The Liberal Democrats have detailed their education policies, saying all children should be taught core subjects by suitably qualified teachers.

Charles Kennedy outlined a "pupils' guarantee" - plans to improve secondary education and ensure that all pupils receive good teaching in English, maths, science, modern languages and ICT.

Kennedy pledged smaller classes for primary schools, 21,000 new teachers and fewer tests and exams. 

He also focused on "quality teaching" and said under a Lib Dem government, £250m would be earmarked to ensure every core subject was taught by specialised, trained teachers.

"Students deserve better than being taught by a teacher who is just perhaps one page ahead in the textbook because there's shortage of specialist teachers," Kennedy said.

"Enthusiasm, dedication, optimism and expertise: these are the qualities of our best teachers, and I want the whole of the profession to be equipped with the skills and the support they need to do the job.

"It's not testing and targets that are going to make the difference in our schools, it's these dedicated, enthusiastic and specialist teachers who will make the biggest difference."

'Illusion of choice'

Kennedy was joined at the press conference by education spokesman Phil Willis, who attacked the "illusion of choice" offered by the other parties and said the Lib Dems offered a "vision of optimism for our schools".

"After eight years of a Labour government that promised us 'education, education, education' we have 40,000 teachers working in the core subjects of the national curriculum who do not have a qualification beyond what they did in their own school careers," he said.

"Trying to be just one page ahead of the kids in the textbook is not a clever idea, because they suss it out within minutes.

"If you really want to turn kids onto learning, let's give them a teacher workforce that is trained, that is fit for purpose."

The Lib Dems also set out plans for a curriculum which allows pupils to combine academic and vocational courses for a "rounded education".