A DEBATE is raging over a decision labelled the most significant for education in Harrow “for a generation”.

Seven schools proposing to become academies held simultaneous meetings with parents on Monday March 21 as trade unions accused Government ministers who pushed the system of “playing party politics with our children's future”.

The status would mean cutting ties with Harrow Council and the authority has previously said it wants governing bodies to “remain within the family of schools in Harrow”.

But opposition Tory councillors blasted Harrow's Labour administration for “aggressively using the official machinery of the council to lobby governors on academies”.

In a joint statement to governors of the seven schools they said: “The decision that you have to make in the next few months should not be based on political dogma, blind devotion to the status quo, or a desire for reform for the sake of it.

“Instead, it should come down to which option you believe will help Harrow’s schools improve and provide a better education for our children.”

It labels the academy decision “perhaps the most significant regarding education in Harrow for a generation”.

Councillor Brian Gate, responsible for schools and colleges, said: “We have had an open dialogue with all seven high schools on academy status and said our preference is that they stay within the 'family of schools in Harrow'.

“It is a partnership that has worked well with cross-party support for many years and we feel still brings a wide benefit to the community.”

The unions urged parents, pupils, staff and residents to take part in the consultation and say a move to academy status could mean job losses for their members.

Nick Grant, of the National Union of Teachers (NUT), said: “Strikes are still being considered inside the schools but there's no absolute, definite decision made yet.”

He added: “We can only take them at their word. We've been assured by all of the headteachers in the schools that the consultation is genuine.”

The schools considering converting to academies are: Nower Hill, Hatch End, Canons High, Harrow High, Rooks Heath, Bentley Wood and Park High.

The joint union statement was sent out on behalf of NUT, the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), NASUWT, GMB and Unison.