Michael Howard unveiled the "Right to Choose" policy for parents yesterday.

Under the plans, the Tories claim that 100,000 more children would be able to attend the schools of their parents' choice within the first term of a Conservative government.

But teachers have been sceptical that the party's proposal would work.

"Parents are being told that they have greater choice, but market-based policies inevitably mean that schools choose pupils; pupils do not choose schools," said Secondary Heads Association general secretary John Dunford.