An east Norfolk school on the cusp of becoming an academy has been told it is starting to turn itself around.

Stradbroke Primary School has been in special measure since February when inspectors told the Gorleston school it's leader had failed to address long standing weaknesses and too many pupils were underachieving.

The 2001-pupil primary is in the process of joining the Inspiration Trust, the academy network lead by Dame Rachel De Souza which recently courted controversy over alleged Ofsted tip-offs.

The academy plans have received a mixed response; some teachers spoke out against the proposal, claiming the local education authority had 'given up' on them and that they had been given no choice over their new sponsor. Supporters, meanwhile, said it would bring a 'bright, secure future' for the school dating back to 1875.

In the latest Ofsted report, published on November 11 following a monitoring inspection, inspector Susan Heptinstall said: 'The school is making reasonable progress towards the removal of special measures.

'Since the previous monitoring visit, a new special educational needs coordinator has been seconded to work with the school, and there have been changed to the teaching staff.

'Leaders are preparing for the school's planned conversion to academy status.'

The report said the quality of teaching at Stradbroke was improving but 'the impact of teaching on pupil' progress over time is uneven'.

'Sometimes, the work pupils are given is too difficult. More often, pupils are slow to get started because teachers' introductions to tasks are lengthier than is necessary.'

Ms Heptinstall praised pupils at Stradbroke for being courteous and respectful, as well as keen to learn and enthusiastic.

'Leaders have recently started to monitor classroom behaviour carefully and are using this information to identify those who need help to manage their behaviour more effectively,' she said.

'Although it is too early to determine whether the incidence of disruption is declining, serious misbehaviour during lessons is rare.'

The monitoring report is available to read online through the school website, www.stradbroke.norfolk.sch.uk.