Our school was not always called "Cantonian". Canton municipal secondary school, as it was then called, was opened on Monday, 21st October, 1907, with eighty-five pupils. It was situated in Market road Canton, which is now more commonly known as Chapter and Llanover Arts Centre. The school was split between girls and boys. The girls' school opened with 105 pupils on the 4th November 1907, sharing the same site. When the new school was opened there were no laboratories, no art room and no gymnasium.

Our vision: The best from each, success for all

Ein gweledigaeth: Y gorau o bob un, llwyddiant i bawb

In September 1909 - the number of boys now being 250 - a new science wing and art room were added for the joint use of the girls' and boys' schools. There were 512 boys in school in 1930, but this figure was not maintained, and fell considerably in the early forties, due to the war.

In 1933, the name of the school was changed to "Canton High School for Boys". On 30th October, 1940, a concert was held in the main hall of the school to mark, officially, the installation of a new organ which was a memorial to those members of staff and pupils who had given their lives in the 1914-18 war. In a few months that organ had been destroyed, together with the major part of the school in the 1941 'blitz'. Most of the school records were also destroyed making the early history of the school a little sketchy. The school building was not completely restored until September 1951.

In September 1962 the 612 boys and thirty-two assistant masters moved to the new premises at Fairwater. Canton High School for girls took over the old building in Canton but in 1963 the girls moved to the Fairwater site as well, the girls school occupying “A” block and the boys school in “B” block. In 1968 the two schools became one with the addition of a third school called Waterhall. Waterhall School was set up in 1958. The former Waterhall Secondary Modern School is now home to Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr. In those days it was a secondary modern school which meant that the children who attended there had failed the 11+ examination and didn’t make it into grammar school. In 1968, Waterhall joined with the two grammar schools called Canton High School for girls and Canton High School for boys. There were about 1900 children in the new “comprehensive” school and the Waterhall site was the base for the lower school.

Our ICT vision: Success for all in the 21st century

Ein gweledigaeth ar gyfer TGCh: Llwyddiant i bawb yn y 21ain ganrif

Cantonian High School is a true community school. We feel that one of our strengths is that we value each pupil as an individual. In our inspection of 2005, Estyn recognised that not only do we put in place innovative strategies to drive our standards and performance forward but also that we ensure a high standard of pastoral care is provided for all our pupils. We are in the process of developing a curriculum to suit the needs and interests of each pupil where conventional subjects are supported by a diverse range of vocational courses. We have high expectations of all our students. We took in the largest cohort of Yr12 students this year to join a growing sixth form which in turn offers a pathway to university, apprenticeships or employment/training. In last years GCSE cohort, 51% of our young people achieved 5 GCSE A* - C.

Our vision: The best from each, success for all

Ein gweledigaeth: Y gorau o bob un, llwyddiant i bawb

The cantonian school badge has been reworked following the design of the original school badge of Canton High School for Boys. The stag, the dragon and the lamp are part of the old badge and all have their own significance (see the image below). "Semper sursum" is the old school motto. It is written in Latin and means "ever upwards".

The school's vision statement today is "The best from each...success for all". Although the school colours are traditionally blue, black and silver, the pupils of Cantonian High School were asked what colours they would like to see on the badge by the last Headteacher, Mr A Cowell. The colours they chose were the red and gold you see below.

Our ICT vision: Success for all in the 21st century

Ein gweledigaeth ar gyfer TGCh: Llwyddiant i bawb yn y 21ain ganrif