Tory MP James Gray sacrificed his trip to the annual Conservative Party Conference so that he could praise Springfields Academy in his North Wiltshire constituency.

The politician said he was dodging the conference because it had become an event for the media and lobbyists.

None but the most politically ambitious, he added, attended.

Instead, he chose to visit the Calne school for pupils with learning, emotional, social and behavioural difficulties.

He toured the new teaching facility, opened for this academic year, before conducting a question and answer session with the school council.

He said: “I think the ethos, the way the kids are educated and how they’re given a broad spectrum of things to do, the practical education, the sports and everything else is brilliant.

“I am very proud of the fact that I have Springfields Academy in my patch and I often say so in Parliament.”

Mr Gray was met by Year 11 pupils Henry Baugh and Matthew Crosby and Year Seven’s Jack Wilkins for a tour of the £3 million site.

The school hopes it will help continue to raise the number of students leaving with qualifications. In August, pupils got 47 GCSEs, up from 30 in 2013, and 24 functional skills qualifications, up from 11.

Mr Gray also visited St Dunstan's Primary School, where Year Six is studying Parliament, and answered pupils’ questions.

Teacher Janet Lee said: “It really brought the topic to life for the children and they were much better behaved than some of the adults you see in Prime Minister’s Questions.”