ROB Coole has been appointed headteacher of Anagh Coar Primary School.

He succeeds Vicky Dassoulas who died in May after a long illness. Mrs Dassoulas was appointed headteacher in March 2009 after 16 years at the school.

Mr Coole went to Rushen Primary School and Castle Rushen High School. He trained at Liverpool John Moore’s University, graduating with a first class honours degree in Design and Technology with qualified teaching status.

As a newly qualified teacher, he taught at Murray’s Road Junior School. He later took on the role of ICT coordinator and, three years later, science and upper key stage 2 coordinator.

In his final year at Murray’s Road he was responsible for the development of a creative curriculum.

Mr Coole was appointed deputy headteacher at Anagh Coar in September 2009 and became acting headteacher when Mrs Dassoulas became ill.

In this capacity he helped to lead the school through its recent successful School Self Review and Evaluation (SSRE).

Mr Coole said: "It has been a very challenging first year at Anagh Coar, but I am so pleased that Vicky had the faith in me to take over as acting headteacher when she became ill.

"I am really looking forward to continuing her caring and optimistic ethos in the coming years and helping to move the school in the direction she would have wanted.

"The school is such a wonderful place to work, with such caring and hard-working staff, enthusiastic pupils and supportive parents, I really look forward to continuing to work here with everybody in my new role and to build upon the school’s strengths."

Mr Coole lives in Douglas with his wife, Caroline, and has a keen interest in travel, reading, cinema and walking. He took part in the Parish Walk for the first time this year and managed to make it to Peel. He plans to compete in the End to End Walk in September and get even further in the Parish Walk next year.