The schools secretary has announced that more than 140 schools have applied for trust status in the past seven months.

Ed Balls said that the development meant that the government is on track to meet its target to have over 300 by the end of the year.

Introduced as a flagship education reform of the previous prime minister Tony Blair, trusts can federate with each other to share expertise, as well as align with local businesses charities and universities.

And in a speech on schools on Friday, Balls said the latest wave would not be the last.

"I want every secondary school to be a specialist school, a trust school or an academy - and every one of them should have a university or a business partner," he said.

"Today's announcement that we have more than 300 already either as a trust or working towards trust status demonstrates that we are well on the way to making that a reality.

"Over the last 10 years we have dramatically cut the number of underperforming schools. But there is still more to do to ensure we have a world class education system.

"A trust is one model schools can adopt to harness local expertise and give school leaders the tools they need to continue our drive to increase standards and tackle poor performance."

Meanwhile shadow schools secretary Michael Gove said ministers were failing children with their "ideological approach".

Commenting on a Primary Review report, which says that teachers are struggling to support children with special needs in mainstream schools, Gove said: "The government's policy of inclusion at all costs has let down some of the children most in need of help.

"This ideological approach to special education, together with the drop in special school places, is leaving the most vulnerable children more exposed.

"We need to stop special school closures and put parents back in the driving seat so we can get the system right for the future."