Celebrating International Women's Day

Yesterday was International Women’s Day. At The Cottesloe School, we celebrate the incredible women and girls who embody our motto: Prepare, Aspire, Succeed. From classroom to community, your brilliance and resilience shape our school’s success. We also extend our gratitude to the men in our community, teachers, fathers, and peers, who are allies and champions. International Women's Day has been a call to action for over a century, belonging to everyone who cares about forging gender parity. As the renowned activist Gloria Steinem once explained: ‘The story of women's struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organisation but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights.’ This year, the theme of IWD is to imagine a gender-equal world, a world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination, where difference is valued and celebrated. Our assemblies this week will follow this theme, led by Miss Gray. Here’s to strong women: may we know them, may we be them, may we raise them – and may we stand beside them.

Scouting Success

A huge congratulations to a number of Scouts from our school community who took on the Endurance40 challenge this weekend and completely smashed it! Trekking 40km across the Chilterns is tough; over 11 hours of grit, determination, and teamwork. We couldn't be prouder of their resilience and outstanding team spirit. A massive well done to the following students: Ava B, Max B, Penny B, Aidan D, Emily F, Nancy H, William H, William M, Benjamin R, Emily S, Dylan W, Erin W, James W, and Walter W. If we’ve missed any names out, please let us know - thank you to the parents who have shared this success with us.

Skiing Success

We are incredibly proud to share another phenomenal achievement from our resident international skier, Year 11 student Harrison. Harrison has once again been selected to represent his country, joining the GB Snowsport Alpine Squad for the Junior World Championships in Narvik, Norway between 5th and 15th of March. Competing at the highest levels of international sport is extraordinary, but we are especially proud of how brilliantly Harrison continues to juggle the immense travel and training demands of his elite skiing career alongside preparing for his GCSEs this summer. We are all cheering you on, Harrison - best of luck in Narvik!

Church Street Parking

As you may recall, I recently wrote to families regarding our expectations for considerate parking in the local roads around the school. We are now asking for your support in a joint effort with our neighbours at Overstone School. Overstone has launched a campaign to address serious ongoing traffic issues, including speeding, double-parking, parking on pavements, and inconsiderate behaviour, compromising the safety of all children walking to and from both schools. To build a strong case for Buckinghamshire Council, the Parish Council, and Thames Valley Police, Overstone School is actively collecting evidence by the end of March. If you share these concerns about Church Street, we strongly encourage you to write to the local authority using the suggested letter template we have included with this newsletter. Overstone is asking for photographic evidence of dangerous parking to support their campaign - please send any photographs directly to Overstone School. They have stressed that this is absolutely not an exercise to name and shame drivers, but simply to gather the essential evidence required by the authorities to enforce change. Link to suggested letter here. 

Classroom to Careers

The latest edition of the  Bucks Skills Hub newsletter has been published:Classroom-to-Careers-Newsletter-March-2026.pdf Spring is a season of growth, making it the perfect time for our students to start planting the seeds for their future careers. Whether they are exploring post-school options or are ready to jump into the workforce, the Bucks Skills Hub has a wealth of resources and local opportunities to share this month. For those interested in Engineering and AI, High Wycombe-based Monodraught is offering a fully-funded degree apprenticeship. This exciting opportunity includes a starting salary of £18,000 per year, allowing students to combine real-world engineering work with university study. Students curious about law enforcement can explore what it is like to work within the Thames Valley Police. Their upcoming recruitment events provide an excellent inside look at becoming a police officer or pursuing other vital roles within the force. Finally, if your young person is planning for university, looking into open days, attending UCAS events, or wanting to try a course before applying, be sure to check out the latest university resource pages available through the Bucks Skills Hub.

Vacancies

We are currently advertising for a Head of MFL. We’d be grateful if you could share the advert within your networks. School website link: Join Our Team Recruitment platform advert: Head of MFL (Spanish Specialism)