School information

I have spent a great deal of time talking and listening to teachers, students, parents and governors in the local community. I am very confident that we have the right staffing team in place to launch Cardiff West CHS. Our motto is ‘Create Your World’ and we are looking forward to working in partnership with everyone to realise this ambition.

Our mission statement is that at Cardiff West Community High School, we want every pupil to achieve the academic success necessary to realise their dreams; to help them to develop as considerate, resilient, enterprising, ambitious, trustworthy and employable students who can engage fully with the creative economy. Our core values are Ambition, Resilience and Trust.

We will be relentlessly focussing on achieving high academic standards. In addition, we want all of our students to work hard, look smart and be kind. We are very excited by our ‘Pathfinder’ school status working with our nine Creative Partners: BBC Wales, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff and Vale College, University of South Wales, Welsh National Opera, Amgueddfa Cymru/National Museum of Wales, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Creative & Cultural Skills and Cardiff Council. Working in partnership, the possibilities for everyone linked to Cardiff West CHS are endless.

Our five school improvement priorities for 2017-18 are:

• Raise standards at KS4 - a school with a relentless focus on high academic standards. A school that excels in preparing students to thrive and succeed in life.
• Ensure all lessons are good or better - a highly effective learning organisation. A school that works collaboratively with our creative partners to deliver a creative skills based, work centric curriculum that ensures our pupils are the most successful and employable students in Wales.
• Improve whole school levels of attendance and punctuality - a school that excels in preparing students to thrive and succeed in life.
• Ensure students and staff feel safe and valued - a highly effective learning organisation.
• Develop positive working relationships with our partner primary schools and engage more fully with the community - integral in leading and revitalising our community.

Start of term

On a more practical level, Year 7 will start school at 8.50am on Wednesday 6th September. Years 8-11 will start on the following day, Thursday 7th September at 8.50am.

Year 7 will be working at Cardiff Metropolitan University on Thursday 7th and Friday 8th September.

Student Entrance/Reception

The current Reception area will be refurbished during the summer break and will become the ‘Visitor Reception’ from September onwards. The student Reception area will be located next to the Dining Hall. The main entrance and exit for students will now be located on Drope Road. In our view, this is a safer entrance and exit for the students, given the amount of traffic on Michaelston Road.

In addition, we have Form Tutors and four Attendance Officers

Uniform

Charcoal blazer

Plain tie (KS4) and striped tie (KS3)

Black trousers

White shirt

Black shoes (not trainers!)

Cardiff West CHS jumper (optional)

Cardiff West CHS PE shirt and black shorts

Many parents have already claimed their uniform voucher. This will allow you to purchase, free of charge, the new blazer and tie. Vouchers are available from the school up to 21st July 2017.

In the interests of security, the voucher must be signed for in school. The uniform will be available in YC Sports in Canton from 20th August onwards. Thank you, in advance, for your support in making Cardiff West CHS students the smartest students in the city.

Mobile phones

Mobile phones are used by almost everyone in society today. There are occasions when they can distract learning and create conflict situations in school. I will be working with staff, students and parents to create an ‘Acceptable Use’ policy in the new term. In the short-term, the policy is quite simple: phones should not be used in lessons at all unless the teacher has given students permission to use his/her mobile phone. Parents and guardians must contact their sons and daughters through the main switchboard/reception during school hours. Thank you for your support.

Website and social media - keeping you informed

Finally, our new school website is up and running at www.cardiffwestchs.cardiff.sch.uk - we also have a Twitter account and Facebook page - search @CardiffWestCHS. We will be uploading more content in the coming weeks.

I hope that you have an enjoyable summer and I look forward to working with you in the new term.

Yours sincerely

Martin Hulland

Headteacher Designate / Pennaeth Penodedig
Cardiff West Community High School / Ysgol Uwchradd Gymunedol Gorllewein Caerdydd

Martin.Hulland@cardiff.gov.uk / Martin.Hulland@caerdydd.gov.uk