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Eton College is leading a rebellion that could result in it dropping A levels in favour of an alternative examination system with no coursework and tougher questions.

Tony Little, Eton Head Master, said that “Pre-U” examinations being developed at Cambridge University would offer pupils more stimulation and a system of testing that rewarded creativity and lateral thinking.

He said that A levels forced children to “think inside a very small box” and discriminated against highly imaginative pupils, whose exam answers were often marked down because they were considered too sophisticated.

“We are very interested in adopting it and in looking at anything that thinks afresh and in a creative way, which has a stimulating syllabus. We want the best courses that challenge our students and, if that means doing the Pre-U instead of A Level, then we will do it.”

Eton is among at least 100 leading independent schools to have shown strong interest in the Pre-U. Others include Harrow, Dulwich College, Winchester and Charterhouse.

But there are fears of the creation of a two-tier examination system for rich and poor pupils, with independent schools opting for the Pre-U and state schools remaining with the discredited A-level system.

Graham Able, Master of Dulwich College, who is on a steering group advising on the Pre-U, said the diploma would better prepare pupils for university. “It will take us back to the original idea of A levels from the 1950s as a qualification for university entrance,” he said.

Barnaby Lenon, Head Master of Harrow, said that A levels were flawed because too many pupils got top grades, examiners made too many mistakes when marking and coursework was vulnerable to cheats. “The Pre-U combines the flexibility of A level with regard to subject choice together with the promise of harder questions and reliable examining,” he said.

Richard Cairns, headmaster of Brighton College, said that he believed that most independent schools would be in favour of the Pre-U when it is introduced in 2008. “A levels do not discriminate enough at the top end of the ability range. If government reforms to A levels are not satisfactory, we will go with the Pre-U and so will most others,” he said.

Kevin Stannard, of Cambridge International Examinations, said that about 20 state schools and colleges had also expressed an interest in the Pre-U. “They represent the tip of the iceberg,” he said, adding that he expected more state schools to sign up once it had been officially recognised.

Growing support for the Pre-U will put pressure on the Government to speed up reforms of the A-level system. It has promised to make A levels harder. An extended essay will be introduced, together with more open-ended questions in place of those that lead students through a series of highly structured answers. Coursework is also being cut back to reduce plagiarism. A new A+ grade is being considered.

Many heads fear that these reforms may be too late, as they will not be ready before September 2008, the date the Pre-U is due to begin.

Dr Stannard predicted that 2008 would mark a turning point. “Schools will have to choose between the reformed A level, the Pre-U and any other alternative,” he said. One alternative, the International Baccalaureate (IB), has been adopted by about 90 independent schools, but most have retained A levels as well. After an initial surge of interest, support has levelled off. Many schools find it too prescriptive and too heavily weighted towards very academic pupils.

Andrew Boggis, Warden of Forest School, in East London, and chairman of the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference of independent schools, says that neither Pre-U nor IB is the answer. He has called for the reform of A levels, with coursework being dropped from final grades.

A government spokesman said that A levels were here to stay. “However, as standards in schools rise, we need to make sure that we are stretching and challenging all students, particularly our brightest,” he said.

Which would you want your children to sit?

A level

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