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Tieng Anh Vui
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has indicated he has strong differences of opinion with his Tory coalition partners over free schools, a key plank of education policy in England.
In a speech next week, the deputy prime minister will say he disagrees with Education Secretary Michael Gove over the flexibility given to the schools.
His next party manifesto will demand all follow the national curriculum.
Mr Gove's allies have accused Mr Clegg of misunderstanding free schools.
Free schools, set up by parents and other groups, are state funded but operate outside local authority control.
They were been established under a policy pioneered by Mr Gove and since September 2011 more than 170 have been opened across England.
Analysis
For three and a half years, the Lib Dems have been part of a coalition that was committed to free schools.
But some of these schools have had bad publicity recently. Nick Clegg wants to see changes that would "reassure parents".
That would mean less flexibility and the imposition of certain minimum standards.
But those close to the education secretary made it clear they were given no advance warning of the deputy prime minister's speech, and Downing Street officials are hinting that No 10 had been equally unsighted.
Nick Clegg concedes he will not get his changes past the education secretary before the election, so he will pledge to make them in the next Lib Dem manifesto.
But his criticism has ruffled Conservative feathers and his partners are suggesting the move owes more to the Lib Dem leader's need to form a coalition with his own core voters than it does to education policy. Expect to see further examples of where the coalition parties disagree in the run up to the general election.
Currently free schools have discretion over what to teach, but in his speech to a school in north London, Mr Clegg will say, "What's the point of having a national curriculum if only a few schools have to teach it?"
He also wants schools to adhere to new standards on meals and for all teachers to be be qualified or near qualification.
Last week, the head teacher of a primary free school in the borough of Westminster who was still studying for her postgraduate certificate in education stood down following criticism from Labour councillors.
There was also controversy when the Al-Madinah free school in Derby was classed as inadequate by education inspectors.
In his speech to a London school, Mr Clegg will say: "I'm proud of our work over the last three years to increase school autonomy, which, in government with the Conservatives, has been through the academies' programme."
But he will go on to question "aspects of schools policy currently affected by the priorities of the Conservative Party which I would not want to see continue".
Mr Clegg will add: "Whilst I want to give schools the space to innovate, I also believe every parent needs reassurance that the school their child attends, whatever its title or structure, meets certain core standards of teaching and care. A parental guarantee, if you like.
"Parents don't want ideology to get in the way of their children's education.
"They don't care about the latest political label attached to their child's school. What they want, and expect, is that their children are taught by good teachers, get taught a core body of knowledge and get a healthy meal every day."
'Misunderstanding'
Lib Dem sources have told the BBC that Mr Clegg argued for his proposed changes in cabinet but they were blocked by Mr Gove.
BBC political correspondent Iain Watson says Mr Gove's allies in turn accuse Mr Clegg of "fundamentally misunderstanding" the nature of free schools.
The Department for Education will maintain that free schools were helping to achieve the government's ambition to allow parents to chose schools, our correspondent adds.
Under plans announced by Labour, parent groups and other organisations would be able to set up schools outside local authority control, although local authorities would have greater powers to intervene when there were concerns about standards.
But last week, shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt said a future Labour government would allow most existing free schools to remain open.
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