A struggling school has accepted an invitation to join the Swale Academies Trust after a recent Ofsted inspection ruled improvements are required.

The governing body at the Community College Whitstable (CCW) held an extraordinary meeting on Friday evening and decided that joining the trust would provide a more sustainable future.

In a letter to parents, chairman of governors Clarissa Williams said: "This is to give CCW the opportunity to benefit from a sustainable and long-term model of high-quality school improvement that is based on proven good practice and collaboration.

"It was not a decision we took lightly and in so doing we took into consideration all aspects of CCW provision and practice and all the opportunities Swale Academies Trust can offer us."

"In particular Swale Trust is a local, Kent based organisation with clear lines of accountability.

"We believe it will add to the competencies, skills and attributes that are needed in CCW.

This is to give CCW the opportunity to benefit from a sustainable and long-term model of high quality school improvement that is based on proven good practice and collaboration - Clarissa Williams, chairman of governors

"Swale Academies Trust has a child-centred approach and recognises the uniqueness of individual communities within its school group.

"While we will share many policies in common, there is no one size fits all philosophy in its operations.

"We are aware that parents, carers, staff and students would like to be assured of the college’s future and direction as it sets about being the very best learning environment of its kind in the Whitstable community."

CCW joins nine other schools under the trust, including Westlands School, Sittingbourne Community College and Meopham School.

After the Ofsted visit on Friday, January 29, inspector Lesley Farmer reported that senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the last inspection in order to become a good school.

And the school has also put together a 70-day plan to be monitored by governors and Kent County Council's education department.

But it was also highlighted that there has been a disappointing drop in GCSE standards.

School league tables released by the Department for Education at the beginning of the year showed that only 28% of pupils at the school achieved five A* to C grades last year.

This was an 11% drop since 2014 as it fell further away from the national 40% benchmark.

The investigation into suspended head teacher Helena Sullivan-Tighe also continues.

She was hauled before the governing body and relieved of her duties in November last year due to the school’s troubled performance in Ofsted and exams.

Mrs Sullivan-Tighe remains as head teacher in an official capacity but is absent from the day-to-day running of the school while the review continues.

In December last year, Jane Partridge was announced as executive head teacher and Karen Cross as acting head teacher.

There is no update on when the investigation will conclude.