17 July 2024
Dear Parents, Guardians and Students/Annwyl Rhieni, Gwarchodwyr a Myfyrwyr
LHS goes Footloose!
In the last few weeks, students across Wales will have taken to their school stages to perform in their summer productions. I would like to congratulate everyone who came to see LHS stage a stunning, vibrant and inclusive performance of Footloose over 3 nights last week. It was truly magnificent.
The inclusive ethos weaved through every aspect of the production.
Behind the scenes, you get an incredible sense of just how much the crew of 2024 enjoyed the experience.
To see Year 7 through to Year 13 performing and working together was pure joy. The cast and crew worked as a team, nurturing, bossing, co-ordinating and laughing!
The final night was tinged with sadness as we say farewell to some uniquely talented Year 13 students. We wonder how we can continue to stage such amazing performances without them. But they have truly inspired the younger students coming through the ranks.
We would like to say a huge thank you to parents and families for imparting their talents on the young people! Thank you for your support throughout the week. We would like to thank Mr Fox and Elinor Maizey for a brilliant set that took us back to the 1980’s. Also, to alumni, Ceris Dartnell, for running the very professional lighting.
Other highlights include the orchestra who were simply phenomenal as they followed the mesmerising conductorship of Mr Grimstead. Thank you to students, returning alumni students, and staff, for their beautiful performance.
The backstage crew are also unsung heroes. They were seamless in their stealthy transitions!
Katie Gill gave us an exception performance as Ren McCormack. Freya Curtis gave us incredible facial expressions and portrayed Willart Hewitt with comedy genius! Ruben Kelman was a little too well cast for Reverend Shaw Moore!
Most importantly, the cast and crew had so much fun. They have developed lifelong friendships and memories.
Finally, we are incredibly indebted to Mr Grimstead, Mrs Brown, Miss Gronow and Mr Wolverson. It continues to be their collective creativity and inspiration that brings the show together. The students have already been asking what our next performance will be. I think we’ll let them recover for a while first!
We were also delighted to welcome Governors, Alumni, MPs and Assembly Members to our last night VIP event…..
Our guests were welcomed to the school for a pre-theatre canape reception. They were treated to some of the fresh produce that was grown in the school polytunnel that opened in 2020. Over the academic year, students have planted, grown, harvested, and cooked with fresh fruit and vegetables as part of our education around healthy eating and sustainability. The menu included brie and chutney filo parcels and filled samosas (using polytunnel produce) as well as lemon drizzle sponge and home made scones with jam and cream.
Our thanks go to Mrs Pettit and her GCSE Food students for creating and serving such a wonderful spread, and to Mr Hurford for his hard work in the polytunnel and garden. A very warm and welcoming reception and superb service.
All in all, a wonderful week that culminated in a rather sophisticated soiree. It was a privilege to welcome back so many Alumni and we hope to see them again next year! Please spread the word and direct any ex-students of LHS to our school website. There is a dedicated tab for Alumni where we are featuring some of our founding members. You can pop your contact details in and we’ll add you to our growing family!
If you want to see just how much fun the cast and crew had behind the scenes, then their own selfie says it all. A brilliant photo to finish with!
So, the set has come down. The stage is swept. The show is over for summer 2024.
Until next year, please kick off those Sunday shoes, cut loose, and keep moving.
As this is an Expressive Arts special, I have one more news item.
Little Gigs – Hitting the big time!
Last Monday, Miss Gronow and Mr Wolverson went to Clwb Ifor Bach to watch the Year 8 band Kujo and they were fab! They really did the school proud!
After several weeks of workshops, they rocked the stage with the songs Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes and Paranoid by Black Sabbath. They opened the evening and set the bar very high for the other school bands! We’re very proud of them for the progress they’ve made as a band – looking forward to seeing where they play next!
Thank you for reading/Diolch am ddarllen,
Mrs Sarah Parry, Headteacher