The idea of establishing a code for researchers and academic journal editors - which was floated in the Tooley report - is being backed by influential members of the British Educational Research Association.

But Professor Margaret Brown, the BERA president, says this should not be seen as an endorsement of the OFSTED study. “James Tooley’s report is based on a careful and thorough analysis . . . however, few researchers will agree with all of his idiosyncratic strictures about research methods. There are aspects of the report which appear to be polemic masquerading as research.”