The head teacher of the King Edward VII School (KES) has announced he is leaving this August, a month before it becomes an academy.

Eastern Daily Press: A school reunion will take place in the main hall of KES on June 7.A school reunion will take place in the main hall of KES on June 7. (Image: Archant)

Mike Douglass, 55, who has been at the school on Gayton Road, King's Lynn for 18 years, will be retiring as well as deputy head, Andy Osbourne steps down.

The move comes as a recent Ofsted monitoring inspection found that the school, which was put in special measures last autumn, has made 'reasonable progress.'

Mr Douglass said: 'I think the time for me leaving is an opportune move as the school becomes an academy, it is a new change for the school - so it is an ideal time.

'I have been a head teacher for 12 years and in been at the school for 18 years, so I feel that this is the right time. Although I will be retiring from headship, after I have taken some time out, I would still like to contribute to education in some way.'

The comprehensive was put in special measures because

inspectors highlighted poor grades in English and mathematics and said teaching was often not good enough and described as inadequate.

However the recent inspection has found that the current year 11 pupils are 'making better progress overall than at the time of the last inspection' - although the rate has been described 'as not fast enough.'

A gender gap has also been identified where inspectors have noted 'boys are making far less progress than girls, particularly in English.'

But the report also states that teaching is 'now effective' and students are safe and bullying is tackled 'quickly and successfully - which has been derived from the school's 'zero tolerance' policy.

Mr Douglass said he was pleased that the school is making 'reasonable practice.'

He said: 'We're in a much more stronger place now, we have made changes and we are now making sure we embed them as far as we can go. My colleagues have worked so hard to make these changes, but we are relishing the journey.'

Mr Douglass also added that parents have been very supportive - 'I have had a lot of nice emails,' he said.

As Mr Douglass leaves at the end of the academic year, King's Lynn Academy principal, Craig Morrison has been appointed as head teacher for KES, which will become the King Edward VII Academy, as it joins the College West Anglia (CWA) Academy Trust on September 1.

Mr Morrison said of his new post: 'I am delighted and excited at this fantastic new challenge. KES has a long and proud tradition in King's Lynn and I am looking forward to working with the staff, students and parents to ensure student achievement and satisfaction levels improve rapidly.'

The chief executive of the CWA Academy Trust, David Pomfret. explained that Mr Morrison's role would be to focus on improving both academies to achieve an Ofsted 'good' grade as soon as possible.

He said: 'Craig Morrison has senior management experience across two schools from a previous role in Cambridgeshire. The aim of the CWA Academy Trust is to raise student achievement in all our academies.'