A Shropshire school facing the axe under a shake-up of county education today said it was finalising plans to federate with a nearby school in a last- ditch attempt to save it from closure.

But another school originally set to become a third member of the partnership has backed out of the plans, it was revealed.

Stiperstones Primary School, near Shrewsbury, which is set for closure under plans by Shropshire Council, says it is progressing well with a proposal to federate with Chirbury Primary School, a 35-minute drive away.

But Hope Primary Sch- ool, near Minsterley, which itself faced closure in 2008, has withdrawn from the federation plans. The proposal would allow the schools to share resources, including a single governing body and headteacher.

The plans are expected to go before Shropshire Council’s cabinet on July 20. If successful, the schools could federate from April 2012.