Students at a Braintree secondary school will only be able to take one language subject from September.

Bosses at Notley High School have confirmed from the start of the new academic year, the vast majority of pupils will only be offered to take either Spanish or French when starting secondary school. Previous year groups have been able to learn both at Key Stage Three.

The school says pressure on staffing, finances and changes in the curriculum have lead to the decision.

David Conway, headteacher at Notley High School, said: "Like all schools we keep the curriculum under constant review, and have to make decisions about what we are able to fit in to the curriculum bearing in mind several factors - staffing, accountability to stakeholders, needs of our community and finance.

"For a mixture of all of those reasons we have decided that it best serves the overwhelming majority of the students at Notley by only requiring them to take one language.

"As a MFL teacher myself by original training I know and understand what languages can offer to a young person’s educational development, and we will still offer a language to ensure that continues.

"We believe that this measure will eventually lead to a greater take up of languages at GCSE."

Some parents have expressed their concerns over the decision.