Days before the Government officially responds to the proposals, the Education Secretary clearly indicated that the exams would not only remain in place but would be built upon to stretch the most able pupils.

In her first policy announcement, Ms Kelly also pledged to stamp out low-level classroom disruption with a new zero-tolerance policy.

Ms Kelly said: “We have got to build on GCSEs and A levels, which after all are recognised as very important and good exams out there by the general public and by employers. So, yes, as we go forward and, as we widen opportunities and bring in a range of vocational options for students as well as academic options, we really do need to make sure that we have GCSEs and A levels remaining in place and build upon that.”

In October Sir Mike Tomlinson, the former chief inspector of England’s schools, proposed a ten-year programme of reform that envisaged a four-level diploma with literacy, numeracy and information technology at its core, to replace GCSEs and A levels by 2014.

An extended personal project would replace existing coursework and a programme of “main learning” would allow students to follow both vocational and academic courses.

Last night Sir Mike said he agreed that A levels and GCSEs should be the building blocks of any future educational framework. “I always envisaged they would remain in content and assembly, and would look, if not exactly the same, similar to what we have now,” he said, adding that he did ultimately see the end of the exams in their current form.

John Dunford, general secretary of the Secondary Heads Association, insisted that the comments did not indicate the end of the radical reforms.

He said: “The question remains open as to when the names disappear, as they assuredly will do eventually, but she is correct to say they are a proven system and must form a large part of the building block of the new system.” Ms Kelly also made it clear that after two months in office she had put improving classroom discipline at the top of her agenda. She said: “I would like to see the teacher being able to remove disruptive children from the classroom completely and have either alternative provision within the school or indeed off the school, and may be working together with other schools in a particular area to provide that.”

Tim Collins, the Shadow Education Secretary, said: “After nearly eight years of Labour and four Secretaries of State, there has been zero progress on school standards. Ruth Kelly wants to ditch the Tomlinson report on exam structures, but has absolutely no idea what to put in its place.”

For the first time she openly confirmed her links with Opus Dei, the Roman Catholic group. She said on BBC1’s Breakfast With Frost: “I do have spiritual support from Opus Dei, and that is right; but those are private spiritual matters.” It also emerged yesterday that Ms Kelly would not personally play any part in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender History Month, despite departmental support for the event, which starts next week. Opus Dei, which means “ Work of God” in Latin, teaches that homosexual sex is a sin.

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