In what has been regarded by some as a climb-down by the embattled Sinn Fein minister, grammar schools would be able to phase out academic selection between next year and 2012.

But Sir Ken Bloomfield, the focal point for opposition to abolishing academic selection, last night indicated that the minister’s concessions would not be enough to prevent schools creating their own system.

And yesterday MLAs passed what some described as effectively a vote of no confidence in the minister by asking her to set up an Executive sub-group to bring forward proposals on the future of post-primary transfer.

Ms Ruane’s plans – which she will bring to the Executive tomorrow – were last night leaked to the Press Association.

Under the plan, academic selection would be abolished over a period of three years.

A standard test would be developed by the education authorities for the limited use of entrance tests.

The key age for decisions about a child’s education would be 14 and this year will remain as the last for the 11-plus.

In 2010 children would transfer under new arrangements, which will include where they live and what school their family attended.

A Stormont source said: “The proposals include time-bound proposals for three years for the limited use of academic selection, with the remainder of intake based on the non-academic criteria.

“It includes the development of a test by the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment.”

Under the proposal, the proportion of places filled through selection would fall to 30 per cent in 2011 and 20 per cent in 2012.

Sir Ken Bloomfield, from the Association for Quality Education which works with the 31 grammar schools who have vowed to set up their own test, said: “We have come together because we believe in selection not just in the short-term but in the long-term.

“The ultimate outcome before very long would be what we don’t want to see.

“I think there will be a marked lack of enthusiasm for it.”

And yesterday the Assembly passed a significant Ulster Unionist motion calling for an Executive sub-group to be established to consider transfers.

UUP education committee member Basil McCrea said the minister had failed everyone.

“I think we will see a huge fight in the Executive which has the potential to be very serious,” he said.

“I have no confidence in the minister and in any other jurisdiction a minister losing a vote like this would face huge questions over her future.”

But DUP education committee member Sammy Wilson argued that the sub-committee was not an attempt to snatch away the responsibility from the minister.

“It’s been tried already in the Assembly with difficult issues and succeeded,” he said.

“There are good grounds for saying ‘Let’s go down the cross-party and the cross-ministerial approach on this to reach agreement’ because it is quite clear that after one year in office the minister has not been capable by herself of reaching agreement.