SHADOW Education Secretary Tim Collins was put through his paces during a visit to Bournemouth School for Girls.

During a break from conference business he visited the grammar school with Tobias Ellwood, prospective parliamentary candidate for Bournemouth East.

But, if he was expecting a leisurely break, he was in for a shock.

Sixth formers grilled him over issues including university top-up fees, classroom discipline, school choice and disruptive pupils.

And, after hearing the Conservative Party's plans for education in the future, they demanded details of how it will be funded.

Mr Collins then attended a Year 9 Information Technology class before moving on to Year 7 Resistant Materials.

The school's head teacher Alistair Brien and chairman of the governors Noel Spreadbury invited Mr Collins and Mr Ellwood to the school to show them round and to outline details of their fund-raising appeal, Passion for Learning.

The appeal consists of two initiatives, a proposed new creative arts centre and a bid to become a Humanities specialist school.

Applications for government funding for the arts centre have been turned down three times in the last four years.

Mr Brien said: "I was pleased to welcome Tim Collins to our school today. It is important that politicians of all parties know the realities of education by getting into schools and talking to teachers and pupils.

"BSG achieves outstanding success but how much more could we do for our pupils if we had sufficient funding?"

Mr Brien said all secondary schools in Bournemouth have suffered as a result of the latest government funding settlement.

"This is the reason we have launched the Passion For Learning appeal. Repeated attempts to gain government funding have all been turned down."

Mr Collins outlined the Conservative Party's timetable for action on education at the conference on Tuesday.

He told delegates: "We will cut teachers' paperwork, restore discipline in schools and give parents the opportunity to choose the best school for their children."

First published: October 7