Bitham Brook Primary School has a new headteacher this year who hopes to boost the Westbury school’s performance and renovate its playground.

Formerly headteacher at Heytesbury Primary School, south of Warminster, Mr Ross, 53, said he had been struck by the enthusiasm of staff and pupils.

He plans to raise its Ofsted rating to at least ‘good’, and to create an outdoor classroom for use on sunny days, and a wild area for children to study nature.

He said: “Heytesbury is a lovely school, but it is very small and I wanted to work somewhere about the size of Bitham Brook.

“It has a real buzz about the place, the children and staff are all really enthusiastic, which is a lovely learning environment. It was an easy decision.

“The school is in a pretty good state of health, but I want it to be at least ‘good’. It was ‘satisfactory’ in the last inspection.

“It would also be great to update the outdoor area which is a blank canvas.

“There is a wild area, but at the moment it is really living up to its name and isn’t much use, so we can develop that, and perhaps get some allotments in.

“There is also an area like a natural amphitheatre which could become an outdoor classroom, and would be a great place to learn when it is nice.

“I want to help make this school the best it can be.”

Mr Ross has lived in Trowbridge for 24 years, and used to work for Wiltshire Council in County Hall as a maths advisor, and later as head of school support.

But 18 months ago he decided it was time to go back into education, where he started as a teacher in Bristol, and took the job as headteacher at Heytesbury.

He lives in Paxcroft Mead with his wife Karen. They have three children.

He describes himself as mad about football, although he doesn’t play so much as he used to as he is ‘getting on a bit’, and he enjoys riding motorbikes, walking and photography. He is also a member of Trowbridge’s Mara-natha Community Church.