Contrary to the impression given in last Thursday’s Oxford Mail (Minister’s blow to Oxford academy plan opponents), there is no indication that Secretary of State Ed Balls will actually approve the local authority’s proposal to replace Oxford School with an academy.

Indeed, Vernon Coaker’s letter actually seeks to distance the Government from the choice of the United Learning Trust (ULT) as sponsor.

This is a local matter, along with decisions over the sustainability of Oxford School’s very significant improvements in attainment this year (including an outstanding provisional contextual value added score of 1,024 – higher than any secondary school in the county achieved in 2008), and whether to close the school (which has to happen before an academy can be opened in its place).

I would be very interested to know in what way ULT is “working hard” on the Oxford scheme. Certainly the governors I have spoken to know nothing of any work ULT might be doing.

Without the Secretary of State’s approval, there is, in fact, nothing for ULT to work on.

Ian Bellchambers, Florence Park Road, Oxford