Last week county council education chiefs announced that they are to consider a revised school organisation policy for primary schools to tackle falling pupil numbers.

A report outlining the new policy says that schools should have a minimum of four classes, potentially affecting a number of schools in the area.

Maesbury Primary School is one of the smallest primaries in the area with 51 pupils, and fewer than four classes.

The school has room for just nine more pupils, with seven spaces being taken up in January, leaving just two spaces.

Headteacher Rosemary Finney said: "I think Shropshire County Council have a commitment to keeping rural schools going.

"People living in rural communities want their children to go to rural schools.

"It would be difficult for them to justify closing a thriving school which is nearly full," she said.

Proud

The school received a glowing Ofsted report in July which said: "Classes are lively centres of learning" and "Pupils are encouraged well and are proud of their achievements."

Selattyn CE Primary School has just three classes, but will also be completely full by January next year.

Headteacher Claire Heskins said: "We have three over-subscribed classes and would be extremely unhappy if we were forced to close."

Defiantly, she said: "We would be very unwilling to let that happen."

The school's last Ofsted report said: "Pupils are achieving well and standards are above average."

County council officials say they are not yet looking at individual schools and that it is too early and too alarmist to start saying that particular schools will close.

The report sets out a consultation exercise, giving parents, carers, children and schools the chance to have their say on the policy so that they are able to oppose possible closures.

A spokesperson for Shropshire County Council said: "It is not appropriate at this point to speculate on individual schools which may be affected by a possible change in Shropshire County Council's primary school organisation policy.

"Our financial modelling suggests, however, that if, following public consultation and member decisions, a new policy based on the proposed key principles and entitlement criteria was introduced, around 20 schools could be investigated with a view to closure, and around ten with a view to amalgamation."

John Hargreaves, Head of Communications at Shropshire County Council said: "We want people to give us their views. There will be a six-week consultation period at least.

"This comes down to the fact that a third of desks at our schools in the area are empty and something has to be done," he said.