STAFF and pupils at Churchfields Junior School have welcomed their new headteacher this week.

Wendy Thomas took up the post after the departure of her predecessor David Worrall in the summer.

She arrives at a time of change for the school with work about to begin on a £10m replacement building at the site in South Woodford.

She joins Churchfields after spending a year working in school improvement for Redbridge Council.

She said: "I am joining this school at a historic time and we have big plans for the future.

"I know the current school building is an iconic one and I, like many local residents including parents and pupils, will be sad to see it go.

But we will be taking lots of memories to the new school as well as things to remind us of the building like the war memorial and bell."

She said: "We will not lose the traditions but we will have a modern school that gives our children access to resources that would not have been possible had we stayed in old the building."