4 June 2026
5th June 2026
Dear Parents, Guardians and Students / Annwyl Rieni, Gwarchodwyr a Myfyrwyr
The point at which we can do no more…
We are rapidly approaching the time of year when many of our students ‘can do no more.’ In less than a fortnight, all external GCSE, AS and A-Level exams will be done. Our students have planned for what September might look like. They’ve made option choices for Sixth Form or college or lined up their offers for Uni. They’ve planned their revision. They’ve executed the revision. They’ve written until the very last minute in that exam hall.
Then, from the third week of June onwards, there is nothing more they can do, but wait! The wait for the GCSE and August results days can feel like the longest time, but can also go by in the blink of an eye.
This time of year always reminds me of the countless decisions that our young people make during their time with us, and the reliable and dependable cycle of the school year as these processes carry on as they always do.
We also know that poet Robert Burns was not wrong. The best laid plans of mice and men, sometimes take some unexpected twists, but we can deal with this. Our experienced staff will be here on the results days to celebrate with you and guide where needed. One step at a time. Your future is yours to shape.
No time like the present…
No rest for Year 12. They returned to school on Wednesday and we’re wasting no time in preparing them to start the UCAS application process (to apply for university). It may seem far away, and probably a bit scary at the moment, but applications will start to be sent in October so we need to get prepared.
In order to help you support Year 12 through the process the sixth form team will be holding an informal UCAS information evening on Wednesday 10th June at 5pm in the West Wing Hall.
They will be discussing areas such as the application form, key dates, writing personal statements, admissions tests and interviews, along with answering any questions you may have. We expect the meeting to last around 45 minutes – 1 hour depending on questions.
We would love to see as many parents, guardians and students there as possible. If you would like to attend could you please confirm your attendance by emailing Mrs Evans on sam.evan@llanishen.cardiff.sch.uk.
Picture how you want to feel on results day in 2027 and bottle that feeling now! Draw upon it whenever you need motivation.
The wonderful world of Science
One area of our curriculum that has grown significantly in numbers and outcomes over the last ten years are the sciences, with Physics, Chemistry and Biology securing outcomes in the top 10% of all schools nationally.
In particular, over the last few years, we’ve hosted workshops with members of our community to encourage more girls into STEM subjects and to stick with them once they’re there. Why?
Well, despite some improvements in recent years, there’s still a noticeable disparity between boys and girls and their subject choices, especially within STEM subjects at GCSE and A Level. This is happening here at Llanishen High School, across Wales, and globally too. For us, Computer Science, Physics, and Chemistry are just some of the subjects lacking a female presence and it’s something we’re working hard to change.
So in this blog, we want to talk about what we can do as a collective to encourage more girls into STEM subjects and ultimately, STEM careers. Because representation and diversity truly matter.
Why aren’t girls choosing STEM subjects?
Let’s start with the reasons why many girls are choosing not to opt for STEM subjects. Sadly, the research from education charity Teach First shows that girls are affected by confidence levels. It found that 54% lacked confidence in Maths, compared with 41% of boys. Whereas the gap was even wider in Science, where 43% of girls lacked confidence compared with 26% of boys.
Here are some other eye-opening stats we found from the Institute of Engineering which were released earlier this year:
- Women make up just 29% of the STEM workforce today
- 32% of women get put off by STEM industries because of how male-dominated they are
- When asked to name a woman – past or present – in STEM, only 8% could name any women who have made significant contributions to STEM fields
But the one figure that stood out to us? 45% said that women are not encouraged to think about STEM careers in school. We thought to ourselves, this is something that we can change.
What we’re doing at LHS
We started by introducing workshops hosted by female members of the STEM community because we understand that representation matters. You can’t be what you can’t see, and we believe that it’s important for our girls to have a clear sight of what opportunities lie ahead for them if they choose to pursue their interests in STEM.
This is also why we’re reaching out to our alumni network so we can connect our talented young girls with other members of the STEM community, who have achieved success in their fields. The broader range of experiences, the better. If you’d like to be involved in any way, please complete the form on our alumni page – we’d love to hear from you.
Other ways we’re encouraging girls into STEM subjects include:
- Regular assemblies around subject choices
- Creating seating plans that ensure that we positively seat our students by ensuring a mix of abilities and backgrounds
- Connecting our female students with STEM professionals in our alumni community
- We have extensive support for our STEM students at key stages 4 and 5.
Why do we need more girls in STEM subjects?
For us, it’s important to look at the bigger picture and understand the role we can play. After all, if we can encourage more girls to pursue STEM subjects on a school level, then we can help to support positive representation changes across these sectors in Wales.
Here’s why improved diversity in STEM industries matters:
- Greater diversity, more perspectives. Women bring unique perspectives and experiences to STEM fields, and can affect real-world changes.
- Representation = role models. When women are underrepresented in STEM, it can reinforce stereotypes and discourage other girls and young women from pursuing their aspirations in these fields. Unfortunately, it’s a vicious cycle but the opposite is also true. Increasing the visibility of women in STEM roles can inspire the next generation of female scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and technologists.
- Mind the (gender) gap. Achieving gender parity in STEM fields is a matter of equity and social justice. Women should have equal opportunities to pursue careers in any field they choose, without encountering barriers or discrimination based on their gender.
- Better teamwork and collaboration. Time and time again, studies show that diversity in teams leads to better problem-solving and decision-making. By giving more women a seat at the table, we can create more effective outcomes.
- Propping up the economy. STEM fields drive innovation and economic growth. By including more women, we tap into a larger pool of talent, which can lead to increased productivity, competitiveness, and economic prosperity at a time when that feels essential.
So there you have it. Increasing the representation of women in STEM subjects (and professions) is not just a matter of fairness, it’s essential for driving innovation, solving complex problems, and building a more inclusive society. So we’ll continue to champion these conversations until we achieve more equal representation, and we hope you’ll join this conversation with us.
We are seeing good green shoots. In our current Year 12, 50% of our Chemistry cohort are female, and 55% of our Biology cohort are female. A trend to continue..
STEM club can really blow your mind!
For those who wish to explore the world of STEM, we now offer this as an Enrichment activity. So far, they have been extracting DNA from strawberries and making plastic using potato starch!
How do you extract DNA from a strawberry? Well, as the students found out, you mash the fruit to break cells, add salt and detergent to dissolve membranes, then filter the mixture. Slowly pour cold alcohol on top; DNA precipitates as white strands, which you can gently spool out using a stick or pipette for observation in the lab. Simple! The students really enjoyed it.
A new sport for LHS
Before we sign off this week, let’s have some sporting updates.
Here are the students from our HIRB learning a new sport, Goalball. Goalball is a unique Paralympic sport designed for blind and partially sighted people. Students compete in teams of three and try and throw a ball with bells into the opponents’ goal. The ball is thrown by hand and never kicked. These lot had such a fun time, as you can see! Who knows, we could have a future champion! Watch this space!
The 2026 Llanishen Cup is coming!
In final exciting news, the 2026 Llanishen Cup is coming – organised by the LHS Senior Prefects and CORE Teledu.
Llanishen Academials, a team of students, play the Llanishen Educators, a team of staff, on Wednesday 17 June 2026 (K.O.15:10) on the 3G.
There will also be a pre-show and half-time performance from the winners of 2026’s Battle of the Bands, Gutrot. Tickets go on sale soon for £2.50 and are open to the entire school. More details to follow.
The game will also be streamed live on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U10j90uK1pg
If you are a member of staff or a sixth-form student interested in playing, please let a member of the Senior Prefect team know.
So, that’s all from our soggy week back. A nice balance between the two extremes we seen of late would be just perfect for next week please.
Thank you for reading/Diolch am ddarllen,
Mrs Sarah Parry
Headteacher