The new headteacher at Caterham High School says its latest Ofsted inspection will be the catalyst needed to make improvements.

The school on Caterham Avenue, was rated good in the areas including leadership and management, and behaviour and welfare of pupils but requires improvement overall.

The inspection came two weeks into the tenure of the new headteacher, Belinda Chapple, who took over from Dr Alan Atkins, who was at the helm for 32 years.

The report says changes put in place by the “purposeful leadership” of Ms Chapple are already making a “substantial difference” to pupils and achievement at the school.

“It is pleasing the inspectors have clearly recognised that the changes we have already made are beginning to have an impact on both pupil experiences and achievement,” she said.

“However, in my view there are clearly areas where we can improve to ensure very high expectations for our young people.

“In the short time I have been here, it has become abundantly clear that I am working with students with tremendous potential, with a limitless capacity and desire to achieve.

“Our teachers here are raring to go, and fully committed to getting the best for their students – they want change.”

Where the school fell short, Ms Chapple backed the inspectors’ findings, agreeing that exam results and teaching and learning need to improve in some areas.

The new head, who helped to significantly improve George Mitchell School in Leyton so that it now sits in the top 1per cent of all schools, said there is more work to be done to nurture pupil’s talent and raise their expectations and aspirations.

“We will make those changes now,” she said.

“I have no lesser ambition than to make this the very best school in the area, the school of choice for the local community.

“Rest assured, I will not stop until that is the case.”

Caterham High School’s chairman of governors, John Tyne, said it is less than ideal that this inspection has come just two weeks into Ms Chapple’s time as Headteacher.

“As a school with huge ambition for our students, we are confident that we will rapidly improve from our requires improvement judgement.”