Weekly email – 28 February 2025

A message from Mrs Rothenburg

Apologies to Edmund who attended Principal’s Breakfast in the last week of half term – we mistakenly listed him as Jonah (his brother!) in the last weekly email – so sorry Edmund!

Yesterday, we held our Year 7 Progress Evening. It was wonderful to meet so many families and be able to share with them how proud we are of the Year 7s for making such a great start to their time at Millthorpe.

Huge congratulations to our Year 11 boys football team who having made it through to the quarter finals of the North Yorkshire County Cup, fought bravely against Rossett School, Harrogate, earlier this week. Unfortunately, they lost the match 4-2 but showed fantastic spirit and teamwork throughout. The goals from Millthorpe came from Oscar and Finn. Well done to everyone on the team who made it through to the last eight in this tough competition – a great achievement!

Earlier this week, our Year 10 students began their Experience of the Workplace project, with seven local employers coming into school to introduce a real-life project which the students will work on over the next few weeks. Our visitors commented on how respectful and engaged our students were throughout the session, so well done to everyone who took part, and thank you so much to the employers. You can read more about the initiative below.

We’ve had lots of really useful, constructive feedback on our proposals to change the school day timings and I would like to thank everyone who took the time to feed into the process. I look forward to sharing the outcomes of the consultation next week.

Have a great weekend everyone! We’re back in school on Monday for an ‘A’ 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: Creative
Conversation starters

• DT: students are beginning their new DT disciplines carrying on the theme of sustainability.
• Art: the recent clay sample lesson gave students an opportunity to explore and experiment with clay before using their African Mask Presentation to create a mask design. To support your child’s learning, ask your child about health and safety rules, what slip is made from and the four-step method used to join pieces of clay. We are impressed with the original design ideas Year 7 have created so far!

Year 8 – Faculty: English
Conversation starter
What would you do if you found a baby owl abandoned in the woods? This is the difficult dilemma faced by the main character in our class reader, ‘October, October’. Ask your child to explain some of the difficult consequences that result from October’s choice to adopt the owl.

Year 9 – Faculty: Maths
Conversation starter
What is the difference between a mixed number and an improper fraction? When might one be more useful than the other? Can you explain, with a diagram, how to convert between a mixed number and an improper fraction? Now explain how to do this with an algebraic fraction. How many fraction to decimal conversions do you confidently know eg 0.5 = ½?

Year 10 – Faculty: Science
Conversation starters

• Triple Science: Students are studying Biology Unit 3: Infection and Response, Chemistry Unit 3: Quantitative Chemistry and Physics Unit 3: Particle Model of Matter. Can students explain how a vaccine works? Can students explain how to calculate how many moles of a substance there are? Can students describe Archimedes’ famous density experiment?
• Combined Science: Students have just completed Biology Unit 3: Infection and Response, Chemistry Unit 3: Quantitative Chemistry and Physics Unit 3: Particle Model of Matter. Combined Science students will complete Standard Assessment Pieces (SAPs) on these topics week commencing 3 March. All Year 10 Science lessons for both Triple and Combined Science are uploaded to the respective Google classrooms.

Year 11 – Faculty: Global
Conversation starters

• Computing: We are doing a Question Level Analysis (QLA) on the Paper 2 PPE in addition to continuing with our Paper 1 recap before doing an in-lesson Paper 1.
• MFL: Students have received feedback on their PPEs and have completed an ‘Every Mark Matters’ sheet. This has given them a plan of action for their revision, and they should be focusing on revising vocabulary and preparing for their speaking exam, as well as practising their writing, listening and reading skills.

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.

Krakow 2025 – a trip to remember

From 13-16 February, a group of Year 10 students visited Krakow for an unforgettable educational experience. Highlights included meeting Holocaust survivor Monika Goldwasser at the Galicia Museum, exploring Schindler’s Factory, and descending into the Wieliczka Salt Mines.

A moving visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau provided a powerful reminder of the horrors of the Holocaust, with students showing great respect and maturity throughout. The trip concluded with a fun visit to Park Wodny water park, providing time for everyone to reflect and relax.

Trip organiser, Mr Baybutt, praised the students for their exemplary conduct throughout the trip which has left a lasting impression on everyone and deepened their understanding of history and the importance of remembrance.

A full write-up will be available in our Millthorpe Messenger at the end of term.

Experience of the Workplace

On Tuesday, we launched our ‘Experience of the Workplace’ activity with Year 10 students.

Representatives from seven employers came into school to introduce a real-life work project to the students. Each employer was assigned to a class and they explained a little about the work they do and how employability skills are transferable across a range of professions. They then outlined a project that the students will be completing next week. The students will research the project and create a presentation. The following week, the employers will come back into school, when the students will present their findings and receive feedback on their work from the employers.

Huge thanks go to the employers without whom we couldn’t deliver this initiative. Thank you to Indigo Greens, GMI Construction, NYBEP, NHS, Robertson, Aureos and York College.

Year 9 mentoring programme

We are excited to be working in partnership with York Students in Schools (YSIS) at the University of York to deliver a student mentoring programme for a group of students in Year 9 to help support them with their Transition to Key Stage 4 (we will already have contacted you if your child is taking part).  This is a programme that is being delivered in our Trust schools in Year 6 and Year 9.

The sessions will focus on:

• Why is organisation so important in Years 10 and 11?
• Why is resilience so important at Key Stage 4?
• Why is it important to develop my independence?
• How do I cope with an increased workload
• How can I manage anxieties about change?

UKMT Intermediate Challenge

One hundred and twenty-four Year 9 and 10 students recently took part in the UKMT Intermediate Maths Challenge – a national competition for talented young mathematicians.

Against tough competition, three of our Year 10s and two of our Year 9s achieved Gold Awards. Six Year 10s and twelve Year 9s achieved Silver Awards, and twelve Year 10s and 20 Year 9s achieved a Bronze Award.

‘Best in Year’ went to Noah, Year 10, and Lewis, Year 9, with Lewis also achieving ‘Best in School’.  Both boys progress to the follow-on round next month.

Sample questions from the challenge included:

Can you solve them?

Iceland trip 2025

All parents/carers of students attending the Iceland trip are kindly asked to ensure that their child brings their passport and EHIC/GHIC card into school please. These should be placed in an envelope clearly labeled with the student’s full name and year group on the front. The envelope must be handed in at reception by 28 March please.

Cross country success

Year 8 students Marianne and Rosie competed in the Northern Schools Cross Country Championships in Middlesbrough earlier this month. Both girls ran brilliantly, with Marianne finishing 15th and Rosie 18th out of 65.

Both girls have now qualified for the English Schools Cross Country Championships in Sussex in March, where they will be representing Millthorpe – good luck Marianne and Rosie!

Job of the Week – Prison Officer

Prison Officers are responsible for supervising inmates in prison or young offender institutions. Thinking quickly and responding to unexpected situations is key to this role, as are interpersonal skills and being able to relate to the people you are working with in order to keep them safe and secure. Gaining trust and building good working relationships are also key to this job.

Watch this video for more information about becoming a Prison Officer.

SEN and Safeguarding update from Excel Learning Trust

Every month, Sue Wight, Director of SEN and Safeguarding at Excel Learning Trust circulates tips and advice regarding SEN and safeguarding to parents/carers.

The February SEN and Safeguarding newsletter can be found here.

York Jobs, Apprenticeships and Skills Fair

The York Jobs, Apprenticeships and Skills Fair will be held on Tuesday 11 March from 1.00–6.00pm at York Barbican.

The fair is open to people of all ages from York and North Yorkshire who will have the opportunity to:

• Meet employers, training providers, and career advisors
• Learn about apprenticeship opportunities and job vacancies
• Find out about re-skilling and up-skilling
• Get CV advice
• Get career advice
• Ask questions to employers
• Brush up on interview skills

Further information can be found here.

King’s Calculating Women – residential event for Year 11s

King’s College, Cambridge is offering a free residential event for Year 11 female students from UK-based state schools. The two-day residential is designed to demonstrate the real-world relevance and applications of maths-based skills, and to reveal the diversity of industries and careers to which maths skills and a maths-based degree can underpin.

More information relating to the event, including eligibility criteria and the online booking form can be found here.

Apprenticeship vacancies

York College is currently advertising a few apprenticeship vacancies which can be seen on the attached pdf. Each vacancy has a hyperlink to the Apprenticeship Service website, where you will find full job details and where you can submit your application.

Also attached are Hair and Beauty and Construction vacancies, which require an email or phone call directly to the employer.

A note on closing dates: vacancies often close earlier than the stated date, so if you are interested, please make sure you apply as soon as you can.

You can also read the attached guidance on how to write a strong application to ensure the best chance of success.

Other apprenticeships are available and can be accessed through the Careers section of your child’s Google Classroom.

YO1 Radio York Sports Awards

The YO1 Radio York Sports Awards celebrate and honour the incredible individuals and teams who make a difference in their community through sport. Nominations are now open and the organisers would like to hear your stories, the dedication, achievements, and passion that deserve to be remembered and rewarded.

The awards are open to anyone living or studying or training within York and the surrounding areas. Nominations close on Friday 28 March.

There are twelve categories recognising athletes, teams, coaches, administrators, volunteers, schools, universities and community champions who inspire and keep their communities active.

Further information and the nomination form can be found here.

David Almond: York Literature Festival

At this special event for both adults and children, celebrated author David Almond will be talking about his latest books PUPPET, The Falling Boy and Kevin and the Blackbirds, as well as his other works. In what will be an inspirational event, David Almond will talk about his life, his writing career and provide insights into his own creative process. He’ll also be answering questions from the audience.

David Almond is the author of Skellig, Bone Music, The Dam, The Boy who Swam with Piranhas, Kit’s Wilderness, Island, My Name is Mina, The Tightrope Walkers, The Savage, A Song for Ella Grey, Half a Creature from the Sea, and many more novels, stories, picture books, plays, radio programmes, songs and opera libretti. His work has been translated into over 40 languages and has won a string of major awards around the world. In 2021 David was awarded an OBE for services to literature.

The event will take place at 6.00pm on 14 March at Joseph Rowntree School. Please book here.

York Literature Festival has an amazing lineup this year including celebrated authors Susie Dent, Matt Haig, Susanna Clarke, Nobel Prize in Literature 2021 winner Abdulrazak Gurnah, Sophie Hannah, Andrew McMillan, The Three Dads and Mary Jean Chan – please see our website for details. You can also follow York Literature Festival on Instagram: @yorklitfest

#WakeUpWednesday – A Guide to What’sApp

According to Ofcom’s most recent Media Use and Attitudes Report, roughly 55% of 3-17-year-olds in the UK are using WhatsApp as their primary messaging service, despite the minimum age being 13. Not only does that make WhatsApp the most popular messaging platform among children and young people in the UK; it also means that of the app’s approximately three billion users, over seven million of them are British youngsters – keeping in touch with friends and family, but also being exposed to its various risks.

As parents and educators, it’s our responsibility to stay up-to-date on the safety concerns around this highly popular app, and know how to protect children and young people who are on the platform. That’s why The National College has put together this expert-led free guide, breaking down WhatsApp’s most prominent risks and advising you on how best to safeguard the app’s younger users. Please take a look.

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

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.