THE accusation from Prime Minister David Cameron that Oxfordshire schools are “coasting” is as surprising as it is welcome.

The Witney MP made the comments during a keynote speech, but his Conservative colleagues running Oxfordshire County Council will no doubt be taken aback to have the spotlight shone on them again.

But perhaps Mr Cameron does not go far enough.

This newspaper has been highly critical of the standard of education in both primary and secondary schools for many months.

Melinda Tilley, the councillor overseeing education, is showing that she is prepared to acknowledge criticism and wants to improve the situation. But she is right to say there are complexities.

The Prime Minister, for instance, questions why state schools in Oxfordshire are doing worse than some in relatively deprived parts of inner London.

As we showed a few months ago, one of the main reasons is extra cash poured into these areas compared to more affluent areas like Oxfordshire. Yet, our study also showed strong leadership and a willingness to acknowledge and tackle problems was a significant factor in improvement.

Leadership comes from the top. Let’s hope the Prime Minister is ready to lend his leadership to improve the lot of local schools.