The president of teaching union NASUWT threw a spotlight yesterday on the government’s shameful record on tackling inequality in schools.

Geoff Branner told delegates at the union’s annual conference in Birmingham the government “could and should do more” to tackle the rising numbers of children being plunged into poverty and deprivation,

Instead Tories are “giving priority to a policy of tax breaks for the immeasurably wealthy.”

Mr Branner stated that education is about tackling inequality and providing for all, but argued that schools alone cannot “overcome the malign effects of poverty, poor housing, neglect and abuse.”

He highlighted the fact that the school where he teaches, which is fewer than 15 miles away from David Cameron’s constituency home, has to provide a free breakfast for a growing number of its students who would otherwise go hungry.

“Children are coming to school too tired to concentrate because they could not sleep as their bedroom is so cold,” he said.