General Election 2015: Everything you need to know about education

Find out all you need to know in under three minutes with The Independent’s 'Inside Stories' series

The Independent's "Inside Stories" series offers our readers all they need to know about where the main political parties stand on the key issues in the 2015 General Election.

With the polls too close to call and with talk of a range of possible outcomes, coalitions and backroom deals, it is more important than ever to be well-informed before you place your vote on May 7.

Here, Education Editor Richard Garner explains the key facts around the topic of education - in under three minutes.

David Cameron has promised that - if the Conservatives are returned - he wants to see a "war on mediocrity" with up to 3,500 schools ranked as “requiring improvement” by Ofsted being forced to become academies with new "superheads" in charge.

However, if Labour won control at the election, the rate of schools converting to academies would slow down, and it would also end the current Government's free school programme.

Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats are proud of their record in introducing the pupil premium - which gives schools extra cash for every disadvantaged pupil they take in - and their extension of the free school meals programme so that every child under the age of eight is in receipt of them.

To find out more about where the parties stand on education, watch the video.