THE Church of England is taking on non-religious schools in Oxfordshire for the first time.

In a major policy shift, senior church figures have said secular schools will be offered support and training as well as the opportunity to join the Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust as academies.

It comes in response to mounting fears smaller schools could be left behind and lose their community focus, as flagship reforms introduced by the government are accelerated. Under the system, all new schools must be academies and local authorities have said they will convert those they maintain by 2020.

As part of this, Oxfordshire County Council is adopting a more assertive approach to encouraging its remaining 200 maintained schools to convert or join partnerships. Most secondary schools have done so already, but only 20 per cent of primary schools have. Head teachers are concerned they will lose autonomy and their community focus under larger bodies.

Archdeacon of Oxford Martin Gorick said the Diocese has the infrastructure to support schools across the county regardless of faith. He told the Oxford Mail: “We are stepping into what you might call a vacuum, to help provide a service to communities.

“That means looking at options for new schools and we have also offered services to non-Church schools, who will be able to join the diocesan trust.”

Mr Gorick stressed such schools would not be expected to adopt Christian teachings, adding: “It would be community-focused.”

Diocese director of schools David Cousins added: “There are some quite large expectations that come with converting to an academy that are normally things handled by the local authority, it is like running a business.

“That can be difficult for smaller schools, such as primaries, who also want to keep their unique community feel and do not want to be taken over. But as a trust, we are convinced that local solutions for local schools is the right way forward.”

He said the regional schools commissioner has indicated the diocesan trust could expand to up to 40 schools.

Burford Primary School became the first secular school to take up the offer to secular schools last year, with Brize Norton Primary School understood to be in the final stages of joining the Diocesan trust now.