Experience has shown that some students, irrespective of ability, need more specific support in making the move from primary to secondary school.  This can be for a whole host of reasons. For example, they may have suffered a recent bereavement or a change in home circumstances, low confidence when meeting new people, difficulty adapting to change or worries above and beyond those normally experienced. 

We gather information about students from primary schools and use this to create a tailored support package. This will be dependent on the needs of the student, but could include: 

• An additional school tour.
• Early parental contact to discuss the process and strategies to support their child.  
• An enhanced transition pack that aims to increase familiarity with the school site and routines. 
• Enhanced transition visits to primary schools aimed at highlighting and allaying concerns they may have.
• Additional visits to The Cottesloe School to meet key staff and partake in familiarisation activities.
• Additional Team Hub contact and support, either before or after the move to The Cottesloe School. 

We understand that students with additional learning needs or SEND may require further support, which typically begins earlier in the school year.  Support is individualised depending on the student’s needs. This could include visits to the student in their primary setting by our SENDCo or Teaching Assistants, who would also liaise with the primary school SENDCos and Teaching Assistants regarding the child’s specific needs.

The SEND team will maintain contact with the student and parents, providing additional resources and visits to The Cottesloe School depending on the needs of the child. Teachers of students are made aware of the child’s needs and strategies to support them in lessons before teaching begins in Year 7.

We offer multiple tours - firstly after school hours, when the building is mostly quiet and empty, and secondly, during the day to see the school in action. 

Students with EHCPs are offered an additional visit to the Base to meet key support staff and spend some time getting to know the resources available to them. Students will also be able to meet our school dog, Teddy. 

Students who are the only ones attending their primary schools may also need additional support during the transition process.  These students will be offered an additional session in school to meet other students in the same situation and discuss any concerns they may have. Students will be buddied with another solo student in their form group. 

Please ensure that all medical conditions are accurately recorded on the Admissions Form. For more complex health needs, please see our dedicated page 

The school operates a system for parents to drop off and collect by car during peak times. We ask all staff and Sixth Form students to not leave the site until after 3:10 pm and then only via the rear of the school (coach park gate) to reduce congestion. To remove the need for parents to park at the front of the school, we have implemented the following procedure and ask all parents to abide by the guidelines set out below. 

Morning

Dropping off students: This will be done at the rear of the school, coming off the roundabout on the A418. School buses use this entrance but drop off on the far side of the coach park in the bays. Cars should take the same route as the buses and drop students near the bus shelter outside the Sports Hall. It is a busy area and buses will need to reverse, so the speed will be restricted to  10mph. Please be patient and only drop students off in the designated area. This is not an area for parents to park and then come into the school. 

Afternoon

Collecting students: There will be no access to the coach park until after 3:15 pm due to the number of buses leaving the site. There is no parking by the roundabout and buses swing wide at the gate, so please plan to arrive after 3:15 pm so that congestion is kept to a minimum. After 3:10 pm, you will be able to drive in and collect your child(ren) from the bus shelter outside the Sports Hall. Once again, we would be grateful if cars do not travel at more than 10mph as students may be making their way to sports practice on the field. 

Staff will supervise students whilst they are being dropped off and collected. 

The coach park gates are locked during the school day and, therefore, parents collecting students or attending meetings during the school day should use the front school gate and use the intercom system to gain access. 

Parents are requested not to park in or near Carey Lodge or to pull up onto the pavement in the immediate surrounding areas as this causes severe congestion and is potentially dangerous. 

I live or am planning to move to one of the new-build estates. Is The Cottesloe School my catchment school?

Please use the Bucks Council school postcode checker to find your catchment school.

What happens if I need to drop my child off before the start of the school day/ collect later than 3 pm?

Registration starts at 8:40 in the morning and the school day finishes at 3pm. Please see our wider curriculum offer for after-school activities. 

What is available from the canteen for lunch?

More information about food availability can be found under Parent Hub/School Meals.

Can my child bring a mobile phone to school?

While we encourage students to leave their mobile phones at home, students may bring them to school, so long as they are switched off and in their bags before they enter the school site at the start of the day and remain there unless they are needed for an emergency, and they have the express permission of a member of staff. Should you need to contact your child during the school day, please contact the school office.

Will students be in the same groups for all lessons?

No, students are set for the majority of their lessons. Students will be placed in different sets for different subjects. In both KS3 and KS4 we place students in ability-based sets in the core subjects of English, Maths and Science so that learning can be effectively tailored. This setting is flexible and reviewed regularly to ensure that students are most appropriately placed.

What after-school clubs are there?

We run a range of lunchtime and after-school clubs to cater for a variety of interests. More information can be found under Wider Curriculum

What are the term dates for next year?

Our term dates and school events are published on the website.

What will my child's timetable look like?

We operate a two-week, fifty-period timetable for all year groups. A student's Week 1 timetable is likely to be slightly different to their Week 2 timetable, as pictured below. You will find this at top of the homepage.

To find out which week they are on, please see the calendar or homepage.

Can I purchase a Chromebook?

We are proud to be able to offer the opportunity for new Year 7 students to purchase Chromebooks through Tech for Schools. We will contact you with further details about when the portal opens in June. Chromebooks will need to be ordered by July to allow for delivery in September.

All information can be found under curriculum/chromebooks-for-learning

Financial support is available for those eligible for free school meals; please contact us for more information. 

Does the school have lockers?

Yes, we do. Independent Locker Solutions Limited provides lockers for The Cottesloe School students.  

The lockers are owned by Independent Locker Solutions Limited and are available for students to rent on an annual basis. Rental costs are £32 per year, allowing use from September through to July. More details can be found on the Lockers page

My child is allergic to dogs/scared of dogs

We have a wellbeing therapy dog called Teddy in school, so we need to make sure your child has no interactions with him. If your child is allergic to dogs, please make sure you let us know.