A Norfolk high school has been handed a 'must do better' notice to improve by Ofsted inspectors, which is one step short of special measures.But staff, parents and students at Stalham High School have also been told efforts to change for the better since the arrival of a new headteacher a year ago meant the school was “beginning to improve quickly”.

A Norfolk high school has been handed a 'must do better' notice to improve by Ofsted inspectors, which is one step short of special measures.

But staff, parents and students at Stalham High School have also been told efforts to change for the better since the arrival of a new headteacher a year ago meant the school was “beginning to improve quickly”.

The overall effectiveness of the 505 pupil school was marked as inadequate by reporting inspector Ian Seath.

He said standards were well below the national average both in the proportion of students gaining five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C and in the proportion who gain the highest grades A* and A.

Significant improvement was required in relation to students' progress and attainment. And the governing body had “not effectively held the school to account for poor performance, and not monitored it sufficiently well”.

But the specialist humanities school had satisfactory teaching, behaviour and learning.

And care, guidance and support were effective, especially for those students who found learning very difficult, while the student voice was “very well developed”.

Persistent absence had reduced from unacceptably high levels to satisfactory levels.