Two headteachers belonging to the same academy trust have been recognised as among the best in the country.

Geoff Baker, principal at Cromer Academy, and Claire Heald, principal at Jane Austen College in Norwich, have been declared National Leaders of Education (NLE) by the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL).

They will join a handful of existing NLEs in Norfolk, and the pair, who both work at Inspiration Trust schools, are among 75 to be announced in the latest round.

As part of the award, which recognises them as headteachers whose experience should be shared with nearby colleagues, their schools will also become National Support Schools.

Dame Rachel de Souza, trust chief executive, said: 'This is a fantastic achievement by Claire and Geoff, supported by the staff in their schools.

'These new designations add to our National Teaching School at Hethersett Academy, and are an important part of our work to improve education for young people not just in our own schools but more widely across the region.'

They will join other NLEs including Brian Conway, headteacher at Notre Dame High School in Norwich, Valerie Moore at Eaton Hall Specialist Academy, and Selene Sawyer at Lionwood Infant and Nursery School in Norwich.

Roger Pope, chairman of the NCTL, said: 'I'd like to congratulate Claire and Geoff and their academies on being appointed as a national leaders of education and national support schools. They should be very proud of this achievement.'

He said NLEs were at 'the heart of school improvement' and develop 'the next generation of leaders'.

In April, Jane Austen College, which opened in 2014, recorded a waiting list of 70 pupils for this September's year seven intake. The school also secured the best A Level results among state schools in Norfolk last year.

Cromer Academy was recently rated good by Ofsted and is in the top 10 schools in the county for attainment at GCSE.

There are about 1,250 NLEs around the country.

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