Weekly Mailing to Parents and Carers
Friday 11 November 2022
Dear Parents and Carers Please find below this week’s important information for parents/carers and students. I wish you all a very relaxing weekend. Kindest regards, Ms Jo Butler Headteacher |
Good News |
Congratulations to Hemlata (Year 13) who received a community-nominated “Thank You Award” for setting up a successful gardening club in her local park in Lawrence Hill for families and children last summer! Do check out the instagram page for the club@newtown.natureclub which has the loveliest pictures of what went on in summer 2021. This also featured on a recent One Show on BBC - One in a short film about the environment ahead of COP27. Year 7 Rugby FestivalWell done to all the year 7 boys who took part in a rugby festival at Oasis Brightstowe on Thursday. For the vast majority of the boys, it was their first experience of competitive rugby and did extremely well considering the poor pitch conditions and some strong opposition. Mr Collin 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 |
House News |
Design the School Christmas Card Competition -Deadline extended until Wednesday 23 NovemberEvery year we run this competition and we are always impressed with the standard of entries. The competition is open to all year groups and is a House Competition! The winner will receive an Amazon voucher to the value of £20 and printed copies of their design and the runner up will receive a £10 Amazon voucher. See the poster for further information on how to enter here. Entries to be received in the Visual Arts Office by Wednesday 23 November. |
Catering Menu |
Autumn/Winter Lunch Menu - Term 2Please follow this link for the Autumn/Winter Lunch Menu for Term 2. |
Important new information |
Week commencing Monday 14 November is Week B How to get cost of living supportThe rising cost of living is impacting people across Bristol in different ways. To help support people most impacted, including those who have not faced financial challenge before, the council has a cost of living support webpage: www.bristol.gov.uk/costofliving. It provides advice and guidance on topics including housing, benefits and financial help, employment and skills, mental health and wellbeing, and provides links to useful websites and community organisations. It also includes information on the city's network of Welcoming Spaces where people can meet up, socialise, keep warm and access support relating to the cost of living crisis. There are now 37 spaces open in the city. Our Citizen Service Point, located at 100 Temple Street, BS1 6AG, is also on hand if you need help using the council’s services or need access to a computer. The opening hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9am to 5pm, Wednesday 10am to 5pm. The service is closed on bank holidays. You can also call the We Are Bristol phone line on 0800 694 0184, Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5pm. Year 10 Parents’ Evening (PES) - Thursday 24 November 2022The event will take place between 3:45pm and 6:45pm and will be a live event. Appointment Details Parents and carers will have the opportunity to meet their child’s teachers for a 5-minute appointment. Booking Appointments Please visit https://cothamschool.schoolcloud.co.uk to book your appointments. Bookings will close on Wednesday 23 November 2022 at 6pm There is a written guide explaining how to book appointments Invigilators requiredWe are recruiting a number of exam invigilators to join our friendly and well-established team, overseeing examinations throughout the year. This role will allow you to work flexibly on a casual (as and when) basis supporting Cotham School to ensure all exams are conducted in accordance with exam guidelines. There are no fixed or regular hours of work. Invigilators will be required from the end of January to February half term for mock exams. Then the main summer exam period, which this year runs from mid May to the end of June. The role involves setting up examination rooms by laying out the correct materials and papers, ensuring correct exam procedures are followed, distribution and collection of examination papers and monitoring students during the examination periods. Morning exam sessions usually start at 8am (for an exam start at 8:45am) and afternoon sessions at 1pm (for an exam start at 1.45pm). The length of exam papers varies and sessions can last between 2-4 hours. All invigilators must complete statutory online safeguarding training and an online invigilation training module which takes approximately 2 hours before their first invigilation. We also need people who are willing to be trained as one to one readers and/or scribes for our access arrangement students. Pay: £10.60 per hour claimed by monthly time sheet and paid at the end of the following month. You will also be entitled to receive holiday pay in addition to this. All offers of appointment are subject to Disclosure and Barring Service Clearance as well as a range of other safer recruitment checks. Early application is advised as applications will be considered as they are received and we reserve the right to appoint at any time in the process. Please note we do not accept CVs. Is your child interested in film?The Into Film Festival is taking place across the UK 8 - 25 November. For those interested in film, by following this link you can find information about film screenings and workshops in Bristol, for young people and adults. There are some fantastic opportunities available for all ages! Word of the WeekEach week at Cotham School we promote a Word of the Week. This is to help students expand the range of vocabulary they use. |
Reminders |
Year 7 Family Consultation DayYear 7 Family Consultation Day is on Thursday 17 November 2022. The event will take place between 8:30am and 4:45pm and will be a live event held in school. Year 7 parents and carers will have the opportunity to meet your child’s tutor for a 15 minute appointment to discuss your child’s engagement and well-being, participation in the wider life of the school, and to set targets for the remainder of the year. Bookings will close on Monday 14 November at 8:00am. Bristol's Welcoming SpacesThe first of Bristol's Welcoming Spaces are now open. As the cost of fuel and food continues to rise, a network of warm, Welcoming Spaces has been set up for people to go to, to alleviate cost of living pressures this autumn and winter. Each venue will be responding to community priorities which means what happens in each space will vary, but is likely to include Wi-Fi, access to electrical charging points, activities and community meals. There will also be support and practical advice provided by city-wide organisations.
More information about Welcoming Spaces, and where to find your nearest one is available on the Bristol City Council website along with information on housing, bills, benefits, employment and skills and mental health and wellbeing.
Help for HouseholdsTo help with the cost of living crisis the government has launched a website detailing a range of support for households. This is available from the link below: Help for Households - Get government cost of living support. International House BristolInternational House Bristol run a homestay programme. Our students travel from all over the world to our school to learn English. Staying with a host is an excellent way for a student to improve their English and learn about British culture and is often the most enriching part of their trip.
Hosts find the experience incredibly rewarding too. They have immensely enjoyed having company and gaining knowledge of a vast range of countries whilst sharing their own culture. Over the years, our hosts have made long-term international friendships, been invited to international weddings, and inspired their children to learn languages at school and work abroad!
Hosting is different from letting out a room; hosts usually provide breakfast and dinner for their students. Whilst we do have a small number of students who are looking for self-catering accommodation (who are usually slightly older and more independent), our hosts should be hospitable, encourage the student to feel at home and to treat them as a full member of the household, eating together and sharing communal areas. Does this sound like something that would fit in well with your lifestyle? If so, please get in touch! Free flu vaccine this winterPupils in years seven to nine are being offered the free flu vaccine this winter. Sirona Care & Health’s Immunisation Team will be visiting on Thursday 15 December to administer the nasal spray. The UK Health Security Agency is urging everyone eligible for a free flu vaccine to take up the offer due to an expected increase in respiratory viruses this winter. To find out more about the vaccine, and what to do if you miss your school visit, you can visit the CCHP website. Student Instrumental SurveyWe are conducting a survey to find out what music instruments are played within the school and what clubs/bands and orchestras our students are part of. While many of our students get lessons in school, we know that there are many more who are getting lessons outside of school, are self taught or potentially have had lessons in the past but are no longer receiving them. We would like to use this information to make sure that our extra curricular offer is tailored to the interests and skills that our students have and want to develop. We would very much appreciate you completing this short 5 minute survey (https://forms.gle/GRPTeZtkD3vKgXwP7) about your child's musical instrument. If you are interested in your child receiving instrumental lessons, you can also express an interest and we will send through additional information on how to sign up. Monday 7-18 November - Transform Our World Youth Summit 2022This year's Transform Our World Youth Summit will explore what power is, how it’s used in different ways, and how we all have power within us that we can use to create a better world. Taking place at the same time as COP27 whilst conversations are happening at a global level, the Summit will provide a focus on young people and the importance of their involvement in decision making. Join online for a series of interactive, youth-led workshops and discover how power is key to transforming our world. Tuesday 6 December 2022, 16:00 – 17:00 Tools to Build Self-belief and Good Mental Health online talk with James ShoneThis event for students in Year 9 and above will help build confidence and belief in themselves. This is key to maintaining good mental health. James Shone set up the charity I Can and I Am in response to losing his sight. An inspiring speaker, James uses his own philosophy and experiences to support young people to respond to setbacks, teenage anxiety and lack of self-esteem and develop a positive attitude to life. This webinar is part of BEP’s series of Life Skills talks for students. Places can be booked here. Women's Weekend In SportThe countdown is on for Women in Sport Weekend. Bristol Sport welcome both Bears Women and Bristol City Women to Ashton Gate. To celebrate this exciting occasion, Bristol Sport are offering 50% off both games, simply use code; GROUPS50 to book. The first game is on November 19 and November 20. For more information or to book seats together, please email groups@bristol-sport.co.uk. Attendance at SchoolFollow the link for the information leaflet produced by Bristol City Council, it gives advice about term time absence and the consequences of unauthorised absence from school. Polite reminder to Parents/CarersPlease do not 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. 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. 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. School UniformA very big thank you to the Parent/Carers that have donated items of pre-loved uniform, your donations are most welcome. If you wish to donate uniform both the Main/Visitor and Student Receptionists are very happy to receive your donations. If you wish to purchase a pre-loved uniform please call our Main/ Visitor Reception in advance to say you wish to come in and to see what we have in stock. Items are £1 each - cash only please. School trousers and skirts are available and there is no charge for these items. May we remind you to always label your child’s uniform with their child’s name and Year/Tutor Group. 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 contact Mrs Hopkins at Student Reception.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. Library UpdateThe library is open at break and lunch time, from Wednesday to Friday and afterschool from Monday to Thursday until 3.30pm. This is to allow students to exchange books, complete their homework, and to read quietly. Please check the opening times on the library entrance as they vary daily. We need our books back please Please have a really good look at home for all outstanding library books and textbooks. Students will receive weekly automated emails to their school email account. Please return books directly to the library or to the returns box outside the library. To check which titles are on your account, please login to AccessIt. Post-16 Textbooks Post 16 students must arrange their own textbook loans in person at the Charnwood Library. Year 12 will need to pay their £30 deposit on Wisepay or have a confirmed Bursary application before they are able to borrow. Please email our Post-16 Coordinator at iqbals@cotham.bristol.sch.uk if you have any questions about the deposit scheme. Reading suggestions
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 2. Booking is not required, just come along. 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. 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 |
The Be Project - Drug PresentationOn Thursday 3 November, The Be Project delivered a Harm Reduction Drug Education presentation to Year 9. The students were wonderfully engaged and respectful. There was an opportunity for the students to discuss the positive and negative thoughts of the example scenarios of young people's cases. They were then able to share their thoughts with the presenter and the year group. A huge thank you to Joanna Mallinson who delivered the presentation. Online Safety Newsletter - November EditionClick here to view this month’s online safety newsletter 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. Helpline service - 0808 800 2222 Email - askus@familylives.org.uk On line chat - Live Chat service. You can also visit the online forum community to share dilemmas, experiences and issues with others who understand. Sisters’ CircleIs a weekly group for young Muslim girls of colour aged 12-25. It is an inspiring, safe space to discuss issues such as gender inequality and islamophobia to help build emotional health, resilience and confidence. Sign up here. Sisters’ Circle is every Friday 4pm – 6pm, Easton Community Centre, Kilburn Street, BS5 6AW. Sisters' Circle - OTR (otrbristol.org.uk)Off the Record's latest projects - What we do - OTR (otrbristol.org.uk)Free Webinar from the Charlie Waller Trust - Strategies for supporting a sensitive childThe author will discuss some of the evidence suggesting that although some individuals are more sensitive to the negative things that happen to them in their environment, they are also more likely to benefit from positive changes in their lives than their peers. Includes suggested strategies for supporting sensitive children to develop resilience and fulfil their innate potential. Book now Wednesday 7 December - 12:00 Thursday 15 December - 12:00 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. |
Subject Area News |
Visual Arts Work of the WeekPlease follow the link to see some of the student's artwork from Year 7 which they have recently been working on. 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 |
Student Railcard or Young Persons RailcardTrainline have put together a guide for the 16-25 Railcard (also known as the Student Railcard or Young Persons Railcard) to help students travel around the UK and save money on train tickets. Please follow the link https://www.thetrainline.com/trains/great-britain/railcards/16-25-railcard BasketballFollowing a three year absence the North Bristol Post 16 Centre returned to the court with a trip to Bradley Stoke Community School to take on an U18s side. The students in their brand new kit were ably supported by a travelling group of students who created a very positive atmosphere for both home and away sides. NBP16 took the win and look forward to the reverse fixture at Cotham on Wednesday 9 November. A reminder that training takes place on Monday afternoons 3:30-4:30pm Progress ReviewsStudents will shortly be receiving their first progress reviews of this academic year. If you have any questions about these reviews, please make contact with your child’s tutor in the first instance who will be able to give you more information.
Attendance ReviewsNext week you will receive your young person’s first attendance review which will detail the number of attended, missed and late to lessons. If you or our students have any questions, please follow up with their tutor in the first instance.
Year 12Family Consultation DayFamily Consultation Day is next week on Wednesday 16 November. A letter was sent out at the beginning of last week with details of the day and instructions for booking appointments. Please contact Ms Skinner if you have any questions. Please note, students must attend these meetings with parents/carers and lessons will run as usual that day. Year 13UWE Contextual OffersWe are pleased to announce that as a university, UWE Bristol will provide contextual offers to eligible applicants for 2023 entry of study. This will apply to all full-time and part-time undergraduate and foundation courses, for home applications only. The contextual offer will be a tariff point reduction of 16 tariff points for all undergraduate degree courses and 8 tariff points for foundation year courses (below the standard entry requirements). Applicants will not need to fill in any further forms to see if they are eligible. They just need to apply through UCAS in the normal way and we will be in touch with eligible students. Any questions about this process should be directed to Ms Muszynska. Cambridge Sixth Form Law ConferenceThis is a four-day residential trip to Cambridge University, which aims to give students an insight into the study of Law and life as an undergraduate at Cambridge. It is organised and run by seven current Law undergraduates, many of whom attended the Law Conference themselves and are passionate about giving other students the opportunity to have this experience. The conference will run between the 27-30 March and students should contact Ms Dutton with any questions. |
Cotham Futures |
Futures BulletinHere is this week’s packed and exciting edition of your Futures Bulletin. Happy reading. Year 9The Year 9 Envision group had their first business mentor meeting with volunteers from Bristol real estate agency JLL this week. We visited their offices on Great George Street and students took part in a variety of activities to get to know their mentors better and to develop their plans for a social action project. In their school sessions with their Envision mentor, the Cotham team have decided to raise awareness of the cost of living crisis and the staff at JLL helped them to generate more ideas and shared their project management expertise so that students could understand the planning processes needed. All 11 students conquered their nerves, challenging themselves to speak out and take part. They really impressed the JLL staff with their confidence, imagination, and ability to express themselves and really embraced the opportunity. Fantastic work, team! Year 10Year 10 Work Experience week will take place from 3-7 July 2023. Please read the attached letter and feel free to contact careers@cotham.bristol.sch.uk if you have any queries. Year 10 and Year 11We were also pleased to welcome representatives from Access Creative College, City of Bristol College, Boomsatsuma, Savills Estate Agents and the Army to our pop up shop at Thursday lunchtime. Year 10 and 11 students made good use of this valuable occasion to ask questions about the courses and careers on offer to them and to pick up some leaflets and brochures. The mix of visitors showed students there are so many pathways available to them for their Post-16 studies and we are already looking forward to the next one in December! - Anna Shute, Careers Assistant. Green Careers week 7-12 November 2022Green Careers Week takes place between 7 and 12 November 2022 to provide young people with an insight into careers that specifically protect the environment and will help the UK achieve its pledge of reaching Net Zero by 2050. Find out more in the article The Parents’ Guide to Green Careers Week or download "Green Careers Week" handout by visiting the free resources page for schools.Get involved with Green Careers by:
Supporting your child with career choiceshttps://www.theparentsguideto.co.uk/ provides parents with the information they need to help their teenage children make the right decisions about their future, whether after GCSE or sixth form. The online guides and articles are designed to inform, involve and guide parental support. They include the latest information on post-school options, apprenticeships, universities, examinations, revision techniques and teenage wellbeing. Please follow the link to sign up to the newsletter. Rolls Royce Apprentice and School Leaver Open Evening Thursday 17 November 2022 17:30 - 19:30Apprentice Open Evening to share information about our future employment opportunities. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/rolls-royce-apprentice-open-evening-bristol-uk-tickets-451665843697 Location: Rolls-Royce, Horizon Hall - Whittle House Customer Centre Reception, Gate 7 - PO Box 3, Gypsy Patch Lane, Filton, Bristol, BS34 6QA The Open Evening will provide students and parents with the opportunity to explore the schemes at Rolls-Royce, including a chance to talk with representatives from the Apprentice Development team, University of Bristol and Weston College, current apprentices and Recruitment Team who will be available to answer any questions you may have. Open to Year 11 - 13 students only who are currently either completing GCSEs, A-LEVELS/BTEC subjects at school or college. PLEASE NOTE: ONLY BOOK MAXIMUM 3 TICKETS PER HOUSEHOLD. Clifton College Law Society: Renewable Energy and Property Law Insight Webinar Tuesday 22 November 2022 17:20 -18:20Join lawyers Will Woodall and Richard Read, partners in Burges Salmon LLP, who will be giving a presentation with Q&A on law and the renewable energy and property sectors in the 21st century. They will cover their own backgrounds in the law, the current state of the legal industry, their particular areas of practice and expertise with case studies in renewable energy and property, and advice for aspiring lawyers. There will be opportunities for questions. All pupils from Bristol Education Partnership schools are welcome to join. The link to the webinar on Zoom is as follows, please sign in by 17:15 on the day so we can make a prompt start. https://cliftoncollege.zoom.us/j/92134526578 - Passcode: 949636 Please email hosting Clifton College staff-member Mr James Drinkwater, jdrinkwater@cliftoncollege.com. if you would like to pre-submit any questions to the panellists. There will also be opportunities to ask live questions on the day. |
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
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. 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. Contact detailsPlease note the following telephone numbers and email addresses if you need to contact the school:
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