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 5 May 2025 is Week B
Standing Items are located at the bottom of the mailing
Dear Parents and Carers,
Please accept our apologies for the absence of the regular Headteacher's welcome message this week. Please find our weekly mailing which I hope you will find both beneficial and captivating!
With very best wishes for a relaxing bank holiday weekend.
Kindest regards,
Ms Jo Butler, Headteacher
Email received
"As always I’m not sure whether either of us actually replied to this! Thank you so much for letting us know. What a wonderful school Cotham is, they have absolutely thrived and blossomed under your care, thank you so much. "
Parent of Year 11
"Thank you for your kind message. We are very pleased to hear of our child's progress and appreciate your support."
Parent of Year 11
"Thank you for your email, I hope you are doing well.
We are very grateful to you all to made our daughter to have a such great achievement.
Thank you for your great support and efforts."
Parent of Year 11
"I hope you're doing well. Thank you for sharing this wonderful news about our son.
We are so proud of his hard work and dedication, and it means a lot to us to see his efforts being recognised.
We truly appreciate your support and guidance throughout his learning journey.
Thank you once again for your continuous support."
Parent of Year 11
Thank you
Just a reminder that school will be closed for the bank holiday on Monday 5 May 2025. We look forward to welcoming students back on Tuesday 6 May 2025.
We have been made aware that there is an anti-immigration demonstration planned for Saturday 17 May 2025 at the Cenotaph and a counter protest as well. Please encourage your child to stay safe and avoid this area on that day.
We are mindful that some families may be targeted due to their ethnic origins and immigration status. If you are aware of any neighbours or families in this position, you can signpost them to the following charities for assistance:
saricharity.org.uk
voscur. org
We would like to say a huge thank you to the Friendly Neighbour group who kindly donated shopping gift cards to support some of our students at Cotham School. This has been very much apricated and welcomed by the families who received them.
Thank you.
Our Year 11 student fundraising committee are holding an icelolly and ice cream sale on Thursday 8 May in the HUB at break time. All items will be £1 and money raised will go towards prom and the yearbook.
Any donations of pre loved Uniform, especially with Cotham Logo on gratefully received.
Donation may be brought to Cotham Visitor Reception on Cotham Lawn Road.
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.
Year 7 exams will take place from Monday 19 May 2025 to Friday 6 June 2025.
The Year 7 Exam Preparation Booklet provides information on the format of each subject’s exam, its content, as well as suggested sources of revision.
The Year 7 Exam Timetable provides students with a 2-week schedule of when their exams are taking place in normal lessons.
Preparing for Assessments Portal on the school website has loads of great tips for revision too!
We are excited to welcome Ms Trigg as the new Year 8 tutor for 8RBI and a valued addition to the Year 8 tutor team. She brings great enthusiasm and commitment, and we look forward to the positive impact she will have on the students and the wider school community.
Ms Clement would like to give a shout out to Aiman in 8LH. He has been such a fantastic guide and "buddy" to two new students recently. He has made them feel welcome and has done a great job of showing new members of our community why Cotham students are the best!
Ms Griffin would like to shout out to the students who attended the Lord Rees Q&A: All the students were brilliantly behaved and Marvin commented on their maturity and respectful communication.
We will shortly be announcing a plan for an exciting event coming up in Term 6. Keep and eye out for details of this over the next few days.
This week, our assemblies have focused on extra-curricular activities and how the Science GCSE works. Students can find these clubs on tutor slides, notice boards or by asking the Year Team. I’d also encourage you to chat with your child about Combined vs Separate Science. They’ve had a good briefing, so should have some early thoughts. It's always good to get ahead of the game!
🧪 🔬 ⚗️ 🧫 🧬 💡 📚 📖 ✏️ 📝 🧝♂️ 🌡️ 🌍 🛰️ 🚀 💥
This week has seen the GCSE mock exams come to an end for Year 10. The Year Team would like to say a massive well done to all students! Your hard work and resilience during the GCSE mocks really stood out. These exams help you see your progress and plan ahead. Be proud of your efforts, every step counts.
Best of luck to all Year 10 students who are heading out on work experience next week! This is a great chance to learn new skills and discover more about the world beyond school. Make the most of every opportunity, ask plenty of questions and enjoy the experience.
Year 11 have settled back into term 5 with the same dedication and motivation they have shown all year. I am extremely proud of how they have conducted themselves with the GCSE's so close. Last weeks non school uniform day went very well and we raised more money towards the yearbook and prom.
Mrs Arnold
From Mr Cony: I have just had a lovely lesson with Noora, Renad, Giorgi, Aysha, Tiamy, Emir and Bakhtawar. They were all very well behaved and worked hard.
Ms Lewis is proud of the lovely creative writing Shuaib did in English. Faysal then took it upon himself to analyse it with Shuaib and it was just a really nice moment to see these boys being chuffed with their work!
Year 11 Prom - Tickets selling fast!
The Year 11 Cotham School Prom is on Wednesday 25 June. This exciting event includes a DJ, a buffet, a private soft drinks bar and a photo booth. Tickets are selling fast! Don't forget to buy yours on the WisePay app by 9 May, and also remember that parents and carers must fill out the consent form for your child to attend Prom. This form is also on the WisePay app.
Year 11 Yearbook is still available to order at the very reasonable price of £8.00 per copy.
Payments should be made through the WisePay system accessed via the school website. The item can be found in General Payments - Year 11 Yearbook 2025.
We are still waiting for some consent forms to be returned to school.
WITHOUT THE SLIP YOU CANNOT BE INCLUDED IN THE YEARBOOK
If you need a paper copy - please see Mrs Arnold or Mrs Bunka
Advice for students predicted GCSE grades 1-3:
To avoid disappointment, please do not wait for results day in August to apply for Level 1 or Level 2 courses. APPLY NOW!!
Our Year 11 Prom is fast approaching and with this in mind and to support our students we are asking that you have a look in the back of your wardrobes for any items that you no longer need and might be put to good use by our Year 11 leavers.
We are looking for suits, shirts, ties, dresses, shoes and any other accessories. Any donations would be gratefully received. Please drop at Cotham main reception.
With many thanks.
Year 11 Team
Next week we are welcoming visitors from Anthony Nolan to talk to our young people about stem cell donation. This will take place on Wednesday period 3 as part of Core Program.
On Friday 9 May we will be holding a Leavers' Assembly at 12:05 to celebrate our wonderful Year 13 on their final day of lessons with us!
On Wednesday 30 April, 60 Year 8 students participated in the UWE Maths Roadshow. The students worked together to solve a huge range of fun interactive maths puzzles, and had a great time! The students were excellently behaved, very enthusiastic, and there was a real 'buzz' in the room. One of the organisers even said that Cotham was the best school they had visited this year! A huge well done for Y8 for engaging so amazingly, and for being fantastic representatives for Cotham School!
On Thursday 24 April, we were lucky enough to receive Lord Marvin Rees, former Mayor of Bristol and newly seated member of the House of Lords, and Helen Goodwin, candidate for the upcoming WECA mayoral election. They spoke with our Year 8 PSHE and our Year 12 and 13 Politics students about their own paths into Politics and the roles and functions of local government and the House of Lords.
A massive thank you to both Marvin and Helen for coming in to make this amazing opportunity possible!
Now that we have settled into a new term, the switch for Year 7 has begun. Moving from Design Technology > Food Science and vice versa. We began with the expectations of Food Safety & Hygiene within our Food Rooms. Then learning basic knife skills such as "Bridge Hold & Claw Grip" to safely prepare homemade coleslaw by either dicing, shredding and grating fresh vegetables. Great start Year 7, I'm looking forward to making more technical dishes now that you have mastered the basics.
Miss Burt
Ms. Forbes will be starting a Cotham School Creative Club for all students in KS3 to attend after school from 2:45-3:45 every Wednesday Week A.
From drawing and painting to collaging and crocheting, students will have a place to be creative and connect with other like minded peers.
We will learn about new artists each week to use as inspiration and influence us on our creative journey.
Students can either take home their creations or we can sell for charity!
Well done to Gamma House for securing the highest attendance!!!
'Yoo-bik-wi tuhs'
Meaning:
Found, appearing or existing everywhere at the same time. (adjective)
Example:
Fast food restaurants are ubiquitous in town centres.
We hope that one day the use of renewable energy will be ubiquitous in every home.
The use of technology is ubiquitous in today’s classrooms.
Synonyms:
Everywhere, universal, pervasive, ever present
'Tran-zi-uhnt'
Meaning:
Everywhere, universal, pervasive, ever present
Example:
The excitement from the thunderstorm was transient all too soon we had to sit down and work again.
A transient rainbow filled the sky and only a few of us saw it.
Their misery of losing the game was transient.
Synonyms:
Temporary, fleeting, brief, short-lived, momentary
Please find below the link to access the parent/carer session scheduled for Wednesday 7th May 2025 – 4pm – 4.45pm.
Please share as required. This session is a repeat session (last delivered Jan 2025) so if parents/carers attended that session, then they don’t need to attend again.
Please click on the linked button above to join the session on Wednesday 7th May 2025 – 4pm – 4.45pm.
