19 June 2026
19th June 2026
Dear Parents, Guardians and Students/Annwyl Rieni, Gwarchodwyr a Myfyrwyr
Farewell to Year 11… š¢
How did this happen? How did we go from the first day of high schoolā¦
To thisā¦
ā¦ Laughter, nostalgia and a tinge of sadness ā¦
Wednesday 17th June was a mixed bag of emotions for Year 11 as they celebrated the end of 5 glorious years whilst also navigating some feelings of sadness. Life is about to change in so many ways. I always say that this week is always a defining week in the annual cycle of our school. It is a week that invariably coincides with the longest day of the year. It is the week that sees Year 11 and Year 13 sit their final GCSE and A-Level exams and launch themselves with gusto into leavers assemblies and leavers dinners. And it is the week that we plan to welcome Year 6 to come and meet their new form group and tutor. So, the circle of school life really does a full rotation.
The leavers assembly for Year 11 brought laughter mixed with nostalgia. We looked back at photographs of them from fresh-faced Year 7ās through those challenging middle years on the way to Year 11!
It was amazing to celebrate with Year 11. We wish them love and luck in all their ventures. It has been a privilege to navigate the highs and lows of the last 5 years with them.
This was summed up very poignantly by Mrs Tyler in the following piece that she personally composed and read to them as her parting wordsā¦
AN ODE TO THE CLASS OF 2026
Five years ago you walked through the gate,
Not knowing your futures, not knowing your fate.
With nervous smiles and bags on your backs,
You started a journey along unfamiliar tracks.
There were lessons to learn and friendships to make,
Challenges faced and chances to take.
Some days were easy, some days were tough,
But together you proved that you were good enough.
But even then, the world stood still,
Closed its doors, bent every will,
Year 6 behind spaced desks apart,
Yet closer still in every heart.
In bubbles small, in silent halls,
Behind masked smiles and distant calls,
You learned resilience, calm and grace,
When normal life had lost its place.
And though those days were strange and new,
They helped shape stronger versions of you-
To stand, adapt, to carry on,
Long after uncertainty had gone.
And though youāll miss the lessons and the friends you’ve made each day,
There’s one more school tradition that won’t quite fade away.
The toilet cubicle walls, so plain and dull to see,
Yet somehow more appealing than double Maths could be.
Youād sit and waste a few more minutes, hiding from the bell,
Staring at those empty walls you came to know so well.
No great works of art were there, no wisdom to enthral,
Just precious moments avoiding class and watching nothing at all.
Now the final bell is drawing near,
Marking the end of your time here.
Though youāre moving on to different roads,
You’ll always share the stories this chapter holds.
To your teachers, thank you for helping you grow,
For the patience and guidance you’ve continued to show.
To your friends, thank you for being there,
For every joke, every memory, every moment shared.
As you step into futures still waiting to start,
You’ll take these years with you in your hearts.
Year 11 may be ending today,
But the friendships and memories will never fade away.
And as you go, I hope you know
Youāve left more here than you might show,
For in these halls, in us, you stay-
In corridors you filled each day.
Good luck to you all, the Class of ā26,
You did your best to mostly mix,
Wherever you continue to roam,
Remember Llanishen will always be your home.
LHS Master Chef Challenge 2026 ā The semi-finals!
This week, we were delighted to host the semi-final of our LHS Master Chef Challenge, and what an inspiring showcase of talent it proved to be! Our nine semi-finalists rose brilliantly to the task, creating imaginative salads that each included a hot ingredient. This added twist challenged them to think creatively about flavour, texture and presentationāand they certainly delivered.
From beautifully balanced combinations to bold and innovative pairings, every dish reflected the studentsā growing confidence and skill in the kitchen. It was a pleasure to see such enthusiasm, resilience and pride in their work. Choosing just four finalists was no easy decision for our judges, given the high standard across the board. Well done to Mr Maidment and Mrs Pettit on eating your way through theseā¦
We now look forward with great anticipation to next weekās final, where our top four cooks will prepare their signature dishes. The additional requirement to include a Welsh ingredient promises to bring another exciting dimension to the competition, celebrating local produce and culinary heritage.
Congratulations to all nine semi-finalists for their outstanding effortsāyou have done yourselves and LHS proud. Best of luck to our finalists, Lilly, Payton- Rae, Emily and Isobela
as they prepare for what is sure to be a fantastic finale!
SHREK ā behind the scenes!
Next today, we are thrilled to announce our upcoming summer production of Shrek the Musical! Bursting with humour, heart and unforgettable characters, this lively show promises to delight audiences of all ages. Our talented cast and dedicated staff have been working tirelessly to bring the colourful world of Shrek to life, with fantastic singing, energetic choreography and impressive stage design. The production celebrates friendship, individuality and the importance of being true to yourself. We warmly invite our school community to come along and support our performers ā it is set to be a joyful, feel-good highlight of the term!
Tickets are available at the cost of just Ā£8 via the parent app or Mrs Brown in the Drama department. The show will run from 7th ā 9th July so get booking before tickets sell out. Here is a first peek behind the scenes.
UCAS Launch for Year 12
Last Wednesday we were also delighted to host our inaugural UCAS evening for Year 12 students and their parents, providing an opportunity to immerse themselves in the university application process.
The event offered valuable guidance on choices, timelines, and aspirations, helping students begin to shape their futures with confidence. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all families who attended and supported the evening so positively. Your engagement and enthusiasm made the event a success, and reflect the strong partnership we value between home and school as we support every studentās next steps, into a very big wide world.
Lotās to think about and good to get an early start!
PRIDE is alive!
As June continues, we would also like to take the opportunity to celebrate our LGBTQ+ community. Itās not just about flying the flag. It is about showing up as yourself and supporting others to do the same.
Our Pride Alliance always welcome new members to keep pushing for freedom, acceptance and understanding. Not just in the month of June, but every day. It is not just for members of the LGBTQ+ community but for any member of the school that is interested in promoting respect and kindness. Please see any member of the Wellbeing team, for more information.
National Basketball Champions!
Massive congratulations to our Year 7 and 8 girls who represented LHS as the Charlotte Hornets at the Jr. NBA Wales Final 2026! After an outstanding day of basketball, the team went unbeaten throughout the tournament, showing incredible teamwork, resilience and determination. They capped it off with a brilliant 18-8 victory in the final to be crowned Jr NBA Wales Girls Champions 2026.
With nearly 200 players representing 24 schools from across Wales, the event once again demonstrated the incredible growth of girlsā basketball and the impact of the Jr. NBA Wales programme.
The standard of play, teamwork, sportsmanship and enthusiasm on display throughout the day was exceptional and highlighted the bright future of basketball in Welsh schools. Congratulations to every school that took part and a special congratulations to our LHS team on becoming the 2026 Jr. NBA Wales Girls Champions.
They celebrated with chips on the beach at Aberystwyth – rightly so girls!
Tidy Butt Bike Challenge
Next today, weāve still got our active vibe on but weāre moving a little closer to home. Next week, the LHS team are collectively cycling for over 24 hours over 5 days! Weāll be keeping the wheels turning for every hour of the school day for a whole week! Our bike will be arriving and will be spending a week on the East Wing stage by the PE department.
Weāll be inviting the school community to support our efforts through a donationā¦meanwhile, staff and students will be peddling and sweating!
During the challenge, from 9am Monday 22nd June to 2.45pm on Friday 26th June, itās the Big Give week, when every pound donated will be doubled, creating twice the impact for the same investment!
To qualify for match funding and doubling your donation, all donations must be made through our official Big Give campaign page between midday on 22nd June and 5pm on 29th June. Donations made outside of these dates or through other fundraising platforms will not be matched. Official Donation Page:
https://donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05WS00000Cm1R7YAJ
We hope to raise awareness as well as funds to support access to wellbeing support, connection and community-based services. More to come next week!
A sophisticated educational visit?
We finish today with a shout out to Mr Trelawny and the staff who took Year 8 trip to Lido de Jesolo in Italy over the half term break. They took part in so many different sports and had a fantastic time. The weather was beautiful and they played football, rugby, volleyball and tennis. Parents and students just wanted to say a massive thank you to all the PE teachers too for giving them such a lovely experience at playing sport abroad and also sampling the Italian food. Memories that they will never forget!
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this mammoth round up. There is so much exciting stuff going on. We look forward to bringing you more news next week.
Thank you for reading/Diolch am ddarllen,
Mrs Sarah Parry
Headteacher