Battle lines have been drawn in Bedford's education system, after the headteachers of every upper school in the borough backed plans to abolish their middle school counterparts.

A leaflet has been created by the seven headteachers stating they "unanimously and unreservedly support" a review being carried out by Bedford Borough Council.

It will be sent out to parents, MPs and local councillors.

Tony Withell, headteacher of Wootton Upper School, said: "This is something that upper school headteachers have been talking about for
several months, and the leaflet pulls that work together.

"We have also been talking to our staff, and to our governing bodies.

All we are saying is that we want people to be aware of the wider view."

This is the latest development in the debate over Bedford's schools system.

Mayor Frank Branston launched a consultation into changing the schools set-up in April.

Children living in the borough currently attend lower school from age five to nine, then middle school up to the age of 13, and finish their education at upper school.

But the council propose changing the system to abolish middle schools.

Most of the country has a two-tier system, and council bosses claim that local children have under-achieved at GCSE level because of the disruption at age 13.

A previous attempt to change the system for all of Bedfordshire was
defeated in 2006.

Mr Withell added: "I think upper school headteachers were frustrated
by the result in 2006, and our views have moved since then.

"In 2006 upper school headteachers were largely quiet in the debate. We don't want to be that quiet this time."