A high school academy has announced it is hoping to join a local multi-academy trust to achieve higher standards.

Acle Academy, which became a stand-alone academy independent of Norfolk County Council in 2012, was rated 'good' by Ofsted the following year.

However, inspectors last month raised concerns about the school's performance after carrying out a confidential pilot inspection as part of Ofsted's preparations for a new inspection regime.

The visit left the school's 'good' rating unchanged, because it was not a formal inspection.

The pilot inspection echoed comments made in letter from Tim Coulson, the regional schools commissioner who is responsible for monitoring the performance of academies, to Acle's headteacher Tim Phillips, in March.

His letter suggested the school was considering joining a multi-academy trust, but in a statement to the EDP last month deputy head Maxine Blocksidge said: 'No discussion has been held either by the governing body, leadership team or the wider school community of joining a multi-academy trust.'

Last Friday, chair of governors Roger Timms told parents in a letter that governors had agreed to 'actively pursue' membership of a multi-academy trust, and were working with the Department for Education (DfE) to find a suitable match.

A spokesperson from the governing body at Acle Academy said: 'We are considering membership of a multi-academy trust after governors met last week and agreed to take this approach. We are working together with the DfE and the local authority on how to best achieve this. Local options are being pursued for a sponsor.

'Being part of a larger grouping of schools will strengthen the education which is already in place at our school as it will give us access to a wider range of skills and expertise to the benefit of all of our students.

'We are positive we will find the right sponsor over the coming months to effectively meet the needs of our school.'

A Department for Education spokesman said: 'The governors at Acle Academy have decided to explore the benefits of joining a strong multi-academy trust. It is an excellent route to support from wider schools, more rigorous governance and increased efficiency.'

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