School News
Vicky Khawaja, Assistant Headteacher at Wootton Wawen CofE Primary writes:
“I wanted to share some exciting news from Wootton Wawen CofE Primary School. On Friday, we were formally recognised as an International Cross of Nails (ICON) School during a special service at St Peter’s Church.
We are incredibly proud to have achieved this accreditation, which recognises our commitment to promoting peace, reconciliation, justice and hope within our school community and beyond. The award reflects the collective efforts of our pupils, staff, governors, church and wider community to embed these values throughout school life.
As a school with the vision ‘Nurture, Inspire, Achieve’, this work has become a significant part of our culture and curriculum, and we would be delighted to encourage other schools who may be interested in exploring the accreditation.”
If you are interested in looking at ICON status for your school and want to talk to Vicky to find out more, do get in touch with her here.
Congratulations to Blue Coat CofE School and Music Colleage for being named a silver winner in the ‘Making a Difference – Secondary School of the Year’ category at the Pearson National Teaching Awards.
Announced on National Thank a Teacher Day, the award places Blue Coat among just six secondary schools across the country celebrating the exceptional impact the school has on its students, families and wider community.
As silver winner, Blue Coat now progresses to the national final where Gold Award winners will be announce in November at a prestigious awards ceremony in London.
The award was presented by David Tyler, Head of Growth at Pearson, who spent time meeting students, staff and partners during his visit to the schools. Speaking at the presentation David said:
“My fist impresson of Blue Coat is complete joy.The amazing things past pupils, current pupils and school partners shared completely blew me away. The morning was full of hope. It’s not easy out there, but hearing these stories fills me with optimism. You can see the impact Blue Coat has on its community and it brings a big smile to your face.”
Headteacher Lisa Wright said: “To receive this recognition on Thank a Teacher Day makes it even more special. It gives us a genuine opportunity to thank every single member of our staff community for the difference they make every day. This award belongs to all of them.”
Pupils from All Saints CofE Primary, Bedworth and The Canons CofE Primary have had peace poems published that were written as part of the Coventry Peace Festival (1–15 November 2025), commemorating the 85th anniversary of the Coventry Blitz and aligning with Interfaith Week under the theme “Community – Together We Serve.”
The poems were initially performed to a large audience in All Saints’ Church in Bedworth. This was the first time the event had been held in Bedworth, marking an important step in strengthening connections across Warwickshire and Coventry. The occasion reflected the power of community, demonstrating how collective effort across education, faith, and civic leadership can create memorable, inclusive experiences that benefit young people while celebrating shared values of peace, reflection, and unity.
You can read the poems here.
National Society for Education – National Professional Qualification Places for 26/27
Keen to reserve an NPQ place for 2026-2027 for you or your team? The NSE are anticipating courses will begin in November 2026 and their courses are always oversubscribed so if you’re keen to grab a place, complete the form here to register your interest, and they’ll be in touch.
For the full Headlines newsletter contact joanne.evans@coventrydbe.org
