2nd December | Head of School Letter
A shorter week for students last week but it was still possible to fit a number of events into the four days.
An Inspector Calls
The English Department successfully took nearly 400 students to the theatre last week, with Year 11 watching An Inspector Calls at the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre on Wednesday afternoon and Year 10 undertaking the same trip on Thursday. I had the pleasure of supporting the trip on Thursday, and I was incredibly proud of our students' exemplary behaviour throughout the afternoon. Their conduct was praised by staff from another local school, and it was wonderful to see them represent our school so positively, demonstrating many aspects of our Healthy Relationships. Even though the matinée performances often attract a large number of school groups, as the play is part of the GCSE English Literature specification, members of the public are also in the audience. Thank you very much to the English team and in particular to Mrs Oxley and Mrs Savine for coordinating the trips.
Aladdin
This week sees the return of a big musical show to the Cottesloe stage, our first since pre-Covid time’s Beauty and the Beast. Aladdin is being performed from 6.30pm on Wednesday 4th, Thursday 5th and Friday 6th December in PA3. Rehearsals have been going really well and the cast and crew will be off timetable today for the final run-through. I would typically wish the cast a traditional 'break a leg,' but unfortunately, one of our performers, Daisy, suffered a broken foot during rehearsals. Despite this setback, she is determined to perform each night, with some clever adjustments to the show to accommodate her injury. We wish her a speedy recovery and commend her dedication to the production. A huge thank you in advance to our marvellous Performing Arts teachers: Miss Mayhew, Mrs Pinto, Mrs Holmes and Miss Noble.
Tickets for Aladdin are still available via ParentPay. If you have any problems with booking the tickets, please contact the school office.
Buckinghamshire Orchestra For All (BOFA) Mrs Pinto is a wonderful asset to our school. Not content with managing the musical aspects of Aladdin, she also found the time last week to escort ten of our musicians to the BOFA rehearsals in Aylesbury. Recognising that for some secondary schools in the county, a full orchestra may not be possible, the Buckinghamshire Music Trust provides students with the opportunity to experience playing in an orchestra. Thanks go to Mrs Pinto for supporting students to attend.
Quadcopter National Final
A group of Year 9 students: Joe, David, Oliver, Ben, Stevie and Seb are off to compete in the Raytheon Quadcopter National Final tomorrow. They have been working together for a number of months and, as a result, are now competing in the national final of this STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths) competition. We wish them the very best of luck; more details will be shared next week!
Sixth Form Open Evening
It was wonderful to welcome families and students from our Year 11 and students/families from other schools to a great evening. We were really pleased that we were able to show off the new sixth form spaces as part of the tour. Feedback on the cafe-style study space was brilliant. Thanks go to the Year 12 tour guides and our Head Students, Frida and Jacob, for speaking with absolute confidence about why The Cottesloe Sixth Form is a wonderful place to study. Mr Youngs just about got through the presentations with a very hoarse voice! If you have any questions or would like further information about how to apply for a place, please click here: How to apply for Sixth Form. The deadline to apply is 10th January 2025.
The Parents Portal
A new online resource from Autism Early Support (AES) I wrote to you about this portal in last week’s Head of School letter. During the week, I attended a launch session for professionals. I was very impressed with the offer, available to all families living in Buckinghamshire - irrespective of whether their child(ren) has a formal diagnosis of neurodiversity. If you do access the portal and would be willing to share your perspectives and whether it’s been useful to you and/or your child, please get in touch. Below is a small section of last week’s letter:
Buckinghamshire Council is launching a new, free digital platform designed to support children and families impacted by neurodiversity. The portal is now accessible for parents through online registration. It is free for families in Buckinghamshire. No referral or diagnosis is needed to access the portal. The portal is designed to provide a source of guidance and support to help parents support their child’s journey through school, home, and social life.
To find out more about the Portal, please visit this link: The Parent's Portal. This link will allow you to register from 1st December: Bucks Registrations | AES Portal
Sport Fixtures and results
After-school training has now been postponed for the rest of the term as it’s starting to get dark before the end of the training time. Outdoor fixtures have been moved to earlier kick-off times to ensure they can be completed before the light has gone. Despite the seasonal challenges, there are some football and netball matches to let you know about:
Football
Our Under 18s football team faced a tough challenge in the county cup, narrowly losing to Chesham Grammar (4-1). The Under 13 girls football team faced a tough challenge against Royal Latin, ultimately losing 3-1.
Netball
Our netball team had a successful week. The Year 7 team dominated their match against Aylesbury Vale Academy, winning 23-0, with Libby named Player of the Match. The Year 10 team also secured a convincing 23-0 victory over Aylesbury Vale Academy, with Flo earning Player of the Match honours. The Year 9 and Year 10 teams continued their success, defeating Princes Risborough 8-2 and 10-2 respectively. Jess and Edie were named Players of the Match for their outstanding performances.
Assembly
This week’s assembly theme is Online Safety and will be delivered by Mrs West, our Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL) and Online Safety Champion. If you have any questions or concerns around keeping your child safe online, our website has some useful links: The Cottesloe School - Online Safety - Stay Safe Online, alternatively please get in touch with Mrs West, or our DSL, Mrs Hankin.
Year 13
Mock results day is on Wednesday. As mocks are a rehearsal, we also rehearse the results as part of the process with students receiving their grades in the same way as they will in the summer. Parents Evening takes place on Thursday.
Year 12
Criminology and Sociology students, along with their Year 13 counterparts, will participate in a Major Crime Scene investigation in school on Wednesday.
Year 11
GCSE Art students will be completing their Mock Exam on Tuesday this week.
I hope you have a super week and thank you, as always, for your ongoing support.
Best wishes,
Louise Baldwin
Head of School