A private school near Southwold is to receive a multi-million pound investment as part of a new partnership with an independent schools group.

Saint Felix School, in Halesworth Road, Reydon, will join Inspired Learning Group (ILG) on April 30, it has been announced.

As part of the agreement, ILG has promised to upgrade the school's facilities to continue the school's "rich tradition of academic and extracurricular excellence".

Saint Felix, a day and boarding school for children aged from two to 18, has been independent since it was established in 1897.

In light of the Covid pandemic and the resulting difficulties in attracting international students, the school's governors opted to seek a "long term, sustainable solution to enable Saint Felix to continue with its development plan".

The decision to join ILG was made after "careful consideration and a thorough process", Saint Felix School said.

ILG is comprised of 16 independent schools and nurseries and its advisory board includes Oona Carlin, former head of Ipswich High School.

James Harrison, headmaster at Saint Felix School, said: "At Saint Felix, we have a long and successful history of providing the very best education and opportunities for students.

"We are passionate about supporting each and every child to discover and realise their full potential, which is why, with these shared values, Inspired Learning Group is the perfect partner to build further on our rich tradition of academic and extracurricular excellence.

"All of our decisions have been made with the best interests of our school community in mind, and I am excited that we are about to embark on this new chapter as part of the ILG family."

Amit Mehta, chief executive of ILG, said: "We are delighted to be welcoming Saint Felix School into the Inspired Learning Group and look forward to supporting the school as it continues to deliver a fantastic educational experience for students and staff.

"Working closely together with the staff and families at Saint Felix, we are committed to continuing the school’s positive trajectory and hope that they share our excitement in joining our wonderful network of schools, pupils and staff, and benefiting from shared resources that will continue to drive future growth, and, above all, empower students to fulfil their potential and go on to lead happy and successful lives."