Monday 6th July | Head of School Letter
Reflecting on another eventful and busy week at The Cottesloe School, I am continually reminded of how our students embody our core ethos: Prepare, Aspire, Succeed. A shining example of this was our recent Annual Senior Citizen Afternoon Tea, an event that perfectly brought to life our Healthy Relationships values of Community, Self and Others.
Dr Jera and her amazing Hospitality and Catering students created a brilliant afternoon for 53 older members of our local community to catch up over tea and treats. This event provided a wonderful opportunity for our students to take responsibility and showcase true excellence in a professional setting. The deep respect they showed our guests was warmly highlighted in a wonderful email we received from attendees, Mr and Mrs Soper:
"Having just arrived home after having a wonderful time at your school, we felt we had to send you an email to say a very big thank you to your staff and very well-mannered pupils on the way they looked after us and everyone else today. Nothing was too much trouble for the pupils. They were very attentive and, while being very professional, also took the time to engage with us, which not only shows respect to other people but shows maturity in them all. They looked very smart and smiled the whole time. Our cups were never left empty and the food was delicious. We would also like to say what a wonderful welcome we received on arrival and all the staff made sure we were comfortable before being seated. So well done Dr Jera for organising this for us oldies. We cannot wait till next year."
Seeing our students thrive, connect with our local community, and drive their own success is exactly what makes The Cottesloe School a brilliant place to learn and work. As we head into what promises to be an equally busy week ahead, thanks go to Dr Jera, her team, and our fantastic students for being such outstanding ambassadors for our school.
Warm weather and PE Kit
Following Friday’s email, this is a reminder that hot weather measures remain in place all next week due to the Yellow Heat-Health Alert. Students may wear school PE kits instead of full uniform, and Sixth Formers are permitted lighter clothing, including polo shirts and tailored shorts (standard dress code restrictions apply). Please ensure your child brings a refillable water bottle daily as we continue to manage break and lunch times to keep students in shaded areas.
Introducing Our New Head Students
Following a rigorous and highly competitive selection process, I am delighted to announce our newly appointed Head Students. The shortlisted applicants were thoroughly put through their paces, participating in a collaborative group activity followed by a formal panel interview with Mrs Smith and Mr Jones. Choosing from such an exceptionally strong field of candidates was a very difficult task. Congratulations to our new student leaders:
- Freya D
- Zack S
- Amalie H
- James G
I’m confident they will build upon the legacy of their predecessors while bringing their own fresh ideas and energy to the role. As this new team steps up, we say thank you to our outgoing Head Students - Freddie, Ellie, Emily, and Lewis - for their hard work. leadership, and service to The Cottesloe School over the past year.
Rampaging Chariots Victory!
Last Saturday, Mr Poote accompanied a brilliant team of Year 10 students - Josh T, Joe F, Jenny P, and Amelia H - to the Leonardo competition for the annual Robotic Games. Organised by the Rampaging Chariots Guild to inspire young people in engineering, teams must build, test, and customise a powerful, radio-controlled featherweight sporting robot. Our students performed phenomenally well on the day. Not only were they an absolute credit to the school, but they also won two of the four individual events and were crowned the overall competition champions! Mr Poote was very proud of their dedication and teamwork. Massive congratulations to our newly crowned champions!
Year 10 into Year 11 Transition Evening
A reminder that our Year 10 into Year 11 Transition Evening takes place tonight, Monday 6th July, at 6pm in the school hall. Led by Mr Passaro, this session will outline academic expectations for Year 11, mock and summer exam details, key coursework deadlines, and practical strategies for supporting your child at home. Students are encouraged to attend alongside their parents or carers so that families can hear these important academic and pastoral messages together before work experience begins.
Year 6 Transition
We are really looking forward to welcoming our newest and youngest students to The Cottesloe School this week for their Year 6 into Year 7 Transition Days on Tuesday 7th and Wednesday 8th July. It is always an exciting milestone, and we’re looking forward to getting to know them as they begin their Cottesloe journey with us. For parents and carers of those joining us, please note that all specific details regarding drop-off, pick-up times, and parking arrangements have already been sent directly to families.
Year 8 and Year 9 Careers Exploration Days
A reminder that it’s Careers Exploration this week, for Year 8 on Tuesday 7th July and Year 9 on Wednesday 8th July. For those students remaining on site, we have an exciting, full day of in-school work experience workshops delivered by the Royal Marines, British Gas and MK Dons Community Trust. A huge thank you to all of the parents, carers, and families for supporting their young people with this invaluable opportunity to experience the world of work first hand. Thanks also go to Mrs Gunn for her fantastic efforts in co-ordinating the entire process.
Library Cake Sale Success
The library cake sale on Thursday was a fantastic success, raising funds to directly refresh our school library shelves. Our School Librarian, Mrs Farmer, was delighted with the incredible amount of cakes both donated and purchased. The event was made possible by the super efforts of our Book Club students, who baked and ran the stall. Thanks to the success of the sale, the club has already put forward an exciting wish list of new titles. Mrs Farmer will be heading to a book warehouse soon to purchase these, ensuring a wave of fresh, new reading material is ready for students this September!
World Challenge Peru
Wishing all our World Challenge travellers the very best for their Peruvian adventure - they depart on Friday, with Mr Waite, Mr Curtis, Mrs Gamage and Mrs Hutley. We can’t wait to hear all about it when they get back.
Safeguarding Newsletter
The latest edition of the Safeguarding newsletter from Mrs Hankin, DSL is available here: TCS Safeguarding Newsletter June 2026
Sports Results
We had one fixture last week, an U13 Girls Cricket County Tournament. On Wednesday, our U13 Girls Cricket team, featuring a squad of Year 7 and 8 students, travelled to the tournament at the cricket ground within the grounds of Waddesdon Manor, a beautiful setting, making it a wonderful day of sport.
Facing tough opposition from Wycombe High School, Buckingham, and Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School, the team played six matches in total with a spot in the district finals on the line. The girls were amazing, winning almost all of their games. Their only defeats came against the eventual tournament winners, SHFGS. Showing brilliant resilience, the girls drastically closed the gap in their second match against them, narrowly missing out by just 27 runs in an incredibly close contest.
An outstanding overall performance saw the team finish as proud tournament runners-up, securing well-deserved silver medals! Beyond their excellent skills on the pitch, the girls demonstrated teamwork, and embodied our 6Cs and Healthy Relationships values throughout the day. Mrs King and Mr Loveday were incredibly proud of the effort, attitude, and sportsmanship displayed by the entire squad. Congratulations to the team: Carys B, Gracie S, Madi D, Lucia P, Erin W, Libby W, Nancy H, Poppy H. Evie W. and Emily F.
MK Dons Summer Football Camps at The Cottesloe School
We are delighted to continue our partnership with the MK Dons Community Trust, hosting two Summer Soccer Schools at our Sports Hub for children of all abilities aged 5 to 14. These high-energy camps offer professional coaching, daily tournaments (with medals and trophies), and specialised morning goalkeeper training. Players will also be observed by Pathway Leads for potential progression into MK Dons development squads. Places are limited and must be booked in advance using these links:
- Girls-Only Camp (Ages 5–14): Information & Booking
- Mixed Camp (Ages 5–14): Information & Booking
Events at School this week It’s a Week 1.
Monday 6th July:
- 8w Reading Assessments (Period 1)
- 7w Reading Assessments (Period 2)
- Year 10 Celebration Assembly
- After School Detention (3pm – 4pm)
- Year 10 into 11 Transition Evening (6pm – 8pm)
Tuesday 7th July:
- Year 6 into Year 7 Transition Day 1
- Year 8 Take Your Child to Work Day
- Year 8 In-school Work Experience workshop with MK Dons (Morning)
- Year 8 In-school Work Experience workshop with British Gas (Afternoon)
Wednesday 8th July:
- Year 6 into Year 7 Transition Day 2
- Year 9 Take Your Child to Work Day
- Year 9 In-school Work Experience workshop with British Gas (Morning)
- Year 9 In-school Work Experience workshop with Royal Marines at Ascott House (Afternoon)
- After School Detention (3pm – 4pm)
- U15 Girls Cricket vs John Colet (home)
Thursday 9th July
-
Year 6 Transition Games
Friday 10th July:
- District Sports
- World Challenge Peru Departs
Have a good week, and thank you for your support for our brilliant school.
Best wishes,
Louise Baldwin
Head of School