Christopher Ray, of Manchester Grammar School, said favouring state pupils would not necessarily broaden universities' social mix.

BBC: Don't handicap private pupils, says leading headmaster

Privately educated at Manchester Grammar School, Gill opted against going to university in order to pursue a full-time career in football.

BBC: Manchester United call up teenage defender Oliver Gill

The headmaster of Manchester Grammar School, Dr Christopher Ray, says the impending changes convinced him to move away from GCSEs completely.

BBC: Q&A: GCSE v IGCSE

Manchester Grammar School is already offering IGCSEs in maths, biology, chemistry and physics, and will offer it in seven more subjects from September.

BBC: Q&A: GCSE v IGCSE

This first round of assessments of private schools has seen the approval of charitable status for three schools, Manchester Grammar School, Pangbourne College and Moyles Court School.

BBC: Private schools charity threat

Mr Coles said that Paddington Academy in London and William Hulme Grammar School in Manchester, also run by United Learning, would share leadership of the initiative to provide initial teacher training for 50 students from September this year and some 200 trainee teachers the following year.

BBC: Private schools to train state school teachers