30403PUPILS at a village school this week welcomed a new headteacher. Bruce Douglas, 41, has taken over the reins at Staverton Primary School after former head Liz Bannister left last summer.

Deputy head Phil Allan has ben in charge since then.

Mr Douglas said: "I have had a lovely time since I have been here. I have been really busy but it is such an enjoyable thing to be doing."

Mr Douglas, who is married with two children, has been teaching for 17 years, the last four as a deputy head.

He plans to take some time to settle in at the school and get to know the staff and the 220 pupils before introducing any changes.

"I am very much a team player and I am not going to come in and impose a lot of big structural changes from my own agenda," he said.

"Although I have lots of ideas I want to get to know the team and work together on a shared vision for the school."

Mr Douglas has a keen interest in natural history and the environment and hopes to expand on the work the school already does in those areas.