Monday 29th September | Head of School Letter
Last week was a super busy week with a range of different activities taking place in addition to learning in the classroom.
We were delighted to welcome back one of our successful alumni, Khadijah, who qualified as a midwife this summer from King's College Hospital in London. She delivered an incredibly inspirational talk to students considering a career in medicine, highlighting the rewarding path she took. Check out the Instagram Reel.
Meanwhile, our STEM students showcased their skills in the Quadcopter Challenge in the school hall, supported by last year's national champions—our own Year 10 experts! The winning teams from the challenge will now advance to the regional finals later this year. We also had the pleasure of hosting the British Army, who spoke to Year 10 and 11 about the wide range of exciting career pathways and opportunities available in the Armed Forces, proving there's so much more than meets the eye.
Year 6 into 7 Open Events
We’re looking forward to welcoming more families to school this week for the final three open morning sessions, following three successful sessions last week. I want to share with you some wonderful feedback from two families who visited on Wednesday:
We wanted to say thanks to everyone who took part or organised the Open Morning on Wednesday. Ethan, who showed us round, is a credit to himself and the school. He impressed us with his kindness, confidence, enthusiasm for the school – particularly the staff – and his openness and pride in sharing his own journey.
The speakers in the presentation were equally impressive and well deserve their gold thumbs up. And the vision and values of the school shone through in the "big family" feel and personal/adaptable approach.
I just wanted to say thank you for our visit today. The two sixth formers who showed us around were a fantastic example; really knowledgeable, confident, friendly and so helpful. I saw the school a few years ago and loved it and my daughter and I loved it today, even more so with all the additions/changes that have been made. There is a lovely positive feeling about the school and I think my daughter will do well there. What I also like is that all the things we saw and heard at the school only confirm the things I've been told by parents with children currently at Cottesloe.
Meet the Tutor Evening Wednesday 1st October
A reminder that it’s meet the tutor evening for every year group this Wednesday. If you’ve not been able to book an appointment via the Parents Evening System, please contact the school office. This online appointment is an opportunity to discuss with your child’s tutor how they’ve settled into the new academic year, highlight any early successes and raise any difficulties. The appointments are five minutes long to ensure every family can meet with their child’s tutor. If there is more to discuss, please email the tutor to arrange a longer conversation. For more information about Subject Parents Evening events, please see our website: Parents Evening
Sparx Science
The engagement with Sparx Science homework is strong, and we're seeing great work from many of our students! This platform is a fantastic, evidence-based tool that directly supports your child's learning in science. A massive well done goes to our top five classes who showed outstanding dedication this week by completing their homework on time:
- 9yz/Sc1: 91% completed on time
- 10WA/Bi: 85% completed on time
- 8w/Sc1: 83% completed on time
- 8y/Sc1: 80% completed on time
- 9wx/Sc1: 80% completed on time
The overall percentage of work completed on time has dropped slightly from last week across all year groups. We know life gets busy, but consistent, on-time completion is crucial for building core scientific knowledge.
- Year 7: 64%
- Year 8: 64%
- Year 9: 62%
- Year 10: 58%
- Year 11: 51%
Please continue to support your child by checking their planner or the Sparx platform to ensure their science homework is completed before the deadline. Consistent effort is what makes the biggest difference to long-term progress! Thank you for your support.
Sparx Maths
Our students continue to show incredible dedication to their maths learning through Sparx Maths! This week alone, our pupils answered an astounding 91,042 questions and collectively spent 1,025 hours dedicated to learning and practice. This huge effort is already translating into excellent completion rates, demonstrating the platform's success. The most improved class is 7w/Ma1. Here is a look at the on-time completion rates across the year groups:
- Year 7: 92%
- Year 8: 83%
- Year 9: 83%
- Year 10: 78%
- Year 11: 66%
We are particularly proud of our Year 7 students leading the charge with an exceptional 92% rate! Please continue to support your child at home by checking their planner or the Sparx platform to ensure they complete their work on time. Consistent practice is the key to mastering maths concepts!
Wear Yellow Friday 10th October
Supporting World Mental Health Day On Friday 10th October, our school will be recognising World Mental Health Day by proudly supporting YoungMinds, a leading UK charity dedicated to the mental health and emotional well-being of young people. Currently, more than one in four young people are struggling with a probable mental health condition, and many lack access to necessary support. We invite all students to participate in our 'Hello Yellow' day by wearing one item of yellow clothing along with their usual school uniform on 10th October. By raising awareness and funds, we send a powerful message to young people that they are not alone. A letter has been sent home about the bake sale and how to make donations via the MCAS app.
Sport Fixtures and results
It was a busy and successful week across a number of sports, marked by some fantastic team efforts and big wins!
Dominating the Rugby Pitch
Our boys' rugby teams had a commanding week, securing impressive victories over Waddesdon. The Year 11s delivered a decisive 40-7 win, showcasing their experience and skill. The Year 10s fought hard for a thrilling 38-24 victory. While the Year 9 Rugby team faced a tough challenge against Waddesdon, losing 75-15, they continued to show great commitment on the pitch.
Football
Triumphs Our football teams advanced confidently in their County Cup fixtures: The Year 11 Boys delivered an overwhelming 6-0 victory against SHFGS. Jack and Sam S were unstoppable, scoring two goals each, with Sam H and Tom rounding out the scoring with one goal apiece. The Year 8 Boys County Cup team secured a solid 2-1 win against Hazeley. The U16 Girls County Cup team played an incredibly exciting and close match against Royal Latin, eventually winning 7-6! All the girls played brilliantly, with Amaya earning a special mention for being exceptional.
Netball Effort
The Year 9 Netball team played a very competitive match against John Colet, losing narrowly 6-8. Charlotte was recognised as Player of the Match for her fantastic performance.
This week we’ve got netball tournaments and football matches to look forward to.
SEND Post-16 Specialist Providers Information Event
Choosing the right path after Year 11 can be a significant decision. Buckinghamshire Children and Young People’s Partnership, specifically for families of young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) are hosting an event on Wednesday 8 October 2025 - 3.30pm to 6pm – to support students and families with decision making. Students from Year 9 upwards are invited to attend. Representatives from approximately 14 different Post-16 Specialist Providers. This is a fantastic opportunity to find out more about the variety of programmes on offer for young people with an active EHCP.
The event is at Buckinghamshire New University 59 Walton Street, Aylesbury HP21 7QG. Free parking will be available onsite.
To help us and the providers plan effectively, and to inform your child’s upcoming annual review meetings, please let us know if you plan to attend by completing this short Google Form: https://forms.gle/ZSBiWv6TxizRyB418
Let's talk Children and Smartphones
An evening event is being organised by local parents involved in the Smartphone Free Childhood movement and is aimed at school leaders and parents, on Monday 6th October from 7:30pm-9pm at Aylesbury High School. It will feature a series of short talks from a panel of professionals representing education, medicine, psychology, and policing, alongside the valuable perspective of a teenager. The talks will be followed by a discussion and Q&A session with the audience. This event aims to provide a space to explore the impact of smartphones on children’s wellbeing, learning, and safety, and to share insights and experiences on how we can support the young people in our care. If you are interested in attending, please click here: Let’s Talk: Children & Smartphones
Assembly Theme
This week’s assemblies reflect the theme of Black History Month and will be taken by Mr Powell, History teacher.
Years 10, 11, 12 and 13
We wrote to you recently regarding your child's Post-16/Post-18 Intentions to be completed by 22nd September. We still have some outstanding Post-16/Post-18 Intentions on Unifrog. Please support your child in completing this; the details on how to complete this will appear on their Futures Google Classroom as an assignment. If your child needs support, please contact their Form Tutor or Mrs Gunn via the careers email: careershub@cottesloe.bucks.sch.uk
Year 12
Year 12 will be participating in a Team Talk Challenge tomorrow, led by the Hidden Leaders team who support the school with the Year 6 into 7 Character Camp.
Year 11
The first round of KS4 mock exams begin on Monday 6th October. Mr Passaro, Mr Fox and I took a special assembly with the year group this morning to explain the key points of exam room etiquette, ensure everyone knows what’s expected of them prior to the exams beginning and to remind them of our expectations of them around the school site during breaks and lunchtimes. More information about exams can be found here: Examinations
Year 7
Good luck to the teams entered into the Netball Seeding Tournament at AHS on Thursday.
Have a super week, and if you’re attending one of our open events this week with your Year 6 child, I look forward to meeting you – you are very welcome. Thank you, as always, for your ongoing support.
Best wishes,
Louise Baldwin
Head of School