6 November 2026

Friday 6th November 2026

Dear Parents, Guardians and Students/Annwyl Rieni, Gwarchodwyr a Myfyrwyr

Year 8 tackle social issues in our local community, and take action…

This week, our Year 8 students were introduced to the inspiring First Give programme during a special assembly. The programme encourages young people to look beyond their own experiences, identify issues affecting their communities and, most importantly, take meaningful action to make a difference. Through a series of Geography lessons running from now until December, every Year 8 form group will take part in this exciting initiative.

Students will begin by exploring a range of social issues that affect communities across Cardiff and Wales, including homelessness, food insecurity, domestic abuse and mental health challenges. The assembly challenged Year 8 to think critically about the society around them and consider the issues that matter most to them personally.

Over the coming weeks, each form group will work collaboratively to select a social issue that they feel passionate about. They will then research and identify a local charity that is already working to address that issue within our community. Students will have the opportunity to connect directly with charities, learn about the challenges they face and understand the positive impact they have on people’s lives. ​

A key part of the programme is the concept of “social action” – practical action that creates positive change. Students will design and lead their own projects to support their chosen charity. This may involve raising awareness, organising fundraising events, volunteering their time or campaigning for change. The emphasis is on students using their creativity, teamwork and leadership skills to make a genuine difference. ​

The project culminates in a series of presentations in which students will advocate for their chosen cause, showcase their research and demonstrate the impact of their social action. One class will ultimately be awarded a £1,000 grant for their chosen charity through the First Give programme. ​

This project exemplifies the ambitions of the Curriculum for Wales. Through their work, students will investigate real-world social, economic and environmental issues, developing their understanding of both local and global communities. The programme naturally draws upon learning from Humanities, while also strengthening literacy, communication, research, critical thinking and digital skills.

Most importantly, First Give provides an authentic opportunity for students to develop all four purposes of the Curriculum for Wales.

Students become ethical, informed citizens as they investigate complex social issues, consider different perspectives and explore how charities and communities work together to improve people’s lives. They develop a deeper understanding of fairness, equality and social responsibility.

We really look forward to seeing the causes they champion, the partnerships they develop and the positive impact they have on our local community in the months ahead. ​ 

We’ll bring you more updates through the next few months.

Getting organised for a very busy 7 weeks…

Good luck to all of our students who have been preparing for the November GCSE series and the Welsh National Tests. 
Your maturity and preparation stand you in good stead.

Also, a massive well done to Year 8 and 9 who returned to the delights of their Welsh National Tests this week.  A job well done.

Our calendar doesn’t get any quieter in the coming weeks, but it does feature a range of festive activities and opportunities for us to come together, so here is a round-up of key dates and information.

  • Wednesday 18th November – Year 9 Parents Evening
  • Friday 27th November and Monday 30th November – INSET Days 3 and 4
  • Tuesday 1st December – Full Governing Body Meeting
  • Wednesday 2nd December – Sixth Form Parents Evening (with overflow provision on Tuesday 1st December)
  • Wednesday 9th December – Final Enrichment session of 2026.Lesson 5 on Wednesday will be the final session of our Enrichment Curriculum for this term. Mrs Geare will shortly be releasing details on the options process for their Spring term option, giving the students ownership over the selection process
  • Thursday 10th December – LHS choirs on tour.  The LHS choir will be singing at the local residential care home and outside Boots in Llanishen to raise money for charity
  • Monday 14th December – LHS choirs on tour again.  The LHS choir will be singing in St David’s shopping centre for City Hospice
  • Monday 14th December 6pm – PTA charity event in the Butchers Arms Rhiwbina (An audience with Steve Spiers)
  • Tuesday 15th December – Our LHS Sixth Form will be performing for the Rotary Club of Llanishen at their Christmas lunch at Llanishen Golf Club. This is a small token of appreciation for the many opportunities they provide for students at our school every year
  • Wednesday 16th December – Christmas collection for the Cardiff Foodbank. Along with the Rotary Club of Llanishen, LHS will be hosting the final collection of the year for the Cardiff Foodbank on our school bus bays between 5pm and 6pm. Our Sixth Form LDP group will be collecting donations in advance.  Any donations are welcome on the evening or at our school reception in advance
  • Wednesday 16th and Thursday 17th December – The LHS Christmas Concert!
    In order to accommodate the high demand, our LHS Christmas Concert will again run over two nights this year. The timings for each night are 6:00 – 8.30pm. Details on how to purchase tickets will follow. All proceeds will go towards funding instrument lessons for some of our Year 7 learners to ensure our rich and talented cohorts continue to flourish
  • Thursday 17th December – Jolly Jumpers Day! On Thursday 17th December, all members of the school community are invited to switch their wonderful school uniform for something more festive. We invite everyone to make a donation of £1 with all proceeds going to City Hospice. Last year, we raised £1,100 for City Hospice
  • Monday 14th – Friday 18th December – Christmas week – During the last week of 2026, each year group will have a special assembly to reward students on a range of effort and achievement during the term. We will also be rewarding attendance through the last week. There may be various challenges including the infamous ‘mince pie’ eating contest.  And students will need to be in fine voice for our annual performances of the 12 days of Christmas. We will also be serving Christmas lunch in our school canteens this week
  • Friday 18th December – Arrangements for the last day of term – As is customary, our timetable for the last day of term includes opportunities for the staff and students to spend time together in a slightly less formal way. This includes pastoral time for the students to be with their form tutor and form group and to take lunch together.  We will dismiss students at 1:30pm.  The school bus service provided by NAT travel will depart from the school at 1:30pm.  ALN transport will also depart at this time.  This slightly earlier finish time allows students to make their way safely home for the holidays in the light.  It also allows them to collect their younger siblings from primary schools who are also having a slightly earlier finish.  If any parent would prefer for their child to remain in school until 2:45 pm for any reason, we are only too happy to accommodate this. Please inform your child’s Year Team Leader where this is the case.
  • Monday 4th January 2027 – INSET Day 5– School will be closed to students on Monday 4th January as the staff engage in INSET activities around our school priority of developing literacy
  • Tuesday 5th January 2027 – Welcome back to all students. We will look forward to welcoming all year groups back to school to show 2027 what we’re made of.

Now that I have overwhelmed everyone with all of the details around Christmas and the start of 2027, I shall leave you all to return to the safety of the month of November.

Thank you for reading/Diolch am ddarllen,

Mrs Sarah Parry

Headteacher