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Education bill amendment calls for private schools which become academies to retain right to select pupils on ability MPs are preparing to vote over whether to increase the number of academically selective state schools. An amendment to the education bill, which will be debated in the Commons today, calls for independent schools to be allowed to keep the right to select pupils on ability if institutions opt out of the private sector and turn into academies. If MPs vote for the amendment, it will be included in the education bill and could eventually become enshrined in law. Selective state schools – or grammars – are a politically fraught topic for the coalition, in particular the Conservatives. Four years ago, a row broke out after David Willetts, then the Tory’s education spokesman, spoke out against grammar schools, arguing that they entrench disadvantage. David Cameron tried to calm a row that then ensued among Conservative MPs in favour of the schools. Cameron argued that the debate was “pointless”. He said history had shown that creating grammar schools was “extremely difficult and … often leads to them being very unpopular and they are then got rid of”. Graham Brady, Conservative MP for Altrincham and Sale West, resigned from the frontbench over Cameron’s comments. Last year, Brady asked Michael Gove, the education secretary, whether he would allow there to be more selective state schools where parents wanted it. Gove responded: “My foot is hovering over the pedal. I’ll have to see what my co-driver Nick Clegg has to say.” The amendment to the education bill was tabled by Brady and has the support of at least 38 Conservative MPs, including John Redwood and David Davis. The economic climate has made many parents decide against sending their children to private schools. Seven private schools have so far become academies. The number of private schools considering becoming academies is not known. There are 164 grammar schools in England. Anthony Seldon, master of Wellington college, said that becoming an academy would not be “the move of choice” for many, but that financially they may have no alternative. Andy Burnham, Labour’s shadow education secretary, described the amendment as an “audacious bid” to expand selection in state schools. “This reveals the Tory party’s true instincts on education – an ever more divided and elitist school system,” he said. “We know this is what Michael Gove wants too, but this blatant attempt by his backbenchers reveals that we are in a real battle to protect a fair education system. Labour is fighting for fair admissions for all families, while the Tory party are siding with the few not the many. The Lib Dems need to decide whose side they’re on.” The bill also gives headteachers greater powers to exclude violent and aggressive pupils and ensures heads have the final say on whether to expel a pupil from their school. At the moment, parents are allowed by law to appeal if their child is excluded and, if successful, can overturn a head’s decision. Other reforms contained in the bill give teachers new rights to search pupils for forbidden items, such as pornography, phones, video cameras or anything they believe might cause harm, and removes the requirement for teachers to give a day’s notice of a detention. A spokesman from the Department for Education said the government opposed Brady’s amendment. “We have no plans for more selective schools. If this amendment does go through, which we don’t think it will, it would be for the government to decide whether or not to allow an independent school to continue to select if they became an academy.” School admissions Schools Grammar schools Academies Education policy Liberal-Conservative coalition Jessica Shepherd guardian.co.uk