5 September 2024
Dear Parents, Guardians and Students/Annwyl Rhieni, Gwarchodwyr a Myfyrwyr
The baton passes from one academic year to the next…
So, where did we leave things at the end of the summer term 2024? We finished the last week of the summer term in style! That included our legendary LHS Sports Day. It has become legendary for a number of reasons. First, our PE department ensure that every single student in every year group in school are able to take part in a range of fun activities.
In carrying out their planning, the PE department balance the competitive elite races alongside the interform competition, against a backdrop of incredible support from peers. And then the real competition begins! If you wondered how much fun young people can have when they race on a space hopper or in a sack, then look no further.
Then we throw in the obstacle course, inter-form tug-of-war, some optional team activities, and the largest inflatable slide and obstacle course that it is possible to hire in the south of the UK, and we have the full experience
Here we are in full swing…..
Olympians? And now we are 5!
After the amazing success of what we thought were 4 LHS Alumni at the Olympic games in Paris (accounting for 25% of the medals that Wales brought home!), we were absolutely gobsmacked to learn that this was not the end of the story! Indeed, former LHS student, Mr Gareth Baber, won a Silver medal at the Paris Olympics as part of the coaching team for the Fiji 7s team. This was on the back of winning God at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020!
Not only is Gareth fresh out of the Class of 1990 at LHS, but also has a son in Year 13 who is our amazing Head Boy.
Gareth, sadly my IT skills did not allow me to incorporate your photo into the main poster! Maybe someone who is more proficient than me can do that?
Even better yet, let’s get all 5 Olympians back to inspire our current students and that’s a photo we will want to frame!
New Shoes…
So, as the baton passes from the old to the new year, we welcomed the return of our staff and students, and we’ve grown again! We are now a community of 1,750 students and 201 staff. All year groups are to be commended on an incredibly positive first week back. We would like to give particular mention to our new Year 7 students who have taken their first week in their stride. They have launched their high school life with a great attitude, embracing the sheer scale of the school, meeting new teachers, and making new friends. They have toured the school, encountered the one-way systems, navigated their timetables, and thrown themselves into lessons.
I’m sure parents and guardians have found some delight in the return to school too! We do welcome the return of some structure and routine. Once again, it is the season of new shoes and replenished pencil cases. This means only one thing….please do put your child’s name in their blazer, in the jumper, on their tie, on their coat and on their water bottle. And don’t forget that we operate a uniform store and blazer exchange in school. Please get in contact with your son or daughters pastoral team if we can support you here.
Every September we have the unique opportunity to press the re-set button. Ahead of us lies a year that is brimming with opportunity. It could be the greatest year yet for any member of our school community that wants to grab it and run with it.
We hope that everyone will return with the commitment to try something new. It might be the opportunity to make new friends, or meet new teachers, or try new subjects.
Or it might be the opportunity to try something from our wide range of extra-curricular activities. Over the next few weeks, we will bring you all the information you need and will tell you a little bit about them. We start this week with an invitation from the music department…
Would you like to learn an instrument at Llanishen?
Learning an instrument is a fantastic way to develop coordination, memory, decoding, emotional intelligence and build confidence – studies have shown a strong link between playing an instrument and improved performance in other subjects and general wellbeing. From electric guitar to oboe, we have outstanding instrumental and singing teachers who come in and deliver lessons within our school, and they are flexible in terms of lesson times and lengths to suit your needs and budget. There is a free instrument loan scheme in place at County, and we have a number of instruments in our own store than can be loaned out to pupils free of charge.
If your child would like to start instrumental lessons at the school, or you would like to find out any more information about individual or group lessons please visit: https://www.cfmusiceducation.co.uk/, or get in contact with Mr Grimstead and Mrs Cumpstone (formally known as Miss Gronow!)
Our school mission and school values for 2023-24
Our school vision and mission for 2023-24 remains unchanged. It is to continue to create a supportive, inclusive environment that nurtures individual growth and personal success.
Success is different for each individual student depending on their unique interests, goals, skills, and aspirations. Through our teaching and learning, curriculum, extra-curricular offer, wellbeing services and pastoral care, we will continue to support each individual to make progress towards what we often describe as a ‘happy life.’
New staff…
As well as welcoming the students back to school it has been a pleasure to welcome back the staff, old and new. In particular, we welcome some new staff this September. Welcome aboard to….
- Miss Beech and Mr Owen to our English department
- Mr Powell and Miss Daley to our Learning Support Team
- Mr James to our Alternative Pathway Center
- Miss Trzcinska to our Flexible Learning Center
We hope they will flourish during their time in our warm and vibrant school community.
Breaking the ice!
The Sixth Form team have taken their ice-breakers to a new level this year. I was initially perplexed to see students spelling out words with their bodies, but it was part of a larger master plan. Well done to our amazing students from our ASD base spelling out NHS with their bodies!
Finally today, you will find a ‘Useful dates for parents’ attachment with this blog. This outlines the key activities that you may wish to put straight into your diary for the year ahead.
Thank you for rejoining us this academic year and we look forward to the year ahead. May we have many adventures together.
Until next week…..
Thank you for reading/Diolch am ddarllen,
Mrs Sarah Parry, Headteacher