Response to reports in TES about future Academies programme roll-out

In response to the TES, a Department for Education spokesperson said:

Let’s be clear, we will ensure that all outstanding schools which apply can convert as soon as they have completed all the necessary legal steps and subject to the necessary legislation being passed by Parliament.

But we have deliberately not set targets precisely so that schools go through this process at their own pace and don’t feel pressured to convert by September.