A Beccles high school has been chosen to form a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) and work with other local schools to help them to improve.

The Sir John Leman High School will launch the new trust in September, with current headteacher Jeremy Rowe becoming the trust's chief executive officer, leaving behind the position he has held for eight years.

The school was approached by the Department for Education to form the trust, and Mr Rowe said it was the next logical step.

He said: 'We've been doing this unofficially for a couple of years with the work I've been doing at other schools, so this is making it official.

'We want to keep the trust local and keep it on a small scale working with about half a dozen schools. We are in the early stage of conversations with a couple of schools about them joining.

'Each school will keep its own identity and headteacher, but will exist as part of a trust.

'Most people won't see any changes, but hopefully they will notice an improvement.'

The school will be working with other schools to either help them improve or, for those that are already good, to share expertise.

Mr Rowe said: 'I think we will be learning as well and we will benefit from sharing ideas with other schools.'

Mr Rowe's position as CEO will start off as one day a week, working with external organisations for the rest of the week. His role will increase as more schools join the MAT.

Michael Taylor, the current acting headteacher, will become the permanent headteacher in line with the changes - a role he has carried out for the past two years while Mr Rowe has been helping at schools in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.