Furness Academy in Barrow: BAE in bid to become new sponsor
BAE Systems has announced plans to sponsor a troubled Cumbria academy.
Furness Academy in Barrow was put into special measures in May 2013 after an Ofsted inspection deemed pupils' achievements as "inadequate".
BAE said the non-financial sponsorship would provide direction to the operation of the academy in areas such as leadership and business management.
Managing director Tony Johns said he was "pleased" the Department for Education had approved the application.
Ofsted said the academy needed to increase its teaching standards, make lessons more "challenging and engaging" and improve leadership and governance.
Mr Johns said: "We have for a long time supported local education at primary, secondary and college level and we see this positive step as an extension to our commitment in helping Furness Academy provide its students with the best possible education."
The non-financial sponsorship is now subject to a period of due diligence before it can go ahead. It is hoped the new sponsor will be in place by September for the start of the new academic year.
Furness Academy replaced three schools in 2009, two of which were failing, but has since struggled.