Independent schools 'should not attack public sector'

The chair of the Commons Education Select Committee has slammed the independent schools sector for attacking state schools.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Barry Sheerman, Labour MP, said that people have every right to send their children into independent education if they want to.

However, he stated that he has problems with the way independent schools criticise the state schools in their public statements.

"What I do care about is when the Independent Schools Council [ISC] suggest in their press releases that people do it because there isn't a good alternative to the state sector," he told the programme.

Mr Sheerman continued to say that the UK has a "really good education system", with most schools being excellent, and called for independent schools to stop attacking the public sector to sell their product.

Last week, the ISC revealed that the number of pupils attending independent schools had grown by 0.8 per cent and is experiencing the strongest growth since 2003.