THIRTY-one Worcestershire schools face the axe for having too many spare places.

The Government wants education bosses to consider closing or merging schools with more than a quarter of seats unfilled - or make better use of space by opening their doors to community projects.

Schools performing badly are at greatest risk, says the Department for Education, with 26 un-named primaries and five secondaries less than three-quarters full in Worcestershire.

Worcestershire County Council claims the figures have been "skewed" because of the number of rural schools - and has pledged to keep them all open.

"A lot of our schools are in rural areas and have very small roll numbers, so it only requires a drop of a small number of pupils to have 25 per cent surplus places," said Colin Weeden, Head of Education Policy. "But we're very sensitive that these schools play a big part in community life in these areas.

"We have a robust area review system that's been in place for some years that can address the issue of surplus places."

In neighbouring Herefordshire, there are six primaries less than three-quarters full, placing them at risk of closure or merger. No secondary schools are at risk.

Details emerged as part of a snapshot survey of surplus school places conducted by the DFES.

Education Minister David Miliband's survey revealed 4,616 unfilled places in county primary schools, which is 11 per cent of the total, the equivalent of almost 154 empty classrooms.

In secondary schools, the surplus was 2,589 places, 6 per cent of the total.

Mr Miliband said education bosses would not be ordered to close schools, but they must confront the problem "effectively and sensitively".

"While it's for individual LEAs to consider the scope for removing surplus places, the department encourages them, when planning, to concentrate on those schools with 25 per cent or more surplus places which are also performing badly.

"In some cases, it's sensible to propose the closure or amalgamation of schools."