EAST Lothian’s largest primary school will have a new headteacher after the summer holidays.

Jacqui Mackinnon has been identified as the “preferred candidate” to take over from Helen Gillanders, who is retiring as Dunbar Primary School headteacher next month.

Mrs Gillanders has been in the role for 15 years.

A letter to parents from Nicola McDowell, the council’s head of education, confirmed Mrs Mackinnon was moving on from Law Primary School.

It reads: “I am writing to let you know that following interview on May 12, Mrs Jacqui Mackinnon is the preferred candidate for the post of headteacher at Dunbar Primary School, following the retirement of Helen Gillanders.

“Mrs Mackinnon is currently acting headteacher at Wallyford Primary School, however her substantive post is headteacher at Law Primary School in North Berwick.

“She has held several other headteacher posts in East Lothian and is an extremely experienced school leader.”

Dunbar Primary School, which has more than 1,200 pupils, is split over two campuses.

The John Muir Campus has 16 P1-P3 classes and five rooms for a nursery while The Lochend Campus has 20 P4-P7 classes.

The school is also home to The Cove, for pupils with additional support needs.

An advert looking to recruit a headteacher said the salary was £89,670 per annum.

Mrs Mackinnon has worked in East Lothian schools for almost 35 years, starting off at Campie Primary School in Musselburgh as a class teacher.

Since then, she has been headteacher at Aberlady Primary School, Prestonpans Primary School and Cockenzie Primary School.

She took on the role of headteacher at Law Primary School in 2019 and is currently on secondment at Wallyford Primary School.

Applications to become headteacher of the new primary school in Wallyford closed on Sunday.

A spokesperson for East Lothian Council said they would work with the school community at Law Primary School to recruit a new headteacher to lead both the school and the nursery.