Bradford East Lib Dem MP David Ward has dubbed radical plans to axe GCSEs and bring back O-levels as “a fantasy”.

Mr Ward, a member of the Coalition Government, was responding to proposals by Education Secretary Michael Gove, contained in documents leaked to a national newspaper.

He said: “The Education Secretary is dangerously fixated on a fantasy. He wants to return Britain to a ‘golden age’ of education that never really existed.”

His comments have been echoed by education leaders in the city.

Councillor Ralph Berry, Bradford Council’s executive member for education, said the move being planned could also see less-able pupils take simpler qualifications leading to a two-tier education system.

The leaked documents say pupils will also study for harder exams in traditional academic subjects such as English, maths, history, modern languages and science from 2014.

But Mr Ward was scathing: “Following his previous announcements on learning by rote, I wouldn’t be surprised if chalk boards and compulsory fountain pens are next in the pipeline.

“He needs to realise the world has moved on. His proposal for a two-tier system risks undermining decades of progress on fairness and social inclusion in schools.

“The last thing our education system needs is yet more disruptive upheaval, distracting teachers’ attention away from where it needs to be – on driving up standards for every child.”

Bradford was ranked 144 out of 151 local authorities for its GCSE results last year with fewer than half of pupils achieving the Government’s benchmark of at least five A* to C grades, including English and maths.

Coun Berry said the proposals, aimed at improving standards, would not benefit pupils. He said: “I’m particularly upset that we look to be going back to a two-tier system of qualifications.”

Union leaders in the city also voiced concerns about the proposals, which would see the national curriculum in secondary schools scrapped and papers set by a single exam board in order to provide a “gold standard” test.

Pam Milner, regional spokesman for the NASUWT, said: “Teachers have had change upon change to cope with and this is just more stress.”

Ian Murch, assistant Bradford branch secretary of the National Union of Teachers, welcomed possible changes to the way papers were set but feared reverting to a two-tier exam system would undermine efforts to improve prospects for disadvantaged pupils.