A SCATHING attack on coalition education policies has been mounted by the head of a leading Oxford public school.

Dr Tim Hands, the master of Magdalen College School, accused Education Secretary Michael Gove of pushing through damaging reforms for political reasons with children’s education being hit “whatever school they are in”.

And he gave notice that he will be using his post as leader of an influential independent school body to oppose major elements of the Government’s education policy.

With Dr Hands taking over as chairman of The Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference in September, he wasted no time in throwing down the gauntlet with an attack on the Government’s approach to the curriculum, exams and university admissions.

It comes weeks after he singled out Nick Clegg for criticism, claiming “it is one rule for him and one rule for everyone else”, following reports that the Deputy Prime Minister had not looked at his local state school for his son.

Dr Hands said he had decided to speak out because of the depth of concerns at schools and universities about what children will be taught and the reliability of the exam system.

The HMC chairman-elect made clear he would be pressing for the Government’s grip on education to be loosened. He said: “There is now growing political interference. The National Curriculum in part began so school results could be usefully compared. But it is now in danger of becoming a politically influenced set of tests.

“Should we have politicians deciding what is in, or not in the syllabus?

“These politically driven reforms, and especially their pace, are in danger of adversely affecting the education of all people, whatever school they’re in. The more politicians interfere, the more political education becomes.

“What you teach and how often you examine are best left to educational professionals.”

Dr Hands, who will become the first Magdalen headmaster to chair the HMC for a century, said: “The problem with Michael Gove is that, for him, education seems to involve the learning of facts.

“But the pastoral care and extra-curriculum activities are of huge importance. He doesn’t seem very interested in that.

“I have no doubt that politicians sincerely want education to be better. But they want time lines that are not always realistic. They do not understand the need to listen and to consult before introducing change.”

Dr Hands said “the lightning speed” of exam reforms had already landed Mr Gove in trouble, as he acknowledged by his change of heart on the English Baccalaureate.

But he feared the Government had not learnt the lessons of last year’s English language exam fiasco, which saw education authorities and the teaching unions joining forces to go to the High Court over the issue of altered grade boundaries.

Ironically, Mr Gove was in the county this week, visiting two schools in Abingdon.

A department for education spokesman said: “These claims are wrong — our ambitious reforms are giving teachers and schools more freedom while reducing political interference.”