For teachers, pupils and parents at five successful schools across the length of England, the news that Gordon Brown was to single them out by name in his first major education speech was a welcome recognition of their dedication and hard work.

Local newspaper headlines on the morning of the speech last Wednesday suggested that the Prime Minister was to praise these institutions as beacons of excellence whose initiatives and ideas should be replicated across the education world.

But today The Times can reveal that Mr Brown never praised the schools in the speech and that at least five local communities may have been the victims of a sophisticated government spin operation.

The episode began last Tuesday evening when Downing Street contacted a number of regional papers in Birmingham, Lancashire, Yeovil and Bradford with quotes from the Prime Minister, which the journalists claim they were told were going to be used in his keynote education speech the next day. But when Mr Brown actually stood up at Greenwich University he did not praise a single school by name.

Downing Street said last night that the quotes e-mailed to newspapers were never intended to be seen as sections from the speech. The journalists involved said they were specifically told the passages would be in the speech.

David Laws, the Liberal Democrat education spokesman, spotted the discrepancy after reading his local newspaper, and a Times investigation found other examples, including:

— The Birmingham Post reported that Wiseman Catholic Technology College in Kingstanding would be praised for an “E-portal” internet site helping parents stay in touch with their children’s progress. The school and the site were not in the speech.

— The Lancashire Telegraph was told that Mr Brown would say that Alder Grange Community and Technology College in Rawtenstall offered “a fantastic range of schemes including parental partnership evenings, courses and a helpful handbook for parents.” No mention of the school, or parental partnership evenings.

— The Telegraph and Argus in Bradford was told Mr Brown would single out Victoria Primary School as an example of how strong involvement from parents can have a positive impact on a child’s learning process. The school did not feature in the speech.

— The Western Gazette was told that Mr Brown would mention Westfield Community School in Yeovil, becuse “they offer a Parent Support Adviser and run a Parent Forum to involve and support parents”. No mention was made of the school, or parental advisers or forums.

— Northumberland County Council, a Labour-run administration, issued a press release saying that Mr Brown would highlight Astley Community High School. The Prime Minister would say the school “has worked hard to engage parents - fathers particularly – in their children’s education providing excellent advice and resources.” No mention of the school or the role of fathers, appeared in the speech.

Yesterday the Prime Minister's spokesman said: “We were not suggesting this was going to be a direct quote from the speech. The Prime Minister is perfectly entitled to give quotes about best practice.”

But this version has been challenged by two of the journalists contacted for the story. Tom Bevan, a staff reporter for the Western Gazette, said: “They phoned on Tuesday and said one of your schools was going to be mentioned in a speech by the Prime Minister. They definitely said that it would be in the speech.”

A second journalist, who did not want to be identified, for fear of reprisal from No 10, said: “They told us the quotes mentioning the school would be in the speech. That is certain.”

Mr Laws said: “This looks like a quite outrageous and dishonest piece of news management from Gordon Brown – the Prime Minister who promised to end the era of spin. To deceive schools across the country in this way is disgraceful. Gordon Brown should personally apologise to every school which was misled. The Prime Minister must not only apologise to each school, but promise never to repeat this type of underhand behaviour.”

Departing from the text

The spin
What No 10 said Gordon Brown would say: “I want to involve and engage parents at every stage of the journey of their children’s education. More regular, ‘real-time’ feedback about their children’s progress; regular e-mails, regular meetings. And more parents sessions at schools – to share information and set goals – at key transition points for their children. “Many schools across the country are already leading the way on parental involvement and I want to pay tribute to them. Westfield Community School in Yeovil, for example, offer a Parent Support Adviser and run a Parent Forum”

The reality
What he Minister actually said: “So let us do more now to involve and engage parents at every stage of the journey of their children’s education, spread the best practice of the best schools, more regular real time feedback about their children’s progress, regular e-mails, regular meetings, more parent sessions at schools, to share information and to set goals at key transition points for children. “But it is not just parental involvement that can be expanded, young people’s aspirations matter too. The greater failure is . . . the child who has got no stars that they feel they are reaching for”

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