A struggling school will be absorbed into an academy trust run by a grammar after it was stripped of its ability to spend money.

The Charles Dickens School in Broadstairs will form a new academy trust later this year with Barton Court Grammar in Canterbury.

It comes after the school ran into financial difficulties in March, meaning the interim leadership of executive head teacher Kim Stoner, along with other staff from St George’s Foundation School, will end in July.

It came after significant financial pressures were identified following a full financial review of the school, which was immediately prevented from spending money by Kent County Council.

The review was carried out by KCC Schools Financial Services, who it was said would be in control of the school’s spending and ability to raise money until they found a sponsor to turn the school into an academy.

That sponsor is Barton Court and the schools will become a joint academy trust, with a decision still to be made on who will take up the role of executive head teacher.

A letter sent out to parents at The Charles Dickens School last week read: “We are writing to inform you that the Regional Schools Commissioner (RSC) from the Department for Education has issued an Academy Order requiring The Charles Dickens School to convert to academy status.

“As part of that decision Barton Court Grammar School in Canterbury has been selected as the sponsoring school with the intention that the two schools become part of the same academy trust.

“This decision has been welcomed by both schools and Kent County Council as all three parties are certain that this new arrangement will secure the further improvement and long-term future of The Charles Dickens School, building upon the very positive work that has been undertaken by Kim Stoner and her team from St George’s Church of England Foundation School over the past few months.

“We hope that this resolves the uncertainty for The Charles Dickens School, and the decision now sets a clear direction which will enable the school to continue to make progress for the benefit of the students.”

The news follows a tumultuous two years for the school after it was placed in special measures following an Ofsted inspection in September 2014.

An action plan was put in place and a new leadership team was set up in December 2014 partnering the Charles Dickens School with Paul Luxmoore, executive head teacher of Dane Court Grammar School and Kate Greig with her leadership team at King Ethelbert School.

Various leadership changes have taken place since, including the current one with Kim Stoner at the helm.

Ofsted special measures monitoring inspections have been carried out regularly since the first full inspection with the most recent coming at the end of last month.

It said: “Leaders and managers are taking effective measures towards the removal of special measures.”

No date has yet been given for the takeover.