Plans to set up federal schools in a rural part of Wales have moved a step forward.
Gwynedd Council's children and young people's scrutiny committee has backed a proposal to set up a working group to look into how the schools could be taken forward.
The plans could see the 44 current primary schools in Gwynedd - some of which only have four teachers - turned into 18 federations by 2013.
Each federation would have one lead head, with responsibility for planning, and assistant heads at each site who run the schools day-to-day.
The working group, which will be set up if the full council gives it the go-ahead on 19 June, would look at ways to ensure formal co-operation between schools.
A list of schools for closure would also be drawn up, along with plans to develop community-style area schools in some catchment areas.
