The county council proposals are part of efforts to tackle falling birth rates which have led to rising numbers of surplus classroom places in Kent.

Parent and staff protests have been held over similar closure and merger plans in the Dover and Sevenoaks areas.

A council board will meet next Monday to discuss the latest proposals.

They include the closure of Doddington Primary School, near Sittingbourne, and Darenth Community Primary School, near Dartford.

Rural schools

The Ashford district - which has just over 1,000 unfilled places across 42 infant, junior and primary schools (9.6% surplus capacity) - has been targeted with three proposed amalgamations.

Major house building is planned for Ashford over the coming decades.

Proposed mergers Swanscombe Infants and Sweyne Juniors in Dartford Ashford South and Oak Tree primary schools in Ashford Charing CEP and Hothfield Village in Ashford Beaver Green Infants and Hopewell Juniors in Ashford

Kent County Council said reducing surplus capacity where there was a declining demand for places would then make way for "new school provision" in Ashford's growth areas.

Leader of the council's Labour opposition, Mike Eddy, raised concerns that closing rural schools would lead to longer journeys for pupils.

"The last thing you want is a primary school child travelling for two hours a day on a bus," said Mr Eddy.

But council leader Paul Carter argued that any rural schools earmarked for closure were "already not serving their immediate vicinity so parents are already transporting their children significant distances".