Achievement | Diversity | Respect
10 November 2023
Parent and Carer Weekly Mailing
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 13 November 2023 is Week B
Standing Items are now located at the bottom of the mailing.
Headteacher's Welcome
Dear Parents and Carers
Please find our weekly mailing.
With very best wishes for a relaxing weekend.
Kindest regards,
Ms Jo Butler, Headteacher
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Positive feedback of the week 👍
A quick note to thank you for all the work you do for all of the students at Cotham School.
Your commitment is very much appreciated.
Best wishes
From Year 10 Parent
Our daughter has just started in Year 7 and is having such a positive experience. We were nervous about transition to secondary but didn’t need to be! I hope the inspectors recognise the wonderful school which we hear about when she comes home chatting about her day.
From Year 7 Parent
Thank you
Best Essay Prize in the Business Section of the Oxbright Essay Competition
Xanthe of Year 11 has won the Best Essay prize in the Business Section of the Oxbright Essay Competition - the Essay Competition part received over a thousand entries from all over the world! Please follow the link to see the Essay Competition results and as you can see Cotham is named as Xanthe's school. Xanthe took part in this completely off her own bat (she did not even show us the essay before she submitted it!). Well done Xanthe.
Xanthe's Mum - Year 11
Bristol Japanese Cultural Showcase
Bristol Japanese Cultural Showcase ran a fundraising event recently on Sunday 29 October for the research of neurodevelopmental disorders in children in the University of Exeter. (The UK government focuses heavily on elderly’s mental problems and those research teams for children that are struggling to receive enough budget each year.)
Sunny was in charge of helping customers experience Japanese calligraphy, and she did an amazing job by utilizing her language and communication skills.
The total amount of money raised has not yet been confirmed but Sunny's dedication from 9am to 5pm with never compromising her best friendliness and kindness, I thought her achievements deserve the awareness by her most trusted teachers at her school.
Her sense of responsibility and aspiration to be a better human for the better world are growing through her life in Cotham School, and her teachers’ acknowledgment towards her efforts means a lot to her.
Thank you very much for your continuing support for our daughter’s growth during the most important time of her life.
Sunny's Mum - Year 9
Student Achievements
Staff Vacancies
Cotham School are currently recruiting for the following positions:
Receptionist/Administrator
Teacher of Science and Form Tutor (Physics Specialism)
Site Assistant
For more information and to apply please click here
Word of the Week
Key Stage 3
Influential
In-floo-en-shuhl
Key Stage 4
Substantial
Suhb-stan-shuhl
New Announcements
Diwali
Happy Diwali!
It is Diwali this weekend - The Festival of Light.
Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights with its variations also celebrated in other Indian religions. It symbolises the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance".
May the light of the diyas fill your home with wealth, happiness, and success that brings you joy!
We wish your entire family a very Happy Diwali!
Student Executive Leadership Team (SELT)
Our Student Leaders met with Ms Butler for a Headteachers brunch with lots of really tasty food! It was a wonderful opportunity for your newly elected SELT members to begin to share their ideas about how to improve our school. Another meeting will be happening very soon so keep an eye out in notices and on google classroom. Thank you to our prefects for serving too!
Promoting Strong Attendance During the Autumn Term - Is My Child Too ill for School?
It can be tricky deciding whether or not to keep your child off school, when they are unwell. Please follow the link to refer to the NHS website. There are government guidelines for schools and nurseries about managing specific infectious diseases at GOV.UK. These say when children should be kept off school and when they should attend.
Design the School Christmas Card Competition 2023
Every year we run a competition to design the School Christmas Card. This is a House Competition and is open to Year groups 7-11. Click here for details. Show your creative side and put in an entry. The winner will receive a £20 Amazon voucher and the runner up £10. Entries to be received in the Visual Arts Office by Monday 27 November 2023
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Cotham Interhouse Sportshall Athletics
During the last week of Term 1 all PE classes were involved in the Cotham Interhouse Sportshall Athletics. Please see below overall House & Year positions. The event consists of a mixture of track and field events and finishes with relays. Students were great at working together as a team ensuring an inclusive and positive atmosphere. Some amazing performances throughout the week.
The PE team will now be selecting students to take part in the Bristol Schools Sportshall Athletics Competition which are taking place for Year 7 and 8 on Wednesday 15 November.
A special thanks to our Year 10 Sports Leaders who helped organise and run the inter house on the week.
Overall House Positions
1st place Gamma
2nd Place Omega
3rd Place Delta
4th Place Sigma
Year positions
Year 7
1st -Omega
2nd -Delta
3rd -Gamma
4th - Sigma
Year 8
1st -Delta
2nd - Sigma
3rd - Omega
4th - Gamma
Year 9
1st -Sigma
2nd -Gamma
3rd -Delta
4th -Omega
Year 10
1st -Gamma
2nd - Omega
3rd -Delta
4th- Sigma
Year 11
1st -Gamma
2nd - Omega
3rd -Delta
4th - Sigma
Art DT (3D- Product Design) GCSE and A Level
Important communication has been sent home to parents and carers of Year 11 or Year 13 ART/Photography/Design Technology students who received results in August 2023.
The communication is with regards to the collection of practical work on two set dates. Please check inboxes and complete the Google Form.
Mrs Brock - Faculty Leader for STEAM Faculty
Year 7 - Surprise Me Homework
Congratulations to the Year 7 Students who completed an amazing piece of "Surprise Me Homework".
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Year 8
Welcome back to all of the Year 8 students, you seem to have had a restful break and have come back with a run in your step!
I am excited as the rest of the football teams played last week and we can now start the semi finals!
We are also looking at some trips for students who show persistently brilliant behaviour as well as another trip for attendance. I will let you know more information when I know exactly when it is.
Good job Year 8, keep going!
Ms Buckley - Learning Coordinator
Year 9
Year 9 5 Aside semi finals will take place tomorrow we have had 12 teams enter and just 4 remain.
Next week Year 9 students will take part in the Flying start engineering challenge. Where students will be challenged to design gliders from recycling collected from home.
Mr Farmer - Learning Co-ordinator
Year 9 - Senior Executive Leadership Team
This week the Year 9 SELT have been working with members of the Senior Leadership Team to design a culture and ethos questionnaire. This questionnaire will be circulated across Year 9. It is hoped that the questionnaire will allow the students themselves to shape the direction that the school is taking in regards to reinforcing high expectations and maintaining a harmonious inclusive learning environment.
Mr Dunkley - Assistant Head Teacher
Year 10 Parents' Evening
The Year 10 Parents' Evening is an in person event taking place on Thursday 5 October between 3:45 pm and 6:45pm.
Appointment Details
Parents and carers will have the opportunity to meet their child’s subject teachers for a 5 minute appointment. All appointments will take place in A Block and all parents should enter the school via our visitor entrance on Cotham Lawn Road. Please note there is no parking on site. To park in a residents’ parking scheme area during its hours of operation you’ll need to have a valid pay and display session.
Booking Appointments
Please visit https://cothamschool.schoolcloud.co.uk to book your appointments.
Year 10 - Student Executive Leadership Team (SELT)
The Year 10 Student Executive Leadership Team (SELT) have chosen their charity. We will be supporting St Peters Hospice. We have received a lovely email from them, thanking us for choosing them. Look out for more information on our fundraising events planned for the next few months.
Year 10 SELT have organised a Year 7 football tournament, Year 7 students have signed up for their tutor teams and the first game was on Monday 6 November at lunch time 7RBI v 7HMI. Excitement grew as the game ended in a draw and a penalty shootout was needed to see who would go through to the knockout rounds, well done 7RBI who are through to the knockout rounds. The Year 10 leaders will support the Year 7 students throughout the tournament.
Mrs Arnold - Learning Coordinator
Year 10 - 'Shout Outs' This Week:
In assembly a Mrs Arnold Super LC bar was awarded to Ahmed 10DSE, who has had a fantastic start to Year 10 and was amazing at supporting the Year 10 Penalty shoot out at lunchtime last week and to Seth 10FRA who has had an amazing start to Year 10 and who does the right thing every day quietly getting on with everything.
Saboor 10CG who was amazing in goal during our lunchtime penalty shootout. We had over 40 students take part and only 17 scored past Saboor. The atmosphere was buzzing and Saboor did not show that he was under any pressure, he took it all in his stride as the students took their penalties.
Mr Dempsey, Shout out to 10a3 and 10b3 in Science. They have been absolutely great this year
Mx Heaton, Shoutout to my Art group 10Y - they've done so well with the huge amount of work!
Ms Anthony, shout out to Kiranjeet and Aaron in my 10a5 maths class, for working hard.
Ms Ingham, shout out to my 10B3 PSHE class who worked hard on their DIRT feedback lesson to complete their coursework. Everyone listened to instructions well and took responsibility for making sure their work is ready for sending for assessment.
Ms Power, shout out to 10BEn1 who have been working so hard since coming back after half term and were excellent when visited by Ofsted!
Ms Papworth, Shout out to 10bEn3: absolutely amazing class, so focused and hard working and of course, lots of clever thinking going on!
Mr Book reported that the Year 10 Cotham Rugby Team travelled away to Blaise High and put on quite the show. The boys were brilliant!
Particular highlights were Victor's charging runs, Luca's all action display of rucking and Elijah sending a defender into orbit with a handoff Like a piston. Final score - Cotham 24 - 14 Blaise.
Mrs Arnold - Learning Coordinator
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Year 10 - News
Congratulations to 10LBE who were the overall winners of the Rugby World Cup with South Africa. We celebrated their win in our assembly and they were awarded a World Cup Rugby ball and chocolates to share at tutor time.
Mrs Arnold - Learning Coordinator
Year 10 - Bake Off is Back!
One student from each tutor group took on the challenge of a swiss roll. The Bakers did a brilliant job and the results were amazing. Well done to all that took part.
The judges had their work cut out to choose a winner. Congratulations to the following students:
Winner - Martha 10JWO
Star Baker - Abdulahi 10LN
Next date for Bake Off - Year 10 Festive Bake Off on Monday 11 December
Mrs Arnold - Learning Coordinator
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Year 11 - Parent Information Event
The Year 11 Parent Information Event is now live on the school website under the Parents/Carers section titled 'Parent Information Events'. Please click on the Year 11 site. Here is a link to the site.
This site will give you valuable information and resources about the Year 11 subjects your child is studying and how you can support them through upcoming examinations. We hope you find it useful.
Year 11 - In Year Mock Examinations Preparation Booklets
All year groups will experience mock examinations at some point during the course of the academic year to consolidate their learning over time. Four weeks prior to in-year mock examinations all Students and Parents will receive an examination preparation booklet. This provides key information about the structure and duration of assessments as well resources to support your child’s revision.
The next upcoming mock examination is the Year 11 In Class Mock Examinations from Monday 6 November to Friday 17 November. 2023/24 Year 11 In Class Mock Exams - Student and Parent Preparation Booklet
Year 11 Prom
The Year 11 Prom is a lovely event held every year. It is always organised by our parents/ carers (with the school's support). As is usual, this year's Prom will be held after exams in Summer 2024. We would like to start organising it but we need a group of parents/carers to help!!!
The Year 11 Prom is a lovely event held every year. It is always organised by our parents/ carers (with the school's support). As is usual, this year's Prom will be held after exams in Summer 2024. We would like to start organising it but we need a group of parents/carers to help!!!
If you think you can help please contact Jane Manley-Jackson, one of our lovely parents, on janemanleyjackson@hotmail.com if you would like to get involved.
Year 11 - Business Studies Students, Entrepreneur Pitches
Our amazing Year 11 Business students delivered their entrepreneur pitches last week as part of their final coursework. The staff and visitors who saw these students were all incredibly impressed by the professionalism, effort and quality of everyone's pitches. For many of the students this is the first time they have had to deliver in front of people they don't know well and they were incredible. Well done to you all. Please view some images of the presentations that they created and delivered.
Mr Bates - Deputy Faculty Leader
Artwork of the Week
For their 'All you can eat' project, Year 10 have been making observational drawings of peppers, exploring tone in colour and using different drawing techniques and media.
Please follow our Instagram account Cotham_visual_arts
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Calling all Linguists!
Here at Cotham we offer our students the opportunity to take an additional GCSE or A level in a number of languages not taught at school. Not only is this a valuable extra qualification but recognises additional skills our students have as world citizens.
If you would like more information and in order to register to be entered for an exam, please have a look at this presentation that will be shown to students in school and shared by tutors. You will be able to look at past papers and find out what is involved with each exam and decide whether your child has the level of language required. Please encourage your child to complete the Google form linked in the presentation if they are interested. We look forward to hearing from you.
Linguist of the Month
The MFL department award the Linguist of the Month certificates to students who have shown tremendous effort in their French, Spanish, or German lessons. They will receive a lolly and a certificate in their next MFL lesson.
Congratulation to our October Linguists of the Month!
Year 7
Mia 7RBI
Fatou 7BOP
Ozair 7GD
Lara 7EW
Year 8
Charlie 8FW
Ayub 8SI
Charlie 8FW
Year 9
Miskie 9RS
Willow 9ZE
Raekwon 9EK
Luana 9EK
Clem 9GC
Niyati 9EK
Year 10
Ella 10JWO
Daray 10KBO
Asma 10KD
Year 11
Razan 11CC
Ellie 11FA
Ashley 11AB
Aidan 11CC
Mme Kennedy would also like to congratulate all the students who chose to sing for their holiday homework.
Any questions please email Mr Dutton at duttonp@cotham.bristol.sch.uk
On-line Safety Newsletter - November 2023
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Post 16 Futures
Springpod have partnered with Viasat to bring students an exciting work experience and an education grant along with a competition that could see them working with the company in person. The competition is simple and involves them answering a question based on a brief they are given. This will involve students having to create a presentation working with Viasat's very own mentors. This is an opportunity for any student (Year 12 & 13) looking for some real world experience in the workplace. Please follow the link to find out more.
Post 16
Bristol Old Vic Theatre
Bristol Old Vic Theatre is looking for young storytellers with an interest in History and Theatre for an exciting new project…
As part of the project you will:
Dig into archival material, dating from the 1760s to the present day.
Collaborate with artists to develop your ideas.
Learn about digital storytelling including animation.
Creatively direct a project, including scriptwriting and storyboarding.
Design an exhibition, to tell the stories that you want to tell.
Free tickets to shows and social activities.
Gain experience for your CV, or to help get into further education.
Anyone aged 16 – 18 who is interested in history or theatre and is passionate about change can apply! To find out more, click here
Year 12
Average Expected Grades and Progress Reviews
From this week, students have started to receive their Average Expected Grade (AEG). They were given an assembly detailing what this means and how their first P16 progress report will look. Assembly slides with more information can be found here.
Year 13
Next Step Bristol
Please share information about ‘Next Step Bristol’ with young people from Black, Asian or of mixed background. This is a programme run by University of Bristol who will provide advice, and support to students through a series of webinars. Students will be guaranteed a contextual offer to study at UoB.
UCAS
The UCAS deadline is Friday 1 December. Students should book a 1:1 with their tutor to support this process.
Coming Up Soon...
Advertising Charity Event
Palestine Charity Bazaar - Charity Through Action
Sunday 19 November 1pm - 5pm at
Trojan Centre
St Judes, BS2 9DA
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Students who are interested in pursuing a career in STEM, engineering, manufacturing, apprenticeships, technology, sustainability
Recruitment for GKN 2024 intake of Apprentices is now open for applications with opportunities for Production, Technician, and Degree Apprenticeships.
Production Apprentice - Production Apprentice - GKN Careers (gknaerospace.com)
Technical Support Technician - Technical Support Technician Apprentice - GKN Careers (gknaerospace.com)
Maintenance Technician - Maintenance Technician Apprentice - GKN Careers (gknaerospace.com)
Degree Apprentice - Aerospace Degree Apprentice - GKN Careers (gknaerospace.com)
The closing date for applications is Friday 23 February 2024
ALSO - Apprentice Information Open Evening on Thursday 8 February; this event is to give potential applicants the opportunity to discuss the programme with the training team, as well as existing Apprentices.
The Open Evening will take place:
Thursday 8 February at 16:00 – 19:00
GKN Aerospace Global Technology Centre,
Taurus Road, Patchway, BS34 6FB
And Don't Forget From Last Time
Library Stationery Shop
Biros 10p – Rulers 15p – Protractors 10p – Compasses 30p – Pencils 10p – Rubbers 10p
Revision Charts 40p - Revision (Flash) Cards - £2.30 - Writing Pens from 30p
Calculators £11 - Maths Sets £2 – Clear Pencil Cases £1 - Highlighters 15p
and much more !
JUST ASK AT THE LIBRARY DESK
OPEN BEFORE SCHOOL/BREAK/LUNCH AND AFTER SCHOOL
CASH ONLY PLEASE
Reading Buddies Launches in the Library
Developing reading skills and promoting a love of reading is very important to us at Cotham School. That’s why we’re excited to announce the launch of our Reading Buddies programme. Our wonderful Year 12 students have volunteered their time to listen to some of our Year 7 students read in tutor time. The same students will be paired up each week to allow the Year 7 students to really get to know their ‘reading buddy’ and to develop their confidence with reading. It’s hoped that Reading Buddies will provide our Year 7 students with valuable time to practise their reading skills and to enjoy their book with a fellow student.
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Student Absence - Reminder
Notifying the school of student absence - all info can be found on the School website
Parents and carers can report student absence in 3 ways.
Parents and carers can either:
- complete the absence form on school website
- email the attendance absence email at absence@cotham.bristol.sch.uk (Year 7-11) or p16absence@cotham.bristol.sch.uk (Year 12 and 13)
- telephone the attendance absence line on 0117 919 8000
Digital Literacy Corner
What Parents and Carers Need to Know About:
Cryptocurrency
Complex Technology
Widespread Examples
Change of Scams
Being Locked Out
Risky Investment
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Our latest: Seneca Learning and GCSE Pod Usage
Seneca offers high-quality free online learning courses for students to study from a computer, tablet or phone. The courses are suitable for students aged 13 and above and cover KS3, KS4 GCSE and KS5 A Level subjects.
We are Premium subscribers to this service which unlocks further features of the platform.
Total Seneca Learning Assignments Set for Term 2
77
Total Seneca Learning
Study Time for Term 2
571 Hours
Total Seneca Learning Study Time for this Academic Year
2950 Hours
Welcome! GCSEPod is the perfect resource to help your child learn, retain and recall all the information they need to achieve their GCSE goals.
Pods Watched this Academic Year
580
Number of Pods Watched so far in Term 1
192
Most Watched Subject This Week
History