"Proselytising is not a legitimate use of taxpayers' money. The high number of church schools is already forcing parents to attend church in order to get a place in their local state-funded school."

Source: here

The Conservatives say they would divert funding to expand a scheme that sees bright graduates training on the job as teachers before working in industry.

They say the Teach First scheme could then operate throughout England and in primary schools.

This and similar programmes would be tapped for expertise to turn failing schools in to Academies.

The government said it was already doubling programmes to fast-track the best graduates into teaching.

Teach First is a charity that trains new graduates to teach in "challenged" secondary schools.

It recruits, trains, places and supports more than 500 people each year in the toughest schools in London, the North West, Yorkshire and the East and West Midlands.

Source: here

Source: here

More than a quarter of teenagers now opt out of independent schools at 16 after completing GCSEs, it was disclosed.

The shift is believed to be driven by rising fees coupled with perceived improvements to state schools and sixth-form colleges.

It was also suggested that more parents were moving sons and daughters to the state sector amid fears that privately-educated teenagers face discrimination from leading universities attempting to “socially engineer” student numbers.

Source: here