This week’s Elmgrove punctuality

winners are:

 Ladybirds and Rabbits with 99% - Well done!

 This week’s Cotham Grove punctuality winners are: 

Pine with 99% - Well done!

                                                              This week’s Elmgrove class attendance

winners are: 

Foxes with 97% - Well done!

      This week’s Cotham Grove class attendance

  winners are:  

            Kingfisher, Kestrels and Birch with 98%

Well done!

 

 

To ensure the safety of all our pupils and maintain smooth pedestrian flow, please can we kindly remind you of our entrance and exit procedures:

 

Main Gate

• Please use the main gates for all morning drop-offs and afternoon pick-ups
• Please store bikes and scooters in the designated racks in the main playground at Cotham Grove or in the racks by the front entrance at Elmgrove

Office Entrance

Please only use the office entrance for:

• Late arrivals (after the gates shut at 8.55am)
• Collecting your child during the school day (e.g. appointments)
• Late collection (after the gates shut at 3.45pm)
• Queries or assistance from office staff

The office entrance should not be used as a cut-through or shortcut at drop-off and pick-up times.

 

Additional Safety Reminders

• Dogs should not be brought onto the school site
• Children must not use the playground equipment at drop-off or pick-up times

Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our school community safe.

 

 

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 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.

 

We have some exciting news to share!

Thanks to the generosity of our wonderful PTAF, this week we launched a Summer Reading Challenge to give independent reading a real boost as we approach the end of the school year.

The idea is simple and very similar to our sponsored read. Each time your child reads three or more times in a week, they will earn one raffle ticket. These tickets will be entered into a prize draw, and at the end of term we will celebrate with a special assembly where names are drawn and book prizes or book tokens are awarded to our lucky winners. There will be prizes for each year group!

How can you help?
- Encourage your child to read at least three times each week (this could be independently or with you).
- Ensure your child brings in their book bag and reading record to be checked by their teacher
- Help them stay motivated by talking about what they are reading and celebrating their efforts.

We are hoping this will create a real buzz around reading across the school and keep children inspired right through to the summer holidays!

Thank you, as always, for your support.

Best wishes,

 Thursday 18^th June 7.00pm

Please join us for an online presentation with Andri Nicolaou, Child Exploitation prevention officer for Avon & Somerset police.

Earlier in the day Andri will have led assemblies at Cotham Grove on Online Safety and grooming and a discussion about exploitation risks online and offline. Andri  will talk to the children  about what they like online and what online gaming and social media they have access to and enjoy. They then speak about the risks and how / what can we do if anything goes wrong including  asking  for help from a trusted adult and how to report online.

The online presentation for parents and covers:

• Child exploitation – Covering online exploitation, grooming, sexting and consent
• Child criminal exploitation – Covering indicators and county lines
• Social media – Covering different apps children may use
• What parents can do if they are worried – signposting

Please talk to anyone on the school safeguarding team if you have questions about this event or any other aspect of safeguarding.

The teams link has been shared on ClassDojo.

             

 

Dear Families of Cotham Gardens,

We are thrilled to announce that Eve Wersocki Morris, a super star children’s author will be visiting our school on Friday 19^th June. During her visit, Eve will be talking to children in Years 4, 5 and 6 about her exciting book, Clem Fatale Has Been Betrayed among others.

Here is a write-up about the author:

Eve Wersocki Morris, the author of much-loved Clem Fatale Has Been Betrayed as well as other middle grade fiction, does a really interactive and engaging event. Eve has a background in theatre so puts on a great show, gets the kids involved and tries to recreate a 1950s London vibe.

This is a fantastic opportunity for our pupils to learn about the creative process behind writing and publishing a book, as well as to ask questions and gain inspiration for their own reading, writing, and artistic projects. Meeting a real author and illustrator will no doubt spark their imaginations and encourage a love of stories.

This event is offered for free.

NB – Children from Birch class will not be able to attend the event as they are on another trip. However, they are welcome to order a book.

Books are also available to order through Max Minerva using the following link:

https://maxminervas.co.uk/products/19-06-eve-wersocki-morris-cotham-gardens

 Eve will sign the books for the children!

We are looking forward to an inspiring and enjoyable day!

Happy reading,

Duncan Brett

 

We still have spaces available for our SEND Coffee Morning on Tuesday 23rd June where the school nurse will be dropping in for some sessions with parents and carers. 

Please click on the date to book your slot:
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. 

 

 

🌟 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 - Shine gates will be open from 9:20am

🏃 Year 2 / Year 3 / Year 4 – Wednesday 1st July
📍 Shine Sports Ground - Shine gates will be open from 9:20am

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

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

 

 

 

  

 

 

Kestrels will be reading the much-loved classic The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame next week! Like me, you may remember watching the film many years ago!

We will be immersing ourselves in the adventures of Mole, Rat, Toad and Badger and discussing Toad’s mischievous behaviour, love of adventure and how his friends try to help him…

To bring the story to life, there will be drama activities, hot-seating characters and acting out key scenes and if there’s time, watching the original movie!

 

 

 

🎟️ 🎟️ 🎟️ 🎟️ 🎟️ 🎟️ 🎟️ 🎟️ 🎟️ 🎟️

THE PTAF SUMMER RAFFLE IS NOW LIVE!

This is a fantastic opportunity to support our school community while having a chance to win some amazing prizes.

Tickets cost just £1 each and are available online here:

https://raffall.com/423745/enter-raffle-to-win-cotham-gardens-ptaf-summer-raffle-prizes-hosted-by-cothamgardensptaf

🎲🎲🎲🎲🎲🎲🎲🎲🎲🎲🎲🎲🎲

PTAF GAMES NIGHT AT CHANCE & COUNTERS

We had such a fun evening last year so have decided to organise another trip to the great board game cafe on Gloucester Road.

This year we are going for a family event so the kids can join in the fun too.

Friday 10th July

4pm-6pm

£20 a ticket to include games, a meal and a drink.

This even is open to all so please do invite friends and family along

https://app.classlist.com/events/#/events/view/1464080799

 

💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰

YOUR SCHOOL LOTTERY

One very easy way you can help raise money is to buy a lottery ticket through our 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 this Summer!  Book by Sunday 19^th July 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; Mini and Mega Mash Ups, Pop Dance, Creative, Cookery, Gymnastics with Cheer, Make a Musical Football, Crazy Science Creations, Forest Adventure, Cricket, Netball, Athletics and Tri Golf and - 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!

 

 

  

 

 

 

EMBEDDED_PDF_{/docs/Parenting_Groups_Infortmation_Booklet.pdf}