Mr Cameron said he wanted more secondary schools to group pupils into ability "sets" and that all primary schools to use the traditional method of teaching reading known as "phonics".

And he promised to improve inner city education through privately backed academies – a plan based on the Government's existing reforms.

Mr Cameron said it was crucial to make sure "children are taught at the right level for their ability" and not pretend that "all kids are the same".

The Conservative "green paper" specified that this would involve "setting by ability", with pupils divided into top sets for the brightest and lower sets for children who struggle and need extra help.

But school heads and teachers criticised the plan.

John Dunford, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: "I cannot see how separating students by ability in art, music or religious education will help to raise standards.

"The reality is that the vast majority of secondary schools already group students into ability sets in maths, English, science and other subjects in which it is appropriate."

The Conservatives also proposed to end the confusion surrounding teachers using phonics to teach reading.

Ministers have already introduced reforms to reading lessons, which involves learning to blend individual letter sounds to form whole words, but the Tories said many teachers needed further training.

All six-year-olds would be given reading tests to make sure they had learned the basics of reading, the Conservatives said.

But Philip Parkin, general secretary of the Professional Association of Teachers, said the policies were "disappointingly familiar".

"They seem to be variations on the Government's twin obsessions of academies and testing."

He added: "We don't want to see children labelled as 'failures' for not meeting an artificial target dreamt up by politicians to make headlines."

Mr Cameron said he wanted to set up "a new generation" of academies, run by charities, philanthropists and even groups of parents.

But Schools Minister Jim Knight claimed the plan for the suggested 220,000 academy school places would mean "a massive cut" in funding for school repairs.

Mr Knight said: "The Tories are proposing to cut £4.5bn from the Building Schools for the Future programme, putting at risk hundreds of school building projects up and down the country."

Chris Keates, general secretary of teaching union NASUWT, said: "Plans to basically allow anyone who wants to, to run a school, are a recipe for social segregation and chaos."

Schools minister Lord Adonis questioned the need for a new academies programme on top of the Government's existing plans.