Cameron's daughter wins place at top state school two miles from home while Brown's son goes to nearest primary

The Conservative leader and his wife Samantha received a letter yesterday telling them four-year-old Nancy had been accepted by a popular Church of England school.

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Happy family: Samantha and David Cameron with Nancy

The couple chose St Mary Abbots in Kensington, over 15 other primaries - including alternative CofE schools - closer to their house.

By contrast, Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah yesterday revealed that they are sending their four-year-old son John to the nearest nondenominational state school to Downing Street.

Millbank Primary describes itself as a "small multicultural state school" and is housed in two listed buildings in Westminster.

There are 290 children on the school roll - speaking 24 languages between them - and the average class size is between 25 and 30. It is rated as an "outstanding" school by watchdogs.

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A friend of Mrs Brown said: "It's a great school with a fantastic headmistress and it's very close to Downing Street. John goes to the nursery nearby so lots of his friends will be going there too."

Unlike previous Conservative leaders, Mr Cameron was determined to educate Nancy in the state sector.

Iain Duncan Smith attracted Labour criticism for choosing private schools for his children, while Michael Howard sent his son Nick to Eton.

Shadow Chancellor George Osborne withdrew his two young children from the state system earlier this year and sent them to an £11,000-a-year prep school.

But Mr Cameron risked controversy by passing over primaries on his doorstep in favour of St Mary Abbots. Tory schools spokesman Michael Gove - a key ally of Mr Cameron - sends his children to the school.

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Mr Cameron indicated several years ago that he intended to send his daughter to a "small" church school.

"I do worry that some of the primary schools - maybe I'm being over-precious and protective of my daughter - but you sort of feel that your small child is going to go into this enormous state primary school and may get a bit lost," he said.

He and his wife have been regular worshippers at the church of St Mary Abbots for "three or four years," aides say.

Mr Cameron has taken Sunday school classes at the church and his wife helps edit the parish newsletter.

The 15 primaries closer to Mr Cameron's home in Notting Hill are larger and have mixed standards. The family's closest school is Oxford Gardens, which is rated "satisfactory" by watchdogs. More than four in ten pupils speak English as a second language.

Mr Cameron's decision echoes Tony Blair's choice of the exclusive London Oratory School, miles away from Downing Street. And in 2003, Labour MP Diane Abbott caused controversy after shunning local comprehensives and sending her son to a private school. She admitted her decision was "indefensible" as she had criticised other MPs in the party for avoiding local state schools.

However, there is no suggestion of hypocrisy of the Tory leader's part since the Conservatives have never attacked private, selective or faith education.

Mr Cameron has also defended parents with "sharp elbows" who try to get places for their children in the best state schools.

His aides denied suggestions that his attendance at the church had been influenced at least partially by his interest in its school. He has always attended church regularly, they say, either near his home in London or in his Witney constituency.

A source close to Mr Cameron said: "He hasn't snubbed local schools. He has always been quite clear he wanted Nancy to go to a small church school and frankly, he isn't going to play politics with his daughter's education.

"He hasn't jumped the queue or got in by the back door."

One parent at St Mary Abbots, who asked not to be named, said: "Parents here have to demonstrate that they are regular and committed churchgoers.

"The distance people live from the school is not terribly important. It's only taken into account if parents get the same number of points for their involvement with the church and there is a tie.

"So there are parents here who live much further away than David Cameron."

A third of pupils at St Mary Abbots are from minority ethnic backgrounds. A fifth speak English as a second language.