St Illtyd's Catholic High School

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Use British English|date=November 2013}} {{Infobox school | name = St Illtyd's Catholic High School | image = | image_size = | coordinates = {{coord|51.5178|-3.1147|type:edu_region:GB_dim:100|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | mottoes = Sanitas, Scientia, Sanctitas ("Health, Knowledge, Holiness") Signum Fidei ("Sign of Faith") | established = 1924 (College) 1867 (Heathfield) 1987 (merger) | closed = | type = Secondary comprehensive | religious_affiliation = Roman Catholic | president = | head_label = | head = David Thomas | r_head_label = | r_head = | chair_label = | chair = | founders = [[Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools|De La Salle Brothers]] | specialist = | address = Newport Rd | city = Cardiff | county = | country = Wales | postal_code = CF3 1XQ | local_authority = | ofsted = | urn = 401887 | staff = | enrolment = | gender = Coeducational | lower_age = 11 | upper_age = 16 | houses = | colours = | publication = | free_label1 = | free_text1 = | free_label2 = | free_text2 = | free_label3 = | free_text3 = | website = http://www.stilltyds.org.uk/ }} '''St Illtyd's Catholic High School''' is a coeducational secondary school in [[Rumney, Cardiff|Rumney]], a district in the east side of the Welsh capital Cardiff. The school's namesake is [[Illtud]], a 5th-century Welsh abbot and teacher.

==History==

===St Illtyd's College=== St Illtyd's College was founded by the [[Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools|De La Salle Brothers]] in 1924 to educate boys from the local Catholic community and most pupils were of [[Irish Catholic]] descent. The early years of the school were difficult due to minimal funding. Troubles in the local coal industry and the [[Great Depression]] meant that many parents could not afford to pay the bare minimum school fees while wealthier Catholics chose to send their children to [[Public school (United Kingdom)|public school]]s. During the era of the [[Tripartite system of education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland|tripartite system]], the college became a [[Voluntary aided school|voluntary aided]] [[grammar school]] and maintained that status until the system was abolished. It was the last remaining boys' aided grammar school in Wales. Originally located in [[Splott]], it moved out of its cramped school grounds to a new campus overlooking the [[Bristol Channel]] in the 1960s.<ref>{{cite news|title=St. Illtyd's moves to new site|url=http://archive.catholicherald.co.uk/article/4th-september-1964/3/st-illtyds-moves-to-new-site|work=[[Catholic Herald]] Archives|date=4 September 1964}}</ref> The Lasallian heritage is acknowledged by the five-pointed star and the motto "Signum Fidei" ([[Latin]] for "Sign of Faith"), the motto of the De La Salle Brothers, featured in the school crest.

===Heathfield House School=== Founded by the [[Sisters of Providence of the Institute of Charity]] (more commonly known as the Rosminian Sisters of Providence) in 1867, Heathfield House School was the oldest Catholic secondary school in Wales. It was called St Joseph's Grammar School at that time and located at David Street, Cardiff. In 1877 it moved to a building called Heathfield House, which subsequently gave the school its name. In 1953 it became a voluntary aided grammar school. It turned comprehensive in 1968 before becoming a [[sixth form college]] nine years later.<ref>{{cite book|title=Opting out: Catholic schools today|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BBLGZHqZs9YC|last=Egan|first=Josephine|publisher=Gracewing Publishing|pages=45–6|year=1988|isbn=9780852441312}}</ref>

===Merger=== In 1987 St Illtyd's and Heathfield House merged to form the present coeducational school. The sixth form college was abolished as [[St David's Catholic College]] was opened instead.

==Caer Castell Camp== [[Caer Castell Camp]] lies within the grounds of the school.<ref name="Coflein1">{{cite web|title=Caer Castell Ring Motte, Rumney|url=https://coflein.gov.uk/cy/safle/95148?term=Caer%20Castell|website=Coflein|publisher=[[Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales]]|access-date=2022-10-07}}</ref> Caer Castell Camp is a [[Motte-and-bailey castle|motte and ditch]] [[scheduled monument]] and dates back to between 1066 and 1540 [[Anno Domini|AD]].<ref name="Cadw">{{National Historic Assets of Wales|num= GM216|desc=Caer Castell Camp|class= SM|uid= 3383|access-date=2022-10-07}}</ref>

==Former pupils== {{alumni|date=August 2025}}

===St Illtyd's Catholic High School=== *[[Dan Fish]] (b. 1990) – rugby union player<ref>{{cite news|title=Fish makes waves with new contract|url=http://www.cardiffblues.com/news/6823.php|publisher=[[Cardiff Blues]]|date=18 February 2010}}</ref>

===St Illtyd's Boys' College=== *[[Dannie Abse]] (1923–2014) – poet *[[Paul Flynn (British politician)|Paul Flynn]] (1935–2019) – MP from 1987 to 2019 of [[Newport West (UK Parliament constituency)|Newport West]] *[[Peter Gill (playwright)|Peter Gill]] (b. 1939) – playwright *[[John James (British poet)|John James]] (1939–2018) – poet * [[Walter Marshall, Baron Marshall of Goring]] (1932–1996) – chairman from 1982 to 1989 of the [[Central Electricity Generating Board]] (CEGB) * [[Michael Mullett]] (1943–2026), historian *[[Anthony Reynolds]], musician and writer *[[John Stewart (diplomat)|John Stewart]] (1927–1995) – diplomat and politician

===Heathfield House School=== *[[Deirdre Hine]] (b. 1937) – physician

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.stilltyds.org.uk/ School Website] *[[Estyn]] Inspection [http://www.estyn.gov.uk/english/provider/6814600/ Reports]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Illtyd's Catholic High School}} [[Category:Lasallian schools in the United Kingdom|Cardiff]] [[Category:Secondary schools in Cardiff]] [[Category:Catholic secondary schools in the Archdiocese of Cardiff-Menevia]] [[Category:Educational institutions established in 1924]] [[Category:1924 establishments in Wales]]