Achievement | Diversity | Respect
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 20 October 2025 is Week B
Standing Items are located at the bottom of the mailing
Dear Parents and Carers,
As we come to the end of the school week, I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the upcoming Diwali celebrations.
For all our families celebrating the Festival of Lights this weekend, we wish you a truly happy and joyful Diwali. May your homes be filled with light, laughter, and the warmth of family and friends.
For all other families, we hope you enjoy a very relaxing and peaceful weekend.
Please take a moment to look through this week's update—we hope it's both interesting and helpful!
With very best wishes for a relaxing weekend.
Kindest regards,
Ms Jo Butler, Headteacher
Email received
"A massive well done to Ms Wyles and many thanks for all her hard work. And thank you to Post 16 for offering my daughter yet another wonderful opportunity to grow. The Youth Talk initiative is wonderful and I felt so privileged to listen to 10 brave young people talk about some really hard hitting subjects. "
Many thanks
Post 16 Parent
Thank you
Monkhouse will be offering 20% off all uniform purchases from Monday 27 October - see attached for more details. To allow for stocktaking ahead of this, all online and click and collect orders will be paused from 13-22 October 2025.
Monkhouse Offer.pdfOn Friday 10 October, Year 7 celebrated World Mental Health Day. The day began with an inspiring assembly led by Mr. Arnold and Mr. Byworth, focusing on the importance of looking after our mental wellbeing. During lunchtime, students took part in a fun “Guess the Bananas” activity, which everyone really enjoyed. Congratulations to Zuhayr, who correctly guessed the number and was named the winner!
Students also had the opportunity to decorate a sunflower picture to represent positivity and growth. A prize will be awarded for the best sunflower, and all the decorated sunflowers will be displayed to celebrate the creativity of Year 7.
Congratulations to Marnie! She correctly guessed the name of the Guide Dog Puppy — Yogi! Marnie won the cuddly puppy, and together we raised £15 for the charity. A big thank you to everyone who took part and supported this great cause!
The Year 7 inter-tutor quiz was held on Thursday and was so much fun! Four students from each tutor group battled it out to see who had the best general knowledge. The scores were all very close. A huge congratulations to 7DSE who were the overall winners. They won chocolate treats to share in the tutor group.
Year 7 continue to impress us with more shout outs this week:
Mr Sebana: Birahim has been truly outstanding! His behaviour has been exemplary, and he has consistently been a role model in our tutor group. He is selfless and genuinely cares for everyone he meets, always supporting and encouraging others. We are so proud of his positive attitude and the difference he makes every day!
Mr Hill: Shout out to 7AT for smashing the onion and cheek cell practical. Even though it was P5 and a really tricky practical, the whole class followed instructions amazingly well and we got some excellent results!
Ms Griffin: Addy has just handed in the most beautiful 3D felt model of a plant cell! I set this as an optional "Bonus Biology" home learning task, and I am so impressed!
Drama Stars of the week: Ebere, Edie and Arthur
Year 7 trip to the Redgrave Theatre - Christmas Carol
Date: Thursday 27 November
Tickets can still be purchased via WisePay
Please return your consent forms to Mrs Arnold
If you need a paper copy of the consent form, please let us know.
Parents and carers will have the opportunity to meet your child’s tutor for a 15 minute appointment to discuss your child’s engagement and wellbeing, participation in the wider life of the school, and to set targets for the remainder of the year.
This is a tutor/student/parent meeting. This event is in addition to our Year 7 Parents Evening on Thursday 5 March, when you will have the opportunity to meet your child’s subject teachers.
The booking system is open 9 October-9 November, please see the letter emailed to you on Wednesday 8 October for details.
8ZU has been fantastic in English this term! They have shown excellent listening skills and have participated really well in class discussions. I have loved hearing all of their insightful ideas about Gothic literature and seeing them listen so respectfully to one another. Well done!
Miss Jamshidi
Year 8 are doing a fantastic job of representing the school while showing prospective parents/carers and students around the school. It has been wonderful seeing them engage with them and answering any questions they have.
It has been a real pleasure to see tutor groups really settled and engaged in morning activities this week. There have been some interesting discussions about Black History Month. This week they have been discussing Clifford Drumond who was secretary and treasurer of the Commonwealth Coordinated Committee. He owned the cafe, where the Carnival founders met and helped people from the Asian community gain citizenship. He was also one of the Bus Boycott pioneers! Year 8 have been discussing why it is important to honour someone like this after their death.
In Maths, Year 8s have been studying Chapter 1: Number (including negatives, factors and multiples, primes, and powers); Chapter 2: Measure (including metric and imperial units, perimeter and area); and Chapter 3: Algebra (including collecting like terms, substitution, and expanding). They have a test on Tuesday 21 October which will cover the above topics and you can find more information on this, including a full revision list on your child's Google Classroom. Homework is all on the Sparx Maths website and students can do extra work by clicking on the 'XP Boost', 'Target' and 'Independent Learning' tabs.
We had a fantastic first match of our tutor football competition. 9ECH won the boys match and 9BOP taking the win for the girls. The remaining tutees were showing a great level of respect to those playing and it was a joy to see everyone come together to celebrate their achievements. This week we have 9GD vs 9HMI.
Ms Bentham says: 9ZE are smashing it in English. Ms Hepworth and I are very impressed with their commitment and their enthusiasm for the dystopian unit. WELL DONE!
Ms Lewis wants to thank Idris (9HMI) for volunteering to carry her heavy book box. You made her day with kindness.
Mr Meakin wants to thank the girls that took part in the Girlhood Reclaimed workshop. You showed yourselves and Cotham in a fantastic light. Thankyou.
We have had some excellent conversations about Work Experience with our Year 10 students over the past few days. It is fantastic to see so many students getting ahead of their peers across the city and securing some great placements. There are still plenty of opportunities available, so please keep enquiring and applying, ensuring that all information and details are uploaded onto Unifrog. Your child should have received their Unifrog login details in their school email inbox.
A reminder that Year 11 mock exams begin next week, starting Monday 20 October. All key info, including timetables and revision support has been shared via Google Classroom and at the Parents' Information Evening. Please speak with your child to ensure they know their schedule and have all required equipment. Thank you for your support!
The Year 11 Maths mock exam on Wednesday 22 October is a calculator exam so it is essential that they bring their scientific calculator. As in the real GCSE exams, they should not expect to be able to borrow one. Students should already be bringing this to every Maths lesson but we are aware some still need to improve their organisation. Thanks for your support with this.
Please note that the Year 11 Prom is not organised by the school. A parent/carer committee is needed to plan and oversee the event. If you are interested in being part of this committee, please connect with other parents/carers to form one. Once the committee is formed, please email Mr Arnold to confirm - arnoldh@cotham.bristol.sch.uk.
Mr Cony:
I just had a tip top revision lesson with 11BMa5, these guys all worked really hard. I am so pleased that they are taking their forthcoming Maths mock exam so seriously. Well done to them all!!
Miss Bingham:
Excellent work this week from 11Y and 11Z German.
All students have worked hard on grammar to understand the concept of cases.
They are getting the hang of nominative and accusative and it's great to see. Well done!
There will be no Period 6 on Wednesday 22 October. Period 6 will run as normal on Tuesday 21 October and Thursday 23 October. Please ensure that your child attends Period 6 regularly. Please email yr11period6@cotham.bristol.sch.uk if your child cannot attend Period 6 and provide a reason.
Last week, Martha and Petra from Year13 took part in the final showcase of student talks for this Bristol-wide public speaking competition. Inspired by TEDX, these talks require students to create, learn and deliver a talk on a subject of their choice to an audience in the MacKinnon Theatre. Both our students put in amazing performances. I look forward to sharing the YouTube links to their talks in the near future.
Year 9 learnt how to make Samosas using tortilla wraps! This fun, hands-on activity not only let them expand their cooking skills but also gave them a taste of cultural diversity. Showing how this popular South Asian snack can be made using low cost, easy, modern ingredients and then shallow frying. It is a delicious way to celebrate different cultures together - great work Year 9!
This week, the Year 12 art students explored the technique of etching. They etched their designs onto a surface, applied ink, and used the printing press to transfer their images onto paper achieving some fantastic results!
What an incredible performance by both teams against Oasis Academy Brightstowe! Year 7 won 6-1 and remain undefeated - an amazing run! They work hard for each other and always give their best. Year 8 dominated 13-1, with standout performances from Jacob and Clemmey. Huge well done to all players keep it up! Cotham Rugby is stronger than ever!
This week we were delighted to welcome SABRINA ALI to the Performing Arts faculty for a drama workshop with a group of Year 9 girls.
Sabrina wrote and performed in a play called “Dugsi Dayz”, about four Somali-British teenage girls who are forced into detention together at their Islamic school ("dugsi") on a Saturday.
Our Year 9 girls were fantastic, asking Sabrina lots of pertinent questions and performing some funny and imaginative pieces of drama.
A huge “well done” to everyone who took part!
Please see the attached Flyer from Threefold Theatre - a performance collective based in Easton.
C3 Call Out '25 We are delighted to share with you the range of peripatetic music lessons available to our students this year.
We also have two self-employed music teachers who can be contacted directly:
Guitar – jack@skusemusic.com
Piano – chriscraigjones@hotmail.com
For any other instruments, please visit Bristol Beacon’s website for full details
We are able to subsidise lessons for Pupil Premium students. For more information, please contact me directly at: geogheganr@cotham.bristol.sch.uk.
The Performing Arts team are exceptionally pleased that Erin White (a recent graduate of Trinity Laban Dance Conservatoire) joins our Dance team to lead these dance companies. The sessions are open to all students who want to learn new dance skills, further their current dance skills, develop their choreographic skills, while of course having fun!
There are two available sessions, both in E008, the dance studio:
Monday 3.00pm - 4.00pm: Year 7s (and any students from older year groups who cannot make the Wednesday session, please do come along to this session).
Wednesday: 3.00pm - 4.00pm Years 8,9 10 and 11.
Please remember a change of clothing: t-shirt, leggings, jogging trousers.
We very much look forward to seeing you.
Ms Phillips
Teacher of Dance
Junior Dance Company.pdfSenior Dance Company.pdfWe are thrilled to announce the election of our new Year 7 student leaders! After impressive interviews showcasing their dedication, creativity, and passion for leadership, they were chosen to represent our year group. Each brings unique strengths and ideas, and we’re excited to see how they will guide us through the year ahead. Congratulations to Leen, Matthew, and Theo – we look forward to all you will achieve as our new student leaders!
Exciting news! The first Cotham Student Council meeting of the year will take place on Monday, 20th October. Student leaders from Years 7–11 will gather for oracy training with Miss Madge, learning vital skills for effective communication. They'll also be setting the agenda for this year's key priorities, ensuring that student voices continue to shape our school community.
It is my pleasure to introduce the Omega Hall of Fame! We celebrate students, past and present, who have made an extraordinary impact. This award honours those who dare to be great, inspire change, and lead by example. Students who work hard, respect others, and go above and beyond in lessons and in the wider community. You are role models who make us proud and show what true excellence looks like!
Presentation2 A huge shout out to everyone in Delta House—you've maintained your position at the top of the attendance competition! Keep up the fantastic effort as we head into the next week. Let's finish strong!
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_9.pdfGirls Conference taking place in the community at E5 Church, 3-15 Jamaica Street, BS2 8JP.
The focus will be on helping young people understand that their self-worth isn’t determined by what others think of them.
This will be an exciting and fun event for girls aged 11-17. There will be a hot buffet lunch and a free gift for every girl.
Please see flyer for more information.
There are Bikeability Level 3 courses running at Windmill Hill City Farm this half term on Wednesday 29 and Thursday 30 October.
This course is suitable for children who have completed their Level 2 and that cycle on the road regularly. It is the final stage in their Bikeability journey 😊
For more information please contact Tess Goodfellow (Cycle training & Two's Company Co-ordinator) on 01173534580.
Sparks film making classes ignite imagination, build confidence and encourage a host of new skills. Young filmmakers learn all about the different aspects of filmmaking in our fun and friendly weekly classes.
We welcome every young filmmaker to join us for their first class for free. It’s a chance to discover what we’re all about before signing up for a whole term.
When: Saturday mornings 10.00am to 12.00pm during term time
Based at: Cotham School, Cotham Lawn Road, Cotham, Bristol, BS6 6DT
Ages: Different classes for ages 7 to 14 (school years 3 to 9)
From Saturday 8 November 2025 onwards - Book your free trial class now by clicking here!
Keep your child active and engaged this half-term with the Bristol Flyers Community Basketball Camp hosted at Cotham School!
Open to boys and girls of all abilities from school years 3–11, this camp is a fantastic way to develop skills, build confidence, and have fun in a safe, energetic environment under the guidance of Bristol Flyers Community Coaches.
Detail Information:
Dates: Monday 27 October – Friday 31 October
Time: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm daily
Location: Cotham School Sports Hall
Price£35 per day or £165 for the full 5 days
Copy of 2526 Oct half term holiday (Poster (A3 Portrait)) (1).pdfCotham School is proud to invite you and your family to a special African Caribbean and Dual Heritage Celebration Evening on Thursday 23 October 2025, from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm.
This free-admission event promises a stupendous night of culture, community and entertainment, featuring:
A keynote speech from Sibusiso Tshabalala.
A live music set by DJ Angel Mel.
Delicious food provided by Glen’s Kitchen.
The launch of the exciting Seat of Resistance Project.
A special premiere of a Post 16 Student Film, alongside musical performances and speeches from students.
Spaces are limited. To ensure you and your family can attend this wonderful evening, please email AfroCaribbeanEvening@cotham.bristol.sch.uk to receive your RSVP link.
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
Please see the below information leaflet produced by Bristol City Council, it gives advice about term time absence and the consequences of unauthorised absence from school.
Bristol -PN leaflet 2024 - FINAL.pdfWith our new absence procedure Studybugs App running for a period of time, the absence phone line will no longer be available for Years 7-11. If you experience any difficulty downloading or using the Studybugs App, please contact or come to the school for assistance.
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
Monday 1 September 2025
Friday 26 September 2025
Friday 14 November 2025
Monday 30 March 2026
Monday 20 April 2026
We have a fantastic opportunity to offer piano and keyboard lessons to years 7-9 on our grand piano at Cotham School with our very experienced piano teacher Christina Craig-Jones.
She is a specialist teacher of beginners to advanced levels and offers all styles of music from Classics, jazz improvising and rock and pop.
For more details and to book a free taster lesson please contact her directly at chriscraigjones@hotmail.com .
