JAN Wagstaff, acting head at Coleford St John's C of E Primary School has been appointed to the headship.
She took part in a gruelling two day interview to select a successor for departing head Linda Gregory.
Mrs Wagstaff has been at the school since 1990 when she started as a year one teacher. She became deputy head in 1998 after having a break to start a family.
She says she is looking forward to building more national and international links with the church and with other organisations.
She said: "It is a very exciting time to be here – we have already introduced some new clubs, extending the ball skills and art club to the reception and key stage one classes and we have started doing wake and shake before school again.
"It's a warm place to be with a very friendly, happy and positive ethos and the children are fantastic to work with."