THE MP for Oxford East has asked the Government if it has set a target for the number of academies in Oxfordshire.

Andrew Smith posed the question and was told in a written response from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for State Edward Timpson on Wednesday there were no set numbers.

The Oxford Mail reported last Monday that the Government said Oxfordshire was a “key area” for more sponsors to come in to take over academies.

Mr Smith’s question read: “To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether his Department has set a target for the number of academies to be established in Oxfordshire.”

Mr Timpson, who is Conservative MP for Crewe and Nantwich, Cheshire, said: “The Department does not set targets for academy conversion.

“The Department discusses the possibility of conversion to academy status with any school that approaches the Department.

“Where schools underperform, the Department will discuss with individual schools whether a sponsored solution would be appropriate.

“There are currently 51 open academies in Oxfordshire (41 converter; 10 sponsored) and 20 in the pipeline (17 converter; three sponsored).”