SHE may have only just started as headteacher, but it is not the first time Violet McLaren has been in the classrooms of Lethbridge Primary School.

Miss McLaren, who started at the school on September 1, has taken over from Ray Norman following his retirement earlier this year after 12 years in the role.

She taught at Lethbridge when she first qualified as a teacher in 1997 and is delighted to be back.

She said: “It has been great so far. All the staff are really positive and there is a nice feel about the place. The kids have been great, they have come back ready to learn and excited about the school year.

“I was out speaking to the parents and recognised quite a few of them from when I taught here before. I used to teach the children and quite a lot of the staff in the school as well.”

Miss McLaren, who is originally from Kilmarnock in Ayrshire, Scotland, taught at Lethbridge from 1997 until 2001.

She then worked at a British international school in Berlin and then at Moredon Primary School where she was assistant headteacher. She has been headteacher of Wroughton Infant School for the last three years and said she knew Lethbridge would be a good move.

“I wanted the job because it is a primary school rather than an infant school. When the job was advertised I thought ‘that is a good next step for me’,” she said.

“It is a highly attaining school so we have got to try to maintain that. We will look at the curriculum and make it more exciting for the children. The children will be involved in the planning too.

“I am really looking forward to working at the school. We are looking at making lots of new community links.”

Mr Norman retired in March at the age of 60. He had started at the school 12 years earlier when he left South Marston primary and was handed the difficult task of building the school from scratch after it was created after the infant and junior schools amalgamated in 2000.

The school has the Dyslexia Friendly award and the Silver Eco Schools Award. It is also working towards the International School Award, the Green Flag Eco Schools Award, and ICT Mark as well as the Artsmark Award.