Charles Kennedy unveiled the Lib Dems' mini-manifesto for education on Thursday.

Launching the proposals in Exeter, the Lib Dem leader said his party planned to replace GCSEs and A-levels with a diploma and vocational qualifications.

The diploma, for pupils from the age of 14, would stretch the most gifted and engage those turned off by schooling, he said.

Ofsted would be replaced by an education inspection division within the Audit Commission, Kennedy added.

The party said that an extra 20,000 teachers would be appointed to cut class sizes to an average of 20 for five to seven-year-olds and to a maximum of 25 for seven to 11-year-olds.

The Lib Dems also reiterated their plans to abolish student top-up and tuition fees.