A Black Country secondary school threatened with closure could be saved in a dramatic U-turn by education chiefs, the Express & Star can reveal today.

Sneyd Community School was due to shut by 2011 but bosses now say it could be downsized or transformed into an academy following huge protests.

The school’s headteacher today revealed that a sponsor had already offered to fund the academy and that the new proposals would be discussed by a council scrutiny committee next week.

Hundreds of pupils, parents and staff descended on the Council House in Walsall last month when members of the cabinet were due to decided whether the school in Vernon Way shut in 2010 or 2011.

But the decision was deferred to allow further investigations to take place, with education bosses admitting they were not in possession of the full facts.

Dr Sean Sweeney, headteacher, said: “We are very excited about the meeting next week. I hope the council will look favourably on this option.”

Council leader Councillor John O’Hare today said they would be “leaving no stone unturned” in their efforts to find a realistic alternative.

“A whole range of options will be explored,” he said.