Birmingham City Council leader Sir Albert Bore has revealed that 25 schools are under investigation in connection with an alleged plot by hardline Muslims to seize control.
The council has received more than 200 letters, emails and calls from parents, governors and teachers giving information about the alleged plot.
And Sir Albert said some of the 25 schools had come forward in the last few days and weeks.
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Yesterday the city, which received a letter about the claims in November, announced that a special adviser had been appointed to help investigate the ‘Trojan Horse’ allegations.
Former head teacher, Ian Kershaw, has been appointed as the city’s new chief adviser on and will work on a full-time basis for the next six months.
Sir Albert said Mr Kershaw, who built his career in the north east, would work closely with the operational group already investigating the claims. He said a new review group was also being set up, which will be chaired by Home Office Director General Stephen Rimmer, who is currently on secondment in the West Midlands.
The review group will also include representatives from faith groups and Birmingham’s MPs.
Sir Albert said: “The number of schools is rather greater than we initially expected because schools did not inform us that they had received a letter.
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“It has taken a little bit of prising open this discussion for us to fully understand the extent of the allegations.”
The council says it expects the operational and review bodies to report back on its investigation to a jointly convened overview and scrutiny committee of education and social cohesion in the summer.
Sir Albert added: “The Department of Education are using their powers to put Ofsted into some of the schools, but we can’t do that. In fact, we have little in the way of a formal relationship with some of these schools because they are of course Academy schools, but the relationships have improved during the course of this.”
Speaking about the appointment of Ian Kershaw, he added: “Ian has the experience of leading independent enquiries into the conduct and the behaviour of individuals in schools.
“He will work closely with the operational group and the newly formed review group and will enable us to try and see the whole picture.”
There will also be a piece of work commissioned by the city, which involves the youth parliament and “draws young people into the discussion” through the youth parliament.
During the summer the city will ask young people two questions of ‘what does a good inclusive education in Birmingham look like’ and ‘what does a safe and resilient citizen of the future look like’.