Academies programme

Information about the academies programme in Oxfordshire.

Academies programme in Oxfordshire

If your Governing Body has already taken a decision to convert you will find useful information about the conversion process in the box on the right-hand side titled Conversion Guides.

The first three academies were established in Oxfordshire between 2007- 2010.  The ‘Academies Programme update’ document above shows which schools have converted and those which are in the process of converting.

The Education and Adoption Bill 2015 sets out a continued commitment to the academies programme. It includes increased powers to convert schools which are deemed to be ‘coasting’, delegation of school improvement powers to the Regional Schools Commissioner and a commitment to provide 500 Free Schools (the term now covers any new school, including those required through house building programmes).

In this context the county council recognises that the diversity of educational provision in the county will continue to expand and has taken the opportunity to review its position on academy status. In October 2015 the county council cabinet agreed the following points:

  • Adopt a more assertive policy in identifying appropriate sponsors for schools required to convert to academy status;
  • Promote appropriate groupings to form new Multi-Academy Trusts and encourage the growth of existing Multi-Academy Trusts based in the county;
  • Further develop and promote the collaborative company model both to incorporate more schools in these and to extend the scope of their pooling of resources and responsibility.

And

  • Use collaborative companies as a ‘stepping stone’ to the formation of Multi-Academy Trusts.

The full document - Cabinet paper Strategic Groupings of Academies 2015-20

Further information