THE private firm put in charge of Swindon's education system today pledged to do all it could to avoid closing primary schools in the town but would make no guarantees.

Several schools are suffering from a fall in pupil numbers and are under scrutiny.

Tribal is putting together a new plan that will set out their future over the next five years.

A consultation period is now underway, where everyone with an interest in schools can have their say, before Tribal reports back to the Education Partnership Board the body set up as a go-between for Swindon Council and Tribal in the October half term.

Its director of education, John Simpson, promised the firm would look at every available option for schools but admitted closing some remained a possibility.

He said: "The key is to get the best education for every pupil with the resources we have.

"That means getting pupils educated in the best possible buildings and giving schools the best possible resources."

Tribal was brought in after a disastrous inspection of Swin-don's education department, which led to the ruling Labour group resigning from the council.

In May this year, the Evening Advertiser revealed that Tribal was considering closing some primary schools, highlighting many in West Swindon being oversubscribed.

But it is now understood the firm will review the situation across Swindon.

The problem is acute because if there are not enough primary school pupils to fill places in many schools, Swindon Council has to pay out for bigger buildings and higher running costs than necessary.

Bizarrely, while some primary schools suffer, the town currently finds that its secondary schools are massively oversubscribed.

But many of the schools that appear to have too many extra places use mobile classrooms, and one solution to the problem could simply involve closing them.

This has already started in some schools, including those listed on the right, who have now been set limits on the number of pupils they can admit each year with the aim of spreading numbers of pupils evenly around the town.

But Tribal says ideas for the future could include merging schools and having, for example, one larger primary as opposed to two or three under subscribed schools.

Andrew Nye, head of Sevenfields School and chair of the Swindon Association of Primary Heads, said: "It is in everybody's interests that school places are managed properly.

"That means having enough places in areas that need them and not having too many surplus places."

Coun Kevin Small (Lab, Western), the deputy leader of the council and lead member for education, said: "The LEA's Ofsted report criticised it for not tackling the issue of surplus places, which can lead to schools closing or merging.

"Part of Tribal's contract is that they must look at this situation and make recommendations to the education partnership board."

Coun Nick Martin (Con, Shaw and Nine Elms), is a parent and governor of Greendown School.

He said: "The three most important issues in education this year are going to be admission, home to school transport and surplus places.

"We need to take a joined up approach to all three."