St Illtyd’s continue to broaden horizons for students

Students at St Illtyd’s Catholic High School are never short of very interesting activities and the past few weeks saw them broaden their horizons by experiencing STEM projects, sailing, and Reach for the Sky, while teachers took part in an ultra-marathon.

Girls into STEM

On 17th April, a group of 14 Year 10 girls visited the University of South Wales’ Glyntaff campus in Pontypridd for a Girls into STEM Day. The day is organised by STEM Cymru and the Engineering Education Scheme Wales and the aim of the day is to encourage female pupils to take an active interest in STEM subjects.

The day involved a variety of hands-on science activities. The first activity was an introduction to forensics and the role of a CSI (Crime Scene Investigator). After learning what the role involves, our pupils “investigated” a crime scene in a house on campus that is used specifically for forensics activities. The next activity was in the science labs. Pupils were tasked with creating an ester (a fragrance) and then using their newfound knowledge to make a fragranced gel air freshener. The final activity of the day was “Mapping and Monitoring Biodiversity Change.” Pupils learnt the importance of mapping and monitoring different species in order to understand animal behaviour.

Our pupils had a great day and enjoyed all the activities. One pupil even said on the way home - “Miss, I rate this trip a ten out of ten!” We would like to thank Aimee Thomas from STEM Cymru for organising the day and to all the staff at the University of South Wales for hosting us and delivering such an engaging day of activities.

Luisa May, Community Focused Schools Co-ordinator

Reach for the Sky

“Reach for the Sky” is a programme designed and led by Welsh Rugby international Ian Gough. Ten lucky Year 11 boys were chosen to be part of this inspirational programme. The boys received three intensive training sessions from Ian, not in rugby, but in revision techniques, answering exam questions and building resilience. The boys set out clear aims as to where they wanted to be in the future, and what grades they needed to get there; I’m sure that they will all have secured bright times head.

The final session involved an enjoyable tour of the Principality Stadium; this was led by Ian Gough himself. It was wonderful to see all the boys excited to sit in the changing room seats of their idols, have a tour of the royal box and learn what it takes to maintain the pitch, so it is pristine for international matches. Our Head Teacher, Mr Thomas and Mrs Kaye, Assistant Head of Year 11 thoroughly enjoyed their involvement with the programme. A special mention needs to go to Tomas Janicijevic for his unrehearsed mock press interview; Tom, I think a career in sports commentary awaits you!

Rebecca Kaye, Assistant Head of Year 11

St Illtyd’s Way Ultra Marathon

They came, they saw, they smashed it!

In an inspiring display of determination and community spirit, seven of our dedicated staff members (and one from our feeder primary) successfully completed a 50km ultramarathon to help raise funds for a much-needed new minibus. All but one had never run a marathon distance, let alone further!

The run started under promising skies, but roughly 40km in, staff were met with a sudden downpour. The rain added an extra layer of difficulty to an already demanding race, but they pushed through, driven by the support of their colleagues, friends, and family members who cheered them on throughout.

Among the standout achievements, Mrs Gwynne Carroll secured the position of second place woman, showcasing not only her exceptional athleticism but also the strength and perseverance of our entire team.

Thanks to the generous contributions from you, our supporters, we are thrilled to announce that we have raised an impressive £5,862. This amount will significantly contribute to the purchase of a new minibus, ensuring we can continue to provide safe and reliable transport to a range of activities for our students.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who donated, cheered, and supported our staff in this endeavour. Your generosity and encouragement helped make this achievement possible.

A huge shout out to our legendary Ultra Runners: Miss Berryman, Miss Bowering, Mrs Gwynne-Carroll, Mrs Hobbs, Mr Jones, Mrs Mumford, Mr Tay and Miss Woods (St Cadoc’s Primary).

Jo Berryman, Subject Leader for Skills Challenge Certificate & Teacher of Geography

Year 9 Sailing Programme

During March 2024, 24 Year 9 pupils had the opportunity to try sailing by embarking on a two-day “Keelboat Level 1- Start Sailing” course with Cardiff Sailing Centre. For some pupils, they had taken part in Dinghy Sailing when they were in Year 7, but for most of our pupils it was a chance to try something completely new.

Pupils were divided into groups of eight for each course and then into two groups of four to sail on two keelboats. Pupils learnt the theory behind sailing before embarking on two days of sailing around Cardiff Bay. As well as learning to sail, pupils also learnt important skills like how to work as a team and communication skills.

At the end of the course, pupils were awarded the “Royal Yachting Association Keelboat Level 1- Start Sailing Award”. Chief Sailing Officer from Cardiff Sailing Centre, Anthony Chappin, presented pupils with their certificates in assembly.

We would like to say a big thank you to Anthony Chappin and the instructors at Cardiff Sailing Centre for teaching our pupils to sail. We would also like to say a huge thank you to the Reardon Smith Nautical Trust for funding this wonderful opportunity for our pupils. Their continuous support of the school over the years has meant that our pupils have been able to learn to sail, try something new and widen their horizons.

Luisa May, Community Focused Schools Co-ordinator

Year 10 Visit St David’s Catholic Sixth Form College

In June, Year 10 were invited to St David's Catholic Sixth Form College for a taster day. Pupils started off their day learning about the pastoral support offered and general information about what to expect if they would like to become a student at St David's.

Pupils were then able to choose two subjects from a range of subjects including Sport, Criminology, Business, Maths, Science, Performing Arts and Health & Social. Pupils then experienced a typical lesson in their chosen subjects, and they were all thoroughly engrossed in their various lessons.

The St David's College staff complimented the pupils on their conduct during the visit and were impressed with how they engaged with the lessons that day. We look forward to having St David's staff visit us to inform the pupils about the application process in Year 11.