STARTING out as a teacher 15 years ago, the new head of Droxford Junior School had a baptism of fire more vivid than most.

"It burnt down," Matthew Dampier says of his first school. "I got a phone call from my mentor, who was a lovely lady, she said don't come into school - the school's probably not going to be there."

It wasn't. An arson attack on Basingstoke's Beechdown School left Mr Dampier teaching in a church and portacabin whilst trying to find his feet as a newly qualified teacher.

Now, months into his first headteacher role, he is trying to ensure the next generation has smoother entry into what is a notoriously difficult career.

"We were the number one school in the county and one of the top 100 schools in the country, and structurally staffing has been steady for a long time," he says. "But people have got to develop and grow, so quite rightly they have moved on. It's given me the opportunity to grow me own team, bring in my NQTs and have that succession."

Droxford's two newly qualified teachers (NQTs) have had a warm welcome, made easier by the school's outstanding Ofsted rating in all areas. Tucked neatly into a corner of the South Downs village, the school is surrounded by greenery. It is used in lessons but puts smiles on faces in the playground.

"It's a wonderful place to come and work, the surroundings are fantastic and you can see the downs everywhere," Mr Dampier says.

He was Droxford's deputy head for seven years before taking the helm in the spring, so he's familiar with its staff and 180 pupils. Developing his workforce is top priority but recent challenges, such as new inspection criteria and an assessment overhaul, will take work.

"I'm so relieved that I'm a headteacher in Hampshire, because the support has been incredible," he says. "I don't know all the answers and when I need someone to go to, there's always someone on the end of the phone."

If Hampshire is a model county for primary education, Droxford must be one of its crown jewels.

Photos by Rachel Adams