Acting Kerem Primary head Alyson Burns has been given the headship on a permanent basis.

Miss Burns had served as acting head at the 252-pupil school in Hampstead Garden Suburb from the start of the academic year. She began her teaching career at Whitchurch First School in Stanmore, joining Kerem as deputy head and year four teacher in 2009.

She then spent two years as head of the Kerem Early Years Unit.

Kerem governors’ chair David Wolfson said Miss Burns would provide “inspirational leadership to the school, its pupils and staff”.

Miss Burns looked forward to working with “the children, staff, parents, governors and the community to build on the school’s strengths. I am relishing the challenges ahead.”