Parents mistrust the school and exam system and should have an independent watchdog to turn to, according to Mike Tomlinson.

The former chief inspector of schools in England says many parents feel there is no where to go when they have problems with schools.

Mr Tomlinson said he had been inundated with letters from parents, complaining about issues such as school admissions, exams and about their children being suspended or expelled.

He told The Independent parents felt there was no one to complain to - except for those who they thought were to blame.

A-level inquiry

"There seems to be something missing - people have no where to go," he said.

"Parents don't have anywhere to go with their concerns - other than the school, or the education authority, or the exam board that they have concerns about."

Mr Tomlinson said he had come to the conclusion that an ombudsman was needed during his time as the chief inspector of schools and in the past few months when conducting the inquiry into A-levels.

At the moment, parents can go to independent appeals panels to contest decisions about entry to schools or about school exclusions.

Complaints about exams are made to the individual exam boards which set the papers or the exams watchdog, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.

Mr Tomlinson is due to address a key education conference on 6 January, where he is expected to warn the government it is failing to deliver on a pledge to cut bureaucracy in schools.

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