Oxfordshire parents are the key to raising attainment in the county's schools, according to Education Secretary Ruth Kelly.

Speaking to the Oxford Mail yesterday (March 3), Ms Kelly questioned whether the high number of pupils educated independently was a factor in Oxfordshire's poor results, but insisted measures set out in the Government's new education manifesto would boost standards.

GCSE results in the county have fallen for three consecutive years to below national averages, making it the lowest-performing out of 11 similar authorities.

Ms Kelly said Government moves to increase "parent power", appoint strong head- teachers, address teacher retention issues, tackle behaviour problems and tailor the curriculum to individual pupil needs, would have an impact on pupils' performance in exams.

The proposals echo new plans announced by Oxfordshire County Council last week to raise standards by engaging parents in educ- ation.

Ms Kelly said: "What's really important is pressure for improvement.

"Parents want to know how their children are doing, what homework children are being given and how they can help.

"Parents have a right to good standards of behaviour and good teaching."

Welcoming Oxfordshire's plans to start fining the parents of persistent truants, Ms Kelly said the powers had had a "powerful impact" on attendance and behaviour elsewhere in the country.

Despite a £67m repair bill for school buildings that are "falling apart" and 230 temporary classrooms, some of which are more than 30 years old, Oxfordshire was not prioritised in the Government's Building Schools for the Future fund.

Ms Kelly said individual schools could still bid for capital funding to improve their buildings and promised that every school in the country would be upgraded within 15 years.

"We want to see every secondary school brought up to world-class standards," she said.

Oxfordshire County Council is considering a range of proposals designed to help schools meet the needs of pupils of all faiths, including Islamic pupils who have been told they will not get a state-funded Muslim school in Oxfordshire.

In response to the court of appeal verdict on Wednesday giving a Muslim schoolgirl the right to wear Islamic dress to school, Ms Kelly said individual schools should decide on what was appropriate.