Season’s Greetings
The team at Millthorpe would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We hope you have a lovely break with family and friends and once again, we’d like to thank you for your ongoing support.
We look forward to seeing everyone in the new year; Spring Term will start on Tuesday 4 January 2022, with an A Week.
Lateral Flow Testing in January
The DfE has advised that asymptomatic twice weekly at-home testing, using Lateral Flow Devices (LFDs), should continue in the new year, to help reduce transmission of COVID-19 and identify cases early. We strongly encourage students to continue regular LFD testing and to report their results please.
Millthorpe Christmas Charity Appeal
Once again, the students and staff at Millthorpe have demonstrated that we are a caring and generous community. We collected incredibly generous donations of food, toiletries, clothes and treats to give to our local charities: Carecent, Kitchen for Everyone, Refugee Action York and SASH. The Student Leadership team were very busy sorting through it all before the charities arrived earlier this week to collect all the donations. The non-uniform day also raised £948.63 which we split between the charities.
Nut allergy reminder
In the UK around 1 in 200 adults have an allergy to nuts (the figure for young people isn’t as clear because it often goes undiagnosed until later in life) which makes it the most common type of severe food allergy. The reaction can be so severe that the individual may experience symptoms even if a packet of nuts is opened near to them.
Please can parents be mindful of this when they are putting together packed lunches? We recognise that many students really enjoy nuts as a snack, but can we politely request that they are not brought into school in support of the students and staff that suffer from this sometimes extreme and potentially dangerous food allergy.
Work experience opportunities at Drax Group – Year 10s
Drax Group have just announced work experience opportunities for Year 10 students. They are offering places in the following areas: IT, Security, Engineering, Finance, Procurement and Commercial.
The work experience will be split into two parts in 2022:
- Part 1 – Online welcome to Drax and employability skills, this two-day virtual session will be hosted in school holidays (dates to be confirmed).
- Part 2 – In person work experience for a week, typically during school/college designated work experience week.
Students can apply from tomorrow, using this link and completing the online application form: The deadline for applications is 16 January 2022.
Sports practices
The following sports practices will take place after the Christmas break:
Lunchtime practices
After-school 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.
Pre-loved uniform available for ALL students
The Eco Laundry, our store of preloved uniform items, has become a popular resource for families as students grow in and out of different sizes of clothes. All families are welcome to use this facility, particularly as our stock levels are currently very healthy.
For a small charge, you can get Millthorpe uniform pieces, including blazers (£3), shoes (£3), jumpers (£2), PE kit (£2), trousers/skirts (£2), shirts (£1) and ties (£1).
Please do give us a try – it’s a great way to save money and protect the environment at the same time! If your child needs new (to you) uniform items, simply email ecolaundry@millthorpe.southbank.academy with your request.
Holiday Activities and Food programme
A range of holiday activity schemes is available for children and young people in receipt of free school meals this Christmas.
The sessions include a variety of fun activities, including sports, music, arts and other exciting opportunities to learn and develop skills, alongside a nutritious meal each day. They are being provided to targeted children as part of the government’s expanded Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme which is being delivered across the City of York area.
City of York Council is working with its community partners to provide festive drop-in sessions where families can enjoy some activities and pick up activity packs and food for the Christmas holidays. These will be adapted if need be, in line with any revised government guidance. You can find out more about these events here.
York City Knights are running day camps for younger and older children. Join them for a series of skills and drills with their expert community coaches. If you have any questions, please email a.prentis@yorkcityknights.com or call the Knights office on T: 01904 670880. You can also see their poster here.
You can find out about all HAF events in the York area here.
Wake up Wednesday
Christmas is a time for families to come together to enjoy some quality time but we appreciate that many parents and carers may struggle to drag their child’s attention away from their screens. National Online Safety has put together this handy guide to ensure the best of both worlds.
We hope this is useful and that you all have a wonderful Christmas!
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