David Blunkett, the education and employment secretary, is said to be "stung" by "personal abuse" from Chris Woodhead, the former OFSTED chief .

Blunkett delivered a blistering counter-attack on claims by Woodhead that he lacked "courage and conviction", saying that his comments did little for a sensible debate on education "policies and philosophies".

Woodhead keeps up his attack today, with an article in the "Daily Telegraph" dismissing Labour's policy on the national curriculum as "claptrap" and "ideological twaddle".

A report from the Secondary Heads Association and the Times Education Supplement has shown that 10,000 teaching posts across all levels are currently vacant.