Carmarthenshire council to decide on two rural school closures
Council’s full meeting on 14 October will confirm whether Ysgol Meidrim and Ysgol Y Fro close after Christmas, amid community objections.
Two of Carmarthenshire’s smallest rural primary schools are set to shut their doors permanently shortly after Christmas, with the county council’s full meeting on 14 October poised to give the final verdict.
The Plaid‑Independent cabinet voted unanimously on 5 October to recommend the closure of Ysgol Meidrim in Meidrim and the already pupil‑free Ysgol Y Fro in Llangyndeyrn.
Councillor Jean Lewis, whose ward includes Meidrim, urged the cabinet to reconsider, saying the school’s governors had offered “practical and sustainable” alternatives such as an expanded community hub to tackle the financial shortfall.
“The saddest thing this morning is that the school hasn’t had a fair a chance to test whether these options could work,” she told the meeting. “Therefore I have to ask: is it really justified to close a Welsh rural school which is at the heart of the entire village for such a small financial saving?”
She added, “We are not asking for a favour, we are asking for a fair opportunity.”
The cabinet report highlighted that both schools have a surplus of places and that many children living within the catchments already attend other primary schools.
Ysgol Meidrim enrolled just 31 pupils in 2025, including two nursery‑aged children, with forecasts showing a modest rise to 38 by 2029 before a slight dip to 34 in 2030.
The cost per pupil for Meidrim stood at £6,363 in 2025‑26, £880 above the county average, and the school’s facilities were judged “poor” in the latest inspection.
Although the school was placed in special measures by Estyn in 2024, it has since been removed from that designation.
Councillor Hazel Evans, presenting the findings, acknowledged the community’s passion for the school but stressed the statutory duty to provide “high‑quality education across the county”.
She warned that Ysgol Meidrim “continues to face significant long‑term challenges” and that the alternative proposals did not adequately address them.
Under the cabinet’s recommendation, pupils from Meidrim would be transferred to either Ysgol Hafodwenog or Ysgol Griffith Jones after the Christmas break.
Ysgol Y Fro, which recorded only 15 pupils last year, has already seen all remaining children accepted onto places at other schools, prompting the council to move ahead with its closure.
Objectors, numbering 22, voiced concerns about the impact on the village between Pontyberem and Carmarthen, particularly regarding transport and the loss of a community focal point.
Councillor Glynog Davies, the cabinet member for education, said the proposals – including a suggestion to convert Ysgol Y Fro into a Church in Wales school – had been examined but “there is no evidence to justify changing the proposal”.
The cabinet, seconded by Councillor Aled Vaughan Owen, unanimously agreed to recommend closure on 31 December, with Ysgol y Dderwen identified as the receiving school for the displaced pupils.
Vaughan Owen reflected that school closures are the kind of decisions “that keep people awake at night”, yet councillors must consider “what’s best for children now and in the future”.
Earlier this summer, another small rural school, Ysgol Llansteffan, closed its doors, sending pupils to Ysgol Llangain, underscoring a wider trend of consolidation in the county’s education provision.
With the council’s full meeting looming, the final decision will determine whether two more village schools disappear from the Carmarthenshire landscape, a move that could reshape the attractiveness of these rural communities for young families.