Examination boards responsible for the dumbing down of science qualifications will be replaced under a Conservative government, Michael Gove has warned.

The shadow children’s secretary said science teaching and exams had felt the brunt of dumbing down.

"In GCSE science we ask students if nurses leave the room during X-ray sessions in hospital for health reasons, or because their mobile phone might melt, or they might get a tan," he told the Tory party conference in Manchester.

"We ask students which is a better argument for nuclear power – creating jobs or creating toxic waste.

"We ask students which is healthier – a battered sausage or grilled fish."

Mr Gove said the "terrifying evidence" had led him to the conclusion that a "comprehensive decline in examination standards was being witnessed.

"What should we do with people who think that this country can become a scientific leader by asking about sausages in batter? They’ve just got to go," he said.

"And under a Conservative government the people who’ve been responsible for dumbing down our examination system will go."

Mr Gove also pledged to replace the country’s worst performing schools with academies run by proven sponsors.

Under his plans any schools shown to have been in special measures for over a year would have their leaders replaced by the end of the next school year and reopened as academies by September 2011.

All schools would be able to apply for academy status, he continued, with schools ranked as outstanding by Ofted automatically qualifying.

"That is the way to give parents what they want – smaller schools with smaller classes, good behaviour, great teachers and restored confidence in the curriculum," he added.

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