A school said to be in "decline" by Ofsted has joined a new trust, appointed a new head teacher and even been given a new name as it seeks to improve.

SET Beccles School has announced that it will be leaving the Seckford Academy Trust and joining Sapientia Education Trust.

As part of the move, the school will be named as Beccles High School from September 1.

SET Beccles School is to become Beccles High School from September SET Beccles School is to become Beccles High School from September (Image: Seckford Education Trust)

Sapientia currently runs 17 schools in Norfolk and Suffolk and says it prides itself on running "outstanding" schools in the region.

Three Sapientia Schools have received “outstanding’ Ofsted judgements in the past 12 months.

In February of this year, SET Beccles School welcomed Ofsted inspectors who said that it "requires improvement", while in 2018 it was rated "good".

The report stated in its summary that "the quality of provision has declined" at the school.

SET Beccles is to be renamed at Beccles High School from SeptemberSET Beccles is to be renamed at Beccles High School from September (Image: Nick Butcher)

It added that "not all pupils attend school regularly", and "too many instances of negative behaviour" and it criticised the previous curriculum at the school.

Ofsted reported the curriculum was"not tailored to their needs" so pupils didn't reach what they were "capable of".

Beccles High School has said it will introduce a new uniform, reformed curriculum and restructured school day.

Chris Barns, currently associate headteacher at Fakenham Academy, will become the head teacher, replacing Neil Ketteringham.

Chris Barns has been announced as the new head teacher of Beccles High SchoolChris Barns has been announced as the new head teacher of Beccles High School (Image: Sapientia Education Trust) Mr Barns said: "I'm honoured and very excited to have been given the privilege of leading Beccles High School.

"From my experience of leadership in a variety of schools, I know that a successful and happy school depends on us working together to build on the work that has been done in the past.

"So I'm really looking forward to getting to know and working with the staff, pupils and parents across the school."

Jonathan Taylor, CEO of Sapientia Education Trust, said: "The school is joining our highly successful trust and will benefit from working in a network of high-performing local schools.

"We have great plans to provide a school where pupils are known individually, benefit from high levels of care and support and where high standards are a lived reality."

Neil Ketteringham, former head of SET Beccles School, is being replaced by Chris BarnsNeil Ketteringham, former head of SET Beccles School, is being replaced by Chris Barns (Image: Seckford Education Trust)