The British Labour government has denied drifting back to education by selection, after Downing Street's declaration that "the day of the bog-standard comprehensive school is over".
Putting education at the heart of Labour's bid for a second term yesterday, the Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, announced a four-point plan to bring secondary schools into the "post-comprehensive era".
Insisting "diversity must become the norm and not the exception", Mr Blair unveiled a reform programme which would see 46 per cent of England's secondary schools obtain "specialist" status by 2006, covering key subjects like science, engineering and enterprise. Promising expanded vocational education, more scope for church or faith-based schools, and greater autonomy for head teachers, Mr Blair also said he would change the law to allow external sponsors from the business and voluntary sectors and from within the education world to play a greater role in the management of schools.
"If a successful school or education foundation wants and is able to take over the management of a weak school, the system should not only allow it, it should be strongly encouraged," Mr Blair said. Likewise, "if a successful school wants to engage with reputable external sponsors . . . it should be strongly encouraged. We intend to see that it is."
Mr Blair said: "In all these respects our best schools have moved decisively to a post-comprehensive argument. They take inclusion and equality of opportunity for granted but are highly flexible in the ways they meet them. They are not afraid to be different or distinct. They offer greater diversity and choice."
The Education Secretary, Mr David Blunkett, insisted the comprehensive system was being maintained by the principle of equality of opportunity.
However, campaigners for state education feared a drift back to education by selection and that non-specialist schools would be deemed inferior.
And teacher unions leaders appeared divided about the likely effect, with one suggesting the government was "stealing the Tories' clothes".
Mr David Hart, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, said the proposal to let businesses and voluntary groups become involved in managing state schools bore a strong resemblance to a recent Conservative initiative.
However, Mr Peter Smith, of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, said Mr Blunkett's emphasis on identifying children's aptitudes and talents earlier was "not the same as reinforcing selection".