4 September 2026
Friday 4th September 2026
Dear Parents, Guardians and Students/Annwyl Rieni, Gwarchodwyr a Myfyrwyr
Welcome back, one and all!
Whether you are joining us for the first time or returning for another year, we are delighted to have you as part of our school community. 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.
Year 7 have toured the school, encountered the one-way systems, navigated their timetables, and launched themselves into lessons. They might not have had the opportunity to launch in quite the same manner as last years Year 7 at Zip world the end of the summer term, but their time will come! And it will come around far too quickly, so we must savour every moment.
There will be several throwbacks to the last school week of July in the next couple of blogs. It was such a busy end of term that we could barely fit it all in.
For now, September always brings with it a sense of excitement and possibility. It is a fresh start, an opportunity to set new goals, embrace new challenges and make the most of every opportunity that lies ahead. For our Year 7 students, this marks the beginning of an important and exciting journey. For those returning to us, it is a chance to build on previous successes and continue striving towards your ambitions.
At LHS, we believe that success is about much more than examination results. It is about developing confidence, resilience, kindness and a determination to keep going, even when things become difficult. Every student’s journey is different, and every student has the potential to achieve great things. Sometimes success comes through academic achievement, sometimes through personal growth, leadership, creativity, sporting excellence or simply finding the courage to step outside your comfort zone.
As we look ahead to the year, I encourage all of our students to approach each day with a positive mindset. Be ambitious in your goals, work hard in your lessons and take pride in your achievements, no matter how small they may seem. Remember that progress is built through effort, perseverance and a willingness to learn from mistakes. Some of the most valuable lessons we learn come from the challenges we face along the way.
Over the next few weeks, everyone will have the opportunity to try out an Enrichment activity and we hope you’ll all push yourself outside of your comfort zone at some point this year to try something new.
This year, I also encourage everyone to play an active role in our school community. Support one another, show respect, celebrate each other’s successes and be the kind of person who makes a positive difference to those around them.
I’m sure parents and guardians have a range of emotions about the return to school too!
We always 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, please, please do put your child’s name in their blazer, in the jumper, on their tie, on their coat and on their water bottle.
Don’t forget that we operate a uniform store and blazer exchange in school. Please get in contact with your son or daughter’s pastoral team if we can support you here.
So, we’re back in the building and we’ve got our timetables and planners and we’re finding our way around. We are successfully navigating the lunch experience (invariably a popular part of the day), so we’ll leave you here with a snap of Year 7 on day one…
Our school mission and school values for 2026-27
Our school vision and mission remain 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.’ Happiness comes from hard work and from forging out your path and your place in our school community.
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 our new kids on the block, including;
- Mr Coles – Examinations Officer
- Mr Robinson – Science Technician
- Mrs Chichester – Teaching Assistant – Learning Support
- Miss Jones – Teaching Assistant in our Autism Base
- Miss Ali – Specialist Teaching Assistant in our Hearing-Impaired Resource Base
- Mrs Thomas – Specialist Teaching Assistant in our Hearing-Impaired Resource Base
- Mrs Mortimer – Teacher of Science
- Miss Pritchard – Teacher of Physical Education
- Miss Voice – Teacher of Mathematics/Numeracy
We hope they will flourish during their time in our warm and vibrant school community.
Celebrating Excellence at Llanishen High School Awards Evening
So, let’s drop back for a moment. On 15th July 2026, we were proud to host our annual Awards Evening, an occasion that celebrates the remarkable achievements, dedication and character of our students. After our original date in June was unfortunately disrupted by the exceptionally high temperatures experienced across the country, it was a pleasure to welcome students, families, staff and governors together during the final week of the summer term for this special event.
The evening was a wonderful reminder of the incredible talent, resilience and ambition that exists throughout our school community. It provided an opportunity to recognise not only outstanding academic achievement but also the effort, determination and commitment that our students demonstrate every day. We were delighted to present a wide range of subject awards, celebrating students who have excelled in their learning and consistently shown a positive attitude towards their studies. These awards reflected excellence across the curriculum and highlighted the many different ways in which success can be achieved.
Here are just a few snaps of our subject award winners…
Alongside our subject awards, we were proud to recognise a number of students with individual Champion Awards. These prestigious honours celebrated those who have made an exceptional contribution within particular areas of school life, including languages, history, music and creative writing. Each recipient demonstrated a passion for their chosen field and embodied the values that we seek to nurture in every Llanishen High School student.
The evening also provided an opportunity to celebrate students whose achievements are sometimes less visible but equally deserving of recognition. Champion Awards were presented by our Learning Support Department, Autism Resource Base and Hearing-Impaired Resource Base. These awards highlighted the courage, perseverance and personal growth of students who have overcome challenges and served as inspiring role models for others. Their stories were a powerful reminder that success takes many forms and that every individual journey deserves to be celebrated.
As always, one of the most moving moments of the evening was the presentation of the Taj Champenois Award for Well-being. This award represents the very best of our school values, recognising kindness, compassion and unwavering support for others. The announcement and presentation of this special award left a lasting impression on everyone in attendance.
Our celebrations were further enhanced by the outstanding musical performances provided by Amelie and Ben. Their talent and confidence are just effortless.
Most importantly, we would like to congratulate every student who received an award. Their achievements are a testament to their hard work, commitment and determination. We also recognise that behind every successful student is a network of support so a huge well done to the folks at home!
The Awards Evening was a fitting celebration of another successful year at Llanishen High School and an inspiring reminder of all that our students can achieve. We are immensely proud of each and every one of them and look forward to seeing what they accomplish in the future.
Salters’ Next Generation Chemist Award 2026
We are immensely proud to congratulate outgoing Year 13 student Ibrahim Saadallah on being awarded the prestigious Salters’ Next Generation Chemist Award 2026, a national recognition designed to support and inspire the next generation of talented chemists.
The Salters’ Charitable Foundation is committed to promoting excellence in science education across the UK. This highly competitive award identifies young people who demonstrate outstanding potential, academic commitment, and a genuine passion for chemistry and its impact on society. Successful applicants are selected not only for their academic achievements but also for their curiosity, ambition, and ability to connect chemistry to real-world challenges.
What makes Ibrahim’s achievement particularly inspiring is the personal motivation behind his studies. The award panel highlighted the strength of his application, especially his reflections on the impact of drug misuse within the community and how these experiences have driven his determination to pursue chemistry.
Receiving a Salters’ Next Generation Chemist Award places Ibrahim among a select group of young scientists recognised nationally for their potential. This is a tremendous accomplishment and a testament to his hard work, resilience, and dedication.
Congratulations, Ibrahim, on this outstanding and richly deserved achievement. We look forward to following your future success.
A busy summer for Alicia Brody!
As we return to school we would also like to give a massive shout out to Alicia Brody in Year 9. Alicia was chosen to represent the Wales women’s U15’s team in an International Tournament in Serbia for 9 days starting on the 22nd of August.
Alicia played the full 90 minutes of their first game against Israel on her debut and scored a great goal. This contributed to their winning score of 4 – 1.
The team went on to win the entire competition! What an achievement for the Wales U15’s team who have done themselves proud! We can’t wait to see what the season brings for Alicia and our other very talented footballers.
So, just like that, the summer holidays emerge in our rear-view mirror and the autumn term awaits with promise. We look forward to bringing you more news next week.
Thank you for reading/Diolch am ddarllen,
Mrs Sarah Parry
Headteacher