OXFORD School is in secret talks about closing down and re-opening as the city’s second academy, the Oxford Mail can reveal.

Anti-academy campaigners and unions last night said they would fight moves to change the 1,110-pupil school in Glanville Road, East Oxford, from a foundation school to a standalone academy.

Yesterday, headteacher Steve Lunt confirmed: “There have been confidential conversations taking place.”

Oxfordshire County Council also confirmed it was looking at it as an option because it wanted to improve the school’s performance although it had not tabled academy-status as a formal proposal.

The Oxford Anti-Academy Alliance – set up to oppose the transformation of Peers School into the city’s first and only academy last year – and Oxford and District Trades Union Council appealed for the council not to “abandon” the school.

Spokesman Mark Ladbrooke said: “It seems these discussions have been going on for some time and plans are quite far advanced.

“However, so far, the discussions have left out significant stakeholders. None of the unions representing teachers or other staff at the school have been consulted and, more importantly, neither has the community whose children the school serves. We do not believe the council has fully considered the devastating effect the closure would have on the community and the damage which could be done by replacing it with an academy.

“We are calling for a proper consultation of local people, and for parents, staff and others to voice their opposition to these proposals.

“Recent research on academies has shown a wealth of problems. The council should support, not abandon the school. We must stand up for our children.”

Eleven years ago, education watchdogs said Oxford School, which has pupils aged 11-19, had serious weaknesses.

Three years later the school was judged to have come on leaps and bounds and a new report said it was “rapidly improving and effective”.

Its latest Ofsted report said the school was “satisfactory”, although inspector John Laver stressed: “The school serves a relatively deprived area and the proportion of students eligible for free school meals is well above the national average.”

Last year the school gained foundation status, which granted its governing body and Mr Lunt the freedom to control pupil admissions, teacher recruitment and school buildings. Becoming an academy would give the school even greater autonomy from the council.

Parent Kathy Mason, from Cowley, said: “They keep changing things – I can’t think it’s necessary.”

County council spokesman Paul Smith said the school was being considered for academy status because less than 30 per cent of its pupils gained five or more GCSEs at A*-C, including English and maths.

He said no sponsor had been identifed and added: “Academy status, if it were to proceed, would bring with it very significant capital investment, of an order which could not be provided by the council and which would undoubtedly be of great benefit not just to present and future pupils but to the wider community.

“There has been no consultation because there is as yet no formal proposal. If a proposal proceeds, there will be a full consultation.”

tshepherd@oxfordmail.co.uk