A message from Mrs Rothenburg
I hope you have had a good week and are managing to stay warm! Earlier this week, 30 of our brave cross country runners braved the freezing temperatures as they competed at the York Schools Cross Country event held at the University of York. Well done to all who took part!
Two of our students, Elena (Year 8) and Verity (Year 9), also demonstrated remarkable bravery and confidence as they took part in the York Civic Trust Secondary Public Speaking Competition on Wednesday evening. The competition, which aims to develop oracy and improve public speaking skills, took place in the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall, giving the competitors the experience of speaking in a special, historic building and to a distinguished audience. Huge congratulations to Elena and Verity who came a fantastic second out of nine.
This week in assemblies we have been focusing on Careers, welcoming in a number of visitors to talk to our year groups. Our Year 11s heard from Fulford School about their sixth form provision, whilst Year 10s learned more about apprenticeships and the ASK programme, and the opportunities and benefits of taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Awards Scheme. Discovering more about the DofE Scheme was also on the cards for our Year 9 students who also heard from the York College team about their post-16 opportunities. Year 8s enjoyed a talk from Askham Bryan College, whilst Year 7 students found out about the huge variety of career opportunities at Network Rail.
Thank you to those parents who spoke to our SEND Team during yesterday’s SEND review evening. These personalised conversations are invaluable in helping us support our SEND students effectively and in gathering meaningful feedback on our SEND provision.
As this year’s Student Leaders come to the end of their term, Mrs Boyd and Mr Sloan have been busy interviewing for a new team of aspiring leaders. We were delighted with the high level of interest, with 30 students taking part in the selection process. Successful students will be informed as soon as possible!
Congratulations to the students who met with me at Principal’s Breakfast this morning, including Anna, Jessie, Imogen, Annalise, Ruby, Lily, Amelia and Elena. Keep up the good work everyone!
As December creeps ever closer, a reminder that our Christmas Concert will be held on 2 December at 6.00pm. Tickets, priced at £5 for adults and £3 for under 16s, are now available on ParentPay or payable by cash only on the night. As you will see below, tickets are also now available for Matilda. Please do support our wonderful students at these events – they work incredibly hard to bring you spectacular shows!
Finally, a reminder that school will be closed to students on Friday 29 November for a Teacher Training Day.
Have a lovely weekend. I look forward to seeing everyone back in school on Monday for a ‘B’ Week.
With best wishes,
Kavina Rothenburg
Acting Principal
What is my child learning at the moment?
Please see below to find out what your child has been learning this week in order to have productive discussions about their education:
Year 7 – Faculty: Science
Conversation starters
This week, classes in Year 7 have been completing their first SAP (Standardised Assessment Piece) on Block 1 – Cells, Particles, Atoms, Elements and Compounds and Forces.
Students will be receiving feedback on their assessments. You could ask them how many marks they got and more importantly their areas for improvement? Students will be moving on to study Space, Body Systems and Reactions in Block 2. All Year 7 Science lessons are uploaded to the Year 7 Science Google Classroom.
All Year 7 students have weekly Science homework to complete on Sparx Science – this is due every Thursday.
Year 8 – Faculty: Global
Conversation starters
- Computing: Classes have started creating video adverts based on their website ideas. This is done by downloading stock clips and editing them together with sound and optional voice over.
- French: We are learning about Paris. Can your child tell you some interesting facts about monuments in Paris? Can they explain how to use the past tense in French?
- German: We are learning about media in German. Can your child give opinions on the TV and films they like in German?
Year 9 – Faculty: Humanities
Conversation starters
- History: Was Blackadder right? Were lions led by donkeys in WWI? In this topic we have studied the conditions in the trenches and explored how the war was brought to a conclusion. Why is it a misconception that Germany “lost” the war? Why was Ferdinand Foch absolutely correct when he said the following about the Treaty of Versailles on 28 June 1919 (the day it was signed): “This is not a peace. It is an armistice for 20 years”?
- Geography: How are Tsunamis formed? What happened on Boxing Day 2004?
- RE: What is the Eightfold Path in Buddhism? Are the Five Moral Precepts rules Buddhists must follow or are they guidelines? Do you agree with the Five Moral Precepts?
Year 10 – Faculty: Performance
Conversation starters
- Drama: Students are beginning their final devised performance for this unit, working with undergraduate students from York St John University to produce a devised performance which they will perform at the University in the Creative Centre on the evening of 7 February 2025 as part of their ‘Co-Create Festival’.
- Music: Students are splitting their time between composing and analysing for the areas of study 3 and 4 (pop music and film music). They are continuing to develop their ear skills to recognise rhythms, instruments and melodic intervals.
- Sports Studies & Core PE: Year 10 Sports Studies students have been learning about the skeletal system and the different types of bones in the body. This week we moved onto the muscular system and students are identifying the different muscles in the body, antagonistic pairs and the movement muscles can make. A good starting point would be to ask your child if they can name the 12 main muscles in the body. In Core PE, Year 10 are continuing to work hard on their netball, badminton, fitness and football skills.
Year 11 – Faculty: Creative
Conversation starters
- Design Technology: Graphics/Textiles/3D: Students are presenting their development work and making their final pieces for Component 1. This piece of coursework is worth 60% of their final GCSE grade – the deadline for practical work is Christmas but their sketchbooks can be handed in the first lesson back after the Christmas break to enable them to finish them over the holiday. We will then start Component 2 which is worth 40% of their grade – please support your child in keeping on top of their work as the pace becomes more demanding.
- Fine Art: Students are further developing their personal responses to the ‘Sense of Place/Space’ coursework project pulling together knowledge and skills gained from their exploration of the theme, photographic studies, knowledge of artists plus media and technique trials. Students are presenting development work in their sketchbook during lessons. Homework tasks this half term involve students completing the presentation of the first coursework project – ‘Identity’. Planning and preparation for the coursework focused five-hour PPE on Friday 10 January will start before Christmas. The independent approach to coursework which students are taking is ideal preparation for the launch of the exam paper (worth 40% of the GCSE grade) on Monday 6 January.
We hope that you will find this information useful when talking to your child about their learning. Additionally, you might want to take a look at the curriculum section of our website which has lots more information about what your child will be learning over the academic year.
Non Uniform Day
We made the £1000 target – thank you! Last Friday’s Non Uniform Day has now raised £1012.50 for men’s mental health charity, MANUP? Thank you from our Student Leaders to everyone who has donated. Anyone still wishing to donate can do so until Monday.
Power Play Week – 2-6 December
You will already be familiar with Class Charts, the app which allows you to keep track of your child’s achievements, behaviour and track any upcoming detentions. You can access your account on the website or downloading the app to your phone.
Next week, students will receive a letter via their school email explaining how they can also access Class Charts, including an access code and instructions of how to set up their account.
Why are we doing this?
From Monday 2 December – Friday 6 December we are holding Power Play Week. For this week, every positive students receive on Class Charts will be worth double points! So +2 points turns into +4 points and so on.
We want to end the term on a high, so the Year Teams will be creating Christmas Cheer activities to be completed in Form Time enabling students to gain additional points and as always students can earn points for a range of positive behaviours, effort and attitude. The top three students from each year group will receive special recognition for their efforts of being a Gold Standard Learner this term!
Children’s Grief Awareness Week
Our Culture Curriculum this week gave students the opportunity to focus on how to support their friends and loved ones who have experienced bereavement. As always, we were very proud of how our students approached this with emotional maturity and we hope that this session was beneficial for them.
Last week we shared The Winston’s Wish website which is a fantastic resource. We would also like to share details of a more local charity, Bereaved Children York. This charity provides free therapeutic support provided by professional practitioners to children and young people living in the City of York area who have lost someone close to them. It also runs a monthly drop-in for primary school and younger secondary school aged children.
The charity can be contacted on their main email address and details of this, alongside other support networks can be found on our student and parent Padlets – please see below for links.
Online support for students and parents
We wanted to remind you about our online support app called Padlet, which is a directory of support available for students and parents.
Padlet signposts the user to a range of websites and resources, providing support and advice relating to mental health, exam stress, online safety, self care, managing emotions, young carers, family support and more.
You can visit the Padlets by scanning the QR codes or clicking the links below.
Visit the Parent Padlet
Visit the Student Padlet
Christmas Jumper Day
We will be taking part in Christmas Jumper Day on 18 December, raising money for Save the Children.
On the day, students can wear their Christmas jumper instead of their blazer and school jumper, but they will still need to wear the rest of their normal school uniform and the correct shoes.
Anyone wishing to take part should donate a £1 either on the day or via ParentPay. All donations will be going to Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day fundraiser.
Year 10 Drama project
This week, our Year 10 GCSE Drama students began a nine-week devising project that will culminate in them performing at York St John University’s Creative Centre as part of their Co-Create Festival in February 2025.
Students are devising performances inspired by the theme ‘Radical’ and will be working with York St John undergraduate drama students, Rhianna and Amy, to develop their pieces over the coming weeks.
Great start everyone – we can’t wait to see how these pieces will develop!
Matilda tickets now available on ParentPay
Tickets for our school production of ‘Matilda the Musical’ are now available to buy on ParentPay.
Please note that there is a separate listing for each performance (17, 18 and 19 December) and different priced ticket options for adults and children. Please make sure you select the correct ticket options so that we can monitor numbers at each performance.
Matilda rehearsals – a message from Mrs Sladen
Well, if we are now selling tickets, we better make sure we have a show to put on!!
Next week’s rehearsals will be in the Main Hall, which will also be an exciting development for us as we put what we have done so far onto the big stage! Rehearsals, therefore, are:
- Monday 25 November, 3.30-5.00pm: Main Hall – Full Cast – Principals, Kids, Big Kids – Act One run through on the ‘new’ stage
- Tuesday 26 November, 3.30-.5.00pm: Main Hall – Principals, Kids, Big Kids – Blocking Act Two
- Thursday 28 November, 3.30-5.00pm: Main Hall – Principals, Kids, Big Kids – Blocking Act Two
Please note the later times and ‘extra’ rehearsal for some of you – we need now to ramp up the pace if we are going to give the audience a completed show to enjoy that we can all be proud of!
Getting to the Christmas Concert
As mentioned above, the Christmas Concert takes place on the evening of 2 December. As we have other events taking place on the same evening, parking on site will be extremely limited, so can we please ask that you walk or cycle if possible. If you do need to drive, please park considerately on our neighbouring streets without blocking driveways or causing an obstruction.
We have a fully functioning pipe organ!
Over the last month or so Geoffrey Coffin, the organist who originally installed the organ in our school hall, has been diligently restoring it to its former glory.
Having stood silent for over a decade, the organ had fallen into disrepair, so Geoffrey began an extensive overhaul project to bring it back to life.
Pictured: Head of Music, Alice Longbottom with Geoffrey Coffin.
Millthorpe is the only state school in York with an organ, providing pupils with a great opportunity to learn to play it. We will be offering organ lessons in the new year.
If you would like to hear the organ being played by the wonderful Dr Max Elliot, come along to our Christmas Concert on 2 December. Max works for York Minster and is Assistant Director of Music at two historic churches in York (St Olave’s and All Saints) and has been instrumental in helping Millthorpe arrange the repair work.
Take a look at the video below to hear Geoffrey playing the newly restored organ:
Job of the week – Financial Advisor
Good with money? Then this would be an ideal job. A Financial Advisor provides advice on money management, investments and savings and this can be on an individual basis or for whole companies. It is even possible to specialise in certain areas such as pensions or mortgages.
For more information on becoming a Financial Advisor, watch this video.
Year 11 Post-16 Taster Days
Every student in Year 11 is invited to take part in two Taster Days at post-16 providers, with each provider offering a slightly different opportunity. Students have been reminded about this in assemblies and during form time, and application forms are available in their Careers Google Classroom.
Year 11 students must submit their applications by 27 November 2024 (unless otherwise specified). Students must apply directly for these placements.
Please note that any student who is not attending a Taster Day must attend school as normal.
Further information is available in the attached booklet.
Apprenticeships in construction
Are you thinking about an apprenticeship in construction? If so please sign up to Construction York.
This group works in partnership with City of York Council and is looking to secure as many apprenticeship opportunities as possible for students who are leaving secondary school in summer 2025. They can even help get you to complete your Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card so that you are able to work on site.
Register your details by visiting the website and clicking the ‘Sign me up’ button. When enquiring, please specify the type of apprenticeships you are interested in.
Science Technician vacancy
We are currently looking to recruit an enthusiastic and committed Science Technician to provide support within the science department, who will help with the provision of a safe and well-equipped environment for practical work that will support the teaching of science to all pupils across KS3 and KS4.
Full information and particulars can be found here.
#WakeUpWednesday – A parent and carer guide to educating children about spending and saving
Findings from the Money and Pensions Service state that only 47% of children in the UK have received a meaningful financial education. At Millthorpe, we provide this through our extensive Personal Development programme but as money management is a vital part of being an adult, and an exceptionally important skill that will benefit children for their entire lives, we wanted to share this guide with you too.
Having the knowledge and self-control to let savings build up interest, or avoid an impulse buy, can ensure that children go into adulthood at a significantly lower risk of financial difficulty. With Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales fast approaching, now is a great time to help children understand the value of money. Students in Years 9 and 10 have recently learned about the impact of hyperinflation in Weimar Germany so they know all about the consequences of economic difficulties.
Of course, it can feel daunting when attempting to teach young people about something as complicated as money and responsible budgeting but there are several options at your disposal. To break down these options, The National College has put together this guide in collaboration with financial education app GoHenry, helping you teach children and young people all they need to know about spending and saving.
Safeguarding
If you have significant concerns for the welfare of a child, in addition to being able to contact Mrs Cole, Mrs Cooper or Mr Beever during school hours by emailing safeguarding@millthorpe.southbank.academy, you may wish to make direct contact with the York MASH (Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub) on T: 01904 551900, option 3. They operate an out-of-hours service so concerns can be raised with them at any time.
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