Wellington College is to open an academy next year

Anthony Seldon, of Wellington College, Berkshire, says the independent sector could not remain "detached from the mainstream national education system".

Dr Seldon says that all independent schools should be setting up an academy or becoming a partner in a trust.

Independent schools could not remain in "splendid isolation," he said.

"It isn't right any longer for our schools to cream off the best pupils, the best teachers, the best facilities, the best results and the best university places.

"If you throw in the 166 state grammar schools, which are predominantly middle class and private schools in all but name, the stranglehold is almost total," Dr Seldon told a conference held at his school.

He also rejected the idea that bursaries for poorer families could compensate for the disadvantage - as this deprives the state sector of talented pupils.

And Dr Seldon accused successive post-war governments of failing to bridge the divide between independent and state sectors.

But he argued that initiatives such as setting up academy schools and trusts provided an opportunity that "we must all seize this vision for this century".

"I believe that every single independent school should either be founding an academy or taking part in a trust or federation. To fail to do so is to deprive pupils, teachers and schools at large of opportunities for giving and sharing."

Dr Seldon said that it was no longer tenable for the independent and state sectors not to co-operate. Wellington College is planning to open an academy in Wiltshire next year.