Monday 12th October | Head of School Letter
What an outstanding and vibrant week at The Cottesloe School! The dedication shown by our students, both in the classroom and across extracurricular activities, embodied Prepare, Aspire, Succeed.
It has been a week packed with ambition and opportunity. Our Year 11s tackled their first week of mock exams with impressive focus, while Year 12s broadened their horizons with a visit to Oxford Brookes University. Students also engaged in rich career and cultural experiences, from exploring the Silverstone Museum to attending a theatre production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Meanwhile, our sports teams proudly represented the school, and our whole community united for a brilliant World Mental Health Day on Friday.
This shared commitment to learning, personal development, and wellbeing creates a strong sense of belonging, and is why we know our students will succeed. My sincere thanks go to all the staff and adults who give their time to provide these valuable opportunities, clubs, and interventions.
Hello Yellow!
The fantastic atmosphere supporting World Mental Health Day on Friday was entirely down to the enthusiasm and hard work of our Sixth Form students and Wellbeing Ambassadors, who Miss Phillips and Mrs Coyne brilliantly supported. The 'Hello Yellow' bake sale was a massive success, with the queue for delicious, donated cakes stretching out of TEAM Hub throughout break and lunch. Thank you to all the staff and students for their generosity shown through donations and purchases; this community spirit is what makes The Cottesloe School so special. Over £330 was raised through the bake sale; I’ll share the final total in a future letter.
Staff Running Success
A number of our staff love nothing more than lacing up their running shoes and hitting the pavement or trails. We are delighted to celebrate their incredible resilience and achievements! Mr Graham, one of our PE teachers, completed the Oxford Half Marathon this weekend in an excellent 1:38:55. This race was part of his longer-term training as he’s setting his sights on an Ironman triathlon next year. We wish him the very best of luck with his intensive training over the coming months.
Mr Gracey, one of our MFL teachers, is a regular marathon runner and completed the Budapest Marathon yesterday, running another sub-four time. Congratulations to Mr Gracey! Congratulations also go to Mrs Knightley, Head of Year 7 and Geography teacher, who ran the Royal Parks Half Marathon at the weekend. Having previously spent years sidelined by a frustrating injury, this marks her second consecutive year back on the course - a fantastic milestone and even better as she ran a PB!
Mrs Redman, one of our Society and Religion teachers and Professional Tutor for Initial Teacher Training, completed the Royal Parks Half Marathon to raise funds for Sands, the baby loss charity. Her run was particularly poignant as this week is Baby Loss Awareness Week, a time for families and communities to come together, remember babies who are no longer with us, and raise awareness around pregnancy and baby loss. Mrs Redman ran in memory of her daughter, Imogen, who was stillborn last year. With her permission, we are sharing her fundraising page below. If you can donate, Mrs Redman and her family would be deeply grateful for your kindness and support: Just Giving - Emma Redman
Year 11 Mocks
Following the intensity of the first week of mock exams, we were delighted to receive lovely feedback from our invigilation team. They specifically noted how our Year 11 students maintained exemplary conduct and demonstrated the very best of our Healthy Relationship attributes, even under high pressure. The invigilators highlighted the students' politeness and respect, particularly noting that students thanked the invigilators upon leaving the exam room. While we see this respectful and caring behaviour every single day at The Cottesloe School, it is lovely when others recognise how successfully our students embody our core community values. Well done Year 11, we are proud of you.
School Closure Information
Occasionally, the school may need to close due to unforeseen circumstances, such as severe weather conditions, heating failures, or following instructions from emergency services, with the safety of our students and staff being our paramount concern. In most instances, the decision and announcement will be made before the start of the school day, though this may not always be the case depending on the nature of the situation. Please ensure you familiarise yourself with our closure processes, which are available on the school website: School Closures and Remote Education Plan
Online Safety Evening
Your last chance to book onto our Digital and Online Safety Evening this Thursday, presented in partnership with Thames Valley Police. We want to reassure you that safeguarding and student wellbeing are at the heart of everything we do. Building a culture of digital vigilance is a shared responsibility, and we are committed to helping our families navigate the online world safely.
Event Details:
- Date: Thursday 15th October
- Time: 6pm
- Location: Main School Hall, The Cottesloe School
- Booking Link: Reserve Your Ticket on Eventbrite
Led by Safer Schools Officers from Thames Valley Police, this session provides practical, up-to-date guidance on keeping young people safe online, alongside an opportunity to ask specific questions during an open Q&A.
Please note: This session is strictly for parents and carers. Students receive dedicated, age-appropriate online safety assemblies during the school day.
Post-16 Options: Upcoming Autumn College Open Days
It’s never too early to start exploring Post-16 options. We highly recommend starting your research in Year 10 to get a head start on planning your future.
Here are the upcoming Autumn Post-16 Open Days across local colleges:
Buckinghamshire College Group
Buckinghamshire College Group Events
- Amersham Campus: Tuesday 10th November (5:00pm – 8:00pm)
- Wycombe Campus: Thursday 12th November (5:00pm – 8:00pm)
- Aylesbury Campus: Saturday 14th November (10:00am – 1:00pm)
Bedford College Group
- Shuttleworth College: Saturday 17th October (10:00am – 1:00pm)
- Tresham College (Corby): Saturday 7th November
- Bedford College: Saturday 14th November (10:00am – 1:00pm)
Milton Keynes College
-
Chaffron Way & Bletchley Campuses: Saturday 14th November (10:00am – 1:00pm)
West Herts College
- Hemel Hempstead Campus: Saturday 14th November (9:30am – 12:30pm)
- Watford Campus: Saturday 21st November
Moulton College
- Moulton Campus (FE & HE)
- Higham Ferrers Campus
Places must be pre-booked. Please visit the event links above or scan the QR codes on the flyer to secure your spot.
Sparx Science Weekly Update
Another fantastic week of engagement on Sparx Science! A huge well done to all students working hard to complete their tasks and build their scientific knowledge. Here are this week’s top statistics:
Year Group Competition:
- 1st Place: Year 7 – 85%
- 2nd Place: Year 8 – 75%
- 3rd Place: Year 9 – 71%
- 4th Place: Year 10 – 68%
- 5th Place: Year 11 – 49%
Student Leaderboard Congratulations to our top three XP earners this week:
- Rose B – 4,520 XP
- Alex W – 2,720 XP
- Abigail B – 1,870 XP
Class Leaderboard
- 1st Place: 7w/Sc3 (92%)
- 2nd Place: 8w/Sc1 (90%)
- Joint 3rd Place (89%): 7x/Sc1, 7y/Sc4, 8y/Sc1 & 8y/Sc2
Keep up the fantastic work, everyone!
Sports Report
A challenging week on the pitch for our football teams, but plenty of determination, team spirit, and milestone moments to celebrate!
Year 11 Boys’ Football
On Monday, our Year 11 team took on Watling Academy. It proved to be a tough fixture, ending in a 5–0 defeat against strong opposition. Despite the scoreline, the squad kept working hard and will take key lessons forward into their next match.
Year 7 Girls' Football
A huge well done to our Year 7 girls, who played their very first district football match against Buckingham. Though the result didn't go our way, the team showed fantastic grit and gave a brilliant effort right up to the final whistle. Opposition Player of the Match: Bethany and Teachers’ Player of the Match: Autumn.
Events This Week
All Week: Year 11 Mock Exams
Monday 12th October
- Year 7: Assembly – Restart a Heart: learning CPR and using an AED
- After School Detention
- U14 Rugby vs Royal Latin (Away)
- Y10 Football vs Chalfonts (Away)
Tuesday 13th October
- Year 8: Assembly – Careers Team
- Sports: U14 Netball vs Samuel Whitbread (Away)
Wednesday 14th October
- Year 9: Assembly – Careers Team
- After School Detention
- U18 Football vs Dr Challoners (Home)
Thursday 15th October
- Year 10: Assembly – Careers Team
- Yr 9 Basketball vs Sir Thomas Fremantle (Away)
- Yr 10 Netball Tournament at AHS (Away)
Friday 16th October
-
Year 8: Ninja Warrior Trip to Milton Keynes (Evening)
Have a great week, whatever it holds for you, and thank you for your support.
Best wishes,
Louise Baldwin
Head of School