Happy half-term break!
As ever, we wanted to say thank you for all your support this half term. Itβs been great to get back to more βnormalβ procedures and activities, and although it hasnβt been without its challenges, weβve had a great few weeks!Β We have been particularly impressed with how incredibly well students haveΒ responded to the need to wear face coverings again.
The first week back after the half-term break will be aΒ B Week.Β School will therefore finish at 2.10pm on Wednesday 3 November for staff Continuous Professional Development.
Covid-19 β vaccinations and testing over half-term
The DfE is encouraging students to continue to test twice-weekly over the half-term break and preferably take an LFD test the night before they return to school. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
NHS England will also soon be opening an additional offer for 12 to 15 year olds to get their COVID-19 vaccine. Parents of children aged 12 to 15 will receive a letter from the NHS with more information on the vaccination programme shortly, including information about how to book an appointment.
Proposed merger consultation
A reminder that the consultation on theΒ proposal for South Bank Multi Academy Trust to join with South York Multi Academy TrustΒ will runΒ until 3.00pm on 12 November 2021.
ThisΒ letterΒ contains full details about the proposal and consultation and you canΒ completeΒ the feedback formΒ here (please note this will download as a Word document). Please email your completed form toΒ consultation@southbanktrust.co.ukΒ by the deadline.
Secondary school applications
Just a reminder forΒ anyone with a child currently in Year 6, that applications for a secondary school place should be made by 31 October 2021.
Full admissions details can be foundΒ on our websiteΒ or on theΒ City of York Council website.
Post-16 GuideΒ
CYC have issued the βPlanning your futureβ post-16 guide for 2021-2. It outlines all the different options available to Year 11 students when they leave Millthorpe. It isΒ available to downloadΒ hereΒ or from theΒ Careers section of the school website.
Archbishop Holgateβs Sixth Form Open Evening
Archbishop Holgate Sixth Form Open Evening will be held on Tuesday 2 November, from 6.00-8.00pm.
Full details can be found here.
Sports practices
As lunchtime is only 40 minutes long, students do not need to get changed into their PE kit, but they will need a change of footwear (trainers for the Sports Hall and plastic studded boots for the AGP). Students should come straight to practice and decide how to manage their lunch as they will not be able to eat in the Sports Hall or on the AGP. They may wish to eat a packed lunch at breaktime or just before or after practice.
After-school clubs take place between 3.20-4.20pm. Students should change into their kit in the Sports Hall changing rooms.
Everybody is welcome to come along. If you have any questions, please speak to one of the PE teachers.
Roots to SuccessΒ
Roots to Success is a programme run by the universities and colleges of York. Its aim is to encourage more students to consider Further or HigherΒ Education as an option when they leave Millthorpe. They are now inviting applications from students in Years 8-9 who wish to join the programme.
Please see this letter which outlines the eligibility criteria. The closing date for applications is 7Β November 2021.
ISSP lecture β What is endocrinology?Β
The first ISSP lecture of the 2021-2 academicΒ year will take place on Thursday 25Β November. The topic will be βWhat is endocrinology?β As the lecture is virtual, it is open to all students in Years 7-8 βΒ please see this letter which contains the link to register.
Snapchat safety warnings
Our police school liaisonΒ officer has asked that we make youΒ aware that we are dealingΒ with an increased prevalenceΒ of fake accounts that are being set up on Snapchat. These accounts are being used to contact students to attempt to engageΒ in sexualised and inappropriate conversations and exchanges. We are also investigatingΒ reports of adult sexually explicit content sharing with young people via Snapchat.
Please support us in sharing the messageΒ that young peopleΒ must not add others they do not know. We ask you to check your childβs phone regularly, in order to keep them safe. Please also be aware that without care taken with phone settings, others can locate your child via this app.
Please follow this link to a parent guide on how to keep your childΒ safe on Snapchat.
How to keepΒ safe on social media
All students in school have been provided with a booklet from CYC to help them keep safe online. This has been produced through a joint project between York St John University and the City of York Safeguarding Children Partnership.
Please ask your child to show you this booklet and discuss its contents with them. If yourΒ child has not received one, please ask them to speak to their Form Tutor after half term.
Student Diversity GroupΒ showcases Black British success
Millthorpeβs Student Diversity Group is a newly formed group of Year 11 students who haveΒ been working together to showcase Black British success and community work in the past and present. They recentlyΒ shared their work with their peersΒ in form groups during Black History Month.
The group, which was founded by students and supported by Ms Garner Steel, wanted to celebrate Black History Month by reminding us all that there have been influential Black British people for centuries. The groupΒ chose individuals who reflected their own interests and then shared their thoughts on what thatΒ personβs story meant to them.
Next half term, they will invite interested students from Years 9 and 10 to join them on their upcoming projects.Β You can read some of their reports here: Do you recognise the individuals from their photos?
Did you crack the code?
Well done to all who cracked the code!