More than 100 parents and teachers visited Oxford Brookes University to quiz some of education's top names about schools and universities.

The Education Question Time was organised jointly by the university and by the National Education Trust in a bid to find out about people's attitudes to the UK's education system - as well as issues closer to home.

An audience of students, parents and teachers fired a volley of questions on everything from whether degrees were becoming easier, to the importance of reading, and whether Oxford's state and independent schools should work closer together.

Dr Liz Browne, who helped organise the event, said: "The two questions that probably sparked the most debate were on the benefits of university education and what is distinctive about the city of Oxford in academic terms, and on the agenda for education for 14 to 19-year-olds."

The debate was chaired by BBC education correspondent Mike Baker and the panel was made up of Brookes' Vice-Chancellor Janet Beercor, Random House publisher David Fickling, Oxford and Cherwell Valley College principal Sally Dicketts, London headteacher William Atkinson and former chief inspector of schools Bill Laar.

Dr Browne said: "An interesting point is these comments can actually make a difference to policy."

Views from the discussion will be used by the trust to shape ideas for future educational policy.