Just seven outstanding schools in Devon and Cornwall have applied to become academies, Government figures have shown.

The figure is in stark contrast to more than 120 Westcountry schools who had signalled a desire to break away from council control.

Education Secretary Michael Gove wrote to every primary, secondary and special school in May inviting them to apply for the status.

About 1,900 schools registered an interest but just 153 have applied across the country. It means that, according to the figures, about one in 12 have fully applied so far.

Schools rated "outstanding" by Ofsted were pre-approved for academy status, which means those that have already applied could make the change as early as this September – in time for the start of the new school year.

The Academies Bill, which allows state schools to opt out of local authority control, became law earlier this week.

It was one of the first pieces of legislation passed by the new Government, and led to accusations that ministers rushed the reforms through using a timetable usually reserved for emergency laws such as anti-terror powers.

In Cornwall, the Sandy Hill Community Primary near St Austell, St Buryan Primary in Penzance and Trenance Infants in Newquay have all applied. Applications in Devon have come from Broadclyst Community Primary in Exeter, Ivybridge Community College, Uffculme in Tiverton and Torquay Boys' Grammar.