Thank you

Award winning author Rachel Delahaye came to Cotham and talked to the whole of Year 8 and Year 9.  She introduced her brilliant books as well as giving an exciting and thought provoking talk about how many futuristic and dystopian books can sometimes predict the future.  The questions asked by the students were particularly impressive and Rachel felt that they were really engaged.  Rachel came to the library at break to talk to students and also signed some books!  Read her books in the library NOW.

Please read the email below which outlines transport offers available in Bristol.  This includes:

Existing travel offers: Up to £100 of travel offers for everyone who lives, studies or works in Bristol and are 18 years of age and above. Apply for your free travel offers.

Households within the trial area on a low income, that meet the eligibility criteria, will also be able to choose between an extra £250 of First Bus tickets, a £150 voucher to buy a refurbished bike, or a 12 month exemption to the trial’s bus gates if they need to drive for work.

If 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.

Well done to the Year 7 students who took part in the pancake flipping competition organised by the Yr11 student Prom committee. Students had 30 seconds to see many times they could flip a pancake. It was very close and the winner was Oluwatomisin who managed to do an impressive 40. 

This week we were fortunate enough to have the talented Rachel Delahaye come in and speak with Year 8 - She told some inspiring stories, and students engaged and participated throughout! 

Thank you for supporting your child in the submission of their Year 9 options.  From Monday 17 March - Wednesday 19 March, we will be meeting with all the students individually to confirm their choices.  This is for you information only and involves only the students.  It will take place during the school day.  Your child will receive a sticker next week indicating their time slot.

A reminder that Year 10 GCSE mocks will commence on Wednesday 23 April when students return from the school holidays. 

Students will begin preparations this term from the 23 March. 

Students can use the library after school to support with their revision as well as extra curricular clubs such as Math's Homework Club. 

The presentation is linked here.

In November the Year 11 students studying the Cambridge National Sports Science course visited Bath University. 

The visit started with a tour around the impressive Sports Training Village where the facilities included an Olympic-sized swimming pool, sports hall, indoor tennis courts and indoor and outdoor athletics tracks. 

Once the tour had finished we visited the Sports Science labs where Nassim completed the VO2max test on a treadmill and Sabour completed the cycling performance test.  Well done boys for putting yourself forward for this and working to your maximum! 

Next stop was some sports conditioning where the students were taught the correct ways of performing different exercises such as press ups and squats. 

We then stopped for lunch which gave us time to explore the university as a group. 

After lunch we were very lucky to meet two GB Olympic rowers.  They talked to us about their very busy but rewarding training schedule.  They also spoke to us about how they balanced university, training and life.

A massive thanks to Mr Book for sorting out funding for the trip. 

We are excited to offer access to Digital Theatre Plus!  This subscription provides students with world-class productions, study guides, and learning resources to enhance their understanding of Drama and English Literature.  It’s a great way to bring the magic of theatre into their studies. 

Access  to Digital Theatre+ is included for all students.  Please log in using your Cotham email address and password.

We're thrilled to share some exciting developments that are empowering our students to take initiative and make a positive impact, both within our schools and in the wider community.

Developing Confident Leaders:

Recently, 54 student leaders from across 13 schools participated in a valuable coaching skills training session led by SSAT. They are now tasked with independently applying these skills within their school environments. 

Become Peer Coaches:

They can utilize their newly acquired skills to support classmates with academic work, offer guidance, or facilitate study groups.

Enhance Communication Skills: The training also encouraged students to practice public speaking by giving presentations, receiving constructive feedback to further develop their communication abilities. Parents can encourage their children to practice these skills at home.

Making a Difference Through Independent Volunteering:

We're also proud to announce the launch of our Student Social Action Volunteering pilot project, in partnership with four local primary schools.  This initiative offers Year 12 students from Bristol Free School, Cotham, Clifton College, and Badminton the chance to engage in meaningful community service.  Specifically, students can independently:

• Serve as Reading Buddies: Help younger students improve their literacy skills.

• Lead Science Activities: Spark an interest in science among primary school children.

• Provide After-School Mentoring: Offer guidance and support to young girls.

• Introduce Sports and Teamwork: Lead engaging "Try it out" sessions.

These opportunities allow our students to develop crucial life skills, build confidence, and experience the satisfaction of contributing to their community.  We encourage you to discuss these opportunities with your Year 12 children, and support them in taking the initiative to participate.

Synonyms:

Polite, respect, good manners, affability