Monday 22nd Sept | Head of School Letter
The third full week of the academic year is now underway, and so far the term has been filled with energy and purpose. Our Year 7 students continue to impress with their seamless transition into school life, and all other year groups have shown a determined commitment to our core values: Prepare, Aspire, and Succeed. As we look ahead, we are excited to open our doors to prospective parents and their Year 6 children for a series of open mornings starting tomorrow. We extend our thanks in advance to our staff as well as our Sixth Form tour guides and Head Student presenters. A special mention goes to four incredible Year 7 students who, after only two weeks with us, will be speaking to a full hall of visitors, demonstrating the school's 6Cs in action.
Home/School Agreement
This agreement between home and school outlines our shared commitment to your child's success, built on a strong partnership between home and school. Our school culture of Prepare, Aspire, Succeed guides every action and decision we make and is designed to support our students’ Cottesloe Journey and prepare them for their future successes. We aim to equip them with the skills, qualities, and habits necessary to thrive. We believe that a strong partnership between home and school is fundamental to a child's success. Please take the time to review the full agreement to help us create a positive learning environment where all students can achieve their full potential TCS Home to School Agreement
What is the Home-School Agreement? A strong partnership between home and school is essential for a student's academic and personal success. While specific rules and policies outline expectations, the heart of this relationship lies in collaboration, mutual respect, and ambition. The Cottesloe School is committed to fostering a positive and supportive learning environment. We believe that by working together, we can create a space where students can thrive. This agreement outlines our shared commitment to:
- Valuing Hard Work and Achievement: We will encourage students to strive for excellence in all their endeavours.
- Promoting Participation and Commitment: We will empower students to actively engage in their learning and take ownership of their education.
- Building Strong Relationships: We will maintain open and honest communication with parents and carers, addressing concerns promptly and celebrating successes together.
The greatest success comes from a partnership where everybody involved in the partnership contributes and where all learn. This agreement aims to strengthen our partnership and empower all students to succeed.
Social Media and Group Chats
As a new school year begins, we want to remind you of some important considerations regarding student group chats. While these are often used in positive ways for communication and homework help, they can also become overwhelming. We have advised our Year 7 students to be cautious with large group chats, where excessive notifications can cause distress and unnecessary pressure. This can also be a problem with older children, so we are encouraging you to talk to your child about this and to remind them to seek help from a trusted adult if a group chat becomes problematic. For more guidance, please see this helpful resource from Childnet: Childnet-Cheat-Sheet-Group-Chats
A strong start to Sparx Science
We're at the end of our first full week of Sparx Science independent learning, and the results are fantastic! We've been so impressed with the effort students have put into completing their tasks on time. We're delighted to share the overall completion rates for each year group – Year 11 needs some encouragement from home to get them moving up the leaderboard!
- Year 8: 87%
- Year 7: 71%
- Year 10: 70%
- Year 9: 69%
- Year 11: 49%
A super well done to the top five classes; with outstanding completion rates:
- 9wx/Sc1: 93%
- 8w/Sc1: 87%
- 8w/Sc2: 87%
- 8y/Sc1: 87%
- 10w/Sc2: 87%
These numbers show just how committed our students are to their learning. We'll be looking at ways to share these results with students directly in their lessons next week to celebrate their hard work. Keep up the great work!
Sixth Form Open Evening - Monday 10th November 2025
If your child is in Year 11, we invite you to our Sixth Form Open Evening on Monday 10th November 2025. This is the perfect opportunity to see what makes our Sixth Form special. You will get to meet our dedicated teachers, hear from current students, tour our modern facilities, and learn about the academic and wellbeing support that underpins our students' success.
Representatives from universities and apprenticeship providers, including The University Of Buckingham, Bucks New Uni, University of Hertfordshire, RAF, British Army and Varsity Nine will be on hand to offer expert advice about future plans.
Even if your child is undecided about their next steps, we encourage you to attend as the evening is designed to help your family make a well-informed decision about post-16 options. To help us manage numbers, please reserve your place for one of two sessions.
5pm
6pm
Wider Curriculum Clubs and Sports
Our extracurricular clubs are off to a fantastic start this term, and it's been wonderful to see so many students getting involved. Thank you to all our families for supporting your child in making the most of these opportunities. A quick but important reminder: to ensure we have an accurate register and the correct permissions, all students must be formally enrolled in their club via the MyChildAtSchool (MCAS) app. This is a crucial step to secure their place so they can continue to participate fully. Your support is greatly appreciated! For more information please see: Lunch & After-School Club
No After-school Clubs Wednesday 1st October
There will be no after-school clubs next Wednesday, 1st October, due to the Meet the Tutor Evening.
High School Musical!
The cast list went up last week and rehearsals are now underway. A letter about costumes, props and scenery is on its way.
Buckinghamshire Council School Bus Route Changes
We've recently been made aware of some changes to school bus times and routes. We know how important it is for you to have the latest information, but please be aware that, as a school, we don't manage or coordinate these services. All school transport is managed by Buckinghamshire Council, and they are the best source for the most current information. We encourage you to ensure your contact details are up-to-date with them so you receive any changes directly. For any questions or concerns about free school transport bus routes, timetables, or travel policies, please check the council's website: The website also provides additional information about school transport, including routes, timetables, and travel policies: School transport Buckinghamshire Council or contact them: Contact Buckinghamshire Council
Sport Fixtures and Results
It was a fantastic start to the season for our Year 7 football teams, who secured two brilliant victories in their first matches against John Colet. Both the A and B teams played with great determination, with the A team winning 8-4 and the B team taking a convincing 6-1 victory. A special mention goes to Ollie W and Hugo K for their outstanding performances. Meanwhile, our Year 10 team faced a tough challenge against John Colet, losing 6-2. Despite the result, there were some excellent individual efforts. Alessio S and Mali O each scored a goal, and Rio B was named Man of the Match for his fantastic work on the field. In all matches, our students represented the school with pride, displaying admirable qualities that bode well for future fixtures. Their dedication and determination are a testament to their hard work and dedication and that of our PE teacher coaches.
The busy start to the sports season continues with a series of key fixtures this week:
- Year 9 Netball vs. John Colet
- Year 11, Year 10 & Year 8 Rugby vs. Waddesdon
Our football teams have a big week ahead with three County Cup matches:
- Year 11 County Cup Football vs. SHFGS
- U14 Girls County Cup Football vs. AVA
- U16 County Cup Football vs. The Royal Latin
Good luck to all our teams representing TCS this week!
Assemblies
This week, students across the school are engaging in a series of fantastic assemblies, celebrating both languages and future careers. On Monday and Tuesday, Year 7 and 8 students will be celebrating European Day of Languages (26th September) in an assembly led by Miss Goddard, our Head of MFL. This is a wonderful opportunity to inspire our younger students and highlight the value and fun of learning a new language. Later in the week, our Year 10 and 11 students will gain valuable insights into potential career paths as they hear from representatives from the British Army. These careers assemblies provide a unique chance for our students to explore diverse opportunities and ask questions about life after school.
All Year Groups
Sixth Form Bake Sale
Our new Head Students, Emily, Lewis, Freddie, and Ellie, are hosting a bake sale this Friday, September 26th, to raise funds for the Year 13 Prom. Come and buy a delicious treat for just £1 (cash only) under the bus shelter during break and lunchtimes.
Sixth Form and Year 11
Navigating the university application process can be challenging for parents and guardians. There are two opportunities for students in Year 11, 12 and 13 to engage with to support their next steps. The University of Bath is offering a series of free online events designed to help you confidently support your child. These sessions are ideal for families of students applying for 2026 or 2027 entry. The events will provide essential guidance on a range of topics, from choosing a course to understanding what happens after an application is submitted:
- Introduction to University: Tuesday 23rd September 2025, at 7pm
- How to Choose a University/Course: Wednesday 22nd October 2025, at 7pm
- How to Apply to University: Wednesday 26th November 2025, at 7pm
- What Happens After Applying: Thursday 4th December 2025, at 7pm
For more information and to register, please visit the University of Bath website, Information for Parents
The University of Buckingham is holding an Open Day on 18th October, Buckingham Open Day, and they’re inviting local families to attend. This event is a great way for you and your young person to get a firsthand look at university life by:
- Touring the campus and student accommodation.
- Gaining insight directly from current students and staff.
- Having their questions answered in person.
This is an invaluable experience for students to help them with both their post-16 and post-18 choices; we encourage you to support them in attending this event.
Years 10 and 11
We have asked all students to complete the Post-16 Intentions survey on their Unifrog account. This simple survey helps them share their initial ideas, whether they are considering our Sixth Form, a college, an apprenticeship, or other options. The deadline has been extended as some have had issues logging in.
It's perfectly fine if they're still unsure about their plans; this tool simply helps us understand their current thinking so we can provide the most relevant and personalised support.
The survey is here: unifrog.org/student/intention-16/career
Year 7 and 8
Following our success in last year’s competition, Mr. Clawson is proud to announce the start of the next Quadcopter Challenge. Year 7 and 8 teams will compete in the first round of this exciting event in the school hall. The winning team will earn the opportunity to represent our school at the regional competition. This challenge is a fantastic opportunity for students to apply their skills in engineering and teamwork.
Year 7
Starting today, Year 7 students will no longer be released early for break, lunch, or at the end of the school day. They will now follow the same timetable as the rest of the school. Thank you for your support in helping Year 7 have such a fantastic start to their time at Cottesloe.
Have a great week, and thank you again for your ongoing support.
Best wishes,
Louise Baldwin
Head of School