Govt: School improvements are comprehensive

The Department for Children, Schools and Families insists improvements in education since 1997 have limited the impact of competition for school places.

It claims a "radical transformation in state schools" has been achieved which has raised the percentage of schools rated outstanding.

The number of schools achieving 70 per cent or more pupils gaining five A* to C grades has increased tenfold since 1997, it points out, while the number of schools with less than a quarter of pupils achieving less than five good GCSEs has fallen from 616 in 1997 to 17 today.

Furthermore, 70,000 more young people leave school with five good GCSEs each year including English and maths than did so ten years ago.

Such improvements mean figures from the Conservatives showing one in five parents cannot get their children into their preferred school do not have a major impact on overall satisfaction with state schools, it argues.

"Research suggests the vast majority of parents are satisfied with the admissions process and most are happy with their local schools," a statement said.

It added the government would be increasing choice by expanding the current number of academies from 83 at present to "at least 400".