Headteacher's Blog Post - Saturday 20th December 2025

As we begin the Christmas break, I’m sure that our pupils are all ready for a very well-deserved rest! What a term! Whether they are our youngest pupils - who settled into the school in September – or the pupils in our Upper Sixth Form, who are about to embark on their last full term in education, or indeed pupils in any of the years in between, they’ve all worked hard and been extremely busy across all areas of school life!

The term has been one in which we’ve celebrated faith, culture, service and achievement in countless ways within our community. It’s truly been a term rich in the experiences that express who we are as a school and what we value most. It concluded with a tremendously joyful celebration at St. Joseph’s Cathedral: our Annual Carol Service, presided over by His Grace, Archbishop Mark O’Toole. We were joined by countless current and former pupils and staff, as well as the pupils of our cluster primary schools, who sang with our school choir, performing an exceptional rendition of Vivaldi’s Gloria. This beautiful choral item – one that the pupils across our schools have been working on for several weeks – followed a service of carols and readings focused on the Advent message, and it really encapsulated the idea of prayerful preparation for Christmas being followed by joyful celebration at Christ’s birth. The sound of so many voices lifted in harmony and praise was incredibly moving for all present! We are most thankful to His Grace for his opening prayers and the blessing bestowed on all present at the conclusion of the service.

Earlier this month, on the 8th December, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, our community had the first of its three carol services at the Sacred Heart Parish Church, with which we are closely linked. Canon Jason welcomed our pupils in establishing a Service of Carols and Benediction several years ago and this is now a tradition – and a particularly beautiful and valued one at that. Father Rod Teriote led the service this year, with Canon Jason visiting Fatima, and the twinkling candlelight and Eucharistic Adoration ensured there truly was a sense of benediction – blessing – upon all present.

The next event was Lord Mayor and High Sheriff of West Glamorgan’s Carol Service at Swansea Minster, at which our choir had been asked to perform by the High Sheriff following her visit to the school in October. The impressive setting, the sense of ceremony and the presence of organisations and individuals from throughout the whole of our city made this a very special occasion. These, and the Cathedral Carol Service already described, were in addition to the Advent Services within school. We are incredibly grateful to our Faith Council pupils, who put together and led the services, as well as regularly leading the Rosary at break and lunchtimes. We are also most grateful to the pupils in our choir, who give so generously of their time and their talents.

All of those pupils were involved in the BBC Radio Advent Service mentioned in last month’s blog – and what a treat it was to listen to it when it was aired on the second Sunday of Advent! If you haven’t already listened to it, it’s worth visiting the link shared in that blog post which will allow you to do so. We were thrilled when the producer of the programme contacted us after it was aired to say that Radio 4 and its listeners were delighted with the programme. He added that one gentleman had written in to say that he ‘listened with pleasure to Sunday Worship’ and was ‘so moved by the school choir's rendition of Light of the World’ that he would like a copy to download, stating that 'other renditions simply do not match this one!' Praise indeed, and well done to our choir and soloist!

In other news, we were honoured to learn, at the start of December, that we have once more been ranked in the top ten schools in Wales by the Sunday Times in its annual ‘Parent Power Guide’. Our seventh placing is a testament to our pupils’ hard work in attaining excellent results, and we’re utterly proud of them for this … but more so again – far more so, in fact – for the exceptional young people that they are, exemplifying our school’s values through their faith and service, their kindness and their humility.

It’s always a privilege to support our pupils in achieving their ambitions, and as we always say in our assemblies, in becoming the ‘best versions of themselves, living ‘life to the full’ in line with our mission statement, derived from John 10:10. They continue to inspire us daily, and we wish them, their families, all in our community and you, as you read this, a beautiful and peaceful Christmas and the blessings of joy, good health and happiness in the New Year.

Mrs Pole