Try out the struggling local state, better-off are urged

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Schools Minister Jim Knight, 42, argued that the children of well-educated people could do well in whatever school.

"I sent my children to the local school," Mr Knight, MP for South Dorset, told a fringe meeting at the Labour conference in Bournemouth.

"It's probably the least popular school in the area and they have done perfectly well out of it. I believe children from backgrounds like mine, within reason, stand a reasonable chance in whatever school."

Father-of-two Mr Knight added: "I don't think I'm saying to parents 'I think you must send your children to local schools. I was advising parents: 'Please go and have a look at your local schools. Don't just believe reputation or what your neighbours say or even what the Ofsted report says or what the tables say."

Asked whether parents in the capital, who believe their local school is poor, should move closer to a better one or go private, he said: "It's important to remember in London, schools are now outperforming the national average. There are some schools they might think are not good but is their judgment up to date?"

However, the Conservatives warned ministers not to put pressure on parents. Shadow education secretary Michael Gove said: "Ministers should not be blaming parents for government failures in education. Parents should be free to choose which school to send their children and not be forced into schools the Government decides."

At the fringe event, entitled "Can we stop pushy parents ruining kid's education", Mr Knight insisted they were in fact good for children.

"We need all parents to be pushy," he said. "There are too many silent parents and we need every child to have someone who is their champion."

He also signalled that parents of secondary school pupils could soon get almost instant access to records of their child's progress through a computer system which they could access with secure passwords.

They would be able to check if their child had turned up for school, to see their latest test results and other reports from teachers.