CLOSURE-threatened Dunswell Primary School could be saved by an East Riding academy.
The village school could be taken under the wing of Swanland Primary School Academy Trust.
Governors from the schools are seeking Government approval for the rescue plan.
It comes as East Riding Council is due to consider a closure recommendation for 88-pupil Dunswell and two other schools – Gembling Primary and Langtoft Primary – on Tuesday.
The cash-starved council is looking at closing Dunswell in July next year, when the site would become part of Woodmansey Primary School.
Under the council's plan, current Dunswell pupils would remain on site but no more would be enrolled, so the school would be run-down over time. New pupils would go to Woodmansey Primary.
The alternative plan was being revealed to parents by Dunswell and Swanland primaries today.
Dunswell's chairman of governors Neil Thompson said: "Dunswell has submitted an application to become an academy as part of a multi-academy trust, which Swanland would become.
"We would become an academy school under their wing but Dunswell would retain its own identity.
"If we do succeed with the application it's only good news because Swanland is an outstanding school and we were deemed as needing improvement."
Swanland's chairman of governors Helen Gilmour said: "Swans have big wings and we would like to take Dunswell under Swanland's wing. The schools would still run independently but there would be one executive principal, Swanland's headteacher Ray Woodward.
"Someone would be appointed as head of school at Dunswell.
"Our application is being processed and it's now up to the Secretary of State."
Swanland's governors were impressed with Dunswell after being approached by the school's governors.
Mrs Gilmour said: "Dunswell is something special, it has a lovely ethos and a big heart. It's a lovely educational establishment.
"We are not empire building – we are not looking for anywhere else, we want to take Dunswell on because it is a special case. We are not wanting to become a big academy chain, we are doing this to help out.
"Dunswell Primary, as we see it, is a very valid school. It is financially viable, it had a little wobble at an Ofsted inspection but it's fixable."
Swanland headteacher Ray Woodward, who would be executive principal, said: "The local authority doesn't think Dunswell Primary is viable because a lot of the pupils come from across the Hull border, but those parents are loyal and enthusiastic about supporting the school.
"There is a waiting list to get in, it is a viable, strong and happy little school. It is also a real community hub.
"They are very courageous, they are not grasping at straws, they have a very strong school and they want their school to survive."
