Schools minister David Laws said he backed 'sharp-elbowed parents' and urged headteachers to challenge parents who do not engage . Pushy parents who move house to get into the best schools today won the whole-hearted backing of the government. Education minister David Laws leapt to the defence of ‘sharp-elbowed parents’ who were only trying to help their children to succeed in life. Condemning a ‘tolerance of failure’ in schools and councils in many areas, he said parents who invest time in money in their children’s education is ‘exactly what we want’. And he suggested that where parents were not taking an interest, headteachers should 'drag' them out of their homes. The government has insisted more needs to be done to close the attainment gap between working class children and those with better off parents. Mr Laws said parental engagement with school and whether parents are in work plays a key part in performance in lessons and pupil aspiration. Surveys suggest middle class parents are prepared to pay up to 170 per cent property price premiums to live close to Britain’s top private primary schools. Property prices close to England’s top 30 state secondary schools are on average £31,500 – or 12 per cent - higher than neighbouring areas. It means poorer families often struggle to live in the catchment areas of the best schools. But Mr Laws refused to criticise parents who used their own wealth and ambition to improve their children’s prospects. ‘People sometimes do complain about sharp-elbowed parents and people who seek to invest a huge amount of money to give their young people opportunities in life. ‘But we shouldn’t complain about any parent who is doing those things – whether they’re in the state sector or the private sector. ‘To do all you can to help your children to succeed in life is exactly what we want everybody to be doing,’ he told MPs on the education select committee. ‘So I’m afraid that we can’t cap any of those opportunities. What we need to do is extend them to those young people who are not getting them at the moment.’ Middle class parents are prepared to pay up to 170 per cent property price premiums to live close to Britain's top schools (file picture) Headteachers should visit bad parents at home at 'drag' them into taking an interest in their children's education, David Laws said. The schools minister said parents had to engage more in what happens in the classroom. Last month Ofsted Chief Inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw said that the Government should consider rewarding 'good citizens' who knock on their neighbours' doors and demand to know why their children are not in school. He said: 'How do you financially incentivise these people to get up in the morning, knock on the neighbours' door, and say your children are not up yet, they've not had their breakfast yet, why aren't you taking them to school?' But today Mr Laws insisted it was a role for headteachers and not neighbours to ensure parents were involved. He said: 'We need more headteachers like Sir Michael Wilshaw used to be, the type of person who would, if he had problems with children and aspirations, probably go round to their flat and drag the parent out, not quite kicking and screaming, but to engage in education.' In 2010 David Cameron admitted he and wife Samantha were part of the ‘sharp-elbowed middle classes’ who took over public services like SureStart centres. Last month leading headmaster Anthony Seldon said rich parents should be charged £20,000 a year for their children to attend the best state schools. The head of £11,000-a-term Wellington College in Berkshire argued families should become liable for the fees if they had a combined household income of £80,000 a year or more. Making the wealthy pay for state education would end the wasteful and unfair gap between the academic achievements and career prospects of the richest and poorest children in the UK, he claimed. Tory Education Secretary Michael Gove has vowed to close the gap between private and state schools. Mr Laws said the attainment gap between white working class children and other students was ‘pretty disgraceful’. He added that it was ‘frustrating’ that in 2014, low aspirations and an ‘excuses culture’ still existed. Headteachers should be willing to go round to pupils' houses and confront parents if their school was facing problems of low expectations and aspirations, he said. Mr Laws added: 'There are obviously schools and local authorities in all parts of the country where aspirations are very high. And that will be based on good leadership in local authorities or schools or academy chains. 'But there are too many where even today, after all the pressure of the last government and this government, aspirations are way too low in local areas, in schools, in local authorities.' Parents . are paying an average of £31,500 more for a house near the top 30 state . schools, according to research by Lloyds, while one in three parents . say they have moved to be closer to one. According to the Lloyds research the . most expensive catchment area around Henrietta Barnett all-girls grammar . school in Barnet, north-west London, where the average house price . includes a premium of 87%, or £402,600. Whissendine . C of E primary school was recently named by Tatler magazine as one of . the best in the country, and an average house in the village costs . £316,000, compared with just £209,000 for a property nearby Melton . Mowbray. Likewise in . Marton, North Yorkshire, where Marton-Cum-Grafton school is located, . houses go for an average of £404,000, up 5 per cent on last year, . whereas a similar houses in York sell for just £235,000.
Schools minister David Laws wants parents to take more interest .
Condemned 'tolerance of failure' in some schools and councils .
Parents who spend money to improve attainment is 'exactly what we want'
Suggests headteachers visit parents at home to 'drag' them to schools .
Schools minister David Laws said he backed 'sharp-elbowed parents' and urged headteachers to challenge parents who do not engage . Pushy parents who move house to get into the best schools today won the whole-hearted backing of the government. Education minister David Laws leapt to the defence of ‘sharp-elbowed parents’ who were only trying to help their children to succeed in life. Condemning a ‘tolerance of failure’ in schools and councils in many areas, he said parents who invest time in money in their children’s education is ‘exactly what we want’. And he suggested that where parents were not taking an interest, headteachers should 'drag' them out of their homes. The government has insisted more needs to be done to close the attainment gap between working class children and those with better off parents. Mr Laws said parental engagement with school and whether parents are in work plays a key part in performance in lessons and pupil aspiration. Surveys suggest middle class parents are prepared to pay up to 170 per cent property price premiums to live close to Britain’s top private primary schools. Property prices close to England’s top 30 state secondary schools are on average £31,500 – or 12 per cent - higher than neighbouring areas. It means poorer families often struggle to live in the catchment areas of the best schools. But Mr Laws refused to criticise parents who used their own wealth and ambition to improve their children’s prospects. ‘People sometimes do complain about sharp-elbowed parents and people who seek to invest a huge amount of money to give their young people opportunities in life. ‘But we shouldn’t complain about any parent who is doing those things – whether they’re in the state sector or the private sector. ‘To do all you can to help your children to succeed in life is exactly what we want everybody to be doing,’ he told MPs on the education select committee. ‘So I’m afraid that we can’t cap any of those opportunities. What we need to do is extend them to those young people who are not getting them at the moment.’ Middle class parents are prepared to pay up to 170 per cent property price premiums to live close to Britain's top schools (file picture) Headteachers should visit bad parents at home at 'drag' them into taking an interest in their children's education, David Laws said. The schools minister said parents had to engage more in what happens in the classroom. Last month Ofsted Chief Inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw said that the Government should consider rewarding 'good citizens' who knock on their neighbours' doors and demand to know why their children are not in school. He said: 'How do you financially incentivise these people to get up in the morning, knock on the neighbours' door, and say your children are not up yet, they've not had their breakfast yet, why aren't you taking them to school?' But today Mr Laws insisted it was a role for headteachers and not neighbours to ensure parents were involved. He said: 'We need more headteachers like Sir Michael Wilshaw used to be, the type of person who would, if he had problems with children and aspirations, probably go round to their flat and drag the parent out, not quite kicking and screaming, but to engage in education.' In 2010 David Cameron admitted he and wife Samantha were part of the ‘sharp-elbowed middle classes’ who took over public services like SureStart centres. Last month leading headmaster Anthony Seldon said rich parents should be charged £20,000 a year for their children to attend the best state schools. The head of £11,000-a-term Wellington College in Berkshire argued families should become liable for the fees if they had a combined household income of £80,000 a year or more. Making the wealthy pay for state education would end the wasteful and unfair gap between the academic achievements and career prospects of the richest and poorest children in the UK, he claimed. Tory Education Secretary Michael Gove has vowed to close the gap between private and state schools. Mr Laws said the attainment gap between white working class children and other students was ‘pretty disgraceful’. He added that it was ‘frustrating’ that in 2014, low aspirations and an ‘excuses culture’ still existed. Headteachers should be willing to go round to pupils' houses and confront parents if their school was facing problems of low expectations and aspirations, he said. Mr Laws added: 'There are obviously schools and local authorities in all parts of the country where aspirations are very high. And that will be based on good leadership in local authorities or schools or academy chains. 'But there are too many where even today, after all the pressure of the last government and this government, aspirations are way too low in local areas, in schools, in local authorities.' Parents . are paying an average of £31,500 more for a house near the top 30 state . schools, according to research by Lloyds, while one in three parents . say they have moved to be closer to one. According to the Lloyds research the . most expensive catchment area around Henrietta Barnett all-girls grammar . school in Barnet, north-west London, where the average house price . includes a premium of 87%, or £402,600. Whissendine . C of E primary school was recently named by Tatler magazine as one of . the best in the country, and an average house in the village costs . £316,000, compared with just £209,000 for a property nearby Melton . Mowbray. Likewise in . Marton, North Yorkshire, where Marton-Cum-Grafton school is located, . houses go for an average of £404,000, up 5 per cent on last year, . whereas a similar houses in York sell for just £235,000.
Schools minister David Laws said he backed 'sharp-elbowed parents' and urged headteachers to succeed in life. Condemning a ‘tolerance of failure’ in schools and councils in many areas, children’s education is ‘exactly what we want’. home at 'drag' them into taking an interest in