have been given the opportunity to lead our school into the next phase of its development. It is hugely important that the values and individuality of our pupils are enhanced. I look forward to helping the school grow together.”
Current St Petroc’s headmaster, Mr Daniel Thornburn, was recently announced as the next Head of Edgeborough School, near Farnham in Surrey.
Mr Thornburn said: “Securing Ben as the next head of St Petroc’s is a fantastic appointment for the school! He is St P’s through and through. He will bring fresh energy and new ideas to build on what has happened over the last four or five years.
“His dedication to the school is enormous and the respect he has from the children, parents and staff is a testament to his hard work. I am delighted both for him and for the whole school community.”