PM unveils plan to force further 400 primary schools to convert to academies

The Government has unveiled plans to require a further 400 of the weakest primary schools to convert to academies.

It also said it was on target to fulfil a pledge made in the summer of 2011 to turn 200 of the worst primary schools into academies by 1 January 2013.

The announcement was made by the Prime Minister, who said: “We have seen some excellent progress with our reforms, including turning 200 of the worst performing primary schools into sponsored academies, and opening more academies in the last two years than the previous Government opened in a decade.”

David Cameron said the Government now wanted to “go further, faster”. The 400 schools now in line for conversion would be paired up with sponsors, he added.