Under-threat Sneyd Community School has won a stay of execution until 2011.

Education bosses say there is  not enough time to shut the Bloxwich school in 2010. News was met with relief by pupils, staff and parents.

More than 200  were at a council scrutiny committee special meeting at the school last night.

Council chiefs were originally asked to decide whether to close the school in 2010 or 2011 but new options before the meeting included downsizing, becoming an academy or merging.

There were jeers for Tony Stainer, managing director at Serco, the firm that runs education in Walsall, as he read out statistics, including projections of future pupil numbers and exam results. 

But he ruled out closure within the next two years. “The closure in 2010 is now something which is not on the cards due to the timescale involved.”

Head Dr Sean Sweeney was applauded before outlining his plan for the school and listing statistics which, he said, showed significant improvements.

The scrutiny committee is due to meet again in December, before making recommendations on the school’s future.