A TAUNTON primary school where the head teacher left under mysterious circumstances is advertising for a replacement.

Interviews are due to be conducted in February, with the successful applicant taking up the post at Parkfield Primary School in September, the start of the next school year.

Steve John is currently interim head after head teacher Lisa Marchant left suddenly at the start of September.

Parents were informed at the time of her departure in a letter from chairman of the governors Duncan Meikle, who wrote that the details would "not be expanded upon".

Mr Meikle said: "While it is not appropriate to publicly discuss the personal circumstances of any individual member of staff, we can confirm that the local authority has been working with the school’s governors to ensure that interim leadership will be in place from the beginning of the new term."

He added: "The governors and local authority would also like to reassure everyone connected with the school that there are no issues affecting pupil safety or educational performance."

A Somerset County Council advert for the job carries a salary of up to £67,963.

And whoever gets the job is promised a school of "enthusiastic and highly-motivated" pupils with a love of learning, dedicated staff and supportive governing body.