Queen Elizabeth High School / Ysgol Uwchradd Y Frenhines Elisabeth

Canolfan Elfed's Young Enterprise company, Trash 2 Treasure, recently took part in the Area Finals Young Enterprise Business Awards. They won their section for Best Team programme company and Best Creative Group. They will now progress to the National Awards in University of Glamorgan, Treforest on 15th May. Pob luc pawb!

Congratulations to Charlie in Year 11 who on Saturday represented the school and Hospitality Department in the Cluster Final of the Young Rotary Cooking Competition. 

As part of the competition Charlie had to make a 2 course meal within a time and budget demonstrating his creativity, professionalism and skill. 

Charlie was extremely successful and came runner up overall, advancing to the District round which will take place in March.

Some keen mathematicians in Years 9 and 10 recently took part in the Intermediate Maths Challenge which tests problem-solving skills in non-routine questions. It is a rigorous challenge and pupils who took part did themselves proud.

One of our students, Sean, gained an outstanding result and was awarded a Gold certificate. This is a remarkable achievement and we are very proud of him.

Five students were awarded Bronze certificates. Some of them are pictured here. Well done to you all.

Congratulations and good luck to Emilia for being selected and receiving a Welsh U16 Cap for a fixture versus England Schools at the TNS stadium.  This is a prestigious sporting achievement to represent Wales U16s football.  Emilia plays for Johnstown AFC and also Carmarthenshire Schools.  Well done.

Congratulations to Connor in Year 11 who has been selected for the Scarlets East U16s side. A very prestigious rugby achievement.

On Wednesday night Connor played in the first of several games which will then decide which team members progress to the U16s Scarlets Team or the U16s Scarlets Development team.

Good luck from everyone at Queen Elizabeth High School.

Miles, Year 7, part of Swansea City’s Academy has been invited into the FAW Welsh regional squad and was selected to play a match last night in Newtown where he was lucky enough to meet the Welsh Head Coach, Rob Page. A fantastic experience and achievement. Well done Miles!

Congratulations to the Year 8 Basketball team who are the Carmarthenshire Champions and have qualified for the regional finals in Swansea on Tuesday 20 February 2024.

Results:

QE 11 - Dyffryn Amman 9

QE 10 - Newcastle Emlyn 6

QE 29 - Bryngwyn 6

QE 12 - St John Lloyd 2

A great day, well done boys.

Huge Congratulations to Emily who performed at the South West Wales Finals of the Rotary Young Musician Competition last night. 

Emily sang the traditional 'Anfonaf Angel' and 'When You See Me' from the Musical Waitress. 

It was an honour to be amongst the most prestigious musicians from South West Wales. Congratulations to all those schools that reached the finals. 

Da iawn Emily!

Erin won Gold at the Welsh Schools Judo Competition on Saturday 27 January 2024.

Erin was also awarded the runner-up in the Carmarthen Town Sports Awards 2023 in the U16 Intermediate Female category.

Both fantastic achievements. Da Iawn!

Huge congratulations to both of our teams that entered the Rotary Youth Speaks Competition last night. 

It was a fantastic evening and congratulations to the individual performances from -

• Harry - Best Proposer, Intermediate Age Group 

• Carys - Best Opposer, Intermediate Age Group 

• Holly - Best Proposer, Senior Age Group 

As well as the above, the Intermediate Age Group have been chosen to represent the Rotary District of West Wales in the South Wales Competition on Saturday 24^th February which is being hosted here at QE High. 

This is a tremendous achievement from both of our teams, who were up against secondary schools from all over West Wales. 

Huge thanks to Mr Ben Davies, Mrs Elinor Ward and Mr Hugh Griffiths for their hard work in preparing the pupils for the competition. 

Congratulations to Esther (Year 8) for passing her Grade 3 Cello exam and to Elspeth (Year 11) for passing her Grade 5 Violin. Excellent results all round, and a lovely way to end the term. Very well done to you both.

Please click the photos to see our latest Rugby achievements during this Autumn Term.

Well done to everyone involved.

Erin has been part of the Welsh Judo Squad for several years. She has represented the Welsh Team in several competitions both in the UK & abroad. Erin won the U44Kg weight category on Saturday (25/11/23) and will now compete for the British title in Sheffield on Sunday 3rd December 2023. Erin actually won the Bronze Medal last time out at this event.

Yet another medal for Gethin!  Silver medalist for West Wales boys in the inter-regional cross country in Newtown. Da Iawn!

Rugby League - West Wales Origins

Dan started playing Rugby League in April 2023 with the Swansea Rams. At the end of the season the players were put forward to try out for the West Wales Team.  Over a 100 players entered the trials and Dan was successfully selected to represent the West Wales Under 16's Elite Team. He will be playing a Test Match against East Wales in December 2023. Origin matches are the first step for a player on a representative pathway. An outstanding achievement.

Boys and Girls Club of Wales (BGCW): Rugby Union

Dan was nominated to try out for the Boys Club of Wales Squad by Carmarthen Athletic Juniors U16. He was selected from over 200 players to join the named 25 squad members to be part of the Boys Girls Club of Wales.

In the current Wales National Team, Tomos Williams and Dewi Lake represented the BGCW.

This season, the 18's are touring Canada and 16's are playing the Holland National team in Amsterdam in April 2024. These opportunities go to players not involved in regional rugby to develop and play top opposition and more importantly to enjoy the experience.  The tours are concluded with a 'cap' presentation dinner with BGCW president Max Boyce M.B.E”.

A really prestigious sporting achievement! Well done Dan.

Two of our Year 12 students, Lily and Jay, have been selected as the Head Police Cadet and Deputy Head Police Cadet respectively by Dyfed Powys Police.

Their selection as the Head Police Cadet and Deputy Head Police Cadet is a reflection of the commitment and enthusiasm that they have shown during the past 3 years of attending the Volunteer Police Cadet programme.

Congratulations to both for this highly prestigious achievement. Well done from everyone at Queen Elizabeth High School.

Well done to Isaac in Year 12 for recently passing his Grade 5 drumkit examination with Merit.

All that hard work paid off!

Llongyfarchiadau Isaac.

The Canolfan Elfed football team embarked on an exciting journey as they participated in a thrilling football tournament hosted at the prestigious Pen-y-Bont Welsh Premier League football pitch in Bridgend. This was a momentous occasion for the team, comprised of enthusiastic players - Keiran, Daniel, Brodi, Aidan, Dylan, Osca, and Stephen - some of whom had never experienced the intensity of competitive football before.

The tournament was a fantastic opportunity for the players to showcase their talent and passion for the beautiful game. Over the course of the day, Canolfan Elfed faced off against a variety of formidable opponents, engaging in a total of five thrilling matches. The results were a testament to the team's dedication and enthusiasm. Out of the five matches played, we secured one draw, clinched one victory, and narrowly suffered defeat in the remaining three.

Considering that they were up against many opponents with experience in football outside of school, Canolfan Elfed's performance was commendable. It was evident that the team was beginning to gel and find their stride in the competitive football arena. The players were enthusiastic and determined, leaving a strong impression on everyone present.

Stephen played a pivotal role as the team's striker and top scorer. His contribution was highlighted by a dramatic last-minute goal that secured a crucial victory when a draw seemed inevitable. Keiran, the stalwart goalkeeper, made numerous remarkable saves throughout the day, showcasing his talent and resilience.

Osca and Brodi formed the bedrock of the defense, displaying discipline and tenacity that made life difficult for the opposition. Brodi also showcased his prowess as a set-piece specialist, adding another dimension to the team's strategy. In midfield, Daniel, Aidan, and Dylan worked tirelessly to dictate play, bringing relentless energy and creativity to Canolfan Elfed's gameplay.

At the end of the tournament, Canolfan Elfed finished in a respectable joint fourth place out of six teams. Unfortunately, we narrowly missed out on a spot in the semi-finals due to goal difference. Despite this, the team walked away with heads held high, knowing they had given it their all and gained invaluable experience.

We’d like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our opponents Ysgol Bryn Castell, Greenfield, Greenhill and Headlands. Also a special thanks to Pen-y-Bont for hosting the tournament and providing delicious chips during the lunch break. A big thanks also goes out to the staff and referees on the day for ensuring the tournament ran so smoothly. The team are eagerly looking forward to their next football tournament, fuelled by the passion and determination to continue improving and achieving success on the pitch. Canolfan Elfed’s football team has undoubtedly left their mark on the football scene and is a team to watch in future matches!

On Friday 21 September our school hosted the Carmarthenshire County Music Service peripatetic staff as they performed two fantastic concerts for pupils visiting from our primary feeder schools. This is an annual event designed to showcase the various instruments that pupils across Carmarthen have the opportunity to learn within our schools. Unfortunately, the peripatetic cello teacher was unable to take part in the concert on Friday and so two of our pupils - Yuta (year 12) and Esther (year 8) - came to the rescue! They were asked to play alongside the rest of the staff, a great privilege and a great deal of responsibility. Both pupils played exceptionally well and, we hope, were an inspiration to future young cellists in the audience! 

Congratulations to Florence in Year 11, who achieved a Bronze Medal in the 2023 Regional RCC Tumbling Championships in Birmingham.

A very prestigious achievement!

Well done!

In July Sennen’s Judo coaches put him forward to try for his Dan grading (Black Belt). This is usually done over a long period of time however Sennen achieved this goal in a day. To gain the full 100 points in one day the process is extremely intense and difficult; you must win the first two fights to qualify and go through to a line up. A line up is where you have three fights one after another. Sennen won his qualifying fights for a line up. Against three adult men, Sennen won each of the three fights and achieved his 100 Dan points. A rare accomplishment for one day.

In August Sennen had his Dan (black belt) theory grading. A score of 190 points is required to pass and the maximum points available are 270. Sennen achieved 262pts. This excellent result confirmed that Sennen had successfully achieved his black belt.  An outstanding achievement.

As a result of all Sennen’s hard work and success, he was also awarded the star player award in Carmarthen Judo Club this week. The club are extremely proud of Sennen as it was 25 years ago that someone aged 15 last achieved a black belt in Carmarthen. A truly special and rare occurrence.

Congratulations to Caitlyn having completed her 2nd Dan Black Belt grading in Taekwondo. She was the youngest British Taekwondo member during the grading and after an hour written exam, followed by a 3 hour practical exam she was presented with her 2nd Dan Black Belt by Grandmaster Ian Lief, Master Joe Brown (BTS Head Coach),  Master Daryl Pahima (Head Coach BTS Newport) and Master Rick Simpson (Head Coach of Horizone).

In addition to the above, Josie has also completed her 3rd Dan Black Belt Pre Assessment which will now allow her to progress and apply for her 3rd Dan next year. A fantastic achievement!

Both girls were given high honours for commitment and hard work as they have had to train the last few years by themselves as their club BTS is based in Southampton, Hampshire.

Well done both!

Llongyfarchiadau! Congratulations to our National Eisteddfod Winners!

Congratulations to Alix and Libby for representing and receiving Welsh Schools FA U14s Caps vs England ISFA. The match was played at the Jenner Park Stadium and Alix scored 2 goals!

Well done both.  A fantastic achievement! 

During the Easter holidays Emily (year 10) sung with the National Youth Choir of Britain in their 40^th anniversary celebration concert. The performance took place in the Royal Albert Hall, London. Emily auditioned for the choir back in 2018 and has participated in various performances with the group since becoming a member. Emily was one of only five singers from the whole of Wales to be included in the female choir items which made up part of the evenings entertainment at this very prestigious event. Congratulations Emily on this huge achievement.

Congratulations to Millie in year 10 who recently passed grade 6 violin. A fantastic achievement Millie. All that effort and practise was worth it - da iawn!

Congratulations Benny in year 8 who has recently passed grade 4 drums with distinction.  

Da iawn Benny!

Another great performance by Queen Elizabeth High School’s Gethin 7G. Becoming West Wales U13 Champion and Reserve U13 Welsh Champion at the Red Kite Challenge 2023. Completing one of the toughest and most challenging trail races in Wales. Completing the testing 3km course in 15minutes 40 seconds.

We are proud to share that Queen Elizabeth High School are the winners of the National Youth Speaks competition organised by The Rotary Club of Great Britain & Ireland.

This is an absolutely fantastic achievement competing against the most prestigious educational establishments in Great Britain and Ireland.

Congratulations to Violet, Holly and Anna.

The under 18’s Rugby team made the long trip to London on Sunday afternoon to participate in the Rosslyn Park National Schools Rugby Sevens.  We played 3 games, winning one and losing two, in a very close group. Unfortunately we did not progress to the knockout stage of the competition.

The pupils were a credit to the school, both on and off the field.

Well done to all the boys involved in the squad.

Congratulations to Jonah for demonstrating such a high level of effort, concentration and creativity to create a Me Tree.  A fantastic piece of work created during a session based on self esteem, self image and self concentration.  A piece of work to be proud of. Well done Jonah!

Many Congratulations to our Senior Rotary Youth Speaks Team; Violet, Anna and Holly.

Following the regional finals in Bristol for schools from South Wales and the South West of England, they won the senior competition and secured a place into the UK National Youth Speaks final at the end of April in Leamington Spa.

We are extremely proud of them and they truly excelled!

Congratulations to Gethin for representing Queen Elizabeth High School and helping Dyfed schools gain the Bronze Award in the Welsh Secondary Schools & Colleges Cross Country Championships 2023 (Penlan Arena, Brecon) on the 15^th of February. Completing the 2,580 meters in 8 minutes and 35 seconds. Outstanding effort!

Well done to Sennen who won a silver medal in the The Welsh Schools Junior Judo Qualifiers in January. Good luck in the British Schools Priority in March Sennen!

The QEHS U13 Football squad played in the National round (last 16) of the School's cup yesterday against Ysgol Bro Dur. Lowri put QEHS one goal up after 9 minutes and led going in to half time. Ysgol Bro Dur came out after half time with focus and created scoring chances that were defended well by the QE defence and Phoebe in goal. Ysgol Bro Dur persisted their attack and were rewarded with a goal from a confident strike.

QEHS launched several attacks in the last 8 minutes and showed resilience in trying to get the winning goal, however the final whistle resulted in a penalty shoot-out.

Final score was 3-2 to Bro Dur and we wish them every success in the quarter finals.

The game flowed from end to end with an excellent display of football skills by both teams. Diolch for the support from parents. Thank you to Alan Jenkins for refereeing, Mr Chris Thomas for coaching and to Carmarthen town for hosting what was an excellent and competitive match.

Diolch Ysgol Bro Dur am deithio atom.

Even though the QEHS girls are disappointed to be out of the cup, QE are extremely proud of you all in getting this far.

The Rotary Youth Speaks competition took place in the school last Thursday. The Intermediate Team was made up of year 9 pupils. Bethan, Sofia and Logan debated the issue of lying and whether it's good for us.

Holly, Violet and Anna were the Senior Team and they debated whether public speaking is fraudulent. They won the competition and will go on to compete against other schools across Wales in March.

Well done to all the pupils for their hard work. 

Lila in Year 13 took part in the Senior Maths Challenge earlier this year. She gained a Gold award, so she was invited to sit the prestigious Senior Kangaroo Maths paper, which is only open to a small percentage of top-performing students. Lila was awarded the highest accolade, a Merit, for her excellent performance in this.

Lila has exciting times ahead as she has been offered a place to study Mathematics at Oxford University (Jesus College). We look forward to following her progress.

Congratulations to the QE Girls U13 Football squad on reaching the regional round of the EFL 6 a side competition. Having previously competed in the area round on the 14^th of November and gaining a place in the regional final, the girls were looking forward to challenging themselves against the other qualified teams. At Coleg Sir Gar, the QE team was dominant in each of their league matches, winning the first four and drawing against Maes y Gwendraeth.

The top 4 teams played in the semi finals. The QE team beat Pentrehafod school on penalties and progressed to meet Maes y Gwendraeth again in the final.  At full time after an extremely close match the score was 0-0 and both sides couldn't be separated in extra time. Penalties were level after 3 takers and Maes y Gwendraeth eventually won in the sudden death penalty shoot out. 

This is a talented football squad that will no doubt be successful in the near future. Well done everyone!

26 pupils from years 8, 9 and 10 recently took part in the National Shakespeare Schools Festival. They spent many hours outside of school rehearsing and committing to the project which culminated in a professional performance of an abridged version of 'The Comedy of Errors' at the Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea.

The yearly festival is a celebration not only of Shakespeare but more importantly a showcase of talent within the community, of which QEHS has in abundance.

Well done to all!

Our senior rugby team have won their first league game of the season in the Carmarthenshire under 18's midweek league. Try's from Sam, Benji and Ryan, plus two conversions and a penalty from Captain Lewys helped seal the victory at a wet and windy Carmarthen Park. 

Final score - 

QE High 22 - Amman Valley 10 

MOM - Daniel 

Congratulations to the QEHS U18 Hockey Team on being runners up in the top schools competition. Despite valiant defensive work, QE met a skilful Bro Dinefwr team in the final. Amazing performance from Lydia in Goal over the two days - phenomenal! Pob lwc Bro Dinefwr in the Dyfed Final.

Year 12 Maths students recently took part in the Senior Maths Challenge.

All students performed well. The students pictured gained certificates. Bronze winners were Robin, Max, Ravindu, Charlie and Angharad.

Tomasz gained a Silver award.

Congratulations to them all!

MFL students were thrilled to receive their pen pal letters from our partner school in Chaumont in France. We have written our replies and look forward to joint projects in the future. Well done all!

As part of our school Remembrance Day services Finley (pictured here in front of Canolfan Elfed's thought provoking visual tribute) performed a moving rendition of the Last Post. It is always a privilege and an honour to be asked to undertake this duty and Finley was proud to continue the long-standing tradition of QEHS trumpeters undertaking this duty on such an important occasion.

Congratulations to two of our talented musicians, Millie and Olivia. The girls have been selected to play in the orchestra accompanying a professional touring opera production, The ABC of Opera. Millie and Olivia had just one day of intense rehearsal to prepare before going on to perform in four concerts, two in the Lyric Theatre Carmarthen, and two in Y Ffwrnes Theatre Llanelli. Only a handful of pupils from schools across the county were asked to participate, so this really is an achievement to be proud of! 

Sam, Osian, Ethan, Ryan, Brandon, Charlie and Carwyn have all represented the Scarlets East under 16's team already this season.  A fantastic achievement to have so many boys from our school playing for the regional side. Well done to you all!

The following pupils who all successfully passed music examinations between Easter and Summer last year. A fantastic achievement all round, and a fitting reward for the hard work you and your peripatetic tutors have put in. The music department is very proud of you all!

Angharad Thomas (now in university) - grade 8 saxophone

Lila Davies (Year 13) - grade 6 saxophone

Mary Griffiths (now in university) - grade 8 violin

Elspeth Tymons (Year 10) - grade 4 violin

Alex Ford (Year 11) - grade 5 trumpet

Corin Maxwell (Year 10) - grade 5 trumpet

Joshua Jones (Year 9) - grade 3 trumpet

Edward Ford (Year 8) - grade 3 trumpet

Emily Green (now in university) - grade 6 bass guitar

Oscar Howells (Year 10) - grade 7 guitar

After a successful campaign with Carmarthen District schoolboys last season, Carwyn has been asked to go and train with the Scarlets U18’s academy in July and August for the off-season period. During this campaign Carwyn was also selected for training with the Scarlets U16’s East squad along with five other pupils from QE currently in Year 11.

Carwyn is now an attached player with the Scarlets U18’s academy as they continue to monitor and influence his ongoing development.  Well done Carwyn on this fantastic achievement. Da iawn!

On Saturday 3 September 2022, Florence represented Wales in the 2022 British Regional Challenge Cup in Sheffield and achieved 6th overall against 21 opponents in the tumbling competition. Florence has been ranked one of the top ten tumblers in Britain and is now preparing for her next competition which is at the end of September.

We wish Florence the very best of luck in her next competition. Pob lwc Florence!

Last weekend Josie travelled to Southampton to compete in the Southern Counties Taekwondo competition and undertake black belt grading.

On Saturday 4th June, Josie participated in a 4 hour intensive black belt grading, which awarded her 2nd Dan with high merits recognised for etiquette, leadership, technique and determination.

The following day, Josie competed in the the Southern Counties Taekwondo competition. Her opponent in the semi final was an ex GB karate champion.  She narrowly lost the first round, but then drew the next, resulting in her receiving a bronze medal.

Overall, it was a great achievement as Josie hasn’t been able to compete in World Taekwondo since the first lockdown.

Pictured is Josie celebrating her bronze medal with her head coach Joe Brown (BTS)

Well done Josie and good luck in future competitions from everyone at QEHS.

BTEC Performing Arts students performed a thrilling Mafia Murder Mystery in the  style of ‘promenade Theatre’.  This immersive theatre experience left staff and pupils guessing who did it!

Well done everyone!

Year 8 student, Tallulah, recently rubbed shoulders with celebrity chef, Ainsley Harriott. The television personality visited ‘The White Heart’ in Llanddarog whilst recording a new television programme. Mr Harriott explored the Welsh scenery and engaged in activities as he travelled through Wales, stopping off at the popular pub and engaged with the locals. Tallulah, whose parents run the tavern, played host and shared a selfie. The television show will be aired on More4. 

QEHS recently achieved a fantastic result in the West Wales School Ski Race.  The team achieved second place overall. A great achievement at a prestigious competition.

Will ranked 2nd in U18 boys
John ranked 1st in U16 boys
Josh ranked 3rd in U16 boys
Tayla ranked 1st in U14 girls

A fantastic achievement by all above and our team have been tipped as strong favourites to win the Welsh Schools Championship in Llangrannog this October.

Shannon has recently been crowned the Gymnastics Welsh Champion (age category: 17-21). A fantastic sporting achievement. Congratulations and good luck in future competitions from everyone at QEHS.

Congratulations to Lona on being selected for the Welsh Touch Rugby u18 squad. A prestigious sporting achievement. Well done and congratulations from everyone at QEHS.

Congratulations to Erin in Year 8 who has accumulated numerous prestigious awards in Judo over the last 6 months.  A fantastic set of results and achievements:

A group of our Year 9 pupils took part in the 'Tasty Careers, School Enterprise Challenge 2022 Final'.  The challenge included, designing a dish that uses as much Welsh produce as possible. The group spent many lunch times working on their presentation and their cooking of the dish. 

The group presented their work to 6 judges at Parc Y Scarlets and were up against 8 other teams. The presentation delivered was brilliant and they were very professional. As a result of this they were awarded First place and have won a meal at the Beach House, Seren group, Micheleen Star restaurant in Oxwich Bay.  They have also won the opportunity to visit the Cardiff Metropolitan University to have a tour of their cooking facilities. 

The QEHS Tasty Careers Team: Lindsey, Abby, Bryony, Kayla, Chloe and Angel 

A fantastic effort and achievement! Well done from everyone at QEHS.

Good luck to Alix, Libby and Emily who are representing the Carmarthenshire School Girls Under 13’s football team in the Semi Finals of the Welsh Schools Cup on Friday 8 April. A great achievement representing the county, well done.

Congratulations to Tia, Lowri, Hollie, Ameena and Jess on representing the Carmarthenshire School Girls u12's football team and progressing to the Semi Final stage of the Welsh Schools Cup. Great achievement and good luck from everyone at QEHS.

Layla completed her final assessment this week in Hair and Beauty and received excellent feedback from the tutor. The work submitted was a very detailed and creative and was awarded a prestigious Merit. Well done to Lyla for planning and carrying out her task in great detail. 

Oliver, Sam and Lewys have all been recently selected to play for the Scarlet's U16s East Rugby Team.  Everyone at QEHS would like to congratulate them on this prestigious sporting achievement.

Congratulations to Owen, who has recently been selected to play for the Wales U17 Water Polo team in the interregional tournament in Watford and a tournament hosted in the Czech Republic over Easter. A prestigious achievement, and well done from everyone at QEHS. 

#carmarthenwaterpolo

Shannon recently competed in the Welsh North Challenge Gymnastics Cup Championship at Deeside. Shannon was awarded the highest skill tariff of the day and 2nd place overall in the standings which is a fantastic achievement especially given the competitors were all older. Everyone at QEHS would like to congratulate Shannon on this outstanding sporting achievement.  

Congratulations to Sennen in Year 9 who has recently been crowned the British Schools Judo Champion 2022! Sennen came 1^st out of 13 competing in the national tournament.  This is a prestigious award and everyone at QEHS would like to congratulate Sennen on this fantastic achievement.

Having started her Netball career playing for the Sosban Netball squad in Llanelli and also the West Wales Development Netball squad, Nia has recently been selected for the Under 17s Celtic Dragons Performance squad as Goal Defence. This is a fantastic achievement. Training has already commenced and everyone at QEHS would like to congratulate Nia and wish her good luck for the forthcoming season. 

Dyma Olivia a Millie o Flwyddyn 9 cymryd ran yn nathliadau Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sir Gaerfyrddin.

Here are Olivia and Mille from Year 9 taking part in the Saint David’s Day celebration held in Carmarthen yesterday. Da iawn chi ferched!

Shannon was awarded first place in both the Welsh Regional Challenge Cup Championship and the Welsh Tumbling Championships. Fantastic achievements, well done from everyone at QEHS.

Well done to Emily.

Emily recently represented the school in the Central Zone Schools Championships and gained third place in the trampoline competition. Emily competed against schools from across Wales in Cardiff.

We wish Emily the best of luck for her upcoming grading. Pob lwc Emily!

Today Year 10 pupils and Miss John took part in the first Wales Peace Schools Conference, joining primary and secondary schools all over Wales. In the morning session, pupils learnt about climate justice and what can be done about it. This involved three informative guest speakers talking about its links to vulnerability, migration, and refugees. In the afternoon, our workshop was all about becoming a school of sanctuary and how this can help people who have been affected by climate change.

Pupils also found time today to create a display in the Gwili corridor showing the timeline for climate change!

As a school, we have had a chance to share good practice today and our next step will be to get accredited for a Level One Peace School award. 

Congratulations to Kieran on completing his 870 mile sponsored coastal run challenge. He finished the last 4.5 miles this week. He has managed to do the challenge in 10 months rather than the planned 12 months which is a great achievement. Sponsorship raised is close to £1400 for Glangwilli & NHS staff. A truly outstanding effort and achievement. 

The QEHS U13s, 6 a side squad are through to the next round of the EFL Cup 2021/22. Well done to the squad and thank you to Mrs Reynolds for taking them.

This week pupils have become more informed on climate change and it’s links to COP 26. From whole assemblies created by our Global Goalkeepers to lessons, form activities and Google Classroom competitions. Today, as a school to raise awareness and show our commitment for change pupils were invited to wear something green.  Today, pupils in Year 7 and 8 have joined a national school campaign to form a Forest of Promises. We will be displaying the leaves made by pupils with their promises to the planet and the promises they want world leaders to make on a ‘tree of promises’ in school soon! 

Pupils in Year 8 have been learning about key human activities that set us on a course for global warming; from the early amateur scientist that discovered something incredible; key political figures that helped and hindered the negotiations to help them understand where we are now and what we will do next! 

Pupils in Year 9 have engaged with the challenges and opportunities that face us and have taken ethical action by campaigning for change writing persuasive letters to our local MP within Geography. 

On Sunday 31^st October, Lydia took part in the Welsh Open Judo Championship where she won a silver medal and gained ranking points, that moved her up to 2^nd in Great Britain.  

Lydia’s past achievements include winning a gold medal in the Commonwealth Judo Championships in 2019.  

Lydia will be competing in the upcoming British Championships in December where she hopes to gain her first British Championship podium finish.  

We are incredibly proud of your achievements, Lydia, well done and good luck! 

Attached photos: 

1 Commonwealth Championships - 2019 

2 Commonwealth Championships - 2019 

3 British Schools Championships representing QEHS - Bronze medal winner  - March 2020 

4 C2 International Competition  - October 2021 

5 Welsh Open Championship - Silver medal winner - 31^st October 2021 

6 Training Camp in Scotland - October 2021 

The Year 8 Hockey squad travelled to Llandovery College for their first hockey match this week. Much experience was gained by all the players and Josh had an opportunity to experience Goal-keeping. Bethan excelled in defence.

Llandovery College selected two players of the match from QE who were: Chloe and Emily. The college side dominated all four quarters and very much deserved the win. Many thanks to Llandovery College for hosting the match.

Congratulations to Shannon who trained throughout lockdown and did extremely well competing in the British Gymnastic Championships 2021. Shannon was awarded 8th place in a very prestigious and high level competition. Well done!

A fantastic 7-0 win for our U13 Girls Football Team in the 1st Round of the Welsh Cup versus Ysgol Strade.  An outstanding  team effort and great to see the Year 7 pupils stepping up and playing their part. Tia was impressive in midfield with Alix being voted player of the match by Strade.

Diolch am deithio Strade. Gem dda o bêl- droed.

Thank you to James Sloyan for being refereeing the fixture.

Congratulations to Toby for winning a Silver Medal as part of a relay team in the Welsh Championship road relay races held in Pembrey recently. Toby regularly attends athletics training with Carmarthen Harriers.  Well done from everyone at QEH.

Emily and Caitlyn ran in the Race for Life in aid of Cancer Research UK on Sunday 12 September 2021. Da iawn merched. A fantastic effort!

Congratulations to Storm who was selected to compete in the prestigious UK School Games in Loughborough over the weekend. She attained an excellent 5th position in the Discus competition in the U17 age category, throwing 33m, in an event where the winner threw 36m! In addition, she won the title - Spirit of the Games Award out of 360 athletes.  Storm attained the Award not only for her performance on the field, but for helping others within the sport, being courteous, mature and a good ambassador. Really well-done Storm; all of our community at QEHS are very proud of your achievement and we wish you every success in the GB games Derby later this month, where Storm will be one of only two competitors representing Wales in the discus! 

Imogen represented both Wales and GB at the rhythmic gymnastics Welsh Championships 2021. Imogen placed 3rd in Wales in the Junior Intermediate Category and gained three silver medals and one bronze. This is both a phenomenal individual and club achievement that Imogen has worked so hard for; sacrificing so much for her passion in gymnastics, training six days a week in Cardiff and Llanelli for 25 hours. A fantastic achievement and well done from everyone at QEH.

Storm was successful in the Welsh Athletics Championships held in Cardiff during the holidays. Storm won Gold in the u17 category. Another successful and talented athlete is Dolly Evans who won Silver in the u15 category at the Welsh Championships.

An exciting future lies ahead for these two hard working athletes.

Congratulations to both Carwyn and Carys for representing Wales this Summer in Cricket. A fantastic achievement made by both.

Well done to all the participating students.   Congratulations to the following forms:

Winners: 7A

Runners Up: 7Q 

Some of our year 12 pupils took part in the Lessons from Auschwitz Project. They would like to share what they have learnt with you. Please click the button below to access their work.

Some pupils in Year 7 (7C and 7R) joined the last Walk the Global Walk celebration which focused today on our wonderful Peace Garden funded by the project which has been secured by Miss John. It is looked after daily by pupils in these forms. All schools that were part of the project linked via Teams to enjoy the gardens, reflect and have some well-earned treats (cupcakes!) and down time after a challenging year. 

Well done to our wonderful year 7 pupils that have been showing off their digital skills during their English 'Show What you Know' lessons. Here they have created a video game trailer based on the play they have been studying: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Well done to Mia Davies, Olivia Thomas, Ruby Hill and Emily James for creating this trailer. 

Huge congratulations to everyone involved in our school orchestra’s winning entry in this year’s Eisteddfod. It’s a tremendous achievement to have been awarded first place in this national competition, and a fantastic reminder of just how talented and hardworking our pupils are. It was particularly rewarding to see our established instrumentalists being joined in the recording not only by pupils from across many of our key stage 3 music classes, but also past pupils, music department staff and staff from Carmarthenshire music service. A real sense of team spirit and community shown by all involved. It’s amazing what we can achieve when we all work together! 

The last day of term has brought an international moment for QEHS today as the Year 9 Global Goalkeepers and Miss John met with schools in Lesotho, Mozambique, and Portugal! This happened over Zoom today where pupils introduced themselves, including sharing their favourite things, a snapshot into their countries culture, and their hopes and dreams for the future of their home country.

Oscar is a pupil in the Sixth Form within Canolfan Elfed. He has been attending a Living Pictures project based at Coed Dylan in Llangain for two years. Oscar has gained numerous skills including horticulture, carpentry and cookery. Oscar has recently gained paid employment on the Kick-start project where he will continue to attend Living pictures for two days per week whilst attending college. This is a fantastic achievement as he will be the first pupil to gain meaningful employment through this project. We are very proud of him

Our wonderful Year 8s have created engaging and creative podcasts on the subject of Salem and the Witch Trials. From in-depth interviews with Matthew Hopkins, the Witchfinder General, to striking stories of the Afflicted; our Year 8s have excelled in creativity! They've used their knowledge of the Salem play as the foundations for great storytelling. Enjoy their hard work!

As a school we would like to congratulate the following 3 pupils that have excelled on the football pitch.  Congratulations to Erin for representing the CARMS Schools Football squad, Alix for representing both the West Wales and CARMS schools Football squads,  and Libby for representing both the Swansea City U12s and CARMS schools football squads. Fantastic achievements by all.

Miss John (Geography) was delighted to have secured funding through the Walk the Global Walk Project to develop a Sustainable Peace Gardens in school earlier this year. Our school was one of only 10 in Carmarthenshire to be selected after sending in an application. 

The garden will serve as a lasting legacy, bringing together the learning from the 3 Sustainable Development Goals that have been our focus in school (Sustainable Communities, Climate Action, and Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions). The Peace Garden will be a space for quiet reflection and serve as a symbol of hope for the future, especially in current times. Some pupils from Year 7 along with Mrs Killingsworth helped plant and clean up the area today. Form groups 7C and 7R will help maintain the garden. 

The snaps show the progress so far! We planted a tree today along with many plants and edibles! The tree was planted via funding from the Connecting Classrooms Project. QEHS is a lead school on this project which consists of a cluster of Carmarthenshire schools and schools in Lesotho. Each Welsh school is partnered, ours is Bocheltsana in Thaba Tseka. We will all be planting trees to meet the aim of SDG 13 Climate Action.

Pupils that helped on this date were:

7C; Hari, Harvey, Heidi, Charlie and Gervin

7R; Kamron, Grace and Bethan

Outstanding effort!

What a fantastic achievement! 

Some of our very talented pupils entered the Young Writers poetry competition in which they were asked to write a poem on the theme of 'Imagine' and we are delighted that they have all been chosen for publication. 

Well done to:

Maciej Glawenda 

Erin Gilbert 

James Lynch-Morris 

Lila Davies 

Lindsey Hyde 

Alex Webster 

Natalie Nugent 

Olivia Thomas 

Miss Howells and the English department are very proud of you all! 

Congratulations to Carys, Year 7, who started cricket when she was 7 years old. Carys now plays for the West Wales Mixed Cricket team and the Wales Under 13 girls’ team.

Just before Christmas the Mathematics Department ran an Advent Calendar, providing pupils with a themed Maths problem to solve each day. 

Various pupils took part across all year groups, and the students who showed consistent effort, along with answering the most correct, were finally able to receive their prizes this week. 

The Maths Department would like to say a massive well done to everyone who participated and we hope you all enjoyed yourselves

This year the QEHS Y13 STEM team won the Engineering Education Scheme Wales prize for best Team.  Pupils completed a 6th month project designing and building a prototype wireless sensor that could be fitted to bicycles, to allow real time tracking. This would enable the millions of bicycle owners, who had their bicycles stolen, to potentially track and retrieve their stolen bicycle. This project was carried out in conjunction with UWTSD. The photo shows pupils with their prize money and their Gold Crest Awards. Many congratulations to them for their hard work!

Congratulations to Kate for having made the Swansea City Ladies Football team playing in the Wales Premier League and being the ‘face’ of the Swans AFC Community Trust.

A fantastic achievement.

Lona completed a sponsored walk and raised over £300 for West Wales Poundies Dog Rescue where she works as a volunteer.

Ardderchog Lona!

Members of the Poetry Club, run by Miss Howells of the English Department entered a Young Writers competition and were successful in getting their poems published in an anthology, entitled "Through Their Eyes". A fantastic achievement and the entire Department is very proud of them!