St Illtyd’s student recognised for volunteer work

Council Volunteer Awards

St Illtyd’s had the pleasure of attending the C3SC- Cardiff Third Sector Council Volunteer Awards with one of the nominees, Mason-Lee Heaven, who volunteers with Cardiff East Youth Service. It was wonderful to see Mason - along with all the other nominees - recognised for their hard work. The evening was truly a joyful celebration.

Although Mason didn’t win, it was fantastic to see his dedication and commitment to Cardiff East acknowledged, and we are grateful for the support and leadership he shows amongst his peers. We are immensely proud of Mason and all our young volunteers.

As part of his volunteering work, Mason acted as a young interviewer on a panel to appoint a Youth Worker. His feedback and input were exceptional, and it really was the deciding factor on who to employ. As an aspiring youth worker, it was a fantastic opportunity for him.

Theresa Sullivan, Cardiff Youth Support Worker

CAVC Aeronautical Challenge 2025

Two Year 10 teams from St Illtyd’s took part in the Cardiff and Vale College Aeronautical Challenge at the International Centre for Aerospace Training last year. This is the eighth time we have taken part in this event.

The event is hugely beneficial to pupils in showing them the different careers available within STEM and in particular, Aeronautical Engineering. It gives pupils the opportunity to try exciting activities such as using a flight simulator, programming a drone, and jacking an aircraft. No other educational visit provides such amazing opportunities.

Our pupils had a great day taking part in all the different activities. Year 10 pupil Alexis Paul made the perfect landing in the flight simulator activity, earning himself a “Hollywood Handshake”! I would like to thank Jo Tanner, Martin Smith and all the team at CAVC ICAT (International Centre for Aerospace Training) for another fantastic event.

Luisa May, Community Focused School's Co-ordinator

Encon Construction

This term we are delighted to have partnered up with Encon Construction, a company that is working on the new housing development on the former St John’s College site located just behind our school. Encon Construction were able to support several of our ex-pupils during the summer break with achieving their CSCS cards (Construction Skills Certification Scheme cards are cards that prove that a worker has the required training, qualifications, and skills to work safely on a UK construction site).

At the start of term Adeel Hasan, Social Value Coordinator at Encon Construction delivered an assembly to Year 7, informing them of how to stay safe whilst on a construction site. He also launched a poster competition for our Year 7 pupils. Eleven pupils submitted an entry, and their designs can be seen here.

In November, Adeel returned to St Illtyd’s to award prizes of a school stationery set to the six winning pupils. Congratulations to Diamond Igwe, Thipikshan Thileepan, Isreal Aboyade, Sivan Rassul, Yara Baraka and Alexander Pollak. Their designs will be displayed on the hoarding boards around the Encon construction site on Greenway Road, encouraging people to stay safe by staying away from the construction site.

Luisa May, Community Focused Schools Co-ordinator

WJEC Innovation Awards

Former pupil, Shalid Rosario, had his GCSE Product Design work selected and display at the WJEC Innovation Awards. The WJEC Innovation Awards offers a place for learners from across the country to showcase their work. Work includes GCSE, AS and A Level work in Engineering, Product Design and Fashion and Textiles.

Shalid’s Bee House was on display at the All Nations Centre and is now travelling up to Bangor to be displayed in North Wales. Huge congratulations to Shalid for this fantastic achievement! We wish you all the best for the future.

Inspiring Assembly empowers Year 10 Students

Last term, Year 10 students had the incredible opportunity to attend a special assembly hosted by the Leader of Cardiff Council Cllr Huw Thomas and myself, Mason-Lee Heaven. The event was a powerful moment of connection between young people and local leadership, sparking conversations about the future of Cardiff and the resources available to its youth.

I was proud to be part of this assembly alongside my fellow students. It was an honour to meet the Council Leader and hear firsthand about the initiatives, support systems, and opportunities designed to help young people thrive in our city. From youth services and education programmes to community projects and career pathways, the assembly opened our eyes to what’s possible when we engage with local government.

I’m especially grateful to my Head Teacher, Mr Thomas, and my Head of Year, Mrs Hobbs, for helping to organise this event. Their support made it possible for us to have this meaningful experience, and I know it left a lasting impression on many of us.

I believe it’s vital for young people in Cardiff to know what’s available to them—not just in school, but in the wider community. Events like this help bridge that gap and give us the confidence to get involved, ask questions, and shape the future of our city.

Looking ahead, I would love to bring this kind of assembly to other schools and areas across Cardiff. It’s a chance to inspire more students, build stronger connections, and make sure every young person feels seen, heard, and supported.

Mason-Lee Heaven, 10CMI

Launch of the Children and Young Person’s Police, Crime and Justice Plan

In October, some of our Emerald Greens represented St Illtyd’s at the launch of the Children and Young Person’s Police, Crime and Justice Plan at the Tramshed. The Plan was launched by the Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales, Emma Wools.

The launch of the plan represents the Commissioner’s passion and commitment to ensure that the voices of children and young people, and the issues that matter most to them, are heard and delivered against. The launch included an overview of the priorities in the plan, which have been designed using the direct feedback the Commissioner has received from the children and young people of South Wales.

Our pupils thoroughly enjoyed the event and were pleased to see how the voices of children and young people in South Wales are being heard.

Luisa May, Community Focused Schools Co-ordinator

Year 10 Visit St David’s College

The whole of Year 10 was invited to St David’s Catholic Sixth Form College for a taster day last year and pupils began the day finding out about what it is like to attend St David’s College.

Students were then able to select two subjects to have a taster session in. Choices included Maths & Computer Science, Health, Criminology, Performing Arts, Sports, Business and Science. A popular choice amongst our students was Criminology in which pupils examined an old case, making them think about how it had been handled and whether the right outcome had been achieved.

In Performing Arts pupils had to provide their own interpretation of a scene from “Shrek.” After two taster lessons, pupils were treated to Domino's pizza for lunch. Our pupils had a great time and now have a much better understanding of what St David’s College has to offer. We would like to say a big thank you to all the staff at St David’s College for the invitation and the warm welcome.