Monday 5th October | Head of School Letter
I hope everyone was able to enjoy the weather over the weekend—if forecasts are to be believed, it may well have been our last taste of summer before autumn sets in. Last week was another packed and productive one at TCS. We hosted two more successful Open Mornings for prospective families, while our Year 12s stepped up brilliantly for the Team Talk Challenge with Hidden Leaders. The whole school also completed both a Lockdown practice and a Fire Drill; both ran remarkably smoothly, and I commend students and staff for their calm, mature responses. Thank you to all the families who attended our online Tutor Meetings to discuss how students across all year groups (except Year 10 and 12) have settled in, as well as the wonderful turnout at the Year 10 Progress Evening appointments. It was fantastic to see families face-to-face as students begin their GCSE journey, helping focus their efforts and providing suggestions for next steps as they prepare for life beyond KS4.
Attendance and Health Guidance
Although it’s been warmer so far this term, the autumn season of colds and coughs is underway. We want to support all our students in maintaining high attendance so they don't miss out on learning and social opportunities. We know that deciding whether a child is well enough for school in the morning can occasionally be tricky. The NHS has published clear guidance to help parents make informed decisions about common minor illnesses (mild colds, headaches, or slight coughs) where attendance is still encouraged:
If you are ever uncertain, please send your child into school - our First Aid team will closely monitor how they are feeling and will get in touch if they become too unwell to stay. Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting great attendance.
PE Kit Drop-Offs
We encourage students to build independence and take ownership of their organisation. We will no longer be accepting PE kits dropped off at reception during the school day, effective from tomorrow.
On a daily basis, our reception team receives five or more forgotten PE kits brought in by families. PE kit is essential equipment, just like a school bag, water bottle, or pencil case, and students must take responsibility for packing and bringing it with them on their PE days. While the PE department holds a limited supply of spare kit for genuine emergencies, relying on family members to drop off forgotten kit removes accountability from the student while placing an unnecessary burden on both families, making an extra trip, and on reception staff managing a busy office.
Labelling PE kit
On a related note, please ensure that all PE kit and bags are clearly labelled with your child’s name. We regularly collect a high volume of unnamed bags, often identical yellow JD Sports bags, abandoned under the canopy after break and lunch. Without names, it becomes an impossible task to reunite lost items with their owners. We know that PE kits are expensive, so thank you in advance for your support in helping your child to develop personal responsibility.
Wear Yellow - Supporting World Mental Health Day
A reminder that this coming Friday, we will be recognising World Mental Health Day by supporting YoungMinds, a leading UK charity dedicated to the mental health and emotional well-being of young people. Currently, more than one in four young people are struggling with a probable mental health condition, and many lack access to necessary support. We invite all students to participate in our 'Hello Yellow' day by wearing one item of yellow clothing along with their usual school uniform on Friday 9th October. By raising awareness and funds, we send a powerful message to young people that they are not alone. A letter has gone home about the bake sale and how to make donations via the MCAS app.
Sparx Independent Learning - Science
Congratulations to all our students who completed their Sparx Science independent learning this week! Dedicated learning at home plays a huge role in academic progress; we’ve seen some fantastic results.
Year Group Completion Rates
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Year 7: 87% - this is brilliant; well done, Year 7!
- Year 8: 77%
- Year 9: 75%
- Year 10: 67%
- Year 11: 61%
Top Individual XP Earners across all year groups
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1st Place: Luke N. (1,326 XP)
- Joint 2nd Place: Elijah R., Evie B., & Jaiden H. (940 XP)
Top Classes
- 1st: 8w/Sc1 (94%)
- 2nd: 8y/Sc1 (93%)
- Joint 3rd: 8y/Sc2, 7w/Sc1, & 7y/Sc2 (89%)
Fantastic work from our top earners and classes - let's see if Key Stage 4 can push for those top spots next week! Please continue to help your child by getting them to show you their progress on the Sparx platform so you can encourage them to get their Independent Learning completed before the deadline. Consistent effort and practice are what make the biggest difference to long-term progress.
Computer Science Competition
Looking ahead to an exciting opportunity for our budding tech innovators, entries are now open for the Isaac Computer Science National Competition! Open to students in Years 9, 10, and 11, the challenge invites participants to design and pitch an innovative product concept for the 'Internet of Everything' through a short video (under 5 minutes). Students can enter individually or in teams of two to four, with fantastic prizes on offer - including trophies, £50 Amazon vouchers, and an exclusive tech industry experience day. The deadline for submission is 31st March 2027. Any interested students should speak to their Computer Science teacher to get registered - click on the link above for full details.
Sport Results
Swimming: We are immensely proud of our swimmers who represented TCS at the ESSA School Team Championships at Woodside Pool in Watford, competing alongside 44 state and private schools from across the South East.
Boys & Mixed Team Championships (Friday 18th September) We increased our team entry this year, coming away with some exceptional results:
- Junior Boys (Freestyle 14th | Medley 15th): Harry M, Luke T, Chris R, Luke S, Samuel W
- Intermediate Mixed (Freestyle 6th | Medley 6th): Lottie G, Sophie W, Theo R, Cameron T, Frankie D
- Senior Mixed (Freestyle 7th | Medley 5th): George W, Sophie T, Flo D, Dexter T
Girls Team Championships (Friday 2nd October)
For the very first time, we entered the Junior Girls Freestyle and Medley events. A brilliant effort from Ava G, Jasmine W, Jessica W, and Eleanor W - results will follow shortly!
Huge thanks to Mrs Makin, Mrs Geary, Mrs Wyles, and Mrs Thackrah for supporting the teams poolside and assisting with selection. We are so grateful for our staff, and parent volunteers; without your time and support, extra-curricular opportunities like this simply wouldn't happen for our students.
Boys Football
On the football pitch, it was a week of great effort and sportsmanship. Our Year 8 squad got us off to a flying start on Monday with a dominant performance against Ashlyns, securing an impressive 5–1 victory. On Wednesday, our U18 team faced a formidable Amersham side. While the 7–0 loss was a tough outcome against strong opposition, the players showed remarkable spirit and work ethic right up to the final whistle - valuable match experience as they continue their season.
Careers
Support for families from Unifrog
Apprenticeships are on the rise for school leavers with 23% of all apprenticeships started in the UK in 2024 by young people under 19 years. Sign up to one of these webinars during October (this week!) to find out about routes into a range of different careers and more about apprenticeships, degree apprenticeships, and how to support applications. You’ll have the opportunity to get all your questions answered so you can better understand your child’s next steps to an apprenticeship.
Talking about career choices with your young person doesn’t have to be tricky. Unifrog's free new resource will help you to explore what interests your child, the careers they want to learn more about, and what they can do to turn their ideas into a reality. It also provides practical next steps – like using Unifrog tools or speaking with their career adviser – to make your conversations constructive.
Sainsbury’s Virtual Employability Programme (Years 11–13)
During the October half-term, Sainsbury’s and The School Outreach Company are offering a free, interactive one-day virtual skills programme for students in Years 11, 12, and 13. It is a fantastic chance to build workplace skills, practice interview techniques using the STAR method, connect with industry experts, and gain a certificate of completion.
Please encourage your child to register for one of these dates:
- Monday 26th October 2026 – Register for Monday Session
- Tuesday 27th October 2026 – Register for Tuesday Session
- Wednesday 28th October 2026 – Register for Wednesday Session
Supporting The Cottesloe School Without Extra Spending
Can you help the Friends of The Cottesloe School through a cost-free initiative called easyfundraising? Time and budgets are tight, which makes this platform so valuable. Every time you shop online, over 7,000 shops and sites (including major retailers for clothes, groceries, insurance, and holidays) will donate a small percentage of your spend to the school, at absolutely no extra cost to you. You raise funds for the school simply by buying what you were going to buy anyway. To sign up or find out more, click here: Friends of The Cottesloe School Fundraising | Easyfundraising
Weekly Student Events
It’s a Week 1. This week’s assemblies focus on World Mental Health Day and will be led by Miss Gray, Head of PSHCE and teacher of S&R.
All Week
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Year 11: Mock Exams Good Luck to all Year 11 students!
Monday 5th October
- Year 7 Assembly
- Year 11: Football vs Watling (TCS) – 3:15pm – 5pm
Tuesday 6th October
- Year 8 Assembly
- Year 10: Silver DofE Qualifying Expedition – All Day
- Silverstone Museum Careers Showcase Trip
- Year 12: Parents Transition Evening – 6pm – 7pm
Wednesday 7th October
- Year 9 Assembly
- Year 10: Silver DofE Qualifying Expedition – All Day
- Year 12: Trip to Oxford Brookes University – All Day
- The Curious Incident Theatre Trip (Milton Keynes) – 1pm – 5pm
- Sixth Form: Boys U18s Football vs Waddesdon (TCS) – 2:30pm – 4pm
Thursday 8th October
- Year 10 Assembly
- Year 10: Silver DofE Qualifying Expedition – All Day
- U13 Girls: Football vs Buckingham (TCS) – 3:30pm – 5:30pm
Friday 9th October
- Sixth Form Assembly
- Year 10: Silver DofE Qualifying Expedition – All Day
- Whole School: Wear Yellow for World Mental Health Day – All Day
- Whole School: Hello Yellow Bake Sale (TEAM Hub) – Break & Lunch
Have a great week. Thank you, as always, for your ongoing support.
Best wishes,
Louise Baldwin
Head of School