Language changes at two schools in the area - Ysgol Llys Hywel in Whitland, and Ysgol Griffith Jones, St Clears, have been approved at a full meeting of Carmarthenshire County Council

Councillors took decisions which will mean pupils in the foundation phase at Ysgol Y Ddwylan, Newcastle Emlyn, Ysgol Griffith Jones, St Clears, Ysgol Llangynnwr, near Carmarthen, and Ysgol Llys Hywel, Whitland, being taught in Welsh from September this year.

They will then have the choice of language provision at key stage 2, when they are seven years old.

The decision by full council also means all 188 pupils at Ysgol Rhys Prichard, Llandovery, will be taught in Welsh.

Board member for education and children, Clr. Glynog Davies said: “My personal hope is that the change will go throughout the schools.”

He thanked council officers for their efforts in carrying out different stages of public consultation to prepare for the planned changes.

Clr. Ann Davies said getting children engaged in a second language before they were aged seven enabled them to acquire rather than learn it, which was a big difference.

The council wants all primary pupils to be able to speak, read and write Welsh and English fluently by the end of key stage 2.

Its most recent strategy calling for a bilingual Carmarthenshire was approved in June 2018.

Carmarthenshire has 58 Welsh medium primaries and one secondary school one, with 25 English medium primaries and four secondary school ones. There are other schools which fall between the two categories.

The language journey has had its bumps though.

Three years ago a bitter council debate ended in approval for plans to remove English language education at Ysgol Llangennech.

Clr. Glynog Davies, who was not an executive board member at the time, described the 2017 meeting as “difficult and unpleasant”.

But he added: “Was there a reduction in the number of children going to Ysgol Llangennech? No, not at all.

“The school is successful – it is flourishing.”