PARENTS have called for a rethink on plans to turn Oxford School into an academy after concerns over its proposed sponsor.

Oxfordshire County Council is awaiting a Government response to its plans to turn the school into the county’s first “all-through” academy for children from the age of four to 19.

Its chosen sponsor is United Learning Trust (ULT) – a Christian charity and largest backer of academies in the country, including the North Oxfordshire Academy in Banbury.

But it has emerged that the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) expressed doubts over the suitability of the trust as a sponsor in Dorset 16 months ago.

Dorset County Council said DCSF officials asked it to seek a different sponsor for an academy it was planning in Portland in July last year.

Neither the Government or Dorset County Council would elaborate on the DCSF’s concerns. However it has worked with the charity on other academies since.

Meanwhile, ULT said it was committed to the Oxford project and would tell local parents how it could build on improvements at the school.

The trust said the North Oxfordshire Academy was the county’s most improved school last year.

But Anna Thorne, who has twin boys at Oxford School and has been a leading campaigner against the proposed academy, called for Oxfordshire County Council to go back to the drawing board.

She said: “It is worrying because it reinforces my concern about the suitability of the sponsor. If the DCSF has doubts about a sponsor, it’s not OK for them to be bringing that sponsor forward in Oxford.”

Dorset County Council found an alternative sponsor.

The National Union of Teachers, which has opposed the Oxford Academy proposal, backed calls for a rethink.

Oxfordshire branch president Gawain Little said: “If the Government themselves, who are pushing the academies programme, have advised a local authority not to appoint ULT as a sponsor, that is seriously significant. If (Oxfordshire) council does not take that on board it is not doing right by the children at the school.”

The school’s chairman of governors Larry Sanders said the governing body had concerns about ULT’s suitability.

A DCSF spokesman said: “The department does not agree academy projects unless we have confidence the sponsor has the capability to run successful academies. ULT was never formally considered as sponsor for the (Dorset) project by the department, but since this time we have agreed other projects with them.

“We are working well with ULT and Oxfordshire on plans for this strong academy proposal.”

A ULT spokesman said: “We are looking forward to the beginning of the public consultation for the proposed academy as it gives us an opportunity to tackle the myths and to set out for local parents exactly how we can build on the improvements at Oxford School and continue to raise standards of education.”