Education is a real family affair for Sheringham High School's new headteacher Dr Andrew Richardson – as the son of a primary school teacher and a deputy head.

Mr Richardson, who takes over from retiring head Tim Roderick in September, was planning a career in research after gaining a BA in English at the University of Cheltenham and a Masters degree at Kent.

But while studying for a doctorate in English he focused on the work of poet and former Gresham's School student W H Auden and caught the teaching bug.

'Teaching undergraduate students, I liked the effect that passing on that knowledge had, so I supposed that changed my mind,' he said.

After gaining a post graduate teaching qualification, Mr Richardson, 46, moved to Norfolk in 1996, to take a job at Costessey High School – a virtual homecoming after many family holidays on the Broads.

He joined Sheringham High School as second in English in 2000.

Following a six-year stint as head of English, Mr Richardson was appointed assistant headteacher in charge of student progress in 2010, being made one of three deputy heads of the 840-student school a year ago

As headteacher, he says he hopes to take Sheringham High – which already boasts 72pc of GCSE students gaining five or more A*-C GSCEs – to even greater heights, encouraging students to 'flex their learning muscles' and become 'adaptable, resilient' workers in a 'challenging' environment.

'Gone are the days of having a career for life,' he said.

'We want our students to be best prepared to face those challenges and for parents to have full confidence in what we do.

'I am deeply proud of what we have achieved over the past 14 years, Sheringham High School is a place where I have enjoyed working and I know that, with the depth of expertise and care we have got in our staff, we are in a position to make it even better.'

Mr Richardson, whose hobbies include chess, rugby, boating, going to the gym and bee keeping, praised Mr Roderick for his 'brave' administrative and teaching decisions, without which, he said, the school would not have achieved its status as one of the top three performing high schools in Norfolk.

Do you have an education story from north Norfolk? Email karen.bethell@archant.co.uk