Monday 9th November 2026 | Head of School Letter
A great privilege of welcoming new staff to The Cottesloe School is the opportunity to see our young people and culture through fresh eyes. Earlier this week, Mr Waite, our new Head of PE, emailed me to share how impressed he has been by the character and maturity of our students. As an experienced leader joining us this year, his perspective carries weight. Accompanying the senior boys' Cross Country team to Stowe (more on the results later in the letter) on a very cold afternoon, what stood out to him was their remarkable spirit. Facing tough conditions, no one complained. Instead, our students supported one another with good humour, stepped up with quiet confidence, and showed instinctive, unprompted gratitude for the opportunity.
Moments like this show what happens when young people develop in a genuinely warm and supportive culture. When students feel secure, valued, and encouraged, they naturally flourish, both in their learning and in who they are as people. This is Prepare, Aspire, Succeed in its truest sense. Guided by our 6Cs, they meet genuine Challenge with optimism, showing Cooperation and Collaboration by lifting each other up when things are demanding. Just as importantly, their everyday conduct reflects our commitment to Healthy Relationships, built on mutual respect, positive communication, and thoughtful consideration for those around them.
That same spirit of maturity was also on show as our Year 11 students received their mock examination results on Thursday morning. Receiving your mock grades is always a significant moment, and the way our students handled the day spoke volumes about their growing perspective. There was plenty of celebration, with many students over the moon with standout results following weeks of hard work and careful preparation. Just as inspiring was the reaction from those who found they are not quite where they want to be yet. Rather than dwelling on grades that fell short of their hopes, they recognised how close they are, took the feedback on board with a constructive mindset, and resolved to keep going.
Being a teenager is tough, especially when navigating the pressures of an exam year. In our community, our shared role as adults is to ensure every student feels supported and championed through both the highs and the hurdles. We always celebrate the podiums and the highest marks, but we cheer just as loudly for character, determination, and the willingness to step up. With that attitude, and with the continued partnership between home and school, our Year 11s are in a strong position for the months ahead.
Remembrance Events
Remembrance is always a poignant and important time; this week will be meaningful. We are incredibly proud of the many students and staff who participated in parades and services in their local villages and towns yesterday. Our thanks go particularly Mrs Woodburn for laying a wreath at the Wing Act of Remembrance at the War Memorial. Brandon W, one of our Sixth Formers, had the honour of leading the parade at Bletchley Park. Throughout this week, the History team is leading our assemblies to reflect on the importance of this day, and the whole school will observe the national two-minute silence on Wednesday, Armistice Day, to pause and remember those who served and those who serve today.
Sparx Science
Year 7 set the standard across the school this week with an impressive 84% completion rate, closely followed by Year 8 at 71%, Year 9 at 66%, Year 10 at 63%, and Year 11 at 46%.
Student XP Leaderboard
- 1st: Chloe N (2,460 XP)
- 2nd: Rose B (1,900 XP)
- 3rd: Toby B (1,410 XP)
Class Leaderboard
- Joint 1st: 9wx/Sc1 (90%) and 8w/Sc1 (90%)
- Joint 3rd: 8y/Sc1 (89%), 7w/Sc4 (89%), and 7y/Sc3 (89%)
Sparx Maths
A fantastic 565 students completed 100% of their homework on time this week, meaning well over half the school was fully prepared by the Tuesday deadline. Congratulations to the 376 students who hold a place in the Perfect Record Club, submitting every Sparx assignment on time so far this term.
Year 7: Year Group of the Week!
Year 7 takes the title this week with on-time completion leaping from 63% to 76%, the biggest rise in the school.
- Top Class: 7w/Ma1 (an exceptional 97%)
- Most Improved Class: 7w/Ma4 (68%)
- Top Tutor Group: 7H (84%)
- Independent Learning Champion: Finley B (52 mins of additional practice)
Year 8
- Top Classes: 8wy/Ma1 and 8wy/Ma3 (84%)
- Most Improved Class: 8wy/Ma3
- Top Tutor Group: 8D (72%)
- Independent Learning Champions: Alby H (23 mins) and Chloe N (20 mins)
Year 9
- Top Class: 9wz/Ma1 (70%)
- Most Improved Class: 9wz/Ma6 (reaching 65%)
- Top Tutor Group: 9O (74%)
- Independent Learning Champions: Allegra N (64 mins) and Austin B (40 mins)
Year 10
- Top Class: 10wy/Ma3 (69%)
- Most Improved Class: 10wy/Ma6
- Top Tutor Group: 10D (60%)
- Independent Learning Champion: Kurtis P (26 mins)
Year 11
- Top Class: 11wy/Ma2 (53%)
- Most Improved Class: 11wy/Ma3
- Top Tutor Group: 11C (52%)
- 40 Year 11 students have maintained a 100% on-time record this term.
Super-Curricular Leadership Opportunity: Futures For All Youth Council 2027
An exciting super-curricular opportunity is open to students in Years 10, 11, and 12 (ages 15 to 17). The social mobility charity Futures For All is currently recruiting for its 2027 Youth Council. Serving as a national student advisory board, council members represent state-educated young people across the UK. The role involves reviewing and shaping careers education programmes, engaging with employers and policymakers, and developing core leadership and communication skills.
This is an exceptional way for students to build confidence, gain public speaking experience, and add meaningful distinction to future university, apprenticeship, or employment applications. Applications are open now and close on Friday 20th November 2026. If your child would like to put themselves forward, please encourage them to visit the website link above to find out more and submit an application.
Black Friday Fundraising
If you're planning on tackling the Black Friday sales later this month, please consider using easyfundraising. You can support the school at absolutely no extra cost to you via over 8000 retailers, who will donate a percentage of your spend to the school when you shop through the easyfundraising platform. This small, free donation makes a big difference to our fundraising goals. It only takes a minute to sign up at: Friends of The Cottesloe School Easyfundraising
Sports Report
It has been a full and competitive week of fixtures across year groups, with fantastic commitment shown on the pitches, courts, and courses.
Monday
Our Year 9 A and B netball teams kicked off the week at their start-of-season tournament. The A team put in an outstanding performance to win the tournament outright, whilst the B team placed a very respectable 4th. A huge well done to both squads for setting a strong benchmark for the season ahead.
Tuesday
The Year 8 A netball team took part in their opening tournament. Although still settling into a newly formed line-up, the girls showed tremendous spirit throughout, picking up a hard-earned win and competing with real grit across their other three matches.
Wednesday
Our U13 rugby team travelled to face Royal Latin in a breathless encounter that finished all square at 40-40. It was an end-to-end contest, with a special mention to Harry P for an incredible four-try haul.
Thursday
Year 9 rugby had an equally thrilling match against Buckingham. After building a commanding 38-14 lead by half-time, the boys held off a determined second-half fightback to secure a high-scoring 62-56 victory.
Over at Stowe School, our Year 11 Senior Boys competed in the Regional Cross Country championships, having qualified from the district event we hosted last month. Our team were the only team of Year 11s, lining up against 91 competitors, over 80 of whom were students in Years 12 and 13. Our four runners showed superb determination from the start gun to the finish line:
- Josh I finished in 28th place with an impressive time of 22:15, running through the pain barrier with a knee injury.
- Alex R placed 55th with a gritty, determined run.
- Harrison R crossed the line in 82nd, giving everything throughout.
- Hugo N, who stepped in at the final hour for an unwell teammate, completed the challenging course in 91st, demonstrating the ultimate team-first attitude.
Friday
We rounded off the week at the District Table Tennis Competition, fielding teams across the U13 and U16 categories. Our players delivered strong performances right across the board:
- U13s: 3rd place
- U16 Boys: 3rd place
- U16 Girls: 2nd place
Congratulations to every single student who represented the school with such pride, effort, and sportsmanship this week.
Events for This Week (Week 1)
Monday 9th November
- Year 7 Remembrance Assembly
- GCSE Maths Resit Exams
- GCSE Music and Digital Media Courses running for participating students
- Sixth Form Open Evening (5.00pm – 8.00pm)
- Year 7A Football vs Kingsbrook (Away, 3.15pm)
- Year 9 Basketball vs Kingsbrook (Home, 3.15pm)
Tuesday 10th November
- Year 8 Remembrance Assembly
- Flu Vaccinations for Years 7 to 11
- Year 11 Netball vs Waddesdon (Home, 3.15pm)
- Year 8B Netball vs Waddesdon (Home, 3.15pm)
Wednesday 11th November
- Year 9 Remembrance Assembly
- National two-minute silence for Remembrance
- U13 Girls Football vs St Michael's (Home, 3.15pm)
- Year 10 Basketball vs Kingsbrook (Home, 3.15pm)
- Year 11 Rugby vs Buckingham (Away, 3.15pm)
Thursday 12th November
- Year 10 & Year 12 Remembrance Assembly
- U16 Girls County Cup vs St Michael's (Away, 3.15pm)
- Year 8 Rugby vs Buckingham (Home, 3.15pm)
Friday 13th November
-
Year 11 & Year 13 Remembrance Assembly
Have a great week! Thank you for your ongoing support.
Best wishes,
Louise Baldwin
Head of School