Heritage: Our Story, Our Legacy How We Got Our Name

The People’s Choice: How Our School Got Its Name

Have you ever wondered how our school became “Race Leys”? It wasn’t chosen by a committee in a closed office—it was chosen by the children themselves!

In a historic “secret ballot,” students from four Bedworth schools came together to write a new chapter in our town’s history books. This was a rare occasion; at the time, Irene Molloy, the head of Newtown First School, noted that she couldn’t recall any other instance where children were given the power to name their own school.

The Research Behind the Names

Before the vote took place, selected pupils turned into history detectives. They traveled to the Records Office in Warwick to search through ancient archives. Their goal was to find a name that connected the new building to the land it sat upon.

They discovered that back in the 17th century, a water-driving mill stood right on this site. Based on their findings, the students whittled their suggestions down to three final contenders:

1. Race Leys

2. Millfield

3. Windmill Fields

Election Day Results

The youngsters from Newtown and Leicester Road First Schools, along with George Street and Leicester Road Middle Schools, headed to the polls. The community was clearly in agreement, and the results were a landslide:

• Race Leys: 237 votes

• Millfield: 104 votes

• Windmill Fields: 82 votes

What’s in a Name?

The name “Race Leys” is deeply tied to the geography of Bedworth. As Mrs. Molloy explained at the time, “Leys” is an old word for a field, and the “Race” refers to the water race—the fast-moving channel of water—that once powered the local mill wheel. Even before the school was built, many local residents already referred to the area as “The Leys.”

A New Beginning

The opening of Race Leys marked a major shift for education in the area. The new building replaced George Street and Leicester Road Middle Schools, while Newtown and Leicester Road First Schools were reorganized to become what we now know as Race Leys First School.

Today, we continue to walk the same “Leys” that those 17th-century millers worked and that those 20th-century students fought to preserve. We are proud to carry a name chosen by students, for students!