END OF HALF TERM NEWSLETTER - FEBRUARY 2026
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Dear Parents,
The first half term of 2026 has flown by, and our halls have been buzzing with a variety of events, trips, and exams. The recent introduction of our Year 11 intervention sessions and the reorganisation of our Tuesday afternoon Enrichment offer have been particularly successful. I am confident these changes will have a significant positive impact on our students—not only regarding academic attainment but also in their personal growth and readiness for the next stage of their education.
Last week, we celebrated National Apprenticeship Week with a wide range of activities and employer engagement sessions. Every student was involved, and it was fantastic to see such high levels of engagement. I strongly encourage all students to remain active participants in these opportunities throughout the remainder of the academic year.
Regarding the national changes to mobile phone use in schools: please be assured we are currently reviewing all available options. Our priority is to adhere to Government guidelines while ensuring that the safety, security, and well-being of our young people remain at the heart of our decision-making. We will keep you updated as we move forward.
Thank you for your continued support. On behalf of myself and the staff, I wish you and your families a safe and restful half-term break.
Kind regards,
Adele Wallis
MESSAGE FROM THE CEO OF WMG ACADEMY
MESSAGE FROM THE CEO OF WMG ACADEMY
This has been an extremely busy and productive half term in both academies, laying foundations for exams in the summer and hosting a myriad of employer events to prepare students for their next steps. A particular highlight has been the National Apprenticeship Week, this week, where as a Trust, we have hosted events from over 40 companies which included Schneider Electric, Severn Trent, Stallentis, Collins Aerospace, BMW and many more. This impressive commitment by our partners has enabled opportunities for students to be engaged in a selection of over 20 company interactions across the Trust over the course of the week.
The countdown has now started for the summer examination series which is now under 10 teaching weeks away! Staff in both academies have been planning lots of support and preparation for students in the run up to their exams.
In the meantime, whilst thanking parents and staff for their ongoing support and students for their perseverance and commitment, I wish all a safe and restful half term which hopefully is blessed with some drier weather.
Stewart Tait - CEO
Year 12 Architecture Students Present to Baily Garner
Year 12 Architecture students recently presented their final design ideas in response to a professional brief set by Bailey Garner. The project offered students a valuable opportunity to engage with a real live site and re-imagine its future through architectural thinking.
Working with the Spon End, Coventry site, students were challenged to explore one of two project routes: regeneration or public art. The overarching aim was to reconsider what the site could or should become, informed by social, historical, and community context. Students were encouraged to think ambitiously while responding to real-world considerations such as public space, housing, landscaping, and local identity.
Throughout the project, students developed their ideas using a range of architectural methods including sketching, diagrams, models, and presentations. On 27 January, students presented their final design ideas to a practising architect from Baily Garner, gaining valuable experience of sharing and discussing their work with an industry professional. These final proposals demonstrated thoughtful engagement with the brief, with students confidently explaining their design intentions and the reasoning behind their decisions.
Celebrating Our Bronze Baker Award Winners!
We are incredibly proud to celebrate the ten students who travelled to London on January 27th for the prestigious Baker Award Ceremony. This event was a true milestone, marking the successful completion of their Bronze Baker Award, a journey that required a full year of focus, technical skill, and hard work.
To earn their Bronze status, these students tackled a rigorous set of challenges. They didn't just study; they applied their knowledge by:
Mastering Technical Tasks: Completing a year-long series of hands-on projects that pushed their creative and practical boundaries.
Professional Networking: At the ceremony, our winners stepped into the spotlight, socialising with representatives from major industry companies. It was an invaluable chance to build confidence and talk to professionals about future careers.
Exploring the Capital: It wasn't all business! The group also took the time to soak in the sights of London, from the historic architecture of Westminster to the buzzing city streets a perfect way to celebrate their achievement.
The Baker Award is about more than just a certificate; it’s about preparing for the world of work. By demonstrating such high levels of commitment, these ten students have placed themselves at the front of the queue for future opportunities.
Congratulations to our winners!
Kaitlyn, Jesse, Mary, Isabelle, Kian, Alex, Harry, Lucas, Kian and Tami
Physics Stars on the Rise: Huge Congratulations to our Oxford Bound Trio!
A massive congratulations to Ebube, Darryl, and Lily for successfully securing places on prestigious residential programmes at the University of Oxford!
Ebube and Darryl have been selected for the Oxford Physics Year 10 Empowerment Residential. This is no small feat; the programme is highly competitive, designed to bring together the brightest young minds to dive into advanced workshops and work alongside world-class researchers. Out of a massive pool of applicants, they stood out for their academic curiosity and passion for understanding the universe.
We are equally proud to announce that Lily has secured a place on the renowned Oxford UNIQ programme. UNIQ has a long-standing reputation for giving high-achieving students a true taste of the Oxford undergraduate experience, helping them navigate the heights of university applications with confidence and skill.
Securing these spots isn't just about hard work—it’s about breaking barriers and proving that top-tier education is within reach. We are incredibly proud to have Ebube, Darryl, and Lily representing our school community on this national stage.
Year 12s Spark Success at National Grid
This term, eight of our Year 12 students gained an exclusive look into the energy sector during a visit to the National Grid Electricity Distribution offices in Nottingham.
The group witnessed the live response to Storm Chandra and students saw firsthand how engineers manage high-pressure situations to restore power to thousands of homes.
The students were then tasked to build transmission structures to rigorous technical specifications. They also pitched Corporate Social Responsibility strategies to the Area Control Manager, aiming to balance infrastructure needs with community relations. During this task the students made an incredible impression; the Manager noted that the designs were so professional he initially thought design engineers had assisted them!
The day concluded with a deep dive into National Grid Apprenticeships, showcasing paths into the industry. To top off a successful trip, all eight students have been invited to apply for exclusive summer work experience. Well done to our Year 12s for representing the school with such professionalism and talent!
WMG Art Mural's
During enrichment sessions, some students have been getting creative by taking part in an exciting mural competition. Working individually and in teams, they have been designing and painting murals that reflect ideas, talents and teamwork around the academy. The project has been a fantastic opportunity for students to express themselves artistically while building confidence and collaboration skills. I am incredibly proud of the effort and creativity on display and can’t wait to share the finished murals with the whole academy.
UTC Health Tech Challenge
Huge congratulations are in order for the brilliant minds at WMG Academy Coventry!
Our Talented KS4 students have officially taken the top spot in the UTC Healthcare Challenge 2026 with their innovative design for a therapeutic pediatric wheelchair.
In a competition filled with amazing students from across the UTC network and forward-thinking ideas, our KS4 students stood out by combining technical engineering excellence with genuine empathy. Their design didn't just focus on mobility; it focused on the comfort and therapeutic needs of young patients, proving that these students are already thinking like world-class engineers.
Our KS5 students were recognised for their thoughtful and innovative smartwatch design to support young people with asthma. Their design showcased how their watch would communicate to an app that would track the live status of the wearer's levels, such as O2 and would alert them if their values were worryingly low. On the day, there was a lot of high quality entries and our sixth form team missed out on the awards, however were commended by the judges for their design and encouraged to continue to develop their ideas.
KS4 team:
Susan, Marvellous, Dylan, Laviru, Eniola
KS5 team:
Oreoluwa, Osezele, Adaoma, Bamise
Engineering the Future: Science Team Partners with DePuy Synthes
On Monday, our Science Department kicked off National Apprenticeship Week in style. We were thrilled to welcome partners from DePuy Synthes (Johnson & Johnson) for an immersive day of medical engineering and career coaching.
Our 36 Year 12 students were tasked with solving real-world medical challenges. After learning about the company’s global impact, groups dove into five complex case studies:
Orthopedic Innovation: Hip Implant Redesign
Elite Athletics: Paralympic Shot Put Prosthetic Design
Precision Tools: Smart Surgical Drill Design
Wearable Tech: Smart Posture Correction Device Design
Recovery Solutions: Hip and Knee Replacement Rehab Devices
The creativity on display was remarkable. Some groups even progressed as far as generating initial CAD (Computer-Aided Design) models to showcase their concepts. The session culminated in a "Dragon’s Den" style finale, where students presented their designs and defended them against rigorous questioning from our guest judges.
The afternoon provided a further "value-add," with students participating in mock interviews with our visitors—an experience many described as "invaluable" for their future career paths.
A huge thank you to Indrani, Michelle, Aiza, and Charlotte from DePuy Synthes for hosting such an inspiring session and helping our students dive headfirst into the world of medical engineering.
Exam Timetables
Summer examination timetables have now been handed out to students. Some subjects with centre-timetabled examinations, like GCSE Art and T-Level Engineering, may still be in the process of being organised – all updates will be communicated to students and parents as soon as final details are confirmed.
Please may I refer students and parents to the examination booklet on the academy website for further details and information regarding the exam procedures.
As much as examinations are a test of subject knowledge, they are also a test of organisation and preparation. With courses coming to an end and coursework deadlines approaching, students would be well advised to take note of all their examination dates and times to start preparing a revision timetable. Research has shown that a little-and-often, interleaving approach to revision to be the most effective as well as helping to keep a workload manageable.
Subject Spotlight... English
Subject Spotlight... English
What are you working on?
In English, Year 11 students have now completed all of the core curriculum content and are fully focused on revision in preparation for the summer exams. Students are currently revisiting the Power and Conflict poetry anthology and will shortly move on to ‘stripy’ revision of the remaining literature and language content to strengthen retention and exam confidence.
Highlight of the half term
Recently, Year 11 students sat a full English Language Paper 1 mock under exam conditions, giving them valuable experience of managing time, applying exam skills, and responding independently to unseen texts. This has provided clear feedback for both students and teachers, allowing revision to be carefully targeted in the weeks ahead. The students took this exam very seriously and we were impressed as a department by their maturity and dedication.
Star Students
We have been particularly impressed by a few students' work and dedication in English this year. In year 10, Eniola Ogungbire has gone above and beyond with her work both at school and at home. Also, Victor Oyekunle challenges himself every lesson by completing all work and the stretch tasks, contributing to discussions and reading well.
In year 11, Rayan Mohammed has shown commitment to the subject in both his classwork and his revision and Ruya Aygunes continues to produce work to an outstanding level.
What's new and upcoming?
As we move towards the summer exam season, English lessons will focus on refining exam technique and securing key knowledge across both Language and Literature. Students will take part in carefully sequenced revision, including a return to core texts and poetry alongside skills-based practice.
Meet the Team Member
Meet the Team Member
Mr John Vincent, Exams and Data Officer
What do you enjoy most about working here?
Sharing an office with Mrs Jenkins and Mrs McKenna. I make this statement of my own free will. In all seriousness, I work with some really great people.
If you weren’t working here, what would your dream job be?
I hear excellent things about a mortgage-free retirement. I appreciate it's at least a few decades away, but I like to think I could do that quite well.
What do you think makes WMG Academy different from other schools or colleges?
My focus is obviously on the exams and the school never shies away from their importance, but I also feel that there is a good understanding of their context in the bigger picture. The focus on next steps and what happens beyond a student's time in education is a huge strength of the academy.
What unique opportunities or experiences do students at WMG receive that they might not get anywhere else?
There is such a range of qualifications offered at WMG that students have a great chance to both experience a wide range of opportunities and start specialising. Before I started as exams officer, I had never even heard of some of the qualifications available to students.
In what ways do you feel WMG Academy supports its students to achieve their best?
I think a lot of students are unaware of quite how much trust and freedom they are granted at WMG, but the responsibility that comes with it is invaluable and really helps them prepare for the next steps.
End of Spring Half Term 1 for Key Stage 5
We have hit the ground running with Key Stage 5 in 2026, with many students in both year groups doing examinations for their BTEC, AAQ, and CTEC courses. Others are getting to final deadlines for coursework ahead of moderation dates and looking at getting their final pieces of work finished for the academic year. We are now counting down to exams in weeks instead of terms, with exams starting in May! As courses begin to wrap up teaching I'm sure our students are beginning to pick up their revision to a higher level in preparation for the end of the year.
A Positive Shift in Language
I would like to share an update with parents and carers about how we have strengthened our Academy culture through the language we use with students.
Across the Academy, we have moved away from the term behaviour and are instead using the shared values professional, aspirational and respectful. This change reflects our belief that our students are capable, responsible young people who rise to high expectations when those expectations are framed positively.
The word behaviour can feel corrective or focused on what has gone wrong. By contrast, professional, aspirational and respectful highlights the qualities we want to nurture in our students as learners and as individuals:
Professional, encourages students to take pride in how they present themselves, communicate, and engage with learning—skills that will support them well beyond school.
Aspirational, promotes a mindset of growth, motivation, and striving for personal best.
Respectful, reinforces kindness, empathy, and consideration for others, helping to create a calm and supportive learning environment.
The impact on student engagement
The impact on student engagement
We are already seeing encouraging signs that this approach is having a positive impact on student engagement. Students are responding well to language that focuses on trust, responsibility, and shared values. Classrooms feel more purposeful, relationships are stronger, and students are increasingly taking ownership of their learning and conduct.
Our expectations remain clear and consistent, but our language now better reflects our commitment to helping every child feel valued, supported, and inspired to succeed.
Thank you for your continued partnership and support as we work together to create a positive, aspirational learning community for all our students.
Mr C Nagra
Lead for Professional Standards
International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation – (FGM).docx
Find all the essential information on Post-16 and Post-18 options, including guidance for Year 10, Year 11, Year 12, and Year 13 students, as well as details on Apprenticeships and Work Experience. Click here to view the bulletin.
A Heartfelt Thank You to our Year 10 & 12 Families
A Heartfelt Thank You to our Year 10 & 12 Families
We would like to extend a huge thank you to all the parents and carers of our Year 10 and Year 12 students who took the time to complete our recent parent survey. We received 122 responses, providing us with invaluable feedback as we strive to make our Academy the best possible environment for your children.
Celebrating the Successes
Celebrating the Successes
The overall feedback was incredibly positive, and it is heartening to see that the hard work of our staff and students is being recognised. Here are a few highlights from the results:
91.7% of parents feel their child is safe at the school.
90.1% of parents report that their child is happy at the Academy.
86.8% of parents would recommend the Academy to others.
Hearing that such a vast majority of our community feels safe and happy is a testament to the strong culture we are building together.
Listening and Improving
Listening and Improving
While the majority of the feedback was glowing, we are committed to continuous improvement. We noted that a number of respondents expressed concerns regarding slow email response times and a lack of clarity for new families (specifically within Year 12).
We are actively seeking to improve these areas. To ensure a consistent experience, we would like to reiterate our communication standard: staff are asked to respond to all parent enquiries within 72 working hours.
What to do if you don't hear back: Should you not receive a response within this 72-hour window, we encourage you to follow up and ensure you include our main admin address: info@wmgacademy.org.uk. This allows our central team to ensure your query is being addressed.
Looking Ahead: Year 11 & 13
Looking Ahead: Year 11 & 13
We haven't forgotten our other year groups! The Year 11 and Year 13 Parent Voice survey is due to be completed next half term. We highly value your input, so please keep an eye out for that communication—we want to hear from you!
Thank you once again for your partnership and for being an active part of our Academy’s journey.
Mental Health Awareness Over the Break
Mental Health Awareness Over the Break
Mental Health email address for Parents/Carers to report concerns with mental health, mentalhealth.cov@wmgacademy.org.uk managed by Stacie Jennings and Debbie Brown (Mental Health Team) to give the students the best support.
Safeguarding Over The Break
Safeguarding Over The Break
Any safeguarding concerns should be forwarded to safeguarding.cov@wmgacademy.org.uk and marked 'CONFIDENTIAL-FAO SAFEGUARDING LEAD’. Additional contacts are also listed on the academy website.
Key Dates For Your Diaries
Key Dates For Your Diaries
Friday 13th February 2026 - Academy Closes for End of Half Term Break
Monday 23rd February 2026 - Academy Opens For After Half Term Break
Thursday 26th March 2026 - Year 12 Parents Evening
Friday 27th March 2026 - Academy Closes for Easter Break
Monday 13th April 2026 - Academy Opens For Summer Term
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