A school judged inadequate by Ofsted plans to team up with one of the country’s best schools to become an academy.

Education inspectors criticised Alec Hunter Humanities College in Braintree earlier this month for having “serious weaknesses”, including inadequate teaching and pupil underachievement.

Governors voted in favour of seeking academy status, sponsored by Saffron Walden County High School, which Ofsted graded outstanding in all areas in May.

Academy status must be approved by the Department for Education before the school is due to sign a funding agreement in April.

Parents, pupils and residents will be consulted in the new year.