Key Points
- St Nicholas Church in Wales Primary School in the Vale of Glamorgan recently won the Wales School of the Year award at the SuperKind Social Impact Schools Award in 2026.
- The children collected a total of 1,805 badges throughout the 2025-26 academic year.
- This means that there were approximately 12 acts of kindness done by each of the 145 pupils.
- Their activities included litter picking, plant for wildlife and recycling, as well as beach cleans with their families.
- The school also had a uniform and Christmas Jumper swap scheme for waste reduction purposes.
- The children raised funds for Macmillan and Christian Aid.
- The school has the Rights Respecting Schools Award and pupil-led Healthy Schools Award.
- In addition, the school committee started a daily award for kindness.
- The children took part in anti-bullying workshops and also helped in creating the Climate Justice Art Gallery.
- The Health and Wellbeing Lead and Class Teacher at St Nicholas, Claire Brookman, said the award reflects the values of the school and its commitment to kindness, empathy, and social action.
- According to Keren Mitchell, one of the founders of SuperKind, St Nicholas outshines other schools nominated this year.
Wales (Wales Times) November 10, 2026 — A Vale of Glamorgan primary school has been named Wales School of the Year in the SuperKind Social Impact Schools Award 2026 after pupils completed more than 1,800 social action activities during the last academic year.
As reported by the Barry and District News, St Nicholas Church in Wales Primary School received the regional title after its pupils collectively earned 1,805 badges during the 2025-26 academic year. The figure represented an average of 12 acts of kindness for each of the school’s 145 pupils.
The award recognises schools where social action and active citizenship form part of everyday school life. SuperKind’s award framework asks pupils to record social action activity, with schools qualifying for recognition when students earn an average of at least one social action badge per pupil across an academic year.
What social action did pupils take?
Pupils at St Nicholas CW Primary School took part in a range of environmental and community-focused activities. These included litter picking, planting to promote biodiversity, recycling and reusing schemes, and beach clean-ups carried out with their families.
The school also organised a uniform swap shop and a Christmas jumper exchange. According to the Barry and District News, these initiatives were intended to reduce waste and support families.
Children raised money for charities including Macmillan and Christian Aid. One pupil, Isla Jones, received a kindness award after selling sweets in her church to raise money for charity.
How does the school promote kindness?
St Nicholas holds the Rights Respecting Schools Award and runs a pupil-led Healthy Schools committee. That committee launched a daily kindness award, according to the Barry and District News.
Pupils also participated in anti-bullying workshops and contributed to a Climate Justice Art Gallery. These activities formed part of the school’s wider approach to wellbeing, inclusion and social responsibility.
What did the school say about the award?
Claire Brookman, health and wellbeing lead and class teacher at St Nicholas CW Primary School, said participation in and achievement of the Social Impact Schools Award had been a source of pride for the whole school community.
As reported by the Barry and District News, Brookman said: “The award has raised awareness of the importance of kindness, empathy and social action, encouraging pupils to make a difference at home, in school and within the wider community.”
She added: “This achievement reflects the values at the heart of our school and inspires us to continue working together to build a kinder, more inclusive and sustainable future.”
What did SuperKind say about St Nicholas?
Keren Mitchell, co-founder of SuperKind, said the Social Impact Schools Award provided an opportunity to celebrate schools and pupils involved in social action initiatives.
As reported by the Barry and District News, Mitchell said:
“Every school in this year’s award has done something special, but St Nicholas CW Primary School stands out.”
Mitchell congratulated every pupil and member of staff at the school.
How does the award work?
The SuperKind Social Impact Schools Award is designed to recognise schools that make social action, volunteering and community involvement part of pupils’ everyday experience. According to SuperKind, awards are based on the highest number of social action activities per pupil.
The organisation describes the award as a non-competitive accreditation. Schools that meet the award criteria across the academic year receive the award, with qualifying schools receiving a digital badge and a physical certificate.
SuperKind says its programme is intended to help schools develop civic action among children and young people. Its wider programme includes resources, an award scheme and national recognition for participating schools.
Background of the development
The SuperKind Social Impact Schools Award is part of a programme that encourages pupils to engage in social action, volunteering and community involvement. The award recognises schools where such activity is embedded in daily school life, rather than treating it as a one-off project.
For the 2026 awards, schools across the UK were recognised for social action activity. Other regional winners included Willowbridge School in Enniskillen, which was named NI School of the Year after pupils recorded an average of seven acts of kindness per pupil during the last school year.
Vernham Dean Primary School near Andover also received a regional title after pupils completed 390 acts of kindness during the last academic year. SuperKind’s published award information states that pupils need to earn an average of one social action badge per student across the academic year to qualify for the award.
St Nicholas Church in Wales Primary School’s recognition followed a year in which pupils combined environmental action, charitable fundraising, anti-bullying work and everyday acts of kindness. The school’s 1,805 badges represented a substantially higher average than the basic award threshold, with pupils recording 12 activities each on average.
Prediction: how this may affect pupils and the community
The recognition may encourage St Nicholas pupils to continue participating in environmental, charitable and community-based activities. The school’s existing initiatives, including recycling, biodiversity planting, uniform reuse and fundraising, provide practical ways for children to see the results of collective action.
For families in the Vale of Glamorgan, the school’s uniform swap shop and Christmas jumper exchange may continue to offer practical support while reducing waste. The reported involvement of families in beach clean-ups also suggests that some social action activity extends beyond the classroom and into the local community.
For other schools in Wales, St Nicholas’s award may provide an example of how pupil-led committees, wellbeing programmes and social action projects can be combined. The school’s daily kindness award, anti-bullying workshops and Climate Justice Art Gallery indicate a broad approach that includes both interpersonal kindness and environmental awareness.
