Tories to make failing pupils spend an extra year at primary school

The reforms are designed to make sure no pupil starts secondary school without a basic grasp of the "Three Rs".

The Conservatives hope the move will improve school discipline by targeting children who cause the most classroom disruption.

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But the plan is likely to be resisted by parents and teachers worried that keeping back hundreds of disgruntled older children could simply shift discipline problems to primary schools.

And schools minister Jim Knight said it would "stigmatise the very children who need extra help".

The idea is contained in a major policy review commissioned by David Cameron and chaired by ex-Cabinet Minister Stephen Dorrell which will be launched on Tuesday.

It comes after last week's attempt by Mr Cameron to appeal to Tory Party traditionalists with a tough stance on crime.

Mr Cameron linked a failure to tackle yob culture to a spate of murders, including the fatal shooting of 11-year-old Rhys Jones in Liverpool.

He said "anarchy in the UK" would flourish unless families and communities were strengthened.

The report will also recommend giving new powers to head teachers to expel unruly students. New tough "sin bins" for the worst behaved children will be set up to replace Labour's failing "Pupil Referral Units".

Parents will also be forced to sign "home school contracts", guaranteeing that their children will arrive at school on time and dressed in the correct uniform.

The Tory leader yesterday kicked off his "Back to school" campaign on school discipline with the promise that teachers accused of misconduct could remain anonymous until the case is resolved.

But the repeat final year for underachieving children remains the most contentious new Conservative policy. All children take socalled Key Stage 2 tests for literacy and numeracy at 11.

Currently, the results are used only for drawing up school league tables and measuring how far pupils have advanced since their first formal tests at seven.

Under the Tory proposal, the exams will be used instead to identify the children who need special attention.

Youngsters who fall below a basic standard would initially be forced to attend a special remedial summer school.

If that fails, they would be barred from joining their friends at secondary school.

These children would then go on to take their GCSEs at 17 - a year later than their peer group.

A senior member of David Cameron's inner circle told The Mail on Sunday: "The evidence is that when children with learning difficulties leave the smaller, nurturing environment of primary school and start at secondary school - which is more anonymous - they can go off the rails.

"They struggle to keep up and become disaffected with the system. This is when problems of truancy, anti-social behaviour and gangs take root."

However, the plan was last night ridiculed by Labour critics.

One Labour MP said: "This is David Cameron again making policy on the hoof. We recognise there is a discipline problem at some comprehensives but most kids at primaries are very well behaved.

"One can only guess at the disruptive impact that a bunch of disgruntled, fed-up and humiliated 12-year-olds are going to have on lessons."