Cotham School
Weekly Mailing
28 November 2025
Embedded Files
Keep us posted - It would be great if parents/carers could let the school know of any student achievements outside of school. We would like to find out what students are doing in their own time and celebrate their achievements.
Email us: weeklymailing@cotham.bristol.sch.uk
Week commencing Monday 1 December 2025 is Week A
Headteacher's Welcome! 👩🏫
Headteacher's Welcome! 👩🏫
Dear Parents and Carers,
Please find our weekly mailing which I hope you will find both useful and interesting!
With very best wishes for a relaxing weekend.
Kindest regards,
Ms Jo Butler, Headteacher
Positive Feedback of the Week 👍
Positive Feedback of the Week 👍
Email received
"I hope you're well :)
I run the Education Programme for St Pauls Carnival.
I just wanted to write an email to say how much I enjoyed your African-Caribbean celebration evening on Thursday 23 October. Within my role at St Pauls Carnival, I have the privilege of visiting many schools across Bristol with my team, offering training, workshops and assemblies - this gives me such a good insight into the work different education settings do around EDI practise and cultural celebration... and I am always SO impressed by the events that Cotham Secondary School holds and the dedication to the celebration of culture. I attended the event in October with my 2 year old daughter and came to work the next day raving about it in our office. I loved that the students had an opportunity to showcase their work and take an active part in the celebration. While I was there I chatted with multiple parents, who were equally as impressed by the evening and saying how thankful they are for such a supportive school that really lifts up the importance of culture and celebrates their children's' heritage.
Have a lovely rest of your week 😊"
Parent and Carer Calendar 🗓️
Parent and Carer Calendar 🗓️
Announcements 📢
Announcements 📢
Our Post 16 Centre Marks International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women
Our Post 16 Centre Marks International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women
This week, our Post 16 centre marked the UN's International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls. Our students strongly embraced the initiative, focusing on honouring those affected by domestic and sexual abuse and raising awareness of the global statistic that 1 in 3 women experience violence.
We are proud of our students for engaging maturely with this vital issue, demonstrating empathy and promoting respect.
Candlelit Vigil 2025 invitation.pdfParent Online Safety Workshop
Parent Online Safety Workshop
In response to your valuable feedback from last year's survey, we are delighted to invite you to a series of online safety workshops. These sessions are designed to help you guide your children confidently through the digital world. We aim to focus on specific, critical themes to provide you with in-depth knowledge and practical strategies to help you support your child.
Workshop Schedule:
Term 2: Tuesday 02 December 2025 (5:00–6:00 PM)
Topic: Social media safety, cyberbullying and managing privacy settings
Term 3: Wednesday 28 January 2026 (5:00–6:00 PM)
Topic: Understanding parental controls and filtering tools
Term 4: Tuesday 10 March 2026 (5:00–6:00 PM)
Topic: Addressing harmful or inappropriate content
Term 6: Thursday 02 July 2026 (5:00–6:00 PM)
Topic: Ensuring safety in online gaming
To help us prepare for the first session, please confirm your attendance for the Term 2 workshop by filling out the brief form below by Friday 28 November.
Registration Form: Link
This workshop is open to all parents of students in Years 7-11 and will take place in the main hall. Doors will open at 4:45pm, and parents are asked to arrive via the visitor reception on Cotham Lawn Road, Cotham, Bristol BS6 6DT.
Digital Leaders - Primary School Online Safety Assembly
Digital Leaders - Primary School Online Safety Assembly
Our Student Digital Leaders recently took the lead in delivering an online safety assembly at St John’s C of E Primary School. They spoke confidently to Year 5 and 6 students about the importance of staying safe online, sharing practical tips on protecting personal information, making responsible choices, and knowing where to go for help. The assembly was a fantastic opportunity for our pupils to learn from one another, and we are proud of the Digital Leaders for being such positive role models in promoting safe and responsible use of technology.
Our First EAL Coffee Morning of the Year
Our First EAL Coffee Morning of the Year
We had our first EAL coffee morning on Wednesday 26 November and we are very pleased that it was a warm and welcoming event, bringing together families from across the EAL school community. Parents shared that they found the session particularly helpful in understanding the school system more clearly, and it provided a relaxed space for families to mingle and connect with one another.
Throughout the morning, parents had the opportunity to ask questions and explore a range of useful resources, including helpful school-related websites and translation tools to support communication at home. We rounded off the event by looking through the latest donations of second-hand school clothing, ensuring families could access any items they needed.
It was a positive and engaging morning, and we look forward to hosting another one in Term 4.
The EAL and School of Sanctuary team
Please click here to view the slides for EAL Coffee morning.
Author Visit Charlie Nutbrown - Ex-Cotham!
Author Visit Charlie Nutbrown - Ex-Cotham!
Next week we have the pleasure and excitement of welcoming ex Cotham student & author Charlie Nutbrown. He will be talking to some Year 7s on Friday 5 December about his brilliant new fantasy and adventure book 'The Feathered Book'. He will also be taking a creative workshop in the library. Students will be able to buy a SIGNED copy of the book for £5 cash on the day or pay in advance on Cotham WisePay under SHOP/STUDENT SUPPLIES - please click below for more information.
AUTHOR Charlie Nutbrown THE FEATHERED BOOK INFORMATION (1).pdf2025 Ex Cotham student AUTHOR Charlie Nutbrown VISIT (2).pdfLost Property
Lost Property
We are reaching out with an important reminder regarding student lost property.
Currently, all unclaimed coats and uniform items are being held at Student Reception. Students are encouraged to visit the Student reception and asked to check the lost property area at their earliest convenience.
Please note: To help the local charities, any items that remain unclaimed will be donated at the end of Term 2.
ABM Catering Update for upcoming Festive Season
ABM Catering Update for upcoming Festive Season
12 Days of Christmas!
From Wednesday, 3 December, we are very excited to launch our 12 Days of Christmas. Please see the attached flyer to see which festive treats are available to enjoy throughout the festive period.
12 Days of Christmas - Cotham - 2025.pdfStudent Christmas Lunch
Student Christmas Lunch will take place on 10 December 2025 - please see the attached menu for further details.
Christmas Menu for Cotham.pdfYear Group News 🏫
Year Group News 🏫
Year 7
Year 7
News!
On Thursday Year 7 enjoyed a trip to The Redgrave Theatre to watch Christmas Carol. There was plenty of festive twinkle, ghostly antics and Dickensian humour. Students and staff both enjoyed the festive performance.
Year 7 has lots of exciting events coming up in the next few weeks. We start off on Wednesday 3 December with a Bake Off, one student from each year group will take on the challenge to see who will be the best baker! In MFL lessons Year 7 are just being assessed on the basics of German, we have covered the following: introducing yourself, name, age, birthdays, where you come from and where you live, what you have in your school bag, what is your family like, if you have pets, colours, what you are like physically (hair, eyes and heights) and your personality.
Quick example by Charlie 7DSE "Hallo! ich heisse Felicia, Ich bin funfundzwanzig Jahre alt, Ich komme aus China und ich wohne in Shangai, Ich habe zehn Bruder und zwolf Schwestern. Meine Schwester heisst Patricia. Ich habe einen Hund und eine Katze. Der Hund ist schwarz. Ich habe bunte lange Haare und braune Augen. Und du? hast du haustiere? und wie heisst du? Auf Wiedersehen!
Shout Outs
Ms Griffin: Well done to 7KD who have achieved 100% homework completion this week, after a couple of weeks dip. Well done for all the hard work.
Year 7 Drama Stars :
Abrar
Sadam
Ferdos
Idha
Aisha
Noah
Rafael
Elijah
Tessa
Gene
Year 7 Guide Dog Puppy Appeal
Next week at lunch time we will set up a craft station and the students can decorate paper stars for our Guide Dog Puppy appeal, they will be hung on a large stick in the HUB.
Fill the Tube with change. Each tutor group will be given a large tube of sweets to share in tutor time and then can bring in change to fill it. We will then change this into £1 and £2 coins to fill the silhouette of the puppy and all the money raised will go toward a Guide Dog harness.
Dog harness - Louise Arnold.pdfYear 8
Year 8
Update
In History we are still looking at the causes and consequences of the English Reformation. In Geography we are exploring issues around development and asking the question "What is Africa really like?". In Religious Studies Year 8 we are still looking at the impacts of Abrahamic faiths on modern society. In PSHE lessons they are still learning about family relationships.
Home learning across all subjects is a combination of Seneca, Knowledge Organiser revision and definition tests.
Year 8s have had an excellent workshop 'The Blunt Truth'. Volunteers from the police, ambulance, emergency doctors and even the air ambulance worked with them. They covered many areas of knife crime including first aid and what to do if someone you know has a knife in their possession. They engaged with the workshop in an incredibly mature way.
Some students were lucky enough to visit the Redgrave Theatre and on Friday some students participated in a Poetry workshop with visiting Author Caleb Parkin. All in all a very busy week for Year 8. They engaged really well for all activities and we are really proud of them.
Mrs Dickerson, Learning Coordinator
Shout Outs
8de German worked brilliantly on Tuesday during period 2. Great contributions as well from Iyad, Muaad, Alana, Orson, Afnaan and Taylor. Keep up that good work !
Frau Bingham
Year 9
Year 9
Some Amazing Shout Outs
Ms Layton wanted to recognise 9ZI following a debate about whether Art should be in the curriculum. Ms Layton said that she might not have agreed with every opinion but some great input led to a lively debate.
As part of our work to disrupt, discourage and educate about misogyny and sexism, a small number of Year 9 boys have been working with Joel from Off The Record. The feedback has been amazing and apparently this is one of the best groups Joel has ever worked with.
Well done all.
Year 10
Year 10
Setting the Standard
Although it was always obvious to me that Year 10 were the best year group in the school, we now have the figures to back it up.
Year 10 are officially the best behaved year group in the school. We have the lowest behaviour points of all year groups, even lower than Year 7. This shows how mature, focused & community minded our students are. I am really proud of the effort everyone is putting in and grateful for the support from parents and carers.
Let us keep the momentum going!
Mr Lawrence, Learning Coordinator
Year 10 Parents’ Evening - Thursday 4 December 2025
The booking system is now open. Parents and Carers can book up to seven appointments with subject teachers for a 5 minute appointment.
Year 11
Year 11
LEAVERS PROM - Wednesday 24 June 2026!
Save the Date!
Start planning your outfit. Get practicing your dance moves. The Cotham School leavers prom is just around the corner…. More details over the coming weeks!
Year 11 - Prefects
Well done to all Year 11 Prefects for your hard work and commitment during this week’s House Assemblies. Your teamwork, and positive energy made a real difference. Thank you for representing the year group so brilliantly.
Year 11 - ADMs this Week
This week Year 11 had the opportunity to take part in Application Discussion Meetings with our Post 16 staff. The purpose of these meetings is to support students make the right choices about their subject choices ,as well as looking at different options for further education. Students engaged extremely well and were excited to discuss next steps.
North Bristol Post 16 🚀
North Bristol Post 16 🚀
Update
Update
Culture Day, Futures + More
This week we had Culture Day at Post 16. We celebrated one of our key values of diversity here at Cotham by wearing cultural dress, sharing different languages as well as sharing our cultural foods. Thank you to Ms Morris and the Student Leadership Team for organising such a great event.
Year 12 also participated in a fantastic Futures morning where they were learning about employability with a guest speaker + follow up tutor session.
Year 13 UCAS deadline is Monday 1 December 2025!
Subject Announcements 📖 ✏️ 🔢 🧪 🌍 🏛️ 🖥️🧮 🎨 🎭 🎵 🔨 🧑🍳 🏃♂️
Subject Announcements 📖 ✏️ 🔢 🧪 🌍 🏛️ 🖥️🧮 🎨 🎭 🎵 🔨 🧑🍳 🏃♂️
Economics and Business FinTech Workshop
Economics and Business FinTech Workshop
Year 12 Economics and Business students took part in a financial technology workshop with employees from Broadridge. Students especially enjoyed learning about all the different career paths into the industry and how to encrypt and decode data. They will now take part in a team challenge to design a financial management app for teams to try and win a visit to the Broadridge offices for lunch and a tour. Big thank you to the Broadridge team for making this possible.
STEAM
STEAM
Year 7 Food Science Fermentation in Action
Year 7 students have been learning about Food Science, exploring how yeast produces carbon dioxide and the conditions needed for fermentation. They set up experiments using balloons to see whether yeast would release gas under different conditions. After observing the results, students recorded their findings and compared them with their initial hypotheses, helping them understand how yeast reacts to its environment.
Year 9 Novelty Glasses
Year 9 students in the Novelty Glasses project have excelled this year. They explored plastics in design, learned about acrylic as a thermoforming material, and used anthropometric data by measuring their faces. Students modelled ideas in card, refined them, and prepared files in CorelDraw for laser cutting. The project has created real excitement, and Mrs Brock has also gained new laser-cutting skills.
GCSE Food Year 10
GCSE Food students have been making Victoria sponges to explore aeration and different cake-making methods. They also considered the working characteristics of the ingredients, linking this to their future Year 11 assessments. I’m sure you’ll agree the results look delicious!
Art of the Week - Protest Art
This week, Year 9 Art students learnt about the artist and activist Bob and Roberta Smith.
They created research pages critiquing the artwork, and inspiring their own pieces.
This is a part of a larger project within the Year 9 curriculum where the students learn about protest art.
PE
PE
Support Cotham School Netball Teams
We are reaching out to the Cotham community for support! Our dedicated Netball Teams are seeking sponsorship or donations to purchase essential new netball dresses and bibs.
Please see the attached letter regarding sponsorship or donations to support our school netball teams.
Netball Sponsorship 2026 - Donna Ferris.pdfBristol Education Partnership 🤝
Bristol Education Partnership 🤝
Cotham Students Presenting with Purpose
Cotham Students Presenting with Purpose
Cotham's Student Leaders visited Redmaids' High School this week and considered how to develop their public speaking skills. They participated in role plays exploring purpose and audience, and how best to use their voices and posture to communicate their ideas with impact. They also worked on their mediation skills and explored ideas about diplomacy.
Careers 💼
Careers 💼
Update
Update
Career of the Week...... is Sound Designer!
Could this be a career for your child?
A Sound Designer is the technical-creative artist responsible fo all the audio elements in media-from the cinematic thump of a spaceship door in a film to the detailed rustle of leaves in a video game or the atmospheric soundscape of a theatre production.
House Announcement 🏠
House Announcement 🏠
Omega News
Omega News
Staff vs Students
Get ready for an electrifying showdown! 🎉
The Staff vs Students Badminton Tournament is happening on Friday 28 November 2025 at 1:05 pm in the Sports Hall. All proceeds go to Cancer Research!
Omega's Finest
Huge congratulations to Matthew, Nabiha, Jeronimo, Lila, Beth, and Anton for receiving the Omega Finest Award! Their hard work, dedication, and incredible contributions to our school community truly set them apart. We are so proud of their achievements and grateful for the positivity, effort, and talent they bring to Omega every day. Well done, champions!
Literacy 📖
Literacy 📖
KS3
KS3
Word of the Week
Word of the Week
Factor
Factor
'Fac - tuh'
Meaning:
One thing that affects an event, decision or situation (noun).
Example:
There are many factors that affect the climate in Africa.
His skill was a significant factor in his team winning the prize.
Synonyms:
Influence, aspect, characteristic…
KS4
KS4
Word of the Week
Word of the Week
Purvey
Purvey
'Puh-vay'
Meaning:
To spread or promote an idea (verb).
To sell food or goods as your business (verb).
Example:
The writer purveys a moral message of kindness and generosity.
The politician’s speech was intended to purvey a positive message.
The shop purveys only organic food.
Synonyms:
Promote, sell, provide…
Digital Literacy Corner 💻
Digital Literacy Corner 💻
Online Safety Newsletter
Online Safety Newsletter
Please find our latest online safety newsletter attached.
Important Notice:
This newsletter is intended for adults and includes discussions on online safety, including sensitive topics such as the online exploitation of children. Some of this content may be upsetting to both adults and children.
We strongly encourage parents and carers to prepare themselves before reading and to carefully consider which information to share with their child, based on their age and cognitive ability. The language and explanations used may not always be suitable for younger children, so please use your discretion when deciding what is appropriate for your child.
Your awareness and thoughtful approach is vital in ensuring a safe and informed discussion about online safety.
Kind regards
Farhan Ahmed
Digital Strategy Lead
Email: AhmedF@cotham.bristol.sch.uk
Online_Saftey_Newsletter_10.pdfCommunity 🏘️
Community 🏘️
Refutrees 2025 – Buy a Tree, Help a Refugee 🎄❤️
Refutrees 2025 – Buy a Tree, Help a Refugee 🎄❤️
This Christmas, Aid Box Community invites families to support refugees and people seeking asylum in Bristol through our annual Refutrees fundraiser. Every sustainably sourced Christmas tree purchased helps fund our Free Shop and Welcome Hub, activity groups, befriending programme, drop-in and crisis fund, turning festive cheer into life‑changing support. Aid Box Community makes a real difference by providing relief of poverty through practical essentials, wellbeing support, and creating community and belonging for those rebuilding their lives. Order online now for your tree to be delivered, with deliveries starting Thursday 27 November - Saturday 13 December. The Christmas Shop at St Bart’s Church (BS6 5BZ), by St Andrews Park, opens on Thursday 27 November until they are out of stock. Please click here for further information.
Free Trial Filmmaking Class right here at Cotham School!
Free Trial Filmmaking Class right here at Cotham School!
Join SPARKS for a free trial filmmaking class with Sparks Film School Bristol Central, right here at Cotham School.
Classes run on Saturday mornings, 10am–12 noon, with groups for ages 7–14.
Young filmmakers learn to plan, direct, film and edit their own movies while building creativity, teamwork, and confidence — and it’s a lot of fun! And did you know Filmmaking can count towards your Duke of Edinburgh Award too!
Sign up for a free trial here:
Bristol Parent Carer Forum
Bristol Parent Carer Forum
Bristol Parent Carers are running a free information session on supporting children who find changes connected to Christmas difficult; for example, children who are autistic, may be autistic, or have other neurodivergent needs. The session will take place online on Monday 1 December at 6:30pm, with Hats Darley from Neurodiverse Training.
You can book your place here.
The festive season brings joy and excitement, but for some individuals, the lead-up to Christmas and the big day itself can be tricky.
The session will cover:
Sensory changes at Christmas
Routine changes, especially in schools!
Communication changes (as there are often different social requirements at Christmas on children and parents)
Your questions answered
Insight to Young Bristol
Insight to Young Bristol
Founded in 1928, Young Bristol is a mission led, values driven charity with a focus on supporting young people aged 8-25 during their critical out of school hours. We believe that every young person has the right to discover what they are capable of!
Please click here for further information.
Reminders 🔔
Reminders 🔔
Reporting Student Absence - Studybugs
Reporting Student Absence - Studybugs
Please inform the school by 9.00am on the first and subsequent days of absence.
School procedure is as follows:
absence message sent if absences have not been reported.
if no response to the absence message, a follow up letter requesting reason for absence will be sent.
If you haven’t already, please download the free Studybugs app, or register on the Studybugs website, and use it to tell us whenever your child is ill and unable to attend school.
Get the app or register now by clicking here.
Thank you
Cotham School
Poster with Additional Info.pdf
Key Dates - Term Dates 2025/2026
Key Dates - Term Dates 2025/2026
Term 1 Monday 1 September 2025 to Friday 24 October 2025
Term 2 Monday 3 November 2025 to Friday 19 December 2025
Term 3 Monday 5 January 2026 to Friday 13 February 2026
Term 4 Monday 23 February 2026 to Thursday 2 April 2026
Term 5 Monday 20 April 2026 to Friday 22 May 2026
Term 6 Monday 1 June 2026 to Friday 17 July 2026
INSET Days - 2025/2026
INSET Days - 2025/2026
Monday 1 September 2025
Friday 26 September 2025
Friday 14 November 2025
Monday 30 March 2026
Monday 20 April 2026
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