Weekly Mailing to Parents and CarersÂ
Friday 23 September 2022
Dear Parents and Carers As some of you may have learned, one of our Post 16 students has died unexpectedly. Fran was based at Redland Green Learning Community, but had the majority of his A Level lessons at Cotham. He was a much loved member of the North Bristol Post 16 Centre by all those who knew him. Since being informed of this tragic news, we have been liaising with colleagues at Redland Green School and the relevant external agencies to put in place support for those students, staff, parents and carers directly affected. We would like to offer reassurance that, from our discussions with the Police, that Fran’s was a non suspicious death which the police are now investigating on behalf of the coroner. We would like to send our condolences to the family and everyone affected by this very sad news. Support will be available and on-going for any of our students who have been affected by Fran’s death. Please find below this week’s important information for parents/carers and students. Wishing you all a relaxing weekend. Yours sincerely Ms Jo Butler Headteacher |
Good News |
Keep us postedIt would be great if parents/carers could let the school know of any student achievements outside of school. We would like to find out what students are doing in their own time. Email us: weeklymailing@cotham.bristol.sch.uk |
Important new information |
Week commencing Monday 26 September is Week B Early School Closure - Wednesday 28 September 2022The School’s Open Evening for Year 6 parents and families will be held on Wednesday 28 September between 6:30pm - 8:30pm.  As you will appreciate this is one of the most important events in the school year, therefore the school will close early for students to help staff prepare.  The school day for students in Years 7 - 11 will end at 1:45pm. Any student eligible for a Free School Meal will be able to purchase their meal during their usual lunch break. Should any parent need the school to supervise their child beyond 1:45pm, please contact your child's Learning Coordinator (email addresses below) to let them know.  Students remaining in school will be supervised in our library and will be able to work independently until 2:45pm. Year 7:   Ollie Knight - knighto@cotham.bristol.sch.uk Year 8:   Donald Farmer - farmerd@cotham.bristol.sch.uk Year 9:   Louise Arnold - arnoldl@cotham.bristol.sch.uk  Year 10:  Sherrain Wellington - wellingtons@cotham.bristol.sch.uk Year 11:  Sadia Shakoor - shakoors@cotham.bristol.sch.uk Thank you for your continued support of the school and its work. Cotham School Open EveningOn Wednesday 28 September 2022, we will be holding an Open Evening for prospective Year 7 students, parents and carers, for our September 2023 intake. Booking is not required. Gates open at 6:15pm and we finish at 8:30pm. INSET Day - Friday 30 SeptemberThis is a staff training day. School will be closed to students. Free breakfast!Students can get a free toasted bagel or bowl of cereal each day. If you wish to get a free breakfast please go to the A Block Dining Hall before 08:25 each day. Polite reminder to Parents/CarersPlease remind Parent/Carers not to come into School, unless you have a booked appointment with a member of staff. This is to protect yourselves and members of the school community in a continued effort to contain viruses such as Covid-19. Uniform ExpectationsAs a student at Cotham School you are expected to wear full school uniform, including your school lanyard. It is also important to wear the correct PE / Games and Dance kit. Our school uniform suppliers are Monkhouse and Harris Sports. Please visit their shops or websites to view the approved skirts and trousers. The school rules will be enforced according to the Uniform Policy. Examples of suitable uniform can be found on the website. Nose StudsNose studs, rings and other facial piercings are completely banned at Cotham. Thank you for your support in not sending your child into school with a nose stud, nose ring or other facial piercing in September. Should this occur students will be asked to remove them immediately.  We will expect that they comply and that parents and carers will support us with this expectation. School ShoesPlease can we remind parents/ carers that only all black leather (or leather look) shoes are permitted under our uniform policy. Shoes must fasten with laces, velcro or a buckle. Fabric, colour, bubbles in the soles or rubber toes are not allowed. Please bear this in mind when purchasing footwear for your child for the new school year. Stomach BugsDiarrhoea and/or vomiting commonly affects children and staff and can be caused by a number of different germs, including viruses, parasites and bacteria. Infections can be easily spread from person to person (by unwashed hands), especially in children. General guidance recommends that any child or staff member with diarrhoea and/or vomiting symptoms must stay away from the school until they have been free of symptoms for 48 hours and in addition feel well enough to return to school (this is known as the ‘48 hour rule’). Personal hygiene whilst unwell with these symptoms must be adhered to very strictly. If your child is sick at school, we will ask you or your emergency contact to take your child home. Your child should not return for 48 hours. We appreciate that this can cause inconvenience and you may not consider that your child remains infectious for this period of time, but it is highly likely that they are.  We have a responsibility to reduce the risk of infection for the whole school community.  As an example, if your child is sick at lunchtime on a Tuesday, they should not return to school until after lunch on Thursday, and they should only return if there have been no further episodes of vomiting and/or diarrhoea and they feel well enough to do so. Thank you for your understanding and supporting us with this.  Further guidance on infection control may be found on the Public Health England Website. Contagious InfectionsPlease can all parents notify school if they have chickenpox, shingles or measles in the household. We have students and staff with compromised immunity and have been advised to notify them if these infections are present in the school community. |
Reminders |
Free School MealsTo apply or check if your child is eligible for Free School Meals please click on this link. If you have any questions or need assistance please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Hopkins at Student Reception.Library UpdateWe are delighted to announce that students will be able to access the library after school Mondays to Thursdays from 2:50pm to 3:30pm to use the computers for homework/study and to borrow books. Thursday 6 October, 9.30am – 3.45pm BEP Climate Challenge Conference: BEP Towards Net Zero at City HallTen students and a member of staff from each partner school are invited to participate in this event to celebrate BEP schools’ work to tackle the climate emergency and plan next steps. We will be joined on the day by the DfE’s Chief Sustainability Officer. Details from your school’s Link Teacher. Thursday 13 October – Friday 14 October – BEP Big Gig at Clifton CathedralThis event, organised by Clifton High School for BEP, will showcase the wealth of talent from across schools within the partnership featuring soloists, small ensembles, dancers and culminating with a combined choir and orchestra of all performers. The programme will encompass performances of Pop, Classical, Folk and Musical Theatre. Please come and join us for this exciting new event and support our amazing students - the finale will leave you Speechless!  Tickets to be booked via Eventbrite - link to be shared soon! Tuesday 8 November, 6:00pm - 7.00pm Online Talk for Parents Help your Child Manage their Study TimeNathan McGurl, AKA The Study Buddy, will talk parents through how they can support their children to build good study habits and manage their time effectively so that they can be successful. Particularly for parents of students in Years 10-13 who will be sitting exams next summer. Places can be booked here Thursday 10 November, 4:00pm – 5:00pm Online Talk for Students Get Expert Help with Managing your Study TimeNathan McGurl, will help students develop good habits of learning and strategies to manage their time, particularly in their preparation for exams. For students in Years 10-13. Tickets can be booked here Thursday 24 November, 3.30pm – 5.00pm Raising Literacy Through FilmThis free online session from Into Film will help teachers explore how film can be used effectively and imaginatively to develop students’ literacy skills. For more information contact: oliver.loveday@intofilm.org Free GCSE Pod Parent WebinarWe have invested in the award winning GCSEPod, a resource that helps your child achieve their goals and supports you on their GCSE journey.
Visit our GCSE parent page on our Digital Learning portal to find out how to use GCSEPod with your child. Sign up for a free GCSEPod Parent Webinar here. Extra Curricular Clubs and ActivitiesWe are currently compiling our extra curricular provision for students for the year ahead. Faculty teams are currently organising the clubs they will be running this year. The latest list of clubs is located here. Clubs will be starting soon. Attached here is a PE extra curricular timetable for Term 1. Booking is not required, just come along. Well done to all the 195 students who have attended PE extra-curricular clubs this week. It is not too late to come along, just turn up with some kit and join and play. There is a mixture of clubs taking place throughout the week this term so come and give it a go. Cross Country Trails will be taking place after school on Monday 3 October for students in years 7, 8, 9 & 10. This is so the PE team can select teams to compete at the Bristol Schools Event at Ashton Park School on Wednesday 19 October. The distances students will be running are: Year 7 - 1.75km Years 8&9 - 2.35km Year 10 Girls - 3.4km Year 10 Boys - 4.5km Students wishing to attend the trail after school on Monday 3 October just need to bring a kit, trainers and a water bottle and do their best. School Rail Season TicketGWR and the Severnside Community Rail Partnership have been working with Cotham School to ensure the experience of travel to school by train is safe and pleasant for everyone involved in the journey, including students, members of the public and GWR staff working on trains. Rather than provide students with a daily fare, we would like to encourage families to purchase a rail season ticket. However, we recognise this may seem an expensive purchase – especially for families with several children who travel to school by train. GWR has kindly agreed to offer a rail season ticket for just £45.00 to cover the whole academic year. Payment can be made in full (£45.00) for Terms 1 – 6 or by the following Payment Options: Terms 1 and 2 - £20 Terms 3 and 4 - £20 Terms 5 and 6 - £20 This offer is available to all students attending Years 7 – 11 at Cotham School. Please click here for the full information and instructions to apply. Harris’ School UniformÂHarris’ school uniform can be purchased online here.  Word of the WeekÂEach week at Cotham School we promote a Word of the Week. This is to help students expand the range of vocabulary they use. Google Classroom email summaries for parents and carersSummaries will be sent to parents and carers on either a daily or weekly basis depending on the option that you selected when you signed up. You can check and amend the frequency of your emails by visiting https://classroom.google.com/gs. If no work has been set for your child since your last email, you will not receive an email until the next piece of homework is set.  Google has written a comprehensive user guide which can be found here. If you have misplaced the invitation link, please email us at GCSupport@cotham.bristol.sch.uk with the name of your child and their tutor group and we will resend the invitation to you. |
Student Wellbeing and Safeguarding |
Help your Child Manage their Study Time:support for parents (online session) with The Study Buddy, Nathan McGurl Students often struggle to manage their time and get going with revision. For some it is about delay and avoidance, while for many others it is a feeling of being overwhelmed and not knowing where to start. Of course, at the other end of the spectrum, some students are over zealous and risk high levels of anxiety and stress. The Study Buddy offers an easy to follow approach to time management that will help students feel in control of their studying by providing a simple framework. Based on corporate project management techniques, and applying psychology and evidence-based practices, Nathan offers suggestions about how you can help your child to plan their study time and prepare for exams.  Click here to register If there are exams coming up next summer in your household, don't miss this session! Bristol SEND Local Area ReinspectionCQC and OFSTED are returning on 4 - 6 October to complete a local area reinspection of Bristol City Council's SEND Services. A key part of this reinspection is gathering the views of parent carers.  Please follow the link to respond to the survey (which opens on 26 September at 12 noon) to share your views. Autism Courses For Parents and Carers of Children who are waiting for an ASC AssessmentBristol Parent Carers have teamed up with the South Gloucestershire and North Somerset Parent Carer Forums to put on a variety of courses relating to different challenges that can be encountered by autistic children, so that their parents can access some support whilst on the rather lengthy waiting lists for assessment. All of them are bookable via Eventbrite and parents/carers must live in one of the three Local Authorities named and have a child on the ASC assessment waiting list. A monthly support group in South Bristol is held at The Inns Court Centre in Knowle from 10:30-12:30 once a month on a Thursday. The first date for this academic year is 29 September.  These are drop-in sessions (so there is no need to book) with information and support available from volunteers as well as representatives from other local SEND organisations. This flyer has all the dates for the coming year. If you have any queries at all, please don’t hesitate to get in touch via info@bristolparentcarers.org.uk September Webinars from the Charlie Waller Trust:Asking for help: What are the barriers and how can we overcome them?  Alice Palmer and Gemma Howard Family Lives - support for parents and carersFamily Lives are a free service offering a confidential helpline, online chat, parenting videos and more to help support families. SafeguardingOur safeguarding duties no longer stop at the school gates. The boundaries between in-school and out-of-school incidents are now blurred, as social media and technology give students 24/7 access to each other. Problems may be more pervasive now, but screenshots and chat logs have made them easier to evidence. Whisper is an anonymous reporting tool for any member of our school community (students, parents, staff), or members of the public to have a safe way to disclose any issues or concerns in confidence. The tool allows you to report your concerns without fearing consequences and allows the school to investigate the information that we receive. You can find out more about the tool here. The link to our Cotham School Whisper tool for reporting anonymously is here and can also be found on the school website under the 'Useful Links' section. Online safety newsletter - September editionAre you concerned about your child's online gaming? Want to educate yourself about the risks and what you can do to keep them safe? Click here to view this month’s online safety newsletter and here for an Online Safety booklet which includes an overview of key parental controls. |
Subject Area News |
German Study Day - LondonOn Saturday 17 September, I had the pleasure of taking 34 KS4 students to a German study day hosted by the Francis Holland School in Regent’s Park, London.  Year 10 and 11 students took part in speaking workshops which required them to collaborate with students from other schools. They had to create, practise and perform sketches in German in front of an audience. Students were funny, engaging and won awards for best delivery and pronunciation. Part of the day consisted of cultural studies with a short talk from a lecturer in German Film Studies from UCL. This encouraged students to think about issues of the day and how directors convey important messages through their art. Myself, Mr Hofer and Mr Vega are very proud of how well our Cotham Students performed and conducted themselves throughout the day. It was a memorable trip to London during such a historic weekend. Thank you to Mr Hofer and Mr Vega for supporting the trip and I look forward to running this again next year for KS4.  Mrs Bingham. Sporting Achievements Outside of SchoolAs in previous years, it would be great to hear about students' achievements outside of school. Please email info@cotham.bristol.sch.uk for the attention of the PE Faculty, also you can tweet us at @cothampe |
Staff Vacancies |
Cotham School are currently recruiting for the following positions:
For more information and to apply please click here. |
Post 16 News |
Open Evening SupportWe are looking to recruit year 12 and 13 student ambassadors for P16 open evening. This will involve guiding and directing parents and children, answering questions from parents and promoting Cotham school. The event will be held on Wednesday 28 September from 5.30pm. This looks great on university applications and we would like as many students involved as possible. If your young person is interested in helping please encourage them to speak to Ms Dutton or email her duttonn@cotham.bristol.sch.uk Discover EconomicsOn 17 November, academics from the University of Bristol School of Economics are organising a half-day schools event (1:30pm - 4.00pm) at Bristol Cathedral Choir School.  Students will hear from Bank of England economists, Rupa Patel and Jack Meaning (authors of Why Can't We Just Print More Money) and take part in an economics challenge.  They will also have a chance to find out more about economics degrees.  The event is suitable for any year 11 or 12 student and mature students, whether they are studying economics or not, and is part of the regular Bristol Festival of Economics.  Please complete this Expression of Interest form so we can send more details about how to sign up. Lunchtime supervisorsWe are looking for willing helpers to support the teaching staff with supervising the Y7-11 students at lunchtime on the Cotham School main school site. Basic training will be provided. 40 minute shifts – between 12.05pm to 1.40pm, min 2 days per week. Students  will be paid the equivalent of £7.35 per hour. To apply, please send a letter of interest to Ms Clarkson clarksonm@cotham.bristol.sch.uk, explaining why you think you are suitable detailing if you have any appropriate experience. Please include how many days per week you can work and which days and times that you are available. Year 12Student mixerThis week Ms Beaver held a student mixer at lunchtime on Thursday for all students who didn't attend Cotham secondary school. The event was intended to allow students to chat to and get to know other students from lots of different schools around Bristol and beyond. It was well attended and we look forward to seeing new friendships emerging. InductionWe have shared the Y12 Induction Booklet with our new year 12s. This should answer any questions students and parents/carers may have. Any students who missed induction were given an extra session today by Ms Skinner. If your child also missed this one, please contact a member of the P16 team. Subject changesThe P16 team has worked hard over summer and induction to ensure that students are happy with their subject choices. However, we are opening applications for subject changes from Monday. Please have a look at the slides that year 12 were shown during assembly this week. It outlines the subject change process and should answer any questions. Students will need to get a signature from parents/carer to allow them to request a subject change, this ensures it is a well-thought out decision with you involved. EnrichmentEvery student in P16 is expected to take part in at least one hour of enrichment per week. Most do this during Wednesday P5, some will do this at another point in the week that fits better with their schedule. Students must make their enrichment choices clear by submitting their preference via a Google Form sent out by Ms Muszynska. BursaryIf your child had Free School Meals at their previous school, and / or if your household income is less than £25000, you may be entitled to access the Post 16 Bursary.  Please encourage your child to pick up an application pack from reception. If you child would like to apply for free school meals, please click here Year 13Supporting your Child to Apply to UniversityIn the first of BEP’s 2022-23 series of online talks for parents of children at BEP schools, Laura Anders of the University of Bristol will talk about applying to university, how to access finance and how parents can best support their children through the application process. The session will take place on Monday 3 October, 18.00 – 19.00 and places can be booked here |
Community News |
Creative Youth Network -Open Call Exhibition for Young Artists of Colour - to celebrate Black History Month, Creative Youth Network are inviting young black people aged 11 – 25 to submit their multi medium artwork for an exhibition that will take place at The Station throughout October. You don’t need to have any previous experience of exhibiting your work. Any questions about this and how to make your work ready to display, please email emily.bull@creativeyouthnetwork.org.uk or call 07341 456167. Cue Bristol Youth Theatre GroupTaster Session Monday 26 September 5.00pm - 6.30pm CUE BRISTOL is a popular Youth Theatre group running at Cotham every Monday evening in term time.  We play drama games and work in groups to create and perform drama.  Cue Bristol are running a taster session on Monday 26 September for any pupil who is interested in joining.  All year groups are welcome. Come along and try it out with no obligation to join.  Pupils who are already Cue members are welcome to come along to the taster session if they wish.  Cue Bristol meet in the Performing Arts building.  Please use the Cotham Lawn Road entrance to the school. No need to book, just turn up!  Any questions, email : ashcrofth@cotham.bristol.sch.uk |
Cotham Futures |
Know any early entrepreneurs?Explore Enterprise is the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s FREE offer for budding business people aged 16+. They’re on a mission to empower individuals to take the leap and start a business. Whether they’re planning on turning their hobby into a side hustle or being their own boss full-time, Explore Enterprise can help with those first steps. Over five free online workshops, students will learn:
Click here for more information. Careers Fairs Autumn 2022Below are job fair dates for September/October 2022 for leaving year 11/P16’s, former students & parents & families. The Region’s Biggest Careers Fair | Bristol Job Show - 30 September & 1 October 2022, Cabot Circus, Bristol Futures BulletinApprenticeship Webinar Post-16 and Post-18 options: Amazing Apprenticeships invite you to join us in the first in a series of information webinars, on 27 September, 3.30-4pm, which will provide you with an abundance of tips, advice and guidance around the topic of apprenticeships. We are proud to be partnering with the ASK Programme funded by the Department for Education, and the first session will be presented by expert speakers from the National Careers Service. Please follow the link to Register. Current Events and OpportunitiesFollow the link to this week’s Post 16 Futures Bulletin - there is plenty to sign up for and get involved with right from the start.  If you are thinking that you would like to apply for Apprenticeships when you complete your studies at the end of this year, make sure you are looking out for these golden opportunities from now until February. Apply for everything that takes your interest. Year 13 - Ms Paice is taking requests for 1:1 Career Guidance meetings - please email Ms Paice Paices@cotham.bristol.sch.uk to arrange a suitable time to meet up. Register for your free parents careers guides Click Here for "Success at School" free newsletters and magazines |
Useful Links and Information | ||||||||||||
Previous weekly mailingsPlease visit our website to find information previously circulated within our latest weekly mailings. Term Dates
INSET Days
Early Finish Times to be confirmed
Diagnostic questionsClick here to access. This site contains self marking quizzes with lots of templates including some from a range of exam boards. It’s easy to make your own questions in Microsoft PowerPoint too. Students sign up with their school Google account using the G+ button to automatically create a school account. EdmodoEdmodo is an application that can be used on both mobile devices and in the web environment to create an online community of practice. Edmodo is a free social learning platform that allows students to access the course content uploaded by their teachers. https://www.edmodo.com/ SenecaAll students and teachers now have free access to Seneca - a revision and homework platform making studying more fun. Seneca is an interactive way to learn official course content. Their web app covers 150+ exam board specific courses condensing what students need to know for their exams. The software is able to identify gaps in learning. For instance, when you get a question wrong, the platform will repeat the topic in different formats and their smart algorithm has proven to make students remember topics 2x faster. Seneca is totally free for students, teachers and parents. You can sign up via senecalearning.com Library accessThe library system is available to access from home at https://uk.accessit.online/cth05/. Please log in to the site to gain the full advantage of the online library resources, such as OneSearch. Please email us on library@cotham.bristol.sch.uk for your username and password. Contact detailsPlease note the following telephone numbers and email addresses if you need to contact the school:
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