Mr Nicholas Lovell - Headmaster BA (Hons) PGCE. English The Headmaster, Nicholas Lovell, joined the School in July 2002. He has worked in the independent sector since qualifying as a teacher in 1985. He is a graduate in English, Philosophy and Law from University College Cardiff and gained a Postgraduate Certificate in Education as a teacher of English and History. He began his career as a grammar school teacher moving to a boarding school where he became a housemaster at the age of 26. During this period he served for four years in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, rising to the rank of Flight Lieutenant . He has specialised as a preparatory school teacher since 1990.

He was Head of English at Bromgrove Lower School (the preparatory school to Bromsgrove School H.M.C.) from 1992 – 1997. At Bromsgrove his interest in school history led to him writing V.C.s of Bromsgrove School, a publication which described the lives of ex-pupils from the School who had won the Victoria Cross. This has attracted attention from the national press as well as television and radio. He has since contributed a number of articles on the wartime exploits of ex-public school pupils and teachers to a range of publications.

Whilst at Bromsgrove he was appointed Co-ordinator for English with the Incorporated Association of Preparatory Schools, a national position which required him to advise English teachers in preparatory schools as well as lead training initiatives.

From 1997 to 2002 he served as Deputy Headmaster of The Cathedral School, Cardiff before taking up the headship of Coventry Preparatory School.

The Headmaster regards teaching as a vocation. “It is the tradition of dedication required of teachers in the independent sector which has led to the considerable expansion of private schools in this country and which has made them such wonderful places for children to attend.

“The curriculum of an independent school should be broad and there must be a belief that all children have talents. It is the teacher’s job to find and build upon these talents in order to help children develop into confident, creative and happy people. Education should not be confined to the classroom. Schools should provide children with a wealth of experiences: extra-curricular activities, sports, visits to places of interest and a succession of interesting visitors.

“Good teachers care greatly about their pupils. They like children and respond to their natural energy, enthusiasm and ‘joie de vivre’. It will really matter to a committed teacher that their pupils make progress, whatever their abilities, and such teachers are prepared to go to great lengths to help and support the children in their classes. This is fundamental to teachers gaining the respect and trust of both pupils and their parents.”

Nicholas Lovell is married and has a son at King Henry VIII Senior School. His out-of-school interests include historical research and photography. His wife is a teacher and writer.