A message from Mrs Rothenburg
As we come to the end of our first half term of the school year, I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who has made it such a success. Our students never cease to surprise me with their hard work and ambition, and I am so proud of how positively they speak about our wonderful school and how well they represent us when they are out and about. Thank you also to my colleagues who support our students in so many ways, not just in lessons, but throughout the whole day. Lastly, thank you to you – parents, carers and families – for helping us and your child to juggle the many demands of school life and for working in partnership with us to help your child thrive.
We have been able to showcase all the amazing things that happen at Millthorpe once again this week as we showed more Year 6 pupils and their families around school. A reminder that anyone with a child currently in Year 6, should make their secondary school application by the national deadline of Friday 31 October. Further information can be found on the City of York Council’s website.
It was great to see so many Year 7 students and their families yesterday at our Settling In Evening. It’s really important to us that our students are happy, safe and settled at Millthorpe, so this event gave families the opportunity to meet their child’s form tutor, find out about Year 7’s achievements so far, ask any questions, hear about key information, available support and upcoming events, and raise any concerns. Thank you to everyone who came along. Any further questions can be emailed to the School Office at admin@millthorpe.elt.org.uk and the team will direct your enquiry to the appropriate colleague or team.
We will look forward to seeing everyone back in school on Monday 3 November for an ‘A’ Week, but until then I hope everyone has a lovely half-term break.
With best wishes,
Kavina Rothenburg
Principal
Dates for your diary
- Monday 3 November: School reopens after half-term break
- Wednesday 5 November: YOLO Year 9 Workshop to support PD
- Tuesday 11 November: Remembrance Day
- Wednesday 19 November: Year 8 Progress Evening
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 – Creative
Conversation starters
- Art: Students have completed a line drawing self-portrait using the grid system. They responded positively to the challenge of pressing lightly to record accurate proportions (the size, shape and position of facial features) and include hair and clothing details. Tonal shading will be added to the line drawings using soft tissue modelling ‘the Millthorpe Method’ and pressure blend shading. Exploring the amazing, shaded portraits and fascinating career of the African American artist Lois Malliou Jones would be the perfect way to support your child’s learning beyond the classroom. Additional artists relevant to Year 7 learning are contemporary artists Ifeyinwa Joy Chiamonwu, Andrew Tift and Arinze Stanley Egbengwu.
- Design Technology: students are coming to the end of their time blocks after a very successful start in studying Design Technology. Students have been learning a wide range of skills as well as understanding about sustainability and how as designers, engineers and chefs we can have a positive impact on the environment. After half term students will have two weeks to complete their current subject before moving onto their next exciting adventure.
Year 8 – English
Conversation starters
Students are enjoying work on their Survival Unit this half term, focusing on non-fiction writing from a range of sources. These all explore ideas of mental and physical resilience in the toughest of circumstances, whether that be bear attack, climbing accident or shipwreck. Ask your child which story of survival they have found most inspiring.
Year 9 – Maths
Conversation starters
Having finished the topic of transformations, can Year 9s:
- Name all four transformations?
- Tell someone at home what information you need to know in order to complete each transformation?
- Describe how you identify which transformation has been completed?
- Explain the words ‘congruent’ and ‘similar’?
Year 10 – Science
Conversation starters
Last week Triple Science students completed their Key Assessed Pieces (KAP) for Biology Unit 1: Cells and Physics Unit 1: Energy. You could ask them how many marks they got and more importantly their areas for improvement? Students will be moving on to study Biology Unit 2: Organisation, Physics Unit 2: Electricity and have already begun studying Chemistry Unit 2: Bonding Structure and the Properties of Matter.
Combined Science students are continuing their studies of Biology Unit 2: Organisation. Can they tell you about the heart and its main blood vessels? All Year 10 Science lessons for both Triple and Combined Science are uploaded to the respective Google Classrooms.
All Year 10 students have weekly Science Homework set via Sparx Science. This is due every Thursday by 9am. The next assignment is due on Thursday 6 November.
Year 11 – Global
Conversation starters
- Computing: Year 11 students have continued with turning flowcharts into code and creating flowcharts.
- French and German: Students have received feedback on their listening and writing assessments and are working on their new topic of the environment. Can they talk about some problems with the environment, and what we should do to solve them?
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.
Recognition passes
At Millthorpe, we work together to achieve excellence. When students embody our core values of Fairness, Hard Work, and Ambition, we believe it’s important to recognise and celebrate their achievements.
Our commitment to recognising student success is embedded in everyday school life. We celebrate students through ClassCharts greens, weekly assembly shout-outs, recognition phone calls, Recognition Passes, termly year group Recognition Assemblies, and our annual Recognition Evening.
We are excited to announce the launch of our new Recognition Passes, which will replace the previous Golden Tickets. These passes allow students to jump the lunch queue with a friend as a reward for their outstanding efforts. The Recognition Passes will be launched on 3 November on ClassCharts, students will receive letters and printed passes from 10 November. Students will be able to continue to use their remaining golden tickets after half term.
Students may be awarded a Recognition Pass when they demonstrate our school values in a lesson or make a positive contribution to the wider school community. Each member of staff can award up to three Recognition Passes per week, and every pass is accompanied by a personalised note explaining why it has been awarded.
At Millthorpe, we believe in the power of intrinsic motivation and in recognising students who consistently strive to achieve excellence.
Singers join Gabrieli Roar for an unforgettable workshop
Last Friday, students from the Millthorpe Choir attended a workshop led by Gabrieli, as part of the Gabrieli Roar initiative. This is an exciting partnership between Gabrieli and a network of diverse British youth choirs where young singers are challenged to perform side-by-side with professional musicians.
Our singers enjoyed a brilliant workshop led by two professional singers who managed to keep a roomful of Millthorpians engaged in singing for two hours. Ms Longbottom said they sounded incredible!
Canteen notices
Debit Balances
Lockers
After Year 7 students have taken a locker if they want one, there are some lockers remaining that we can offer to students in other year groups. If you would like a locker for your child, please complete this short Google Form. If we receive more requests than lockers available, we will draw names at random.
If any Year 7s who initially opted for a locker find they no longer need one, we ask that they please hand the lock back to their form tutor with their name and locker number, and we will refund the deposit and make that locker available to other students.
Sparx Science Homework
The next Sparx Science Homework is due after October half-term on Thursday 6 November at 9am. This assignment has gone live to all students at their respective lunchtime on Wednesday 22 October.
We want all students and their families to have a restful half-term and there is no expectation to complete this work during the holiday. However, we want to maintain the momentum we have with Sparx Science by returning to our normal Thursday deadline following the half-term. As always our expectation is 100% completion by the deadline. We want to support all students by ensuring they complete work away from the classroom – helping them develop independence, build study skills and to help students take control of their learning.
Year 9 – YOLO play and workshop
A reminder that after half term, we are welcoming a Theatre in Education company into school to deliver a play and workshop to our Year 9 students. As their performance will address risky behaviour, if you have any concerns or questions please contact Mrs Cooper, Year 9 Pastoral Lead, via the School Office.
3D Design trip to York College
Year 11 3D Design students were offered a really valuable opportunity to visit York College to experience their Jewellery and Metalwork facilities. Students were shown around the creative courses offered at post-16 and got to spend most of the day making a range of products out of copper, using a variety of skills including annealing, pickling, hammering, patination, folding/creasing metal, and polishing.
It was such a valuable session in developing students’ knowledge and experience of working with metal, and their awareness of post-16 options. They all came away with a selection of products linked to their portfolio in 3D Design.
They had a brilliant time! Many thanks to York College for this opportunity.
Kurtis to star in Bugsy Malone
In less than two weeks, Year 9 student, Kurtis M, will be taking to the stage in Pick Me Up Theatre’s production of Bugsy Malone. Starring as Dandy Dan, Kurtis will perform at the Grand Opera House in York in November on the following dates:
- Saturday 1 November – matinee
- Sunday 2 November – matinee
- Wednesday 5 November – 7:30pm show
- Friday 7 November – 7:30pm show
- Saturday 8 November – 7:30pm show
If you would like to go along, tickets can be purchased here.
Well done Marianne!
Huge congratulations to Marianne L in Year 8 who competed in the West Yorkshire Cross Country event at Nunroyd Park, Guiseley, on Sunday 12 October. This 3km race is known as one of the tougher races in Yorkshire and Marianne was competing in the under-15 category against girls her own age and from Years 9 and 10. Marianne ran an amazing race, finishing in third place with a brilliant time of 12:07 mins!
Marianne also competed recently in the Northern Road Relays in Leigh for the City of York, where her team placed tenth in the North.
Millthorpe Remembers – 2025 Edition
As we approach 11 November, Mrs Price, Ms Longbottom, Mr Ferguson and Mr Baybutt are turning their attention to marking Remembrance Day and this year, we are hoping it will be the most special yet.
How can you help?
Led by Mrs Price, we are planning to create a sea of poppies along the main drive into school. In order to do this, we need donations of clean plastic bottles. These need to be water or soft drink bottles (please rinse them first) but not milk bottles. After half term, Mrs Price will offer students the chance to make and paint a poppy and then plant it along the main drive in the build up to Remembrance Day. Rather than adding any water or soft drink bottles to your usual recycling bins at home, please send them into school with your child, from Monday, where they can place them in clearly labelled recycling bins in the dining hall.
We hope that our display will look something like this:
In the lead up to Remembrance Day, Mr Ferguson will lead assemblies for all students so that they understand the purpose of remembrance and ensuring that we never forget.
On 11 November, supported by Ms Longbottom, several students will sound The Last Post at various points around school as our community falls silent to remember those who have been affected by, and continue to be affected by war and conflict.
We have a special guest visiting Millthorpe School on this day but we want to keep this under wraps for now!
Thank you for any support and donations of plastic bottles that you are able to offer.
Job of the Week – Town Planner
Town planners design and plan open spaces, parks and buildings for the public to use. You will be required to assess planning applications and negotiate with developers in order to come up with solutions that satisfy everyone involved. You will need to be up to date with the latest developments and legislation. A degree would be useful, but there are no specific degrees in planning. You can also become a Chartered Planner by completing the RTPI (Royal Town Planning Institute) accreditation.
Watch this video for more information about becoming a Town Planner.
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.
Continuing our focus on leadership, we wanted to share this talk with you this week: ‘Can I be a quiet leader? with SSCL. The future is digital – from the way we work and learn, to the way we connect with each other. But what does that mean for your career?’
In this talk, Guy Ferguson from SSCL (Shared Services Connected Ltd) shares his journey and insights into the world of management, networking, and digital transformation. Guy also shares the importance of networking, what skills employers are looking for, and how the choices you make now can open doors to exciting opportunities.
Just click the image below to view.
Year 11 Taster Days
Taster Days for Year 11 students take place on 13 and 15 January. All information about Taster Days is now available on Google Classroom and on every school and college website. Every college and school with a sixth form have now released their dates. Students MUST book on to the Taster Days before the deadlines (each school has a slightly different deadline) as they will not take late applications.
If you do not book onto a Taster Day, students must come into school on those days. Any queries, please email Miss Watts.
Post-16 open events
All Saints Sixth Form
All Saints Open Evening is Wednesday 19 November. You will need to prebook a talk with the Headteacher: https://allsaintsyork.npcat.org.uk/sixth-form/sixth-form-admissions/
Fulford School Sixth Form
Fulford School’s Sixth Form Open Evening is Thursday 20 November, 6.00 – 8.00pm
To book your place, please use the link: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/fulford-school
Askham Bryan College
Askham Bryan College has a series of open events throughout this term.
- Saturday 29 November – Open Morning
- Tuesday 16 December – Foundation Taster Event
For more information, have a look at their website.
Huntington School Sixth Form
Huntington School’s Open Evening is Tuesday 11 November 2025. Register via this link.
Joseph Rowntree School Sixth Form
Joseph Rowntree School is on Tuesday 18 November 2025.
York College
York College is hosting a number of Open Events during the 2025-26 academic year, as follows:
- 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.
Applications to St Peter’s Sixth Form
The application deadline for St Peter’s Sixth Form is 31 October. Further information can be found here and the application form is available here.
Apprenticeship vacancies
York College is currently advertising a number of 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.
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.
Donate a coat to help someone survive this winter
With temperatures plummeting across the channel, Care4Calais has launched an urgent appeal this autumn for donations of warm/waterproof coats for refugees fleeing conflict and sleeping rough on the streets.
A large collection box is now in reception until 7 November.
If you have any spare or outgrown mens/unisex winter jackets that you no longer use, hoodies or cuffed joggers, they will be gratefully received.
Your clothing donations will be collected by Care4Calais’s volunteers and distributed before winter.
No spare coats to give? You can also donate on the Care4Calais website.
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.
