Monday 5th Jan 2026 | Head of School Letter
Welcome back and Happy New Year! We hope you had a wonderful Christmas break and are ready for all of the opportunities that 2026 will bring. At The Cottesloe School, we are committed to providing the support and challenge necessary for every student to Prepare, Aspire, and Succeed. We look forward to working closely with you throughout this term to ensure your child reaches their full potential.
School Closures and Remote Education
As we navigate the winter months, we want to ensure you are prepared for potential school closures. While heavy snow is a common cause, closures can also occur due to building issues (such as heating failure) or other unforeseen circumstances. If the school must close, we switch to our Remote Education Plan to ensure students can continue their learning from home. Full details on how we communicate closures and what to expect from remote lessons can be found on our website. Please have a read so you know the plans ahead of time. School Closures and Remote Education Plan
KS4 and KS5 Holocaust trip to Berlin
We wish safe travels to fifty Year 10 to 13 students studying GCSE and A Level Religious Studies and/or History, and the five staff members departing for Berlin at 3:00 am this Friday. This is a sobering and emotionally challenging three-day trip where students will explore the rise of the Nazi party and the atrocities committed during WWII. Some of these students have visited Auschwitz and Treblinka in Poland on previous trips; this trip to Germany offers a different perspective. By visiting a range of significant locations in Berlin, including the Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum, students will gain a deeper understanding of the systemic persecution of Jewish people and other targeted groups within Germany itself. This visit will provide powerful context to their studies, allowing them to reflect on the lived experiences of those in Germany before, during and after the war. We look forward to hearing their reflections when they get back.
KS4 Options
This term sees Year 9 students reach an important milestone in making decisions about their options for GCSE subjects. We will shortly be writing to Year 9 families separately with comprehensive information about the process, but please note the following key dates:
- Friday 16th January: KS4 Options and Careers Conference for Year 9 students.
- Thursday 22nd January: Face-to-face Evening for parents, in the hall at 6:30pm.
- Thursday 5th February: Year 9 Online Parents Evening.
- Thursday 12th February: Deadline for the submission of the Options form.
Further information about the process is available on our website: KS4 Options Updated information for the 2026-2028 cohort will be on the website shortly. Year 8 students will experience a similar process later in the term to make their KS3 Choices decisions. Information about KS3 Choices will be shared with Year 8 families soon.
Year 11 Progression Evening
As Year 11 students approach the final stages of their GCSEs, we are hosting a face-to-face Progress Evening on Thursday 15th January from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm to ensure every student has a secure and clear plan about their post-16 journey for September 2026. This is a great opportunity for students and parents or carers to discuss A-Level choices, college courses, apprenticeships or other pathways with a member of the Senior Leadership, Pastoral, or SEND team. Every student will be given an individual 10-minute appointment; further details regarding specific times will be shared later this week. To ensure a productive meeting, we ask that you log in to Unifrog with your child to update the ‘Post-16 Intentions’ section beforehand, as our staff will use this information as the basis for your discussion to provide the most relevant guidance. If you are unable to attend this evening, please email data@cottesloe.bucks.sch.uk to arrange an alternative time.
Year 11 Mock Exams
Mock exams provide a valuable opportunity to assess progress and refine study strategies before the real exams arrive. The second set of Year 11 mock exams begins on Monday 19th January. The mock exam timetable and further information about exams is here: Examinations
Sixth Form Application Deadline for Year 11
A reminder that applications for The Cottesloe School Sixth Form close on Thursday 9th January. Year 11 students intending to study with us for the 2026 academic year must submit their completed subject choices via the online form before the deadline. This applies to all internal and external candidates for both A-Level and vocational pathways.
Work Experience Success Evening (Years 8, 9, 10, 12 & 13) - 13th January
Parents and carers of students in Years 8, 9, 10, 12, and 13 are invited to a Work Experience Success Evening on Tuesday 13th January, from 5pm to 6:30pm in the school hall. This event will help you understand more about the 2026 Work Experience programme, linking to the new DfE statutory requirements and the Equalex quality framework. We’ll cover using Unifrog for digital consent and safety compliance, as well as practical advice on helping students secure meaningful placements, as well as key deadlines, including the Year 10 placement window from 13th to 22nd July and the scheduled Careers Days for Years 8 and 9. Please RSVP by Friday 10th January, even if you can’t attend the evening: Work Experience Success RSVP
New Girls’ Football Training: Launching!
We are excited to partner with MK Dons Community Trust to offer weekly football training for girls aged 9 to 16 on our new 3G pitch. These sessions are open to all abilities (students do not have to attend TCS to participate) and will be led by professional FA and UEFA licensed coaches every Monday from 7:30pm to 8:30pm. To celebrate the launch, the first three sessions (Jan 5th, 12th, and 19th) are completely free! Subsequent sessions will cost £6 each. This is a fantastic opportunity for girls to develop their skills, following in the footsteps of Year 12 TCS student and MK Dons forward Maddie Pollard. Parents and carers can register their daughters for the football training sessions at The Cottesloe School can do so here: Girls' Football Training
Happy New Year! Have a great week and thank you, as always, for your support.
Best wishes,
Louise Baldwin
Head of School