Parents of children at Hermon school won the right to a full judicial review of the county council’s closure decision at a hearing in April. But the judge in that hearing said the Welsh Assembly government should also be involved in the case as it had approved Pembrokeshire’s decision.

The parents’ legal team was yesterday due back in court to again make the case for a judicial review - this time against the Welsh Assembly government.

The parents’ case is being brought in the name of five-year-old pupil Joel Lloyd. His mother, Julie, said: “I think they are hoping the more difficult they can make it for us as parents, the more likely we are to give in.”

An Assembly spokeswoman said it was the court’s direction that it be included. “We accept the logic of this ruling, since the minister’s decision-making role is crucial in the process of school reorganisation,” she said.