The new board will include teachers, teaching union members, government officials and parents.

Its members will closely monitor the way Leicester implements its primary schools action plan.

Education spokeswoman Vi Dempster said there would be monthly reviews "to see what is being done on the ground".

Someone has to sit in the classroom and see the way they are being taught Parent Sheetal Georgiou

She said: "We have worked to develop an action plan but that in itself is not enough - we need to have a rigorous management of that action plan."

The aim is to ensure the local education authority is tackling problems and enabling teachers and parents to improve the local primary system.

Parent Sheetal Georgiou said: "We need a more hands-on approach - someone has to sit in the classroom and see the way they are being taught. A board to meet and discuss it - that isn't going to achieve anything."

Emmanuel Akyigina, a parent in Braunstone whose children attend Folville Junior School, said people were too quick to blame the teachers.

"Teachers spend 50% of their time on paperwork and 50% of their time on teaching."

The education performance overview board will have representatives from head teachers, governors, education department and Government Office of the East Midlands and council members.

The city finished second-lowest in the league table that combines results for tests in English, maths and science taken by children aged 7 to 11.