A message from Mrs Rothenburg
It’s been a very exciting week this week, with all students enjoying a trip to Flamingo Land or the Yorkshire Wildlife Park or taking part in activities in school. Moving the trips from July to September has proved to be an excellent decision. Not only did this allow our new Year 7s to take part, but those who visited Flamingo Land also benefited from shorter queues, meaning more time on the rides and a more enjoyable experience overall.
Colleagues have told me how proud they were of our students’ behaviour and the respect they showed to each other and other visitors. They represented our school superbly and are a genuine credit to us and their families. Well done everyone!
We just had to share this photo of William at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park – such a great shot!
It was lovely to see so many Year 11 students and families at our Afternoon Tea and Revision Tips event yesterday and to be able to discuss how we can work together to ensure the best outcomes for all students. Thank you to everyone who came along.
We are delighted that almost 50% of our Year 10s are taking part in the DofE Awards scheme and we wish them well as they head off on more expeditions this week.
Thank you to our fellow Trust school, Scarcroft Primary, for hosting us this week. It was great to meet the Year 6 students and answer all their questions about life at Millthorpe. We hope that the families we met will take up the opportunity to visit the school during the school day – we are so proud of everything we do and love showing new families what an amazing school they will be joining.
It was a full house at Principal’s Breakfast this morning and so lovely to celebrate some of our students’ achievements, including Abigail, Milo, Freya, Dorothy, Lily, William and Mason.
I hope everyone has a lovely weekend. We’ll be back in school on Monday for an ‘A’ Week.
With best wishes,
Kavina Rothenburg
Principal
Dates for your diary
- Tuesday 7 October: Open Evening for Year 5/6 pupils and their families. School will close early, at 1.45pm on this day – please see below.
- Wednesday 22 October: School closes for half-term break
- Monday 3 November: School reopens after half-term break
What is my child learning at the moment?
Please see below to find out what your child has been learning about in recent lessons in order to have productive discussions about their education:
Year 7 – Science
Conversation starters
Classes are studying a variety of topics in Block 1: Cells; Particles, Atoms, Elements and Compounds; and Forces. Students who are studying Cells – you can ask them to name the parts of animal and plant cells and their functions. Students studying Particles, Atoms, Elements and Compounds can be asked about the structure and properties of the different states of matter. Students who are studying Forces can be asked the difference between mass and weight and to describe balanced and unbalanced forces. All Year 7 Science Lessons in Block 1 are available in the Year 7 Science Google Classroom. All Year 7 students have weekly Science homework to complete on Sparx Science – this is due every Thursday at 9.00am!
Year 8 – Global
Conversation starters
- Computing: We will continue to look at themes of our websites and how to make mood boards to plan our themes.
- French: Students are continuing the topic of ‘free time’, talking about what they like to read and do online. Can they recommend their favourite book in French and why they like it?
Year 9 – Humanities
Conversation starters
- History: What caused the First World War? Was it the Alliance system, militarism, imperialism or nationalism? We will be tackling this complex subject in the first few weeks of term and students will be completing a knowledge test. Quirky questions – can you and your child work them out? How did one sandwich cause the death of 20 million people? If only 32 countries went to war, why do we call it a “World War?” Why does Germany get the blame for World War One…shouldn’t it be Russia? If the name of the terrorist organisation who killed Franz Ferdinand is not called the “Black Hand”, why does everyone use this name? And what was their correct name?
- Geography: What happens when a volcano erupts? Why are there so many volcanoes in Iceland?
- RE: What are the Four Sights? How did these change the Buddha’s life? How did Siddhatha Guatama live before he became the Buddha? How did he become the Buddha?
Year 10 – Performance
Conversation starters
- Drama: Students are working on developing their group devising skills in preparation to begin the Theatre in Education pieces that they will perform in assemblies after half term to support the message of anti-bullying week.
- Music: Students are working on developing their composition skills, by writing songs that demonstrate the utilisation of common devices. We began doing this on instruments and are now moving on to recording them in DAW software and learning to use notation software.
- PE: Boys in Core PE have been developing their skills in football and fitness. The girls have been developing their skills in netball and badminton. In GCSE PE students have made a great start to the course and have been learning about the functions of the skeleton, the classification of bones and the classification of joints in the body.
Year 11 – Creative
Conversation starters
- Fine Art: Students are creating a mixed media personal response to conclude the Summer Term development work for ‘Identity – Objects, Images & Places’. They have studied mixed media artwork created by contemporary artists to inspire the composition of their multi-layered imagery. Exploring and experimenting with ideas, imagery, media and techniques is essential as is the presentation and annotation of their sketchbook development work. From 8 October students will focus on developing their ‘Places & Spaces’ Summer Holiday photographic and artist research into a personal project to conclude their coursework (Component 1 worth 60% of their final GCSE grade).
- Child Development: Year 11 students are describing the social, physical and intellectual developmental norms and milestones for 2- to 3-year olds as part of their second NEA which is based on developing an activity to promote a child’s social development.
- 3D Design and Graphics: Students are busy working on their design ideas for the final products they will be developing and making before the Christmas deadline. They are showing that they can use a range of techniques and linking their designs to their research and artists. Please do support your child in keeping up with their work at home – there is always work they can be doing towards this important 60% of their GCSE.
- Food Preparation and Nutrition: Students are completing their secondary research based on their chosen brief and are starting to create a hypothesis which will guide their practical investigations over the coming weeks. As this is controlled assessment it is crucial that students are organised and bring their ingredients to each of the practical lessons.
- Engineering: Students are now well into the Unit 1 coursework (worth 40%). They are manufacturing their Card Roller in lessons and should be completing their Google Slides folder work as their ongoing homework. The deadline for completing the practical product is Friday 5 December and the overall deadline (product and folder) is Friday 19 December. Students must use every available lesson and homework slot to complete their Engineering coursework. Unit 1 often has the majority influence over their final qualification in Engineering. The folder is available on Google Classroom, as is the full course Rubric (guidance on how to complete the coursework and revise). Please ask them to show you their folder and encourage them to work on completing tasks.
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.
Being present, belonging, and achieving excellence
We really want to see all of our students in school every single day. Good attendance habits build self confidence in their learning, secure friendships, enable enrichment opportunities and, a constant worry for many young people, reduces FOMO (fear of missing out!). We do not want your child to miss out on anything that we have to offer at Millthorpe School and hope that you will support us to achieve this.
All students are asked to “aim for excellence” in all aspects of their school life, and this includes attendance. If your child is a little nervous about attending school or is a bit under the weather, you may toy with the idea of whether to send them into school or not. We would always ask that you do, and that they try. You can always contact us if they need a bit of extra help.
We look forward to seeing every student in school every day, as much as possible.
Year 11 Afternoon Tea and Revision Tips event
Thank you to all the families and students who came to our Year 11 Afternoon Tea and Revision Tips event last night. It was lovely to have you there and we hope you found it useful. Please find attached the presentation from the evening.
We will be also providing a narrated version which we will place on our website alongside a copy of our Information booklet next week.
We value any feedback from those who attended so please do take the time to complete this short feedback form.
Core PE activities
Core PE activities are changing from w/c 29 September for four weeks. To find out what your child will be moving to, please take a look at the curriculum blocks on the website.
If students are moving to football they need to wear normal PE kit, long navy socks, shin pads and football boots. Netball, badminton and gymnastics students just need to wear normal PE kit and trainers.
MG Leonard – author visit
At Millthorpe School we are very lucky to have hosted many bestselling authors. An author visit is a fantastic way to enthuse young readers and bring the writing and publishing process to life. It can be exciting and inspiring for students, giving them a chance to connect with a real author. Reading has so many personal and learning benefits and we are always keen to promote reading at Millthorpe.
On Wednesday 15 October, we are excited to host author MG Leonard, who is most famous for her Adventures on Trains series. MG Leonard will be presenting to Year 7 and sharing her writing and publishing journey, reading from her books, answering questions, and signing books.
The visit will be focused on the Time Keys Series and the following books are available to order in advance, ready to be signed on the day:
- Hunt for the Golden Scarab
- Legend of Viking Thunder
The books are being offered at a discount price of £7 and can be pre-ordered through school and paid for on ParentPay until Friday 3 October. Please indicate which book/s you are ordering.
You can learn more about MG Leonard and her wonderful books here.
Open Evening
Our annual open evening is always a lot of fun, giving families the chance to see our community in action and to understand our culture and ethos, and experience the characteristic warmth that makes Millthorpe School so distinctive.
This year’s event will be held on Tuesday 7 October 2025, from 5.30–8.00pm. There’s no need to book, just come along on the evening – all welcome.
Further information can be found here.
Early closure – 7 October
Please note that we will be closing school one hour early, at 1.45pm, on Tuesday 7 October to allow staff to prepare for the Year 6 Open Evening. There will be no enrichment activities on this day.
Job of the Week – Paralegal
Paralegals work in the legal sector and are responsible for preparing documents, undertaking research and giving some legal advice. The role is largely office based although there may be some client meetings. There are no set entry requirements that are used across the board, although good GCSE and A Level results will certainly help you to stand out! Some employers may look for a law degree.
Watch this video for more information about becoming a Paralegal.
Futures for All – inspirational talks
Futures for All (previously Speakers for Schools) is an incredible social mobility charity which empowers state-educated young people by opening doors to life-changing opportunities. In addition to their work experience programme, Futures for All also regularly broadcast live inspirational talks which are recorded and then hosted on their website.
Each week, as part of our careers and aspiration-raising programme, we will feature one of their talks.
This week we wanted to focus on the creative sector with this talk, Making Matters: Design with Craft & Creativity With Martino Gamper OBE, Furniture Designer & Maker.
Discover how imagination meets craftsmanship in this exciting talk with one of the UK’s most celebrated furniture designers. From turning everyday objects into works of art to creating pieces that tell a story, Martino shows how design isn’t just about what something looks like – it’s about how it makes you feel. If you’re curious about design, love making things with your hands, or want to explore creative careers, this talk is for you!
Just click the image below to view.
York College Year 11 Taster Days
Bookings for York College’s Year 11 Taster Days on 13 and 15 January 2026 are now open.
These days provide a fantastic opportunity for Year 11 students to try some of the subjects they are interested in, as well as get a feel for College life. Students should choose one of the days to attend.
Further information about Open Events and Taster Days can be found here and bookings should be made using the links below:
Before booking a Taster Day, please read all the supporting information about what is on offer, and how to book which is all detailed on the booking web pages.
Whilst bookings can be made on any device, we would recommend using a tablet or computer to view the booking screens more clearly.
Places are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, and the deadline for all bookings is Sunday 23 November. It is not possible to book after this date.
York College Open Events 2025-26
York College is hosting a number of Open Events during the 2025-26 academic year, as follows:
- Tuesday 7 October 2025, 5.30pm – 8.00pm
- Saturday 8 November 2025, 10.00am – 12.30pm
- Thursday 20 November 2025, 5.30pm – 8.00pm
- Thursday 12 February 2026, 5.30pm – 8.00pm
- Wednesday 29 April 2026, 5.30pm – 7.30pm
For more information, please visit the York College website.
York College – places still available for enrolment in September 2025
York College is still taking applications for this academic year, so if any students who left Millthorpe in the summer are still looking at their post-16 options, York College may be able to help.
Further information can be found on the York College website or by emailing info@yorkcollege.ac.uk.
Signposting event for parents, families and carers
This event, which takes place at York Explore Library and Archive (City Centre), on Saturday 11 October 2025 at 12:00pm, is for parents, families, and carers in York who are seeking advice, support, or just a friendly chat. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect, learn, and discover what’s available in your community.
A wide range of local services will be on hand to offer guidance and answer your questions, and there will be a series of short talks.
Further information can be found here.
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 Mr Beever, Miss Gater or your child’s Progress Leader during school hours by emailing safeguarding@millthorpe.elt.org.uk, you may wish to make direct contact with 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. In a mental health emergency, please call York CAMHS Crisis Team on 08000516171.
