VILLAGE primary school education is undergoing a shake-up to help small communities with dwindling pupil numbers.

Consultation with parents has begun to allow Codford and Steeple Langford Primary Schools to merge teachers and classes.

A federation would mean both schools staying open but under a single headteacher, governing body and common curriculum.

Debi Downing, headteacher at Codford Primary School, said: "There will be a period of consultation until July 9 and no decision has yet been taken.

"Both schools would benefit from the federation. Steeple Langford is a small school who cannot appoint a headteacher. The idea is to make both schools secure and remain open and it will bring new opportunities for the children."

Current proposals include sharing classes to boost pupil numbers and would allow the federation to apply for a large budget and more teachers.

Codford Primary School has 99 pupils on the register while Steeple Langford, near Salisbury, only has 31 students.

Education bosses at Wiltshire County Council are working with the schools during the period of consultation.

A spokesman said: "Consult-ation is ongoing but our preferred option is a federation."