Cantonian High School, Cardiff

Cantonian High School is an English-medium school in Wales. Welsh schools are inspected by Estyn rather than Ofsted, and its latest report is published on Estyn's website.

It had 998 pupils in the 2025/26 school census.

40% of pupils are eligible for free school meals (three-year average).

Of its pupils, 11% have additional learning needs (28% in 2020/21); 12% are learning English as an additional language; and 36% are from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.

Year groups range from 39 pupils (Year 13) to 202 (Year 7).

Its delegated budget for 2026-27 works out at £6,642 per pupil, against £6,035 in 2021-22. It ended 2024-25 with a deficit of £556k.

Estyn's report on its October 2025 inspection summarises Cantonian High School like this:

"Cantonian High School is a caring and inclusive community where most pupils feel safe and supported. Staff foster positive relationships and promote the school’s values of ‘Ready, Responsible and Respectful’. As a result, many pupils behave well and engage positively in lessons. However, attendance is too low, and the progressive development of pupils’ literacy skills is a shortcoming. In many lessons, pupils make secure progress in their learning. Teachers generally have sound subject knowledge and manage behaviour effectively. In the best practice, teaching is well planned and challenging, helping pupils to think deeply and develop their skills."

"However, in a few lessons, low expectations and weak teaching limit pupils’ progress. Feedback is too variable and does not consistently help pupils improve their work. Numeracy provision is strong with many pupils demonstrating secure skills and applying them across the curriculum. In addition, pupils develop appropriately their digital skills. However, provision for the progressive development of pupils’ literacy skills across the curriculum in Years 7 to 9 is underdeveloped. The curriculum is broad and includes a suitable range of enrichment activities. Pupils benefit from impartial careers guidance and transition support, including for those with additional learning needs."

"The Specialist Resource Base provides well-structured and personalised support. Leaders have secured important improvements, including alleviating the impact of poverty on pupils’ attainment, improvements in the provision for the development of pupils’ numeracy skills and the promotion of the Welsh language. However, leaders’ evaluations lack precision, and staff are not held to account well enough. Governors are committed to the school and provide effective challenge. The school has a significant deficit budget."

Estyn made 5 recommendations: (1) Address the safeguarding concern raised during the inspection; (2) Ensure that leaders at all levels evaluate effectively the impact of provision on pupils’ progress and skills and hold others to account fully; (3) Improve provision for the progressive development of pupils’ literacy skills; (4) Improve attendance; (5) Work with the local authority to reduce the school’s deficit budget.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Cantonian High School are The Bishop Of Llandaff C.I.W. High School (0.3 miles), Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr (0.7 miles), Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf (0.7 miles) and Cardiff West Community High School (1.2 miles).

The nearest railway station is Fairwater Rail Station, about 110 metres away (roughly a 1-minute walk).

5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Norbury Road (after), 320 metres away.