The brand-new Cantonian High School has opened its doors to welcome pupils this week, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the school and the local community.
The occasion was met with widespread excitement as pupils explored their impressive new surroundings and enjoyed their first experience of the new building which has been designed for the future of learning. Pupils now have access to dynamic, creative and inspiring spaces that support exploration, collaboration and the development of real‑world skills.
In addition, members of the local community will also benefit from the new facility with evening and weekend access to amenities including sports pitches, MUGAs, changing rooms and a variety of spaces for meetings and conferences. Bookings can be made via Cantonian High School.
Fairwater Community Campus, delivered by BESL Construction, stands as Cardiff and Welsh Government’s largest ever investment through the Sustainable Communities for Learning programme and will reshape opportunities for young people for generations to come.
The move into the new school building forms a central part of the pioneering educational campus – the first‑of‑its‑kind for Wales, bringing together Cantonian High School, Woodlands High School and Riverbank School on one cutting‑edge, fully integrated site.
At the heart of the development sits Copa, Cantonian’snew Health and Wellbeing Hub named after the Welsh word for “summit” which boasts a high‑spec activity studio, state‑of‑the‑art gym and new outdoor sports pitches. Copa will serve both pupils and the wider community, promoting wellbeing, fitness and stronger connections across Fairwater and beyond.
The new campus has been designed to supercharge the Curriculum for Wales, with rich opportunities across seven forward‑thinking areas: Learning, arts, sports, post‑16 education, inclusion, sustainability and community.
As a Net Zero Carbon, BREEAM excellent development, the school offers hands‑on learning through dedicated growing spaces with nutrition and food‑education areas and a community café showcasing home‑grown produce. Eco‑friendly thinking is woven through every corner, inspiring students to become global citizens and future climate leaders.
Reflecting on the first day, newly appointed Headteacher, Andraea Davies said: “Today marks far more than the opening of a new building – it is the beginning of a new chapter for Cantonian High School. It has been heart-warming to see our pupils walk through the doors of a school they truly deserve. This extraordinary campus gives us the platform to match our ambition for every young person.
“Cantonian has always been rooted in its community, and this remarkable new setting allows us to deepen that connection while offering young people outstanding spaces and opportunities in which to learn, grow and thrive. The best is yet to come, and I feel humbled and privileged to be standing here today as Headteacher.”
Chair of Governors, Barabara Connell added; “This is an incredibly exciting moment for our children, staff and the wider Cantonian High School community. These outstanding new school facilities will give pupils exceptional opportunities for generations to come. Most importantly, our dedicated staff now have an environment that truly reflects their commitment and care in nurturing young people’s talents and delivering a first-class education.”
From the beginning, pupil ambassadors have played a key role in shaping the new Cantonian High School, touring the site during construction, sharing feedback and informing their peers throughout the journey.
Yr 9 pupil Millie: “It’s really nice and I love the layout. It looks much tidier than the old school. It does make me look forward to school more, the environment is better. It makes school more enjoyable.”
Yr 13 pupil Harrison: “It was a big shock because of how much bigger it was compared to our old school – especially our new Sixth Form room – the scale has increased massively. It’s so big compared to our old room. We’ve got loads more subject-specific rooms – a new massive science lab, a big library and the canteen is much improved. Students will be more motivated to come to school as well because they know they’ve got this top of the range facility. They’ll want to come here to learn.”
Olivia from Year 13 said: “We’ve got more sport facilities, the full-size sporting courts inside, dance studio, a gym, the 4G pitches. It definitely makes us proud to be Cantonian students.”
Jack Brown head of year 7: “It’s going to open a lot of doors for our pupils in terms of feeling successful. It feels like a university campus so they’re going to be used to that kind of building when they go forward and I think actually taking pride in it. It’s very, very positive.”
The final phase of the campus will see the completion of new buildings for Woodlands High School and Riverbank School which are scheduled for occupation in September 2026. This will expand specialist Additional Learning Needs provision and unlock even more opportunities across education, sport and community learning.
Cardiff’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Education, Cllr Sarah Merry said: “Today marks a landmark moment for Cantonian High School and the wider Fairwater community. The new campus will become one of Wales’ most innovative educational settings and embodies years of dedication, collaboration and belief in what our young people deserve. It reflects our ambition, values and our commitment to providing exceptional opportunities for every learner.
“We are all immensely proud to see the vision realised and I am delighted to see pupils and staff walking through the doors of this a modern, inclusive and future‑focused setting that will empower learners for generations. This is an exciting new chapter for the school, and I look forward to watching its community thrive in this new environment.”
Bertie Borley, BESL Operations Director, commented: “It has been a fantastic team effort by all parties to get this important phase over the line. I would like to give a special thank you to the BESL team and all of our subcontractors and the supply chain for really pulling together to achieve this goal.
“The punctual completion of Cantonian High School has now cleared the way to finish the final phase of this amazing project and we look forward to seeing this new building be occupied by students and staff alike, in the coming days.”
