Howell's School, Llandaff

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Cardiff (Caerdydd), Wales
Howell's School, Llandaff

Howell’s School, Llandaff GDST is an independent day school for girls aged 3 to 18 and boys aged 16 to 18 in Llandaff, Cardiff, Wales.

Howell's School is part of the GDST (Girls’ Day School Trust). The GDST is the leading network of independent girls’ schools in the UK, with nearly 4,000 staff, and 20,000 students between the ages of three and 18. As a charity that owns and runs a network of 24 schools and two academies in England and Wales, it reinvests all its income in its schools. Howell's School, located at Llandaff, in Cardiff, caters for girls aged 3 -18 and for boys aged 16 -18. It has a longstanding reputation for academic excellence as the foremost girls' school in Wales. It provides tremendous "value added" in terms of public examination results, which are consistently higher than predicted in independent assessments. Since 2005, boys have been admitted to the Sixth Form College. Founded in 1860, the school is housed in the original buildings of great character as well as more modern extensions and nearby buildings such as Roald Dahl's childhood home. The Junior and Senior School are on the same site but are self-contained entities, though the Junior School benefits from the facilities of the Senior School, including the indoor swimming pool. A friendly and purposeful atmosphere pervades the school, which keeps abreast of modern educational developments. The facilities are outstanding, as is the extensive programme of extracurricular activities. Students are encouraged to excel in any area in which they show interest or talent, not purely the academic. Links with overseas schools, superb I.T. facilities, great environmental awareness (the school has gained Fair Trade status) and a wide variety of language provision all serve to create tomorrow's global citizens. The school encourages independence of thought and provides a confidence-building environment. There is a strong emphasis on pastoral care. The Careers Department has attained the CareersWales Award for the quality of its guidance.

04/10/2026

On Friday, we came together for our Harvest assembly. It gave us a valuable opportunity to reflect on the importance of helping those around us. We were joined by representatives from Cardiff Foodbank, City Hospice and Reaching Out Food Bank, who all spoke passionately about the work that these organisations do in our community. Thank you so much to everyone who gave donations to these incredibly important charities.

Musical entertainment came from Senior Choir, Allegro Strings, our Whole School Orchestra, and Prep Chamber Choir. And it wouldn’t be Harvest without students from Reception to Year 13 joining together in fine voice for a rousing rendition of Cauliflowers Fluffy, expertly led by Mr Beckett.

02/10/2026

On Wednesday, twenty of our Prep School instrumentalists attended the Welsh National Opera Schools Concert, featuring the Welsh National Opera Orchestra and a group of WNO vocal soloists in the Donald Gordon Theatre at the Wales Millennium Centre.

The theme of the concert was Marvellous Musical Mythology, and include Offenbach’s energetic Can-Can, Beethoven’s music from Prometheus, Ballo de Orsi (Dance of the Bears), brought to life by the world class WNO Orchestra and a group of sensational vocal soloists.

The opportunity to hear, see and feel a professional opera orchestra and opera singers up close has inspired the girls to keep up their regular practice, and they look forward performing themselves at concerts and assemblies soon.

25/09/2026

This week, the I Can & I Am bus came to Howell's to give our Year 7 and 8 girls a unique opportunity to reflect on their self worth and consider how to develop a growth mindset. The day began with an inspirational talk by James Shone, who explained how losing 90% of his eyesight has shaped his positive attitude and his work, and why he believes that every child deserves to have true confidence and self belief.

Groups of students were then invited onto the bus for an hour’s workshop, where they had fun making pizza and talking to the team about their personal strengths, abilities and hopes for the future. On Wednesday, James spoke to parents from the Prep and Senior schools, as part of our Howell's Connect series of events.

It was a wonderful few days and we are grateful to James and his team for instilling such a powerful message for each individual.

24/09/2026

Today we were very lucky to have some very special visitors to our school.

As part of the People Who Help Us topic that our youngest girls are studying, PC Kelly and PC Hannah from the Mounted Section of South Wales Police came to see us on their police horses Dave and Louie. They told the Nursery and Reception girls about the sort of jobs that they do to help keep us safe, and explained how they look after the police horses.

And luckily for everyone in the senior school, the visit coincided with lunchtime, so lots more of us got to say hello to Dave and Louie. Thank you so much to South Wales Police for taking the time to come and see us, and thank you for looking after all of us.

23/09/2026

Yesterday, Year 7 arrived on the school field. Sleeves rolled up, trainers on, ready for action.

Challenges were tackled. Problems were solved. Friendships were formed.

Led by the brilliant folk at WiseUp, our youngest senior school girls spent the day working together as a team. Not sat behind a desk or in front of a screen.

They were all in the thick of it, in the most glorious autumn sunshine, developing the skills and strategies that will help them get the most out of everything that Howell’s has to offer them.

They already feel like a winning team. We cannot wait to see where Year 7 takes them.

22/09/2026

Your daughter’s time. Matters.

Her time is precious, which is why we are committed to making every moment count. At Howell’s, we fill each day with challenge, purpose and opportunities.

From Nursery through to Sixth Form, we are ambitious for every one of our students. Whether in the classroom or on the sports field, backstage or in the spotlight, every experience helps shape who they become.

Because the time she spends at school is about so much more than academic results, we ensure your daughter makes the most of every day.

The clock is ticking. To find out more, join us at an Open Day or arrange a personal tour at a time that works for your family

Sign up via the link in our bio.

21/09/2026

Have you booked your place at our College Open Evening on Thursday 1st October?

At Howell’s, Sixth Form is about so much more than choosing from our 20+ A Level subjects.

Alongside outstanding academic support, our students benefit from personalised university and careers guidance, admissions test preparation, specialist support for Oxbridge and competitive university applications, and dedicated programmes for aspiring medics, dentists and vets.

Beyond the classroom, there are countless opportunities to lead, contribute and thrive through student leadership roles, sport, music, school productions and a wide-ranging co-curricular programme.

From Gold DofE, TEFL and First Aid qualifications to our Artificial Intelligence/Human Intelligence programme, the GDST Space and Technology Diploma, and the national Tycoon enterprise competition, students are encouraged to explore their passions and develop the skills needed for life beyond school.

Join us for our College Open Evening on Thursday 1st October and discover where a Howell’s education could take you.

Sign up here: https://www.howells-school-llandaff.gdst.net/admissions/open-days/

17/09/2026

This week, our Year 3 to 5 girls were introduced to their class instruments by Mr Beckett, our Prep School Director of Music, alongside some of our visiting music specialist teachers.

After exploring the instruments, hearing them played and watching some clips of musicians performing in a variety of settings, the girls are now ready to learn how to play their instruments in their music lessons. Year 3 will choose between violin or cello, Year 4 cornet or trombone, and Year 5 flute or clarinet.

Even better, the instruments will be going home each week, giving the girls the chance to practise, build confidence and share their new talents with family and friends.

Later this year we will welcome parents and friends to celebrate all they have learned and hear the wonderful progress they have made!

15/09/2026

From their very first day with us, our girls are encouraged to develop their love of stories and reading. Spending time reading allows our girls to blast off in a rocket ship, explore deep jungles, or converse with mythical creatures, expanding their imagination and independent creativity.

Stories act as windows into other lives, teaching children to recognize complex feelings and helps them understand why different people act the way they do, forming a foundation for deep empathy.

Curling up with a book creates an environment of pure security. A shared experience—filled with “serve and return” conversations where children ask questions and predict plots—strengthens emotional trust and builds memories that last a lifetime.

To find out more about how we encourage a habit of reading for pleasure, join us for our Nursery Open Evening this Thursday 17th September at 5.30pm.

Sign up at the link in our bio.

Address

Howell's School
Cardiff
CF52YD

Telephone

+442920562019

Website

https://www.howells-school-llandaff.gdst.net/

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