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Newsletter 13/03/26

cotham gardens primary school

weekly newsletter  13/03/2026

 

MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

 

It’s hard to believe we’re already half way through the term. This week our enrichment programme has seen Year 2 take flight to Bristol Aerospace Museum and yesterday Year 4-6 were treated to a theatre performance in French. Last week we had a special KS2 geography assembly and workshops from a visiting teacher at Ocean Generation in years 2, 3 and 5. Not only did the children learn lots, they also received some lovely feedback: 

 

“I really enjoyed speaking with everyone and hearing their wonderful ideas and questions. Every class I spoke to were attentive, engaged and so creative, it was a joy to work with them!”   

 

It is clear that the children of Cotham Gardens remain committed environmentalists, and on a similar theme, I am pleased to say that we are again taking part in “Big Walk and Wheel”, the UK’s largest inter-school cycling, walking, wheeling and scooting challenge. The challenge starts on Monday and runs for two weeks.

 

What do you need to do? 

For a minimum of 10 mins, encourage your child(ren) to walk, scoot or cycle to school on as many days as possible during the event. We know that many of you have to drive, but please make an extra effort over the next two weeks to park further away from school.   

 

Why we are taking part 

Big Walk and Wheel is a great way to build physical activity in children’s daily routine which is important for their physical health and mental wellbeing.  Active school runs also help to reduce congestion and air pollution outside the school gate. A 2021 YouGov study showed nearly half of UK children worry about air pollution near their school. And that children thought active travel was the best away to bring down these pollution levels. 

 

Plus, there are some great prizes to be won every day if we get enough children taking part! 

 

Useful resources 

To help you prepare, Walk Wheel Cycle Trust has developed a handy Parent/ Caregiver page on the challenge website. It is packed with advice to help you have a hassle-free journey to school. For more information about the event go to www.bigwalkandwheel.org.uk

 

 

COMING UP NEXT WEEK

 

MONDAY 16th MARCH

YR4 Swimming

Remember to send your child to school with their swimming kit and snack. 

  

TUESDAY 17th MARCH

Sirona Nurse Coffee morning

All parents welcome after drop off in the Elmgrove hall

 

WEDNESDAY 18th MARCH

PTAF Meeting

7:30pm - 21:00pm

  

FRIDAY 13th MARCH

 

Red Nose Day

Children are invited to wear as much RED as possible to school to raise money for Comic Relief. This could be a red nose, red pyjamas, red face paint, red football kit, red socks….red anything! Children having a school meal will also be offered special red nose day biscuit for their pudding!

 

YR4 Saxon Bristol/M Shed Trip

Please can children bring their own pack lunch, water bottle and appropriate clothing and footwear.

 

Year 2 Bake Sale

In the Elmgrove playground after school.

 

📜 GOLDEN CERTIFICATE WINNERS 📜



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ATTENDANCE WINNERS AND REMINDERS 

 

   This week’s class attendance winners are: 

  Oak class with 99%  - Well done! 

 

This week’s class punctuality winners are:

Ladybirds and Rabbits with 100% - Well done!

                                                              Also a big well done to all other classes this week!

 

 

                                                

 

 

NURSE DROP IN SESSIONS

 

The school nurse will be dropping in for some sessions with parents and carers on the dates below - please click on the date to book your lot:

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 9am-10am and are held in the hall at Elmgrove. There are four 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.

 

YEAR 2 HAVE BEEN FLYING HIGH THIS WEEK....

 

In year 2, we were lucky enough to visit the Aerospace Museum because our History topic is 'How did we learn to fly?'

We had a workshop which was called 'Journey into space' and we got to make our own rockets and launch them up high. We also got to eat our lunch underneath the Concorde and even went inside it to see what it was like! We walked around the museum and learnt so many new facts as well as finding information on people we had been learning about in our lessons! It was fun to see the display of the Wright brothers. 

'When we made our rockets, we had a cylinder and then had to add a nose cone to make it streamlined' 

' I really liked how we went in the Concorde to see the history of flying. I liked learning about how they fly!'

' I liked seeing different types of planes and exploring.'

' I loved dressing up as a pilot because we could imagine what it might be like to actually fly a plane like Bessie Coleman did.' 

This week we have been writing a recount on the trip and have worked so hard on our handwriting! Well done Year 2.

 

 

 

  

 

📚JOIN IN WITH MAPLES' BOOK CORNER 📚

 

The Boy In The Tower by Polly Ho-Yen

Maple Class have been absolutely gripped by our current CUSP reading text! The Boy in the Tower is an exciting and deeply moving story about a boy called Ade, whose life is turned upside down when buildings in his area begin to collapse under mysterious circumstances. As if that weren’t enough, Ade’s mum is struggling to cope, leaving him to take on the shopping, cleaning, and cooking all by himself.

We’re only about a third of the way through the book, but we’re already on the edges of our seats, eager to discover what happens next. It’s a fantastic read that we highly recommend for older readers—adults included!

 

RED NOSE DAY - FRIDAY 20TH MARCH

  

 We're joining thousands of people across the nation to come together, have fun, and raise money to help make a real difference in people's lives here in the UK and around the world.

Children are invited to wear as much RED as possible to school to raise money for Comic Relief. This could be a red nose, red pyjamas, red face paint, red football kit, red socks….red anything!

Children having a school meal will also be offered special red nose day biscuit for their pudding!

If your child would like to take part, please send them into school with a suggested donation of £1 or donate online here:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/rnd26-cotham-gardens-primary-school?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL&utm_campaign=02

Your donation could support incredible projects which help children to be happier, families stronger, women safer, communities prouder, and millions of lives fairer. Please give today, if you can.

Don't forget to tick the Gift Aid option, if you can, so Comic Relief can claim an extra 25% from the government.

 

RED NOSE DAY MENU

We're excited to announce our special Red Nose Day menu for Friday 20th March featuring some delicious options for the day! 

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

Fish Fingers and Chips
Cheese Toastie and chips (as requested by the School Council) 

or
Jacket Potato 

All served with a Red Nose biscuit

Please note, if you child would like the cheese toastie option - you will need to select ' BBQ beans and cheese pasty' on Arbor, as we are unable to change or amend a live menu) 


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

 

AIP RED NOSE DAY COMPETITION 

KS1 families, please feel free to support your child writing a joke at home to bring into school. Please make sure their name and class are on the back on the joke.

 

From us and everyone at Comic Relief, thank you!. 

 

  

EID REMINDER

  

Eid-ul-Fitr

The school can authorise a one-day absence for religious observance. If your child will be absent from school for Eid, please complete an absence request form as soon as possible. Paper copies are also available from the school office.

  

 📅SAVE THE DATE - NEXT COMMUNITY FORUM 📅

 

📍 Online Forum 

📅 Date: Monday, 30th March
🕘 Time: 
6:00 PM – 6:45 PM
📍 Location: Online

 

Community Forum

📍 In-Person Forum 

📅 Date: Wednesday, 1st April
🕘 Time: 
9:00 AM – 9:45 AM
📍 Location: 
Cotham Grove Hall 

 

YEAR 6 LEAVERS' HOODIES 

 

We are now taking orders for Leavers’ Hoodies for year 6 children!!! 

The hoodies feature the school logo embroidered on the front and the first names of all the year 6 children in a large ‘26’ on the back.

Orders and payment must be made on Arbor via the shop, but you must also complete the following online form to confirm your choices:

Year 6 hoodies order form

They come in a range of sizes and colours. We have offered adult sizes as well as kid’s sizes which have different choices for colours, so please make sure you choose a colour from the correct range to match the size you have chosen. The company cannot guarantee stock of all colours, so please include a first and second choice. 

Kid’s Sizes cost £16.20 And Adult Sizes cost £16.03

ALL ORDERS MUST BE PLACED BY FRIDAY  20TH MARCH

We can only place orders for Hoodies that have been paid for.

 Parents/Carers of children who are eligible for Pupil Premium funding can order a Hoodie to be funded by the PTAF.

If your child is in receipt of Pupil Premium, you still need to complete the order on Arbor and complete the online form – but you will not be charged anything when you complete the checkout.

 

Many Thanks,

Katy Hart (Ariella’s Mum; Oak) & Sarah Pasricha (Matilda’s Mum; Oak)

     

GOVERNMENT WHITE PAPER: EVERY CHILD ACHIEVING AND THRIVING

 

You may have seen the Government's announcement of proposed reforms to SEND in the news last week.

The Government has announced its proposed reforms to SEND in the new white paper Every Child Achieving and Thriving. This long‑term plan outlines the Government’s ambitions to improve provision and outcomes for children and young people with SEND. There are no immediate changes for schools or families. Any reforms will be introduced gradually and only after a period of consultation.

You can read the full white paper here: Every child achieving and thriving (HTML version) - GOV.UK

A shorter parent guide, which summarises the key proposals and expected timescales, is also available: What parents of children and young people with SEND need to know

 

SCHOOL JUMPERS & BADGES

 

Our new (optional) school jumpers are available to order via the school shop on Arbor. We are also selling iron-on embroidered badges that can be attached to a plain green sweatshirt and/or white polo/T shirt. We would like to thank the school council for their input in deciding colour and for advocating for a T shirt option.

We know that our school community has a wide range of views about school clothing. Some families would appreciate a consistent school item to help children feel part of a team, while others value the freedom and individuality that comes with not having a uniform.

A school jumper can help promote the following:

  • Equality: Reduces visible differences between pupils, helping prevent peer pressure based on clothing.
  • Sense of belonging: Creates a shared identity and promotes school pride.
  • Focus on learning: Minimises distractions from fashion trends and peer pressure.
  • Safety: Makes it easier to identify pupils on trips or in public spaces, especially at sports events
  • Cost: Can be cheaper for families compared to buying multiple outfits for school.
  • Time-saving: Simplifies morning routines for parents and children.

You can find the school shop under the "Quick Actions" section on Arbor. Once you place your order, it will be delivered straight to your child's class, so that they can bring it home with them.

If your child receives pupil premium funding, you can order one school jumper free of charge through the school shop.

 

Not sure what size to order?

Jumpers are also available to try on for size at both school offices before you order.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.

Please note, due to popular demand - stock is running low but don't worry - more is on the way! 

   

 📢 PTAF NEWS 📢 

    

🐣🐣🥚🥚🪺🪺🐣🐣🥚🥚🪺🪺

PTAF EASTER EGG HUNT

27th March 

3.45pm

Cotham Grove Playground (all families, from both sites are invited)

Tickets go on sale on Classlist on 6th March

£3 each

 

💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰

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

 

AFTERSCHOOL CLUBS

 

 

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.”

 

 

COMMUNITY NEWS 

 

Caretaker Cleaner

Caretaker Cleaner - Part time, Fixed term, Term Time Only + INSET days

Are you looking for a role where you can make a real difference to a vibrant school community? Cotham Gardens Primary School is seeking a reliable and proactive Evening/Weekend Caretaker Cleaner to help ensure our split site school remains a clean, safe, secure and welcoming environment for pupils, staff and visitors.

About the Role:

You’ll play a vital part in ensuring our school site is safe, secure and clean for pupils, staff and visitors during evenings and weekends. Your duties will include security of the premises, regular health & safety checks, supporting after school activities, carrying out minor repairs and maintaining high standards of cleanliness throughout the school – including deep cleaning during school holidays.

We’re looking for someone with great attention to detail, who takes pride in their work and is committed to keeping our school welcoming and safe. Experience in a similar role is desirable but not essential – training will be provided.

Candidates must demonstrate good communication skills in spoken and written English to effectively engage with children, parents, and colleagues.

Contract: Part-time hours, 26.75 hours in week 1 / 22.75 hours in week 2

 To apply, visit: https://www.eteach.com/job/caretaker-cleaner---part-time-fixed-term-term-time-only-inset-days-1539135

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BRISTOL PARENT CARERS  

On 16 March at We The Curious, Bristol City Council will be joining Bristol Parent Carers for the annual SEND event.

The Education Psychology Team will be running a session from 12:30-1:45pm focused specifically on building confidence with maths.

The event is free to attend.
Families can book a free ticket here:
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/bristolparentcarers/2013650

 

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