WOODSIDE Primary's new head wants her school to be at the centre of the community.

Mel Davis has extended an invitation to Ruardean Woodside residents to use the school's hall for club meetings and events.

"We would like to see more activities such as after-school clubs taking place. We want the school to become a hub for the community and to be used a lot more," she said.

Mrs Davis took up her new post at the start of September, replacing Ian Furgus, who moved to a school in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.

After teaching for ten years at a junior school in Newport, she held deputy and acting head positions at Bream and Tutshill Primary Schools.

"Now at last I really feel like a proper head teacher," she beamed. "Woodside is a smaller and more family-orientated school compared to the others I've taught at – it has a lovely, warm atmosphere."

During the summer, the school's library was extensively refurbished, and Mrs Davis's first task as head was to encourage children to create bright displays in time for the library's official launch on November 5. Forest MP Mark Harper is set to open the library at 2.30pm next Friday and parents have been invited. Children will be dressed as book characters for the day.

"I have also been looking at making the curriculum as exciting and up-to-date as possible," said Mrs Davis.