23rd October 2025
School News
Bishop Sophie Visits Ilmington CofE Primary
Paul Crouch, Headteacher of Ilmington CofE Primary writes:
“It was lovely to welcome Bishop Sophie to Ilmington School and she was kind enough to lead an act of worship with the children where she explained part of her role as a bishop. This involved dressing up a few of the children in some of her bishop’s robes and in a running vest. She also got some children to hold other items which represented her ministry and were important to her. She then talked about why each of these things meant so much to her and how they help in her role.”
SIAMS News
Congratulations to staff and governors at Burton Green CofE Academy who had their SIAMS inspection last month. They were found to be living up to their foundation as a Church school, enabling pupils and adults to flourish. You can read the report here.
Pray for Schools Event – Prayer Requests Welcome
Walsgrave CofE Academy are hosting a prayer gathering on 20 November as part of the national ‘Pray for Schools’ day. They are inviting you to join them in praying for all schools, students, staff and wider communities. If you have specific requests you would like them to pray for, or want to know more, see here.
Wholehearted Leadership: An Online Programme for Senior Leaders in Church of England Schools
- For those who are new to senior leadership in Church schools (Assistant/Deputy Heads and Headteachers) or anyone who just needs that regular reminder of why they do this essential yet challenging role.
- Self-Directed online course with ‘touching base’ network meetings.
- Twelve half-termly sessions over two academic years starting autumn term 2025.
This is a new programme for Senior Leaders in Church schools, providing half-termly sessions where senior leaders are invited to consider leadership issues through a lens of Christian distinctiveness with input from Jen Jenkins, the DBE’s RE, SIAMS & Spirituality Officer. It is offered as a ‘gift’ to you – a space to reflect on your development as a person, teacher and leader, and meet and discuss with other senior leaders in the diocese.
The programme uses a blend of online self-directed sessions with face-to-face events. It has three core components of focus, personal reflection and coaching. It is based on Thessalonians 5:12-18 giving it a distinctively Christian approach.
Jen was formerly a Deputy Headteacher and the programme is informed by shadowing senior leaders in the diocese so that the current reality for senior leaders is deeply considered.
Find out more here and do share with SLT colleagues. To enrol and get started on your first self-directed sessions this term contact lisa.boffey@coventrydbe.org
National Society for Education – Free Advent Collective Worship Resource
The National Society’s AYLA invites school to join them in ‘The Joy of Christmas’, a brand new collective worship resource for Advent 2025 aimed at KS2 and KS3 learners.
For KS1 pupils there is a brand new version of the book ‘The Grumpy Owl and the Joy of Christmas’, which tells the story of Jesus’ birth through the eyes of an owl who seems determined to miss all the excitement. You can find out more about this here.
At KS2 and KS3 the focus is on the central theme of grumpiness into joy, taking time to reflect and celebrate the key characters in the Nativity story, Mary and Joseph, the shepherds and the wise men. Children will explore what might have made them grumpy, or find things difficult, and how they found joy in connection, trusting, sharing, and following.
Schools can sign up here: www.nse.org.uk/ayla/advent
For the full Headlines newsletter contact joanne.evans@coventrydbe.org