Thank you

Please find the RWA newsletter attached here.

 ASLEF (train drivers) union have announced new industrial action at the start of May, as part of a rolling programme of strikes across operators.

 ASLEF members will be on strike at GWR (as well CrossCountry, Chiltern Railways, West Midlands Trains and other operators) on Wednesday 8 May.  On this day many parts of GWR network will have no service whatsoever, and where we are able to run, services will start late and finish much earlier than usual.

 GWR customers that do travel should check before doing so at www.gwr.com/check.  There may also be alterations to our services on the evening of Tuesday 7 May and morning Thursday 9 May.

Anybody who has already bought a ticket for travel on Wednesday 8 May will be able to claim a full refund. For full information please visit www.gwr.com/strike.

 ASLEF have also announced action short of a strike effective from Monday 6 May to Saturday 11 May.  While GWR will plan to run as full a service as possible (Wednesday 8 May excepted), there may be short notice alterations and cancellations because this industrial action will mean GWR only have a very limited number of spare drivers.

Now that we are in Term 5, we have an exciting range of Extra-curricular activities for your children to get involved with.  This week we are shining a spotlight on the PE Faculty and the activity Year 7-11 Girls Cricket (Wednesday 2.45pm to 3.45pm on the All Weather Pitch). Please see the Extra-curricular Portal on our website to view the full range of Term 5 Extra-curricular activities.

Year 10 SELT team are organising a Charity Cotham Vinted Clothes sale. 

We would love some donations of clothes of different sizes ages and genders and accessories. If you are able to support us, please send in your donations to school for Mrs Arnold and the Year10 SELT team -  Date and time of sale TBC. 

Any unsold clothes will be given to charity.

Students arriving to school after 8.30am on 3 or more mornings in a week will receive a HTD the following Friday.  Parents/carers will be notified by letter.  Refusal to attend a late detention may result in an internal or fixed term suspension. 

Year 7 exams will be taking place on Monday 13 May to Friday 24 May.

Please find attached an examination timetable which provides details of which exams are happening when.

Also, please find attached a Year 7 Exam Preparation Booklet which provides details of all the exams with useful links to revision resources.

This week students of Year 9 were informed of the end of year Alton towers trip on Wednesday 19 June 2024!  We also have a number of Year 9 and Year 10 students who are fundraising for next years camps international trip to Kenya.  Please get in touch if you are interested in supporting these 10 students.  

• Please find attached a Year 10 Examination Timetable which will provide you with full details of which exams are taking place and when. All exams will be taking place in classrooms during lesson time.  

• Please also find attached an Exam Preparation Booklet which provides details about each examination as well links to resources.

It is really important that your child takes good care of their health and mental wellbeing in the run up to summer examinations.  Keeping your mind, body healthy and your environment positive while you prepare for your assessments is a vital component in achieving the best possible outcomes in your assessments.

Here is a link to our website on how to look after yourself in preparation for exams.

We would like to congratulate Year12 on a very successful mock week.  Students were well prepared, punctual and demonstrated high levels of maturity.  Next week, we will deliver an assembly with next steps to help students maximise their progress following mocks.

Post 16 students have now completed their Money Management course led by the Economics staff and students of Bristol University, in conjunction with Creative Tuition.  Students have explored themes including:

Saving, borrowing, investing, risk, setting up a business, taxation, spending, borrowing, the cost of living crisis, trade and colonialism, currency, income distribution and poverty.

They went to the University to collect their certificates, celebrate and eat pizza!

We have launched Sparx Reader for KS3.  Students are set a weekly homework to gain 300 Sparx Reader Points (roughly 30 mins of careful reading).  The platform tailors reading to each student to build crucial academic reading skills.  A range of interesting texts are available for students to select.  Reading can be completed on devices with internet access.  All are expected to complete this homework in line with the school's homework policy and to support their progress in reading.

Various students in the Year 11 took part in a science revision day on Thursday 18 April, where they received interactive revision sessions for biology, chemistry and physics in small groups.  Huge thank you to the University of Bristol PGCE students who ran the sessions and also to Year 11 for engaging so brilliantly!

We are currently planning this for Term 6. Watch this space!

We are gearing up to say goodbye to our wonderful team of House Prefects as our Year 11s approach their final days of taught lessons.  Prefects have continually modelled good manners and habits in order to support our wider Cotham School community.  They've supported their Heads of Houses in leading assemblies, organising house competitions, promoting the school at open evenings and assisting in Student Voice.  They have been wonderful to work with & are a shining example of outstanding students.

Synonym:

Mistreat, oppress, punish.......