A new headteacher hopes to transform a Welwyn Garden City school into an “exceptional” place for learning after it was classed as “inadequate” by Ofsted last year.

Springmead Primary School has recruited a new leadership team including a new headteacher, deputy head and assistant head to take the school forward from September.

Executive head Amanda Godfrey commented that they were “delighted to appoint such a strong team, full of energy and with great experience to bring to the school”.

“We had an excellent response to our adverts and were really pleased to be able to appoint such a strong team,” she added.

The school is in the process of converting to an academy and will join Spiral Partnership Trust, a multi-academy trust which specialises in developing excellent primary schools.

In 2016, 18 teachers left or handed in their notice at Springmead within a period of 15 months, compared to 19 in the previous five years combined, a Freedom of Information request revealed.

In 2017 the school was branded ‘inadequate’ in its Ofsted report.

Newly appointed headteacher Karen Cayford has already significantly improved one school and is looking forward to leading Springmead’s “recovery to an excellent school, well thought of in the community”.

She will be joined by Claire Todd as deputy head who moves from Fleetville Junior School, an outstanding school in St Albans.

Penelope Hitch, who is currently a teacher at the school already, has been appointed as assistant head.

“Together they are a great team,” added Ms Godfrey.

Ms Cayford said: “I am absolutely delighted to be joining Springmead and am looking forward to working with staff, pupils and families in creating an exceptional school.”