Sir John Leman High School in Beccles has a new headteacher who isn’t exactly a stranger to pupils.

Michael Taylor has worked at the school for 27 years and has been acting head for four of the past six terms.

So when the former leader Jeremy Rowe moved on to become chief executive of the new Multi Academy Trust, Mr Taylor was the natural successor.

He said: “I did my headteacher training about four or five years ago and the opportunity to become acting head came up about two years ago. I was approached by the governors about making the role permanent and I said that I would love to.”

Mr Taylor took a music degree before undertaking teacher training in Chichester. He became director of music at Reydon High School, which has now closed, before an opportunity arose to teach music at Sir John Leman, one day a week.

He fulfilled that role until the head of music retired and was given the full time position - one that is now carried out by his wife Margaret.

Mr Taylor has worked as deputy head and director of learning for key stage three amongst other roles.

“I suppose I am in a small group of teachers who have been at the school for several years,” he said. “But I think that’s one of the successes of the school - that the changeover of teachers has never been too dramatic.”

He said he planned to continue providing pupils with a broad range of subjects and skills set to flourish in the ever changing world.

“We do have to embrace new challenges and demands and tweak the curriculum accordingly. We are always striving to be better, our motto is achievement for all.

“I’m very involved in the community on a personal level and as a school we also have a good involvement, but I would like to reach out on a wider level. Over the last five years we have been doing Leman for Life and we have raised £50,000 for a cancer charity which I’m so proud of, but that’s just one facet of our fundraising.”