A NEW headteacher has been welcomed by parents at an Oxford primary school.

Gareth Griffiths has taken over as head of Bayards Hill Primary School in Barton, and met parents of pupils at a welcome meeting on Friday morning.

Mr Griffiths took over from deputy head Charley Eaglestone, who had been acting head since Rachel Medley left in April.

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In a newsletter sent to parents on Thursday, Mr Griffiths said: "I am delighted to have been appointed headteacher of Bayards Hill Primary School.

"I am greatly looking forward to building professional relationships with all the pupils, parents and staff."

Mrs Medley had been headteacher of the school since 2015.

Bayards Hill became an academy in 2014, under the Community Schools Alliance Trust, which also runs Cheney School.

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It teaches about 400 pupils and was rated 'requires improvement' by Ofsted in 2017, when Mrs Medley was commended for her 'effective leadership, calm determination and strong moral purpose.'

In a leaving letter written to parents before her departure, she wrote: "I am confident that it will continue to improve and become a good school in all aspects.

"I want to commend the teachers who work tirelessly everyday to make the magic happen in classrooms. The support staff her are amazing at their jobs and always go the extra mile to support the school wider aims.

"There hasn't been a day when [the children] haven't made me smile or laugh out loud, surprised me or made me proud."