A Sudbury high school has announced it will be "mothballing" its sixth form and will temporarily not accept students in order to carry out "much-needed investment".

Ormiston Sudbury Academy, which is managed by Ormiston Academies Trust, has confirmed current Year 11 students will not able to join the school's sixth form at the end of the current academic year.

However, students currently in Year 12 will be able to continue their studies until the end of their courses in summer 2022.

The Tudor Road school said it has contacted all parents of current Year 11 students and will offer guidance for their children on alternative post-16 education in the area.

Ormiston Sudbury Academy, which opened under its current name in 2012 after converting to academy status under the trust, is the only secondary school in the town.

The closest school to Sudbury with sixth form facilities is Thomas Gainsborough School in neighbouring Great Cornard.

Ormiston Sudbury Academy has said the temporary closure will allow for the construction of a new block and promised the investment will result in a "superb provision" of education.

It has announced it will be able to offer a "wide range" of A-level and BTEC courses when the sixth form reopens to students.

However, the planned length of the closure has not been revealed.

A spokesman for Ormiston Sudbury Academy said: "The sixth form is not closing but is to be mothballed so that we can invest in it.

"This much-needed investment will ensure it is a superb provision for post-16 students when it re-opens in an exciting, fully resourced new build offering a wide range of both A-levels and BTECs.

"Current Year 12 students will be able to see their courses through to summer 2022 but the work means we will unfortunately not be able to take forward any applications from students currently in Year 11 to join the sixth form in September 2021.

"We have written to parents and all Year 11 students will be given advice and guidance on alternative high-quality sixth-form options in the area for their child."