Black pupils will be disadvantaged by the government's proposed reforms of the secondary school system in England, claims an academic.

Professor David Gillborn of London University's Institute of Education said the proposals would worsen institutional racism within schools.

But this was rejected by the Department for Education, which said its plans were intended to raise the achievement of all pupils - whatever their ethnic background.

But Professor Gillborn said: "Proposals to extend selection in schools through setting by ability, special schemes for 'gifted and talented' pupils and separate vocational schemes for others could lead to more under-achievement.

"Research shows that when teachers make decisions like these, they generally underrate the abilities of black youngsters."

History lesson

He will be arguing the case in a lecture at the Institute of Education on Wednesday, citing research showing that there are often more black pupils often in low ability groups.

They were taught a restricted curriculum and entered for exams that did not allow them to get the highest grades no matter how well they did.

"Unless race equality is taken seriously and safeguards are built into the system, the new proposals threaten to worsen the already significant inequalities in achievement between different ethnic groups," he said.

He likens the proposals in the 14 to 19 Green paper to the selective system established after the Second World War.

In that, children were selected for secondary schools through the 11-plus test at the age of 10 or 11, which now applies only in a few areas of England.

Teachers' attitudes

"The 11-plus split children into different types of school," Prof Gillborn said.

"These proposals will split them into different types of education in the same school.

"This could create impenetrable barriers for children thought by their teachers to lack ability or have the wrong attitude.

"The Stephen Lawrence report means that white teachers and policy makers can no longer excuse their actions on the basis of good intentions and ignorance of the facts."

In a statement, the Department for Education did not dispute the idea that schools were institutionally racist.

But it said: "Our proposals for gifted and talented pupils and for vocational routes to learning are all about widening opportunities for all pupils - and children from low income and minority ethnic groups are no exception.

Range of measures

"Latest research shows an 8% increase in the number of black pupils leaving school with five or more A*-C grades at GCSE, so things are starting to improve already."

But more needed to be done, so the education minister Catherine Ashton was making sure that minority achievement was addressed in every policy area, says the government.

"The gifted and talented scheme will identify children by looking at ability, rather than attainment, to capitalise on the talents of the individual child, regardless of ethnic background.

"The Excellence in Cities programme brings extra support to able children in urban areas by focussing on the top 5 to 10% of secondary school pupils.

"Greater vocational choice at 14 to 19 means more opportunities for young people to choose the learning route that fits their needs.

"We need to get beyond the old arguments on parity of esteem with traditionally academic subjects so that we can tailor education to the individual student - and this is good for young people of all ethnic backgrounds."