The Sutton Trust education charity has published a survey showing that a majority of teachers would back the use of these "scholastic aptitude tests".

These SATs, which are used in the United States, would give universities extra information about students, along with forecasts of A-level results.

The government has been examining ways to make university admissions fairer.

And it has been argued that using an intelligence test might be a fairer way of identifying ability - particularly among students who might not have very good GCSE grades and A-level predicted results.

Applying after results

Universities are being urged to take more students from a wider range of social backgrounds - and those advocating aptitude tests say that they offer a more objective measure of potential.

The poll for the Sutton Trust found that 55% of secondary teachers believed aptitude tests would be useful in admissions, along with exam results.

But a larger majority of teachers - 65% - believed that university admissions would be fairer if students had received their A-level results before they applied for university places.

"A trial of the American SAT in British schools showed that as an additional measure to A-levels, it can identify talent from schools with low examination performance," said the Sutton Trust chairman, Sir Peter Lampl.

"The support for a SAT-style test is quite surprising as we expected teachers might oppose another 16-plus examination - however limited."

The poll, carried out last November, also found only lukewarm support for the type of diploma-based qualifications system proposed for English secondary schools.

Only 36% of teachers backed an English baccalaureate, while 41% were against.