Cameron set to become first Tory PM to end child to state school

The Prime Minister, who attended Eton, is set to be the first Conservative in No 10 to send his child to a state secondary school.

He told Good Housekeeping magazine that he had looked at “three or four” schools in London, but 10-year-old Nancy would have a “very large say” in the decision about where she goes in September.

Asked if Nancy would be state educated, the Prime Minister said: “We want to, I have always said that.

“We have been round three or four schools in London and had a good look. My daughter has got a very large say in the matter so she is having a think about what she has seen.

“But there are some good schools to go to.”

Asked why Nancy would not get the same privilege that Mr Cameron had in going to one of the country’s top private schools, the Prime Minister said: “If you pay your taxes you shouldn’t have to pay all over again.

“There is no reason why our state schools can’t be among the best in the world, and some of them are. What is exciting is there is this change not only in practice but also in culture which is all about excellence and wanting to be the best and wanting to get the best out of every child, and you are now seeing that in more and more schools.”

The Prime Minister admitted that his wife Samantha played the “leading part” in trying to get their children to do homework and things are “not so organised” when he is in charge of Nancy, eight-year-old Elwen and four-year-old Florence.

Mr Cameron, who has been reported to be a fan of iPad games including Fruit Ninja and Angry Birds, said that the children’s time playing on tablet computers was “severely rationed” to try to encourage their homework.

“In a week I will do some help, but Samantha plays the leading part, I will admit,” he said.

“This morning, I was trying to get one to do guitar practice in one room and the other to do touch typing in the other. They were running me ragged because they know that when I am in charge it is not quite so well organised.

“I got there in the end, various threats were ... Screen time (on tablets) in the Cameron household is severely rationed to try and deliver the effect of homework, but it doesn’t always work.”’