Christine Gilbert, the report's author and Ofsted's chief inspector of schools, says the key to raising standards is to "personalise" education for each child.

Under the plans, the implications for increasing teachers workload appears obvious, writes Jamie Last

Ministers commissioned Ms Gilbert to lead the project and identify how teaching can be tailored to the needs of individual children by 2020, reports PA News. Her report, 2020 Vision, says: "For too many pupils, school does not engage them or equip them with the skills they need."

It goes on: "The country cannot accept a situation in which over 20% of children leave primary school without a solid foundation in literacy and numeracy or one in which over 10% of 16-18 year-olds are not in education, employment or training.

"The education system will not achieve the next 'step change' in raising standards simply by doing more of the same: a new approach is required."

The report recommends:

* Every secondary school pupils should have a "learning guide" - someone who knows them, knows what they are studying and can help set them individual targets in one-to-one meetings at least twice each term;

* Parents should get the latest information on their children's progress, including teachers' lesson plans, on demand;

* Children should give more systematic feedback on teaching and Ofsted should inspect schools to make sure headteachers are using this information to improve lessons;

* A new group should be set up to devise an action plan, including how "national assessment should be revised in response to personalising learning, for example, increasing the scope of testing 'when ready"'.

The report's final recommendation - for funding parents to give their children private catch-up classes - may prove to be one of the most controversial proposals.

It says that ministers should consider funding extra lessons for all pupils who are not making the grade in English and maths from primary school through to GCSE.

"An essential part of this recommendation should be a pilot to give pupils and parents a resource to direct the way in which they access some of the additional support," the report says.

"Pupils and their parents could be offered a range of options, some provided by the school, some by other approved providers."

Officials say this could include private tuition at evenings and weekends or extra classes in nearby schools or colleges.

Ms Gilbert warns that schools are at risk of neglecting children's communication and personal skills, such as reliability, creativity and team-work.

"These skills and attitudes are as important in further and higher education as in the workplace," the report says. "However, the national curriculum gives them relatively little weight, and they are measured, recorded and reported inadequately by national tests and most public examinations.

"As a result, they are in danger of being neglected by teachers and undervalued by pupils and their parents at a time when they matter more than ever."

The review says that personalising education is "a matter of moral purpose and social justice" because "pupils from the most disadvantaged groups are the least likely to achieve well".

The recommendations have been sent to Education Secretary Alan Johnson for consideration.