PRESS RELEASE : More than 1,200 schools apply to become academies [July 2011]

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 3 June 2011.

As of today:

• 1244 schools have applied to be an academy since June 2010
• 831 of these applications have been approved
• 430 have already converted and are open.

The total number of open academies, including those opened under the previous government, now stands at 704. This is an increase of 46 since the last month.

Outstanding schools were invited to apply for academy status from June 2010. This offer has since been extended to special schools and any other school that is performing well.

Strong schools that convert to academy status are expected to support other local schools that could benefit from improvement.

Academies are free from local and national government control. They are able to focus their time and resources on meeting the needs of their pupils and school, rather than answering to local or national politicians and bureaucrats.