CARMARTHENSHIRE’S would-be mathematicians are being given a major boost in their careers thanks to an Ashmole & Co donation to Ysgol Llandybie Primary School.

The donation, funded by the company’s Ammanford office, will help with the annual purchase of the online MyMaths resource which uses the online resource to help pupils and parents with the teaching of maths at home as well as allowing teachers to set tasks and provide them with tutorials to show them the mathematical concepts being taught.
The programme can assist in all areas of mathematics from shape to space, and from data to financial literacy.

Laura Craddock, Partner in Ashmole & Co’s Ammanford office, said, “We are always keen
to offer our support locally. We are more than happy to help fund the online resource
MyMaths to help train the local accountants of the future from a young age.”

Llandybie Primary School Head Teacher, Rhian Pritchard, said, “We are keen to continue
using online resources to enhance our pupils’ learning experience but they come at an extra
cost. We are grateful to Ashmole and Co for the donation which will enable us to continue
the provision of online maths learning.”

NEW SCHOOLS in Milford Haven won’t be built before 2030 at the earliest, and 2032 for a planned Welsh Medium school, councillors heard.

The timeline was stated during discussions at Pembrokeshire County Council’s May meeting on educational matters in the county, including a revised governance arrangements for the sustainable communities for learning programme and planning for the future of Welsh medium education in the Milford Haven area.

At the meeting, Cllr Viv Stoddart reflected on a recent school panel visit to Milford Haven, saying a later private talk with pupils showed they were “acutely aware and acutely embarrassed by the situation in their school,” feeling like they were “second-class citizens”.

“Where does the school for Milford Haven sit? Is there a date for it? The state of the school has actually been a concern since 2012.”

Cllr Guy Woodham, who had earlier announced he was stepping down from his Cabinet education role, said he felt a personal disappointment to be stepping down before there was “a spade in the ground”.

He told members his understanding was the outline business case was due to be submitted to Welsh Government in June.

Mike Cavanagh, Head of Culture, Leisure, and School Modernisation told members the to-date £143m scheme needed a robust business case to Welsh Government, which had to be followed to gain approximately two-thirds funding; the final business case expected in 2027, with hopes the English Medium element of the new school would be built in 2030, and a new Welsh Medium in 2032.

In relation to Welsh medium education in the Milford area, a report for members said a 2025 Cabinet meeting had backed the Director of Education be given approval to commence the school organisation process to establish a new 3-11 Welsh medium school in Milford Haven, with a decision now sought to commence statutory consultation.

It said there were currently 19 Welsh-medium schools in Pembrokeshire, but no Welsh-medium school physically located within Milford Haven itself, one of Pembrokeshire’s largest population centres.

It said: “The establishment of a new Welsh-medium primary school in Milford Haven would address the demand evident within the wider Milford Haven area and provide an opportunity to review and rebalance Welsh-medium catchment boundaries.”

Members backed the recommendation to commence statutory consultation on establishing a new Welsh medium primary school to serve the Milford Haven area.

APPROVAL for a consultation for a special resource centre for pupils with complex needs when the new Milford Haven primary school is built was backed by councillors.

At the May 14 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, members were asked to back a consultation on a proposal to establish a Learning Resource Centre (LRC) for pupils with Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) and Complex Learning Needs at Milford Haven Community Primary School.

The establishment of an LRC forms part of the outline business case for the redevelopment of schools in Milford Haven.

A report for members said: “A Learning Resource Centre (LRC) is a classroom-based provision within a mainstream school for pupils with complex needs.

“A LRC provides pupils with a broad and balanced curriculum that is highly differentiated, to support them in achieving their full potential and at the same time offering pupils the opportunity to be part of mainstream activities and lessons to socialise with their peers whilst their individual needs are supported and met.

“Generally, LRCs are strategically located to minimise travelling time for pupils. There are currently 10 primary and five Secondary LRCs across Pembrokeshire.”

Primary LRCs in Pembrokeshire are at: Ysgol Glannau Gwaun, Waldo Williams, Fenton, Gelliswick, Monkton, Tenby, Johnston, Pembroke Dock, Neyland, and Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi.

Secondary LRC provisions are located in three areas: North Pembrokeshire – based in Ysgol Bro Gwaun, Fishguard, and Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi, St Davids; South Pembrokeshire – based in Ysgol Harri Tudur, Pembroke, and Ysgol Greenhill, Tenby; Mid Pembrokeshire – based at the Pembrokeshire Learning Centre, Neyland.

The council resolved back in 2019 to establish a LRC at Milford Haven Secondary School, which will replace the current provision at the Pembrokeshire Learning Centre (PLC).

The report added: “Within the Strategic Outline Case for the redevelopment of the Milford Haven schools, provision has already been made for a purpose built 36-place LRC within the new secondary school, replacing the existing provision at the PLC as part of the rolling programme.

“Establishing a 24-place LRC within the proposed primary school on the same site would further enhance local specialist provision and would deliver improved standards of accommodation for pupils with ALN through dedicated, purpose-built facilities designed in accordance with the Welsh Government’s latest area guidelines.

“Milford Haven Community Primary School represents an optimal location for the establishment of a new LRC. The school is the largest feeder to Milford Haven Secondary School and the co-location of primary and secondary provision on a single site creates a clear and coherent pathway for learners with additional learning needs.”

It went on to say the 24-place LRC would account for some £2.6m of the overall projected £143m cost of the overall Milford Haven Schools Redevelopment; the 24-place LRC would receive £316,000 of funding a year.

Approval was moved by Cllr Guy Woodham, backed by Cllr Aled Thomas, and unanimously supported by members.