This week’s Elmgrove class punctuality winners are:

  Rabbits with 100% - Well done!

  Also a big well done to Honeybees,

         Ladybirds and Kestrels, all achieving 99%.

 

                                                                  This week’s Cotham Grove class attendance winners are:

                                                                  Kingfisher with 100% - Well done!

                                                                    Also a big well done to Honeybees,

                                                                    Ladybirds and Kestrels, all achieving 99%.

 

The first Bikeability session is now full. However, we're delighted to let you know that they will be running a 2nd session for anyone who missed out on a place. 

This is a practical on-road cycling course that helps children develop the skills and confidence to cycle safely. Please note that this is a Level 2 course, so children must already be able to ride a bike confidently before taking part.

The cost of the course is £15.00 per child.

The first session will begin on Friday 5th June with bike safety checks in the playground, followed by on-road sessions, starting from the 9th June.

We will send you more detailed information about session timings closer to the date.

If you'd like your child to participate, please:

• Complete the consent form (You can find a paper copy in the school office, or click here)

• Ensure your child has a roadworthy bike for the bike safety check on the first day (please refer to the link below - Bike Safety Check document for further information)

bike safety check final.pdf

 

We still have spaces available for our SEND Coffee Morning on Tuesday 5th May, where the school nurse will be dropping in for some sessions with parents and carers. 

 please click on the date to book your lot:

Tuesday 5th May 2026 - 4 tickets still available!
Tuesday 23rd June 2026 -  4 tickets still available!

The sessions will be about offering support and information around topics such as emotional support and relationships, sleep, healthy eating, exercise, being healthy, smoking/vaping.

The sessions will be running between 9:00-10:00 and are held in the hall at Elmgrove. There are 4, 15 minute slots available per session and are offered on a first come, first serve basis. You will be able to join in with coffee morning whilst you wait to be seen.

 

If you do book a slot with the Sirona Nurse and are then unable to  attend, please let us know in advance so we can offer out that sessions to another family.

In a change to the advertised menu, your child can choose from:

Cheese and tomato pizza

or
Crispy potato shells in tomato sauce

or
Jacket Potato 

All served with a Chocolate cornflake cake

Please note, we are unable to amend a live menu on Arbor.
If your child would like the Cheese and tomato pizza - you will need to select 'Southern baked chicken'. If your child would like the Crispy potato shells in tomato sauce - you will need to select 'Chilli bean stack' on Arbor.

Don't forget to book lunches via Arbor for the week ahead, even if your child will be bringing a packed lunch from home or receives free school meals. 

 

 

We would like to hear your views about the wraparound care provision at Cotham Gardens Primary School. Your feedback is important to us and will help us improve our offering. The survey should take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete.

Parent/Carer Voice: Wraparound Care – Fill in form

The survey closes on Friday 8th May and all responses will be treated confidentially.

For further information on how we use information and to view our privacy notice, please visit https://www.cothamgardens.co.uk/docs/Policies/Privacy_Notice_-_parents___pupils__approved_Dec_2025_.pdf.

 

📍 Online Forum 

📅 Date: , 19th May
🕘 Time: 6:00 PM – 6:45 PM
📍 Location: Online

Link will be shared on ClassDojo

📍 In-Person Forum 

📅 Date: Wednesday, 20th May
🕘 Time: 9:00 AM – 9:45 AM
📍 Location: Cotham Grove Hall

 

🌟 Save the Date for Sports Day! 🌟

Get ready for some fun, energy, and friendly competition at our upcoming

Sports Days!

🏃 Year 5 / Year 6 – Monday 29th June
📍 Shine Sports Ground

🏃 Year 2 / Year 3 / Year 4 – Wednesday 1st July
📍 Shine Sports Ground

🏃 Reception / Year 1 – Wednesday 8th July
📍 Cotham Grove Site (Playground)

Exact times to follow soon.

We can’t wait to cheer everyone on and enjoy these exciting days together!

 

 

As we approach the summer break, we wanted to share our term dates for the remainder of this academic year and remind you of the policy on term-time absences and attendance.

 Term Dates for 2026

Term 5: 20th April 2026 to 22nd May 2026

Term 6: 1st June 2026 to 22nd July 2026

 

INSET Days (school closed to pupils):

Friday 3rd July 2026
Wednesday 22nd July 2026

 

Term-Time Absence Policy

Only exceptional circumstances warrant an authorised leave of absence during term time. A holiday or other absence for leisure or recreation does not constitute an exceptional circumstance and will be recorded as unauthorised.

Family holidays should be taken during school holiday periods.

If you believe you have exceptional circumstances, please contact the school office as early as possible.

 

To Request Leave of Absence:

• Complete a Leave of Absence Request form (paper copies also available from the school office)
• Submit at least four weeks in advance where possible
• Please note: Leave cannot be approved retrospectively

Penalty Notices

Parents have a legal responsibility to ensure their child attends school regularly. Unauthorised absence can result in penalty notice fines.

 

Fines may be issued for:

• 5 days of unauthorised absence (whether consecutive or cumulative over a 10-week period)
• 10 sessions of unauthorised absence in any 10-week period (Each school day has 2 sessions: morning and afternoon)
• Please note: Arriving after 9:30am is recorded as an unauthorised session and counts towards this threshold

 

Penalty Notice Amounts

First offence:

• £80 per parent, per child (if paid within 21 days)
• £160 per parent, per child (if paid within 28 days)

Second offence (within a 3-year period):

• £160 per parent, per child (no reduction available)

Third or further offences:

• Referral for prosecution
• Fines of up to £2,500 per parent, per child

Fines are issued to each parent for each child. For example, if two siblings are absent, each parent will receive two separate fines.

For full details, please refer to our Attendance Policy or contact us if you have any questions. 

Thank you for your continued support in ensuring your child achieves their full potential through regular attendance.

 

Child Safety Week 2026 runs from Monday 1st to Sunday 7th June. Organised by the Child Accident Prevention Trust, this year's theme is 'Making Prevention Possible' building practical capacity for safety behaviour in families and the professionals who work with them. Please find below a parent pack, designed to empower families to make simple changes without feeling overwhelmed.

parents pack 2026.pdf

 

 

Kingfisher class have just finished reading 'The Dancing Bear' by Michael Morpurgo. We loved the relationship that developed between the young girl (Roxanne) and the bear (Bruno). We had great discussions about Bruno's choice of fame or well-being and the children responded with very sensible and well thought out answers. We would thoroughly recommend this book!

 

 

 

🗓️🗓️🗓️🗓️🗓️🗓️🗓️🗓️🗓️🗓️🗓️🗓️

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 

- Year 3 cake sale. 8th May

- Friday 12th June. 3.30-5.30 Cotham Grove 

   Playground PTAF SUMMER FAIR

🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 🎉 

Summer Fair Raffle - Donations Needed!

 Do you or anyone you know own or work for a business that would be willing to donate a prize of gift voucher for the Summer Fair raffle? However big or small, we would be incredibly grateful for any contributions.

 Please contact Shellie in the school office at office@cothamgardens.co.uk or pop into the office to discuss.

Thank you so much for your support!

👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟

The amazing Ms Smith and the awesome Miss Bayat are both going to be running the Bristol 10k in May. 

Please sponsor them via the link below so the PTAF can work with the school to buy more Chromebooks to enhance the children’s ICT education

https://wonderful.org/fundraisers/79zWQ

 

💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰

YOUR SCHOOL LOTTERY

One very easy way you can help raise money is to buy a lottery ticket through our new school lottery system. 

One winner from our school is guaranteed every week!

Click on the link below to buy tickets!

 

https://www.yourschoollottery.co.uk/lottery/school/cotham-gardens-primary-school?utm_campaign=you-went-live&utm_source=cause-admin&utm_medium=social&utm_content=Hyperlink 

  

 

Join the Holiday Fun near you this May Half Term!  Book by Sunday 17th May to receive 20% off using the code: Early Booker.

We have loved seeing so many children come along to Shine Holiday Clubs and look forward to welcoming more of you.

 

For children at any school from Reception – Year 6, days run from 09:00-15:30 with (early and late hours) available if you need them.

 

There are loads of different activities such as Forest Adventure, Make Musical - Matilda, Mega and Mini Mash Ups, Cookery, Crazy Science Creations, The Greatest Showman Dance, Creative, Mini Gymnastics with Cheerleading, Football Fundays, Soft and Hard Ball Cricket, Tri Golf and Athletics there really is a day your child will love.

Shine are Ofsted Registered so you can pay via Childcare Vouchers and the Tax-Free Childcare Scheme. 

Click here to see what’s on; Henleaze, Horfield, Westbury on Trym to see what’s on and use the code Early Booker to get 20% off.

See you at Shine!

 

 

CREATIVITY CLUB

Tuesdays at Cotham Grove: 

Our after school Creativity Club is bookable for terms 5&6 now. Devised by Emma from Chandos Atelier and delivered by professional makers with years of experience, it is an hour of creative exploration using art materials. Enriching and imaginative, they develop skills and resilience, teaching techniques and methods rather than giving follow-along instructions -  perfect for creative kids and art adventurers!

https://www.chandosatelier.co.uk/bookings

“His creativity at home and his attitude to materials and projects has exploded, which includes scientific endeavours, inspired by your materials and attitude to creativity.”

  

 

Redland Green School - Open Mornings May - July 2026

Redland Green School is holding a number of Open Morning Tours from May to July for the parents of current Year 5 students.  Each event will start promptly at 9.00am and will be finished at around 10.30am.  There will be a welcome talk followed by a tour of the school escorted by students. These tours are by appointment only. If you would like to find out about dates and book places on a tour, please visit our booking site  HERE  .

  

 

 

SPIRIT OF SWANA 

A full day of free workshops, live music, DJ's, Food, Film and Crafts for all ages celebrating the SWANA (South West Asia and North Africa) region this Bank Holiday!

When: Monday, 4th May

Where: Trinity Arts, BS2 ONW 

EVENT PROGRAMME

Workshops

1:15-1:35 – Family percussion and song workshop. Bring your instruments if you have them!
1:35-1:55 – Family dance workshop
1:55-2pm – Family jam, bringing song and dance together

2:15-2:45pm – Adult percussion and song workshop. Bring your instruments if you have them!
2:45-3:15 – Adult dance workshop
3:15-3:30 – Jam session, bringing song and dance together

DJs & Performances

2:30pm – Taste of SWANA + DJ’s
4pm – Ayse Roza (live)
5pm – Özcan Ateş (live)
6pm – Vilk Collective (live)
7pm – Dunya (DJ Set)
7:45pm – Short Films from Iran, by Vilk Collective + Q&A
9pm – Finish

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