Britain's two biggest teaching unions have challenged the government's education strategy.

Following the publication of a report into teaching initiatives around the world, the NUT and NASUWT called on ministers to abandon league tables and specialist schools.

The report found the UK was in the top 10 for literacy, numeracy and scientific understanding among 15-year-olds.

The unions made their pleas to schools minister David Miliband, who was also attending the event on Thursday.

Eamonn O'Kane, general secretary of NASUWT warned that the research highlights severe inequalities between rich and poor students.

Though set to praise the government for supporting school discipline and teacher morale O'Kane called for more school autonomy.

"The NASUWT has consistently highlighted by calling upon the government to support schools totally in maintaining high standards of pupil conduct, improving teacher morale by reducing excessive workload and freeing schools from the tyranny of league tables," he said.

"The government has now embarked upon policies designed to meet the first two - hopefully it will not be long before it sees the sense of addressing the third one."

NUT leader Doug McAvoy challenged the government with a call for a higher level of degree of autonomy in both teaching and the curriculum.

"If we are prepared to learn lessons from hard evidence, is he?" McAvoy asked of the minister.

He also tackled the issue of specialist schools which has yet to be accepted by many teachers.

"It is not enough for you and I, David, simply to say that schools and teachers across the country are achieving great things for their pupils," he said.

"Highly trained, confident teachers, with considerable autonomy, working in a comprehensive education system based on equity, is what we must aim for."