26 June 2026
Friday 26th June 2026
Dear Parents, Guardians and Students/Annwyl Rieni, Gwarchodwyr a Myfyrwyr
Master Chef Challenge – the final!
Between 3pm and 5pm on Tuesday 23rd June, it really was HOT in the kitchens for the final of the LHS Master Chef Challenge 2026. Our four finalists were given another wonderful layer to wear, a customised apron that they get to keep. Here are our final four in action, preparing their signature dish that included Welsh ingredient/s.
Lilly wowed us with her gluten-free spaghetti bolognaise and Welsh rarebit. Emily delighted us with her chilli con carne with sides including a home-made guacamole. Peyton-Rae served up a double bacon and cheese smash burger with sesame fries. Isobela perfected a dish of Welsh lamb with leeks and minted cous-cous, on a yoghurt dressing.
The standard was exceptional. So an elite team of judges was needed. They assembled with their appetites ready.
Joining Mrs Pettit on the judging panel were our esteemed Chair of Governors, Mr John Caddick, Chef Ollie from Gorse (the Michelin starred restaurant in Pontcanna), and Nicola, representing McDonalds Llanishen.
They interviewed the finalists about their menu’s, techniques, and inspiration, and they observed them at work.
It was a tough call. But after much deliberation, the judges finally did come to a decision. Congratulations to Peyton-Rae on securing first place. Peyton-Rae received a £100 gift voucher for Gorse (more info below) and is the first recipient of the LHS Master Chef Challenge trophy 2026!
Hot on her heels was Emily. Emily received a goodie bag from McDonalds that included a voucher for 4, a pin badge, and a water bottle.
But our admiration goes to all four girls. They worked together with a sense of camaraderie, supporting each other through thick and thin.
Thank you to the families of the contestants who have had to eat certain meals on repeat in the run up to the final! You can reclaim your kitchens now! Thank you for coming in to support the girls too! And thank you to a very proud Mrs Pettit for organising a month of cooking. We hope this will become an annual event.
Before we leave this segment, we are really grateful to Ollie and Nicola, our guest judges.
They represent two very different branches of the food and hospitality sector, and they are both great role models and inspiration for our students.
We are delighted to be working with McDonalds on a range of initiatives to support our students including our mentoring programme and the opportunity to take a deeper dive into the inner workings of a McDonalds restaurant. More to come in the autumn!
We were also slightly in awe of our professional chef Ollie. The world of fine dining is a very precise and skilled arena and it was really interesting to quiz Ollie on his experience, his long working hours, but more importantly, his passion for what he does. We had to have a little peak on the Gorse website to see what Peyton-Rae might choose!!
June collection for the Cardiff Foodbank, and a visit to see what happened to it next…
Next, thank you to everyone who contributed to the June collection for the Cardiff Foodbank. June saw higher levels of contribution that previous months and it came at just the right time, as the CFB CEO Rachel Gibbs has been raising awareness in the media of the challenges they are facing with the diminishing levels of donation.
However, the amazing amount of donations collected last Wednesday totalled 233.2kgs. This will support 20 local people with 3 days of supplies, and is greatly appreciated.
The following morning, 5 of our Year 12 students who have been supporting the Cardiff Foodbank over the last year had the opportunity to visit the CFB Warehouse, as part of their Welsh Baccalaureate Course, to view the process of receiving of donations, with the weighing and distributing items onto the shelves by the many volunteers that support there.
It was amazing for our students to engage with Rachel Gibbs and Annie Hillman to get a real understanding of how the warehouse operates and how the items get to the people who need them.
Many thanks to Graeme and John, our faithful and hard-working Rotarians for facilitating the visit, supporting the morning, and for everything you do for us through the year!
The final collection of this academic year will be on Wednesday 15th July (just before the school breaks for the end of term), and don’t forget that any items can be dropped off in our school reception ahead of this.
Here’s the team at the Cardiff Foodbank warehouse, along with this months’ certificate.
Let’s get Artistic!
In other news, LHS welcomed WJEC A Level Art and Design examiners this week, as they visited to assess A-Level students’ work. The students hung their own exhibition, showcasing their best work, which we are proud to share with you now.
We are immensely proud of our A-Level Art students and the exceptional exhibition they have produced. Their creativity, dedication, and courage to express personal ideas shine through every piece on display. From the initial concepts to the final outcomes, each student has demonstrated remarkable growth, resilience, and technical skill.
The exhibition is a powerful reflection of their individuality and passion for art.
At the risk of embarrassing them, I would like to thank our talented staff for their guidance and support. This exhibition truly celebrates the vibrancy, imagination, and commitment of our young artists—well done to all involved.
Transition Time in the Den!
Last week was a very busy one for the members of the Den. The staff and students in our Den provision ran an extra transition event with year 6 pupils who might be joining them in September. With the help of good old Brian (aka lovely AI) they were able to design their very own Escape type room activity.
Year 6 were met in the meeting room by our super helpful and friendly Den mentors, where Miss Daley (Head of Den Security) explained the situation; the pupils were to locate the missing/stolen cupboard key to find not only the supply of treats, but most importantly…Ms Esmond’s emergency can of Pepsi Max!
The groups trawled through witness statements, CCTV images and hidden clues, where they were able to recover the code to the lockbox and the final clue to where the key was hidden. The treats went down well and the pupils spent the rest of their time mingling with the mentors and finding out all about the Den.
There was no time to rest after this as the Year 7 boys had a very important event to prepare for, their Celebration Afternoon which their Parents/Guardians had been invited to on Friday afternoon. After weeks of preparations, the boards were completed to showcase their favourite pieces of work. The menu was sorted and they got to work.
They spruced up the room, even hoovered (!), then demonstrated the culinarily skills that they honed through the year through baking, making pizzas, and mixing fudge and rocky roads. The afternoon was a lovely opportunity to show off all that they have been doing whilst in the Den and to celebrate their successes of their first year in LHS. They described it as a lush afternoon that was thoroughly enjoyed by all.
Duke of Edinburgh – Bronze Award
Next today, we hand over to Mr Prince to fill us in on the Year 9 expedition!
On Friday and Saturday last weekend, we took 40 very excited and hard-working Year 9 students to complete their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze expedition. Over the two days, the students would be walking nearly 40km across from Ogmore to the Knap in Barry. The first day students were met with windy and wet conditions, but they persevered and worked hard in teams to motivate themselves and cross over the cliff tops and fields of South Wales. Groups did very well with their navigation and succeeded to be some of the fastest groups we have taken out on their expedition.
The groups arrived at the campsite, where after some questionable tent setups, we proceeded to work on their cooking, where all the pasta in Cardiff was cooked for the hungry and tired students to consume. The students had a really good time enjoying each other’s company and it was really good to see all the students mixing and playing football, rather than simply sitting and scrolling through their phones and obsessing on social media.
On day two, we woke up to near perfect conditions – sunny, not too hot, but a light breeze off the coast. They all packed up in good time, with students setting off before 8am! Once again, with the favourable conditions, the students were making excellent progress and proceeded to see some of the fastest times we have seen for day two of the bronze expedition!
I want to say a massive well done to the groups this year. Not only were they very quick, but we had all 40 students make it to the end of the hikes (even if there were a handful of wobbles!). They showed their resilience and determination to complete the expedition and I was very proud to see them make it to the finish line! A big thank you as well to Ms Budge and Mr Hampton for their efforts in supervising, as well as Mr Mann, who drove the minibus and really helps to keep the students on the right track as well!
I look forward to coming to speak to Year 8 in the near future to give them their chance to take part in the next academic year!
Thanks again everyone! Mr Prince
Time to get competitive!
Things definitely started to heat up last Wednesday after school as the LHS 6th form took on the LHS staff side at football. Not necessarily inspired by the World Cup. But perfect timing. This game was purely about the thirst to emerge victorious.
Now, I’m not famed for my football punditry, so you’ll have to bear with me.
What I will say is that despite it being a drizzly afternoon (what a lovely thought at the current time), rain did not stop play. We’re made of sturdy stuff here. Always Blue.
There was a great turn out from the crowd, and great support.
Mr Mee and Mr Jenkins were allegedly on fire.
Both teams gave their all. They left nothing in the tank.
However, there could only be one winning side, and for 2026, it was the staff! They seem pleased…
Until the rematch…
Lions U13 Hockey
In more sports news, well done to these buddies. Last weekend Tomos Davies from Year 8 and Harry Garner from Year 7 represented South Wales at the UK Lions U13s tournament in Nottingham. It’s worth noting and celebrating the fact that this is the most prestigious level the boys can play hockey in at this age group. Twenty-two teams represent regions across the UK, split between the trophy and championship leagues.
Tomos captained the championship team, playing against the best teams across the UK. They placed 8th overall which is a massive achievement for a Welsh team to compete at this level and secure their place in the champions league!
Harry also competed in the trophy team that have secured their place in next years’ tournament. Both boys did incredibly well and are a real credit to LHS! Keep us posted boys!
First match for Glamorgan Under 16’s Golf Team!
Now, he’s shy and humble and won’t thank us for this, but we’d also like to give a big shout out to Max Baines in Year 10 on his debut match (playing 27 holes) for Glamorgan Under 16’s Golf Team.
The first match was foursomes over 9 holes. Although they lost that game on the 9th hole, Max went on to win his singles match in the afternoon 2&1. They beat Dyfed 10-5 overall.
Well done Max – great achievement! Maybe this might inspire some of our students to opt for Golf for their next Enrichment activity?! The options choices will be opening again soon.
Year 13 Prom
Let’s round off this week with a bit of sparkle. The Sixth Form team were absolutely delighted to celebrate our wonderful Year 13 students at their prom last Friday, marking the end of an incredible seven-year journey with us. It was a truly special evening, filled with laughter, memories, and a strong sense of achievement.
We are immensely proud of the young people they have become—resilient, ambitious, and full of potential. They have contributed so much to our school community and leave with our very best wishes for the future. It has been a privilege to watch them grow, and we look forward to hearing about all they go on to achieve. Keep in touch guys and we’ll see you on results day!
We come to the end of a week that has been record breaking on many levels.
We hope you have managed to keep cool and sleep.
We look forward to welcoming everybody back to school on Friday, hopefully with some kinder temperatures.
Thank you for reading/Diolch am ddarllen,
Mrs Sarah Parry
Headteacher