Tories pledge to turn round failing schools with a culture of respect

Schools would also be expected to appoint prefects and head boys and girls under proposals unveiled by David Cameron.

He said too many schools were plagued by classroom indiscipline, preventing youngsters learning.

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David Cameron wants all students to wear uniforms

Under plans to restore the authority of teachers, schools would be expected to apply "instant sanctions" against all misbehaving pupils. They would also designate special rooms for pupils removed from class and gain extra powers to ban mobile phones.

History teaching would be revamped with a greater focus on the basic chronology of British history.

Mr Cameron called too many schools "a bog of low expectations" as he unveiled a discussion document spelling out education policies for the next election.

Cameron classrooms: 'Bring back old-fashioned schools'

They include banishing mixed ability classes, "lightning" Ofsted inspections to expose poor teaching, and creating 220,000 places in a fresh generation of independent state schools, dubbed "new academies".

But the Tories faced claims they had performed yet another U-turn over grammar schools.

The issue presented Mr Cameron with a major challenge this year after he ditched his party's historic support for selective education. Yesterday's proposals made clear that the new academies - which could be run by parents, charities, faith groups or philanthropists - would be barred from selecting pupils by ability at age 11.

However Labour claimed the policy flew in the face of Mr Cameron's acceptance that more grammar schools could be built in areas where they already exist and the pupil population is rising.

The Tories said the academies were intended to increase choice for parents in poor areas, where almost 32,000 children appealed unsuccessfully against being forced to go to badly-performing schools with spare places.

Under plans to improve pupil behaviour, heads will be made to introduce techniques to turn around indiscipline.

These include an escalating scale of sanctions for those who break the rules. Uniforms should be "strict", with pupils wearing blazers, shirts and ties, and teachers enforcing "zero tolerance" of incorrect or untidy dress.

Parents would be given weekly updates on their child's performance while pupils would be given a termly reward such as a book token or a penalty entailing loss of privileges.

At the same time, Ofsted inspections will be made more rigorous and the Tories would consider introducing snap inspections with no notice at all for teachers. Currently they have two or three days.

Launching the proposals at Mossbourne Academy in Hackney, East London, Old Etonian Mr Cameron said: "Alongside the energy and optimism of modern Britain, there is an education system where too many schools are stuck in a bog of low expectations, low standards, and low value. That's a tragedy."

Steve Sinnott, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, described the proposal for "new academies" as "reheating their failed grant maintained schools policy".

John Dunford, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: "Dividing students into ability groups in all subjects, with lots of small groups, would be hugely impractical, not to mention expensive and unnecessary."