TEACHING unions are urging pupils, parents, staff and residents to oppose plans by seven schools to become academies.

A joint statement by five trade unions condemns the system, which sees governing bodies cut their ties with local councils, as a government “experiment” designed to break up state education.

The 750 word document, released yesterday afternoon, warns staff face “potential job loss” and accuses the coalition of playing “party politics with our children’s future”.

It states: “We will take full part in these important consultations and will use all available means to act in our member’s best interests but we are vigorously opposed to academy conversion and we support Harrow Council’s preference that all schools should remain within the local school family.

“Our members do not want to become academy employees, do not support the academy programme and are passionately opposed to it.”

Converting to academy status will bring schools more money and give governing bodies more control over curriculum, staff pay and admissions.

But critics say the system reduces accountability, leaving governors free to make major decisions without public consultation.

The unions themselves say it will introduce the principles of the private sector to state education so “that schools compete for money, students and staff as businesses against one another”.

The document states: “Conversion will impact the life chances of future generations of Harrow’s young people and will involve a huge transfer of public assets (e.g. school buildings & land) to the private sector. Any decision should not be taken lightly or without hearing all views from the local community.”

The unions are urging residents to take part in consultation meetings at each of the seven schools, Nower Hill, Hatch End, Canons High, Harrow High, Rooks Heath, Bentley Wood, and Park High, on Monday.

They are also publicising a meeting of the Anti Academies Alliance at Harrow Civic Centre, in Station Road, on Friday, March 25, at 7pm.

The statement was released on behalf of the National Union of Teachers (NUT), the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), NASUWT, GMB and Unison.