Schools minister Jim Knight wrote to local authorities telling them to protect village primaries after a series of media headlines warned that hundreds could be shut down. The letter followed Government guidance last month that suggested councils can "take the opportunity" to close schools with empty places.

Mr Knight said: "Rural schools are central to the life of village communities. Over the last 10 years, we have made it a statutory requirement for councils to presume that rural schools should stay open.

"There is not, and never has been, any policy for closing rural schools. I am writing to local authorities to underline their legal duty to protect popular rural schools."

Guidance issued in December said maintaining surplus school places represents "a poor use of resources".

"The department expects local authorities to make the removal of surplus places a priority in their planning," the guidance said. The document said councils could consider "amalgamation and rationalisation" of primary schools in their area.

"Local authorities may, for example, take the opportunity to reorganise primary provision, close schools with consistently poor performance and/or excessive surplus places and place new buildings under the management of stronger heads," it said.

Liberal Democrat schools spokesman David Laws branded the Government's policy "confused and hypocritical".

"This week, ministers are telling everyone that the closure of smaller schools is not on the Government's agenda," he said.

"But official guidance issued last month tells local authorities to close smaller schools and remove surplus places as a 'priority'. Local authorities are being told that unless they follow the Government's blueprint, which includes closing up to one in 20 schools, they will not get the money for new primary schools."