31st March 2025 | Head of School Letter
This week I want to send my heartfelt Eid Mubarak wishes to all our Muslim staff, students and families within the school community.
May your celebrations be filled with joy and blessings. Over the holiday, I hope everyone finds time to relax and enjoy a well-deserved break. For our Year 11 and 13 students, please do balance your revision with moments of rest and activities you enjoy. It’s important to recharge, too. Fingers crossed for good weather so we can all enjoy the sunshine.
It's hard to believe we've nearly reached the end of a packed and vibrant term! As we look forward to the Easter break, I want to acknowledge the remarkable journey our students have taken, filled with rich experiences and significant personal growth. This term has truly offered a diverse range of learning opportunities outside the classroom, from the deeply impactful visit to Auschwitz and Krakow back in January, providing essential context for our GCSE History and Ethics and Philosophy students, the Bucks Skills Show careers trip for Year 9 and Year 12, to the recent exploration of Dorset's stunning coastline by our Year 12 Geographers, and Rushmere for the Year 11 Geographers, as well as the multitude of Duke of Edinburgh’s Award activities. We've celebrated a huge range of student successes, from victories on the sports fields and courts, and on cross-country courses, to the brilliant achievements in increasing participation of girls in Computer Science, the victories in the Rotary Technology tournament, plus the impressive results from our talented musicians. The dedication shown during mock exams, and for those taking real exams this term, has been commendable, as has the maturity displayed during the Options and Choices process. Thank you, parents and carers, for your continued support in helping your children make fantastic progress this term.
Parent Survey
Seeking the views of parents, and other stakeholders, is important to help inform our school self-evaluation process. It plays a key part in our development planning for the year(s) ahead. We value your opinions and want to hear what you think of The Cottesloe School. What do we do well? What are the things that you think we need to improve on, to support your child(ren) make progress? We’d be grateful if you could complete the survey, answering honestly. Your feedback will help us focus on the areas that need to be further improved and so that our community can recognise and celebrate the things we are excelling at. If you have a specific or immediate concern, please don't use this survey but get in touch via the usual contact routes such as form tutor, Head of Year, subject teacher or curriculum leader as appropriate. Thank you for helping us make our school even better.
Teddy’s Retirement
It's with a mix of sadness and gratitude that we announce the retirement of Teddy, TCS’ wonderful Golden Retriever therapy dog. Since joining us in December 2019, Teddy has been a wonderful source of comfort and support in TEAM Hub. He has brought positivity and calm to many students, and staff. His absence will be felt deeply throughout the school. (We'll certainly miss the constant demand for dog treats!) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Mrs. West for sharing Teddy with us. Happy retirement, Teddy. We hope you enjoy your well-deserved rest!
Outward Bound Adventure
Last week, a group of Year 8 students embarked on an unforgettable Outward Bounds adventure to Aberdovey, in Snowdonia, accompanied by Mr. Curtis, Mrs. Hutley, and Mr. Jones. Throughout the week, they pushed their limits and discovered hidden reserves of resilience through a series of challenging activities. From bracing sea swims and exhilarating cliff jumps to demanding mountain hikes and a night spent under the stars in a remote forest, the students truly embraced the spirit of adventure. This trip was more than just an outdoor experience; it was a powerful lesson in self-belief, a quality Outward Bounds champions as a transformative force in young lives. By stepping outside their comfort zones and into the wild, they gained invaluable insights into their own capabilities, experiences that go far beyond the conventional classroom, and that will positively impact their behaviour and confidence for years to come. Well done and congratulations to all the students.
Staff Farewells
We will be saying goodbye to Mrs Rudge at the end of this term. Mrs Rudge, our SENDCo and teacher of French and German, is leaving us (for the second time!) to take up the post of SENDCo at a Special School in Buckinghamshire. We thank her for the service and contributions she has made to our school community.
Exam Stress Support
With exam season fast approaching, we're pleased to share details of free support webinars from Kooth, designed to help our Year 11 and 13 students, their families, and our staff navigate this potentially stressful time. Given that 85% of UK students experience exam anxiety, yet a significant 71% don't seek support, Kooth’s webinars offer vital tools to manage stress and maintain focus.
Led by Dr. Jeri from Kooth's clinical team, these 30-minute sessions will cover the signs and symptoms of exam stress, explore how stress can be a motivator, provide practical management tips, and introduce the effective STOP technique. Webinars are running from today, 31st March through to early May, and include downloadable resources for both staff, students and their families. Even if you can't attend live, registering your interest will ensure you receive the valuable guidance. You can sign up here. Tips for managing exam stress and how Kooth can support you.
Easyfundraising for The Cottesloe School
So far, an amazing 85 supporters have raised a fantastic £561 through easyfundraising, directly benefiting our school. Every time you do your online grocery shop with Tesco, Morrisons, ASDA, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Iceland, or Ocado, you can effortlessly contribute – at absolutely no extra cost to you. If you're not already on board, and can help, please sign up here: Easy Fundraising - TCS to help raise even more for our students.
The easyfundraising app is the easiest way to raise for Friends of The Cottesloe school when you shop on your mobile. It’s completely FREE and available on iOS and Android, so please get it now to make sure you don’t miss out on any donations for us!
Careers Newsletter
The latest Classroom to Careers newsletter from Bucks Skills Hub has been published: Classroom to Careers April 2025
Sports Fixtures and Results
This week saw our teams in action across a variety of sports, with some exciting results!
Monday: Our Year 11 netball team competed in their End of Season tournament, finishing a respectable 4th out of 8 schools. Well done, ladies!
Tuesday: The Under 18s girls' football team faced a tough challenge against Cedars Upper School, unfortunately losing 5-2. Meanwhile, our Year 11 boys' football team celebrated a thrilling 2-1 victory over John Colet in their AVDL semi-final, securing their place in the final! The Year 10 netball team also participated in their End of Season tournament, we are still awaiting the final results.
Wednesday: The Year 8 boys' football team faced a strong Aylesbury Grammar School side in their AVDL semi-final, and despite a valiant effort, they were defeated 6-2. In the netball tournaments, our Year 9 team achieved a joint 4th place out of 8 schools. On the home courts, our Year 7B netball team had a fantastic 7-2 win against Sir Thomas Fremantle, with Imogen awarded Player of the Match. The Year 10B netball team also dominated their match against Sir Thomas Fremantle, winning 18-2, with Flo earning Player of the Match. Congratulations to both Imogen and Flo!
Thursday: Our Year 7 boys' football team delivered an exciting away victory against Aylesbury Grammar School in their AVDL semi-final, winning 4-3. A great result!
Well done to all students who represented the school this week, and a very big thank you to our excellent PE staff for supporting our students and taking them to fixtures each week! We’re excited for a summer term of athletics, cricket and rounders!
End and Start of Term
School ends at 3pm on Friday 4th April. Students return to school after Easter on Wednesday 23rd April. Tuesday 22nd April is a Staff INSET Day.
Assessment Point 2
AP2 reports will be available to access on Friday via G4S.
Ski Trip
Safe travels to a group of nearly 50 students and staff heading to the slopes in Jay Peak, Vermont, USA this weekend for a week of skiing. The forecast suggests that lots of snow this week, making for excellent conditions whilst they’re in resort.
Year 13
Good luck with the revision over the Easter break. We believe in you. The final parents evening of our Year 13s’ school career takes place on Wednesday this week.
Year 12
An Engineering and F1 careers talk is taking place on Tuesday with TCS alum Will List, who is a graduate race engineer working for Pirelli. We’ve been fortunate to fit in with Will’s work schedule whilst he’s back in the UK; he most recently returned from working in the Sauber garage at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai.
Year 11
A trip to the theatre is planned for Tuesday this week as the year group heads to Aylesbury to watch a performance of Macbeth to support their revision.
Year 10
Students taking GCSE Statistics this summer will complete a mock exam on Wednesday this week.
Year 9
D of E Bronze Wave 1 students are out today and Tuesday on their practice expedition.
Year 7/8/9
GCHQ Cyber Explorers Cup 2025 competition is taking place on Thursday.
Wishing everyone a happy and safe holiday; a very Happy Easter to families who will be celebrating and Eid Mubarak to families who have been celebrating Eid! Thank you, as ever, for your support.
Best wishes,
Louise Baldwin
Head of School