Peers School in Littlemore achieved record GCSE results this year. It surpassed all expectations - and this less than a year after it had been labelled a failing school by Ofsted.

A new head with a record of transforming schools in challenging situations and a lot of hard work have put the school on a new footing. We are delighted to report this week that the school will not be resting on its laurels. It is seeking to turn itself into an academy.

This is a radical move. If it is successful, it will mean the closure of Peers and the creation of a new school on the same site, independent of the control of Oxfordshire County Council.

This is the sort of thinking that has been lacking in Oxfordshire schools in recent years.

There is a long way to go before an academy can be created on the Peers site. The project will involve a Government feasibility study, and parents and teachers will need to be consulted.

For our part, we hope the school makes a huge success of this.