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 14 July 2025 is Week A
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 lovely summer holiday.
Kindest regards,
Ms Jo Butler, Headteacher
Email received
Good morning
A quick note to highlight an act of citizenship from three of your students yesterday afternoon.
"I was driving up Cotham Hill and observed three of your students, unprompted, offering to help an incredibly frail lady cross the road. They were assisting her by observing the traffic and very respectfully aiding her. It stopped me in my tracks thinking I’d be so proud of either of my little boys to behave like that, without direction, totally coming from a place of initiative and a sense of citizenship.
They must have been between 12-14 years old, and were wearing Cotham School jerseys.
Bravo to those boys. And credit to their families and Cotham School. "
Best wishes
Anonymous
More Positive Responses
Dear Mr Buchanan and Ms Crimmins
"We are writing to say a huge thank you for being really fantastic A level Philosophy teachers to Thomas. You have inspired him to love studying Philosophy through your teaching skills and passion for the subject. You have also gone the extra mile to help with his concerns about his confidence especially around exam time and we really appreciate that too.
As you probably know, Thomas is looking forward to applying for a Joint Philosophy and English degree next year.
Enjoy a well deserved summer holiday when it finally arrives."
Best wishes
A Parent
Dear Mrs Butler
“Mr. Sebana has been an outstanding form tutor — supportive, thoughtful, and truly invested in his students. His message in the Leavers' Book showed real care and understanding, with personalised reflections that made each student feel seen. He goes above and beyond, not just in the classroom but in recognising the wider contributions students make. He is a real role model and a credit to the school.”
Best wishes
A Parent
Dear Jo
"Just a quick note to say what a fabulous Year 7/8 Sports Day your team ran today. It was a really fun and inclusive day, and it was lovely to see the school community encouraging one another to do their best. Your staff did an excellent job with the logistics and keeping everyone focused, alongside busting some great dance moves to the Macarena. The Sports Leaders also really stepped up, ensuring everything ran smoothly and keeping everyone safe. Well done to all the staff and pupils."
Ms Thomas
Governor
Dear Ms Arnold
"I just wanted to say thank you for all your work as the year 11 learning coordinator - we really appreciate everything you have done for this year group. And thanks for also supporting the prom this week. Hope you have a good summer break when you get there. "
Best wishes
Year 11 Parent
Dear everyone involved with Guys and Dolls -
"Just wanted to congratulate you all on a fabulous performance last night.
We had an evening of wonderful entertainment and felt so proud to see all of your hard work and talent on show.
Thank you and break a leg for the rest of the run!"
Anonymous
Thank you
We are delighted to invite you to our upcoming Open Evenings, a wonderful opportunity to experience our school community and learn more about what we offer.
Year 6-7 Main School - 25 September 2025
Cotham Post 16 - 2 October 2025
Redland Green P16 - 9 October 2025
(Times to be confirmed on website)
Open Evenings - All.pdfWe have lots of brand new uniform for sale at reduced prices:
polo shirts for all houses
school jumpers
dance t-shirts and PE jumpers
Lots of different sizes available.
Date: Thursday 17 July 2025
Time: 2.45pm onwards
Where: outside Main Reception on Cotham Lawn Road
As usual, we will also be selling pre-loved uniform items at £1 per item.
Summer is nearly here and term is nearly over! Can I please ask that library books, both fiction, non fiction & text books are all returned to the library or library return boxes.
Cotham Library spends lots of money every year replacing lost books so PLEASE look under beds and in cupboards for all of your books!
If you would like to read over the summer then please RENEW your books by emailing library@cotham.bristol.sch.uk or by coming into the library and asking Ms Payne. There will be NO CHARGE for overdue books.
RETURN LIBRARY BOOKS END OF TERM POSTER .pdfDear Parents and Carers
Please be advised that our catering partners, ABM Catering, will be implementing small price increases for meal deals and individual food items at break and lunchtime.
This is due to the continued rise in food supply and labour costs, including increased employer National Insurance contributions from 1 April.
These adjustments will take effect from 1 September 2025. Please click here for further information.
Thank you for your kind understanding.
Mr Carpenter
Deputy Director of Finance and Resources
Summer is almost here, which is a perfect opportunity to spend lots of time reading for pleasure.
To read during the summer ensures reading skills are maintained and also improves them over the course of the summer.
PLUS IT IS FUN! You are NEVER BORED with a GREAT BOOK to keep you company.
Below is a recommended list of some of the most popular books we have in the LIBRARY NOW both old and new that your child may wish to read. I have also included a link to our eBOOK library. Keep Reading!
SUMMER 25 reading all years weekly mailPlease 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.pdfPlease 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
With our new absence procedure Study Bugs 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 Study Bugs app, please contact or come to the school for assistance.
We are excited to offer an excellent opportunity for Years 7-9 students to take piano and keyboard lessons right here at Cotham School! These lessons will be taught on our lovely grand piano by our highly experienced teacher, Christina Craig-Jones.
She is a specialist teacher, catering to all levels from beginners to advanced and offering a diverse range of styles including classical, jazz improvising, and rock and pop.
Limited spaces are available for this term and in preparation for next year. Summer holiday lessons are also an option.
To learn more or to book a free taster lesson, please contact Christina directly at chriscraigjones@hotmail.com.
We’ve got some exciting news from Monkhouse! For a limited time, enjoy FREE delivery on all orders over £50 with code FREEDEL – perfect for getting ahead on your back-to-school shopping without the added delivery costs.
Offer Dates:
• Start Date: Monday 14 July 2025
• End Date: Sunday 20 July 2025 (until midnight)
Mark your calendars! The Cliftonwood Open Air Cinema is showing Black Panther (12A) on Friday 5 September 2025, at Argyle Place Park (next to The Lion pub).
Join us from 7:00 PM for this community screening. Tickets are just £5. More details will be shared soon on our Facebook page!
Last Friday was the Year 7 Sports Day - and what a day it was! The Year 7s showed their resilience, competitive spirit and great teamwork in cheering one another on, a reminder of what makes our school community so great. Events included archery, zone ball, tug of war, and various running and relay races - even some school records were broken! I really enjoyed cheering you all on from the side lines and seeing the huge smiles on your faces. The weather was kind to us too. Well done all Year 7s.
Ms S Price
As the summer break approaches, the Year 9 team have been getting into the spirit with our annual Summer Learning Coordinator Awards. It’s always a brilliant way to celebrate a busy year and recognise those students who have truly stood out.
A huge well done to Jacob, Arwa and Khalid for receiving my award this year. In a year group as lively, talented and entertaining as this one, picking just three is no easy task. After plenty of thinking (and a fair bit of pacing around the office), these three came out on top 🌟.
A quick reminder that photo day for new lanyards is coming up next Tuesday, 15 July. I’ll be sharing the details with students 📸.
Wishing you all a great week as we count down to the holidays!
Last week Year 10 students took part in the end of year rewards quiz! A great time was had by all who entered and a big well done to the winning tutor...10RS!
A big well done to all Year 10 students who have been performing in the school musical Guys and Dolls this week! It's been fantastic to see wonderful performances and great displays of all the skills and talent you have.
Anyone in receipt of the P16 bursary will need to sign a continuation form in order to receive it again in Year 13. Forms can be collected from the canteen or Ms Dutton. They are also linked on the bulletin of the student hub to print and return. Any questions should be directed to Ms Dutton.
The last day of teaching for Post 16 students will be Thursday17 July 2025. Lessons at RGS will end on Friday 18 July 2025.
We had a brilliant celebration day at Bristol University! 34 Year 8 students enjoyed working with a published writer, meeting graduates and having a tour of the campus plus a pizza lunch. There were prizes for the best writing wrongs submissions, including WH smith vouchers of £25 and £40. Congratulations to Charvi, Eliza and Amia who were our winners overall! Amelie, , Dylan and Elijah who were runners up, commendation to Aayat and special mentions to Anton, Francesca, Rachel, Sennen & Veronika.
What an incredible time 42 Year 9 students had on their trip to the Black Forest in Germany. It was a trip packed with non-stop activities and plenty of fresh air.
Students truly embraced every opportunity, braving the thrilling heights of the toboggan run, enjoying a refreshing swim and experiencing the excitement of Europa Park, Germany's largest theme park. They also explored the charming city of Freiburg.
A huge thank you to all the staff who made this such a memorable trip for our students.
As we come to the end of the school year, I found it very difficult to choose. Every student has entered the room focused and engaged, more independent learning has been noticed, and the high standards of cooking and cleaning safely has risen dramatically. However, I have been blown away by a class as a whole. I decided to award the whole class of 7C. Rewarded with a fresh Pain Au Chocolat kindly donated by Mocha Mocha! A very well deserved treat to recognise outstanding behaviour in our Food Rooms!
This week, in celebration of World Culture Day, our art students illustrated flags that represent their cultural heritage to create a vibrant bunting display.
As part of Culture day we ran many House events and competitions. To celebrate our diverse and unique community at Cotham, we asked students to submit their valued and meaningful recipes that represent their culture. The winners were then made and distributed by Ms Brock and her wonderful food tech team. This book contains the winning contributions.
Modern Illustrative Recipe Book Cover.pdf
A reminder that every Wednesday, from now until the end of the academic year, Ms. Forbes is running a Creative Club in C005 from 2.45pm-3.45pm. Please come along and bring anyone who wants to get creative and meet like minded peers! We will be drawing painting, crocheting and collaging!
This week, Delta has been again top of the rank in attendance, showing remarkable drive and proving that sustained effort yields significant results.
'Uh-dap-tuh-bil-uh-tee'
Meaning:
Being able to adjust to new conditions (noun).
To change something for a new purpose (noun).
Example:
Working with a new teacher shows your brilliant adaptability.
Synonyms:
Flexibility, adjustability, versatility…
'Sim-buh-lyz'
Meaning:
If you symbolise something, you create an image or gesture to represent it (verb).
Example:
What does the colour red symbolise to you?
The blood in ‘Macbeth’ symbolises guilt.
Synonyms:
Represent, signify, express…
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.
Online_Saftey_Newsletter_5.pdf