Dave Graves, who was formerly the deputy headteacher at Parley First School, has become the new headteacher of Hillside First School in Verwood.

Dave, who was an operations manager at Barclays Bank before moving into education, says he plans to use the spacious grounds at the school to provide more outside learning – including a Forest School – and to create new sporting opportunities.

Married to fellow teacher Louise with whom he has two children, he said: “Above all we want the children to be happy, in a nurturing and supportive school environment.

“We want them to believe in themselves, know that we believe in them too and to have big dreams; with hard work and a good plan anything is possible.

“We want to foster entrepreneurialism, teamwork and collaboration and to give them confidence to present to their class in a way that will help prepare them for the future.”

Dave is also looking forward to being part of Wimborne Academy Trust (WAT) again, having been involved when it first formed.

He said: “It is a huge advantage to be a part of Wimborne Academy Trust (WAT) because of the support and the sharing of expertise and experience.

“It also means children can spend their entire school lives in WAT schools where there is consistency, progression and familiarity, allowing them to thrive.

“We’d love parents to come and visit and have a look around.”

Liz West, CEO of WAT, said: “We are delighted to have secured Dave as headteacher of Hillside.

“He has plenty of experience at teaching and in leadership roles in schools and brings experience from outside the education sector.”