One in six pupils in Oxfordshire is classed as gifted or talented, new figures reveal.

A total of 6,399 pupils in the county's secondary schools are judged to have abilities developed to a "level significantly ahead of their year group" or the potential to excel. That is equivalent to 17.1 per cent of all students.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) defines "gifted" pupils as those who are capable of excelling in academic subjects such as English or history.

"Talented" refers to those who may excel in areas requiring practical abilities, such as games, PE, drama or art.

DCSF figures for 2007 show Oxfordshire secondary schools have a higher proportion of gifted and talented pupils than the South East region, where they represent 14.3 per cent of all students, and England as a whole, where the proportion is 13.1 per cent.

In primary schools, Oxfordshire's 2,581 gifted and talented pupils (5.5 per cent of the total) are surpassed by the South East's 8.7 per cent and England's 7.3 per cent.

The figures follow a pledge by Prime Minister Gordon Brown to expand the gifted and talented programme, which enables bright pupils to benefit from after-school, weekend and summer events, to assist one million pupils.

Schools minister Andrew Adonis has also announced an inquiry into how to get more pupils from state comprehensives in deprived areas to apply to university.