Originally published 10 October 2003

Pupils at Coventry’s newest primary school are looking their best thanks to the University of Warwick and the city council’s Area Co-ordination South West team.

The two organisations teamed up to buy around 350 youngsters at Charter Primary new sweatshirts.

The Canley school was formed after the amalgamation of Alderman Harris and Sir Henry Parkes primary schools in the summer. It will move to a purpose-built site off Mitchell Avenue in the future.

A new name and school logo was designed by children at the school, in a competition run by the Area Co-ordination South West team.

It joined forces with the University of Warwick to go a step further and buy pupils at the school maroon sweatshirts for the start of the new term.

Ken Sloan, Director of Student Recruitment and Admissions, is delighted the University of Warwick was able to help.

He said: “Through our teacher training programme we already have good links with the school but this was a good way to improve community links still further.

“With the University backing onto Canley, it is also a chance to start a link with the primary school children instead of waiting until they are at secondary school.”

Paul Hardisty, Head Teacher at Charter Primary, thanked the City Council and the University of Warwick for their support.

He said: “It was a wonderful gesture and all the pupils are looking very smart indeed.”