St Illtyd’s continue great work to protect the environment

Eco Club members at St Illtyd’s Catholic High School undertook our annual Environmental Review which found that as a school, we are doing a lot to help the environment. We use electronic means for homework and newsletters to minimise on paper. We recycle paper, cardboard, and plastic bottles around the school. We have a uniform swap shop.

The canteen recycles food waste, and we encourage pupils to bring refillable bottles to school. We collect rainwater in water butts to water the plants in our school garden.

The Review also highlighted areas we can improve on. Litter continues to be an issue around the school, and our recycling bins do not always have the correct items in them. This is something that we are aware of and will continue to tackle.

Year 7 National Standard Cycling Course

In July, 20 Year 7 pupils took part in the National Standard Cycling Course - a two-day course to encourage active travel, improve safety, confidence, and independence. Pupils started the course on the playground and then progressed to the roads around our school. All pupils gained the Level 2 certificate and gained confidence in riding their bikes.

K2N Award

In July, St Illtyd’s was delighted to be awarded a K2N Award for Outstanding Electricity Management. Over the past year, our electricity savings were 6.99%, which equates to playing a PS5 or Xbox for 149,359 hours! Members of Eco Club were delighted to be presented with the award in assembly.

Welcome to Year 7

In September, we were delighted to welcome new Year 7 pupils to Eco Club. We now have approximately 20 new members with a total of 35 pupils in Eco Club, the most we have ever had.

Keep Cardiff Tidy 2025

As part of Keep Cardiff Tidy week, members of Eco Club joined forces with Cardiff Rivers Group to conduct a litter pick around Parc Tredelerch. Pupils litter picked the site whilst volunteers from Cardiff Rivers Group cut back reeds to help migrating birds. Well done to all on a great job.

SUDS Workshop

In November, members of Eco Club took part in a workshop with Trees for Cities as part of phase two of the SUDS project (Sustainable Urban Drainage Solutions). Pupils learnt about flooding and why this happens, before moving on to look at which areas of the school are susceptible to flooding and what solutions could be implemented. Pupils finished the workshop by producing designs to combat problem areas in the school. We would like to thank Grace Walker and Alfie Davies from Trees for Cities for their time.

YouthCOP Cymru

On Friday 21st November, six members of Eco Club represented St Illtyd’s at YouthCOP Cymru at the Temple of Peace, a climate change event for young people. The theme for this year’s event was “Wales and the Guarani, Together for Tomorrow.” This unique event empowers young people to have their voices heard on climate change through interactive workshops, inspiring speakers, and the opportunity to engage with Welsh Government representatives.

At the event, pupils learnt how Indigenous People such as the Guarani are the best guardians of the forest and what actions we can take in the fight against climate change and deforestation. Pupils took part in a workshop and learnt how to make a meal deforestation free. Pupils also had the opportunity to experience the culture of Brazil by taking part in a Samba drumming workshop which they thoroughly enjoyed. Thank you to everyone at the Size of Wales for organising such a fantastic event.

Luisa May, Community Focused Schools Coordinator & Eco Club Lead and Lexie Ewers, Communications Director

GCSE Results Day 2025

Congratulations to all our Year 11s on their GCSE exam results. Some photos from the results day in August can be seen here. We wish you all the best for the future.

Soak the Teacher

On the last day of term, some good sports agreed to be soaked by pupils in “Soak the Teacher”. The aim of the event was to raise money for the Year 11 prom. A great time was had by all and £167 was raised.

A huge thank you to all our good sports - Domice Carbonnaux, Steph MacLennan, Ian Smith, Morgan Jones, Simon Taylor, Jared Hare, Gordan McBean and Dave Brown.

Space Camp 2025

Our school trip to Cardiff University was an amazing journey into the world of space and science. On the first day, we were welcomed by enthusiastic staff who got us thinking about our interest in science. A highlight was learning about how rockets work, complete with a man demonstrating how the fire triangle. The planetarium taught us about the environment and the crucial role of satellites in a fun way.

Day two was all about robotics and space exploration. Building and programming a Lego robotic arm was super fun, especially when we got to use it to stack Lego bricks. Later, we programmed Micro:bit robots to move and light up, which was a cool way to see how robotics can be applied in space. The card game about space jobs gave us a glimpse into potential careers in the field.

On the final day we went to CultVR and watched the evolution of space, then we played VR games which were both fun and educational. Next, we controlled a Mars Rover, learning about its mission. To top it off, we received space bracelets and certificates from the university, which will remind us of this incredible adventure.

I believe this trip is suitable for all students. Not only did we not have to pay for anything, but we also got to learn about our solar system, while having fun doing activities.

Vanessa Hoppe, 10CMI

Transition at St Illtyd’s

Year 6 PE Transition Sessions

Over four days in October, I visited our feeder primary schools to meet with the Year 6 pupils.

Past pupils from each school delivered PE sessions as part of their GCSE PE course.

They also took part in a Question-and-Answer session to help the Year 6s become familiar with life in St Illtyd’s.

Paul Moriarty, Deputy Headteacher

Future Scientists in Action: Year 6 Pupils Explore Energy in Food at St Illtyd’s

We were delighted to host More Able and Talented Year 6 pupils from our four feeder primary schools—St John Lloyd, St Cadoc’s, St Alban’s, and St Peter’s—for an inspiring day of science.

The theme of the day was “Energy in Food,” and pupils were challenged to think and work like real scientists. They began by completing data-based activities, learning how energy values are measured and recorded. Next, they collaborated to plan their own investigation, considering variables, controls, and safety procedures.

The highlight of the session was the practical experiment: pupils burned different foods to calculate their energy content using calorimetry techniques. This hands-on activity sparked curiosity and excitement as they discovered how much energy is stored in everyday snacks.

The event was a fantastic opportunity for these talented pupils to develop their scientific thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. It also gave them a taste of the engaging and challenging learning environment at St Illtyd’s. We are proud of their enthusiasm and look forward to welcoming these budding scientists into our school community in the future.

Chris Halliday, Head of Science

Angels and Demons

Year 5 pupils from St Cadoc's, St John Lloyd's and St Alban's took part in a transition lesson based on 'Angels and Demons'. Pupils took part in two separate sessions that were run by the Art and RE Departments.

Miss Dennis took the 'Demons' session where pupils were asked to create their own demon out of clay. I led the 'Angels' session where pupils were thrilled to discover all of the different types of angels found in heaven - and amazed that not all angels look how they imagined.

The pupils had to carry out a card sorting activity where they matched the different images of angels with their descriptions. Every child left with their own mini angel figure of one of the Archangels. Each session was ably assisted by members of our Emerald Green team who enjoyed interacting with our future Illtydians.

David Brown, Head of Religious Education

"I enjoyed how curious they were. They did not hesitate to ask questions and I enjoyed answering them." Elfriede

"I enjoyed how engaged all of them were, I had to help them with a sorting task and none of them were hesitant and were all excited to work in a group and share opinions." Keisha

"I really enjoyed seeing the Year 5 pupils participate in this activity. The commitment and excitement they had made the experience fun. I helped with setting tasks and the demon clay activity." Hollie

Open Evening 2025

On 16th October, St Illtyd’s Catholic High School held its annual Open Evening. The evening gives families the opportunity to tour the various departments and facilities around the school and to see what the school has to offer. Each department ran a variety of activities, showcased pupils’ work, displayed resources and held demonstrations of equipment. Pupils, parents and carers were able to ask questions and find out information about the school. I was delighted we had an excellent turn out, and everyone commended all the pupils and Emerald Greens that helped.