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 January 2025 is Week B
Standing Items are located at the bottom of the mailing
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
Email received
The positive feedback from parents and carers following last week's Year 13 PES keeps coming in. We received this one on Friday: "We just wanted to say a big thank you to all of the teachers who were at the parents' evening last night. I am always incredibly impressed that you teach all day and still turn up bright, engaged and on the ball for every child after a busy day at school. It is very much appreciated and my son thinks all of his teachers are fab!"
Aimi Potter
Director of Post 16
Thank you
There is still time to join the Cotham Library READATHON!
This is a sponsored read that helps raise money to buy books and storytellers for children in hospital. Cotham Library receives book vouchers too for taking part!
You can read ANYTHING. From comics and eBooks to recipes, science books and storybooks.
Come to the library to get your sponsor form and FREE BOOKMARK.
It is really easy for sponsors to pay by cash or please click here for more information.
WEEKLY MAILING READATHON 2024 25 Cotham School will be appearing in the High Court from Monday 27 January to Friday 31 January inclusive to seek to have the designation of our fields as town and village green overturned once and for all.
Please see the letter attached from the Governors.
Chair Message Re. Stoke Lodge Playing Fields 140125.pdfIf you are reporting the absence of your child, you must notify attendance on a daily basis. Please fill out the Year 7-11 absence form which is on our website. Absence must be reported by 9.00am, otherwise it will result in an absence message still being sent home. If there is no response to the message, a follow up letter requesting reason for absence will be sent home.
The Year 7 Disco takes place on Wednesday 29 January 2025 from 5.00pm -7.00pm
Tickets are now on sale via Wisepay
Cost £2.00
Students can also purchase tickets with cash at lunchtimes in the HUB on Wednesday 22 January and Thursday 23 January.
Year 8 have taken out 370 books from the Cotham School Library so far this year.
Congratulations to the top three reading tutor groups:
1st - 8RBI with 103 books read
2nd - 8TC with 72
3rd - 8GD with 56
A special mention to Mia H who is 8RBI’s TOP reader!
Last term saw students from across the school take part in the digital literacy programme run by Mr. Farhan. In Term 2, Year 8 students were focused on reviewing essential tech skills like using presentations, image editing, and understanding basic computer concepts.
In Term 3, the focus is on Artificial Intelligence - and the first lesson was all about AI Ethics. This week's top performers of the AI Ethics digital literacy lesson are 8LH!
There is plenty happening in Year 9 at the moment! With all the buzz around GCSE options and the exciting announcement of a rewards trip on the horizon, it’s a busy and inspiring time for everyone.
Thank you for attending the KS4 Pathways Meeting on Wednesday 15 January. Please find attached the Presentation from the evening and a link to the KS4 Pathways Portal which contains the curriculum booklet and subject videos. This will give you more information about the subjects.
A quick reminder: Parents' Evening is coming up next Wednesday, 22 January. All the details have been sent to your email inbox, so don’t forget to book your slots. We’re looking forward to catching up with you all! Please contact adminoffice@cotham.bristol.sch.uk if you are experiencing any problems with booking an appointment.
This week students had further support with work experience. A number of students have gained exciting placements. A reminder to all that the deadline is the Friday 24 January, so please if your child does not have placement continue to support them.
Year 10, 5-A side football returned this weeks with four lunchtime fixtures and 10AD and 10AWA both picking up good victories.
This is compulsory for the students who have been selected. If your child is unable to attend please let Mrs Arnold know.
Period 6 will be cancelled on the following dates:
Wednesday 22 January - Year 9 Parents Evening
Tuesday 28 January - Staff Meeting
Thursday 06 February - Staff Meeting
Thursday 06 March - Year 7 Parents Evening
Thursday 20 March - Year 12 Parents Evening
Thursday 03 April - Year 8 Parents Evening
There is a free webinar for parents and carers of Year 10 and 11 students covering some course options available locally, including A-levels, T-levels and BTECs, apprenticeship routes, and how to use Careerpilot to explore these and ‘green’ pathways.
Please click here for further information.
Year 11 Mock Exams will take place from Monday 3 February to Friday 14 February 2025.
Please see the following information slides and Mock Exam timetable to support students in preparing for their exams.
Please see the message from the Parent Prom Committee:
Dear Parents/Carers,
In December, the Parent Prom Committee drafted a letter to local businesses seeking contributions to ensure all Year 11 students can participate in the prom. Despite our efforts, we have only received a handful of donations for the raffle so far.
We kindly ask all Year 11 parents to support this event by helping us gather prizes for the raffle, which will take place in a couple of weeks.
You can either donate prizes directly to the school or share our letter with local businesses to encourage their contributions. We have found that face-to-face requests and explaining the purpose of the raffle tend to be more effective than emails.
We are hopeful that with your support, we can raise enough prizes to ensure a successful raffle and a memorable prom for our students.
Thank you
Year 11 Prom - local business 061224.pdfMr Tait gives a shout out to 11AT...everybody was equipped with REP and uniform...100%. Well done 11AT!!
Ms Ingham gives a shout out to 11B3 in PSHE who all got on with their tasks before I even had to ask, listened to the resources well, and completed all of their writing.
Special shout out to Roo, who was able to articulate the nuances between banter and bullying in front of the whole class.
The school nursing team are offering regular 1:1 sessions. All of our young people were emailed a self referral form last week. The team can offer advice and support for a wide range of health related issues including: sexual health, emotional support, relationships, sleep, smoking/vaping and much more.
Year 13 mocks will take place next week. Students will be off timetable with the exception of BTECs, Art and Photography lessons. Students have been sent their timetables directly and should contact a member of the Post 16 team with any questions.
This week we sent out attendance reports for Term 2. Please direct any questions about specific absences to your young person's tutor.
A reminder that it is essential that Year11 students have the correct equipment for their GCSE Maths mock exams (starting Monday 3 February 2025). They will need a pen, pencil, ruler, protractor, compass and (for Paper 2) a scientific calculator. These can be bought from larger supermarkets or stationary shops. Students should NOT expect to borrow equipment on the day.
This week Year 8 have been making Dutch Apple Cake. This simple cinnamon sugar apple cake is light and fluffy, loaded with fresh apples and topped with a crunchy cinnamon sugar layer. Students learnt the importance of Aeration - a physical and/or chemical process of adding air bubbles to the batter to create a light and fluffy texture. This was achieved by sieving flour/mixing batter "physically" and then adding baking powder "chemically". Great results Year 8!
This week, our Art of the Week celebrates the impressive work of of Year 7 as they delve into the artistic world of Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Students have been learning about Hundertwasser's distinctive style, characterised by vibrant colours, organic forms and a deep connection to nature.
Well done to Ivy in Year 7 for this fantastic homework piece.
WOW 5.pdfLast week, our incredible Year 10 girls and Year 9 boys competed in the Bristol Sports Hall Athletics Finals! Both teams performed exceptionally well and demonstrated fantastic teamwork and determination, securing an impressive 3rd place overall.
A huge congratulations to all involved—we are so proud of their achievements!
PERFORM FOR LIFE - Free taster lessons in school, Thursday 23 January 2025!
Since 2019, they have helped students work towards internationally-recognised qualifications from LAMDA, Trinity College London, and RSL. Lessons improve performance skills and boost confidence, communication, and social abilities. Kat, with 17 years of experience, teaches students of all levels. Sign up in the Performing Arts foyer or visit their website for more information.
PFL_Schools_Tasters_Students_CSJan25 Post 16 students attended a conference led by Oxford High School, joining schools across the country. Talks focused on a range of topics, including Social Enterprise, Decision Making, Price Discrimination and the Social Care System.
Gamma House has once again secured the highest attendance! Well done to all of Gamma House for their outstanding achievement.
We just wanted to take a moment to express how impressive it was to see such a great turnout for the sports staff event. It was fantastic to witness everyone engaging in friendly competition and enjoying the spirit of teamwork. A big thank you to Mr Cony for organising this event—his efforts truly made it a success! We hope to see even more staff participating in future sports events. Let’s keep the momentum going!
'Tans-fawm'
Meaning:
A major change in the form, shape, character or nature of something or someone. (verb)
Example:
Adding one chilli transformed the meal
The old rubbish dump has been transformed into a wildlife garden
A kind word can transform someone’s day
Synonyms:
Change, modify, alter
'Puh-seev'
Meaning:
To see something a certain way (verb)
To understand, realise or interpret something (verb)
Example
Insects perceive colours differently from us
I began to perceive the seriousness of the problem
From her expression I could perceive her dislike for the dinner
Synonyms:
Recognise, regard, discern, see
What is an Influencer?
An influencer is somebody on a social media platform such as YouTube and Instagram, who have a high number of followers. Influencers share their opinions/ideas and may be paid to advertise/promote products through their account.
What should I be concerned about?
Whist there are some great influencers, there are some that choose to share content that is for example, misogynistic, racist or misleading. These opinions can be expressed or interpreted as fact, so it is important to talk to your child and encourage them to fact check and critically analyse what they see and hear online.
What we see on social media
What we see is influenced by algorithms, which predict what type of content we are most likely to interact with. Whilst there are benefits of algorithms, it can mean that once we start looking at certain content, our social media feed can become more aligned with that opinion, creating an echo chamber and therefore we do not see a balanced picture. Find out more here:
https://www.childnet.com/blog/algorithms/
What can I do to help my child?
Talk to your child about social media and who they follow. If there is anybody that you are unsure of, then check their feed and discuss with your child if you find anything worrying. Further information
