Weekly email – 27 February 2026

A message from Mrs Rothenburg

Please do have a good read of this week’s email – it’s quite a long one, but full of information for families from school and our community.

Have a great weekend and we’ll see everyone back in school on Monday for an ‘A’ Week.

With best wishes,

Kavina Rothenburg
Principal

Dates for your diary

• Thursday 5 March: World Book Day
• Wednesday 11 March: Year 11 Progress Evening
• Tuesday 24, Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 March: A Night at the Musicals
• Friday 27 March: School closes for the Easter holidays

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

• Design Technology: Students are moving onto their third rotation of the year where they will be continuing to learn about sustainability in a different context. They will be learning a range of new skills and processes and working safely with a new range of tools and equipment.
• 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 – English
Conversation starters
Year 8 are continuing to enjoy their unit, Most Haunted, which explores a range of texts with a particular focus on canonical writers: Shakespeare, Poe, and Wordsworth, for example. The students engage with the Big Question of why we are drawn to stories of the supernatural and are exposed to drama, fiction and poetry. Ask your child which supernatural text is their favourite so far.

Year 9 – Maths
Conversation starters
Fractions appear in a number of different forms in different places. 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 – Science
Conversation starters
Year 10 Triple Science Students are studying Biology Unit 3: Infection and Response, Chemistry Unit 4: Chemical Changes and Physics Unit 3: Particle Model of Matter. Can students explain how a vaccine works? Can students explain the Reactivity series and the reactions of Metals and Acids? 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 a Standard Assessment Piece (SAPs) on these topics during the week commencing 2 March.

All Year 10 Science lessons for both Triple and Combined Science are uploaded to the respective Google Classrooms. All Year 10 students have Sparx Science Homework due at 9.00am every Thursday.

Year 11 – Global
Conversation starters

• Computing: We are using an online platform called ‘mbop’ to practice Python programming. We will also be doing a Question Level Analysis (QLA) on the PPE exam taken before the half-term break.
• French and German: We are analysing our PPE exams to ensure that we understand every mark on the paper, and exactly how to do well. Every mark matters! We are then moving on to skills-based revision and focusing on exam preparation and speaking.

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.

Year 7 1-to-1 feedback

Back in late November every student in Year 7 had a 1-to-1 meeting with a member of the Senior Leadership Team to review their transition to Millthorpe and gather some student voices. We have done this for a few years now and it is an absolute joy to meet every student.

The students were asked a number of questions and importantly for any feedback or points for improvement.

100% of students said they enjoyed coming to Millthorpe and the things that they enjoyed most were the kindness of staff, fun lessons and the food at break and lunch!

Here are some of the comments they made:

• ‘Staff are really kind and treat you fairly.’
• ‘I love all the enrichment clubs.’
• ‘The lessons are well planned and fun.’
• ‘I feel like I can really learn here.’
• ‘You can express yourself, it is a positive place to be.’

This week we shared the following update on their feedback and areas for improvement with Year 7s:

Year 7: We’d like more signs up around school to help us know where everything is.
Outcome: Mr Cooper is going to work with his Enrichment Club to create more signs.

Year 7: A-Block doors and the Drama doors need to be wider.
Outcome: We have submitted a capital bid to ask for funding to make wider doors. We will hopefully get started on it later this year.

Year 7: We don’t always know if enrichment sessions are cancelled as we can’t access ClassCharts in school.
Outcome: We now put any cancelled enrichment sessions on the screens around school.

Year 7: We would like a cheerleading club, rugby club and baking club.
Outcome: Cheerleading has now been added to our enrichment offer on a Monday after school in the Gym with Mrs Armitage. Baking Club also now runs on a Tuesday. We are looking into a Rugby Club for next term and we are grateful to two of our Year 10 students who have offered to lead this club for us.

Year 7: A salad option at lunch would be great.
Outcome: Boxed salads are now available.

We really value our students’ feedback, so thank you Year 7!

Year 11 GCSE information

We will be writing to Year 11 families within the next few weeks with all of the GCSE information. This will include an exam timetable, key dates and important exam regulation information. However, we wanted to let you know about our revision support for our students, as it is crucial that the revision is starting now and is manageable and meaningful.

The students have received assemblies and personal development lessons on how to structure their revision timetables and what type of revision they should be doing to ensure they commit their learning to their long-term memory.

To help them, and you as you support your child, all of the information and resources can be found on our website under Revision – Year 11.

Here there are links to printable blank revision timetables, Millthrope’s Fab Four revision techniques, Knowledge Organisers and also ‘ready-made subject revision plans’. In addition, students have access to exam rubric guides though their Google Classrooms.

Our ready-made subject revision plans are step-by-step plans that students can follow for every subject. The plans direct students to specific tasks, videos to watch and are a great starting point. We encourage students to use these as a skeleton but then personalise working on their areas for development identified by their teachers from their PPE papers.

We know that this time can be challenging for students and looking after their wellbeing is so important to us, so please also see our online directory for students and families if you are in need of additional support.

National Year of Reading and World Book Day

2026 is the National Year of Reading. This is a widespread initiative which is led by the Department for Education and the National Literacy Trust to tackle declining reading enjoyment amongst students. Here at Millthorpe School we have encouraged our students to ‘Go All In’ to encourage reading throughout their daily life.

All form groups have spent the last two weeks of the previous half term reading a fiction book during form time, with these texts containing themes and vocabulary which can help support them when studying texts in their English lessons. The students have really engaged with this initiative and is something we are continuing this half term.

We will be celebrating World Book Day on Thursday 5 March, where students are invited to take part in many different activities during lunchtime and will also be reading in every lesson to mark this celebratory event. Students are encouraged to design a badge containing their favourite character from a book. Templates for these can be collected from the library. Alternatively a template can be printed here – it is recommended to print it on the following settings: image repeat size 8.

If your child particularly enjoys a subject and wants to read around the subject matter being taught, there are reading lists which can help support them to do this. All books on this reading list can be found in the library and we encourage every student to access these throughout their time with us.

Millthorpe Eco-Book Swap

We’re getting ready for our first ever whole‑school Eco-Book Swap event, and we’d love it if you are able to support us. If you’re able, please help your child bring in a few books you or they no longer read or want. All donations can be dropped off in the main house, just outside the main reception, and anyone is welcome to take part in the swap.

The more books we collect, the better the event will be for everyone involved.

Donation deadline: Wednesday 11 March 2026

Our book swap event takes place on Thursday 12 March 2026 in the main hall after school.

Thank you for helping us celebrate the importance of reading at Millthorpe.

Lead Students Assembly

A huge thank you and well done to our Lead Students, who led assemblies to KS3 this week, explaining about their role, what they have already been doing, and the plans the Student Leaders have for the year. It was fantastic to see them in their role, leading the student body, and their eagerness to hear from students about their ideas.

Excitingly, one of the new projects the Student Leaders are working on is writing regularly in our emails to communicate what they are up to from a student’s perspective. Their first piece is below.

Student Leaders Corner

As your Student Leaders, we are really excited to have been given the opportunity to be able to write in the Friday email. As of yet, we’ve only made a few small improvements, but we have some really exciting plans for the near future. This year, the Student Leadership team has been separated into three specialised groups to make our work on distinct projects and as a whole team more efficient and productive. They are: Deep Experience, Deep Support, and Deep Learning.

Deep Experience, led by Rosie and Oscar, works on plans for Culture Curriculum, enrichment, events such as Charity Day and Culture Day, and on improving the overall experience of students outside of lessons. Deep Support, led by Lowman and Harriet, is involved with important aspects of school life such as attendance, mentoring, and generally making sure everybody feels safe and like they belong in the Millthorpe community. Finally, Deep Learning, led by Alice and George, focuses on things like Student Voice, Reading Mentoring, and of course, everything involving what makes up the core of your school experience: learning.

As for what we have achieved already, in response to student feedback, two of our Student Leaders have begun running an LGBTQ+ club during Monday Enrichment, supported by Mr Morris and held in A4. A group of our Student Leaders are also working on ideas for Culture Curriculum, which will bring a new perspective to the topics we cover. As well as this, Deep Experience is starting a token box, which will mean students can vote to raise money for charities and to fund specific areas inside of school. We are also in the process of making a suggestion box, which will allow students to have a say on what is going on within Millthorpe and to influence the changes that the Student Leaders will make. Deep Learning has been creating posters to promote World Book Day, which have been displayed in the library, as well as discussing ideas about how the school will celebrate it. This is just a fraction of what we have been working on as Student Leaders so far, and we have many other exciting projects in mind for the year to come.

Year 7 Interform Challenge

Ms Steers led a brilliant Geography interform challenge in the last week of last half term. Ms McCartney and Ms Steers were in awe of our participants who brought a mix of imagination and artistic flair to create such innovative projects.

The aim of this project was to design flood resistant buildings for an island in the Indian Ocean. All projects could have easily won this challenge but 7PHU took home the win for their level of detail. Congratulations!

Next up is Mx Richards leading our RE challenge – details to be shared during form time!

Millthorpe students experience life-changing Krakow trip

On 12-15 February, a group of 72 students and seven staff took part in a powerful and deeply moving educational visit to Krakow, Poland. During the trip, the group visited Oskar Schindler’s Factory, the Wieliczka Salt Mines and the Galicia Jewish Museum where they had the privilege of meeting Holocaust survivor Anna.

They also had a guided visit to Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau where they learned about the establishment of the camps and the scale of the atrocities committed there. The trip ended with a visit to Park Wodny, Poland’s largest indoor water park, allowing students time to decompress after several emotionally intense days.

Thank you to the students who behaved impeccably throughout and to the staff team who supported the trip.

You can read Mr Baybutt’s full account of the trip here.

Silver DofE planning expedition

The Silver DofE planning expedition will take place on Monday 3 March in the main hall at 3.30pm for all students who have signed up to the Silver Award. This will take place after Monday’s enrichment activities. Please encourage your child to attend.

A Night at the Musicals – tickets now on sale

Tickets are now on sale for ‘A Night at the Musicals’ which is taking to the stage on the evenings of 24, 25 and 26 March, at 6.30pm. Tickets are priced at £4 for adults and £2.50 for children and can be purchased on ParentPay until 15 March. After this date, tickets can only be bought on the door each evening (cash only please).

Tickets are limited so please get yours quickly – it promises to be a wonderful show!

Careers programme – a call for support

As part of our Careers programme, we are committed to providing students with information and knowledge about a wide range of careers that are available to them once they have left school. This is especially pertinent to careers within our local community. As such, we would welcome any parents/carers or Millthorpe alumni who would like to come into school and talk to, or work with, our students in lessons about their profession and expertise in their chosen area. This would be either talks to small groups, or showcasing their skills to the students.

If you are able to support the school, please contact Miss Watts E: s.watts@millthorpe.elt.org.uk in the first instance.

Esme and Imogen compete at England Indoor Athletics Championships

Congratulations to Esme (Year 8) and Imogen (Year 9) who both competed recently at the England Indoor Championships in Sheffield.

The girls had a great weekend! Esme bagged a PB in the 60m with a time of 8.01secs and in the 200m, she got through to the final and missed out on a bronze medal by 1/1000th of a second! She did however get another PB, finishing in 25.33secs!

Imogen also did brilliantly, achieving a PB in the 60m hurdles in a time of 9.86secs and finishing fourth in the triple jump with a jump of 9.96m.

Well done girls – amazing performances and a fantastic demonstration of two of ours school values, ambition and hard work.

Well done Marianne!

Marianne in Year 9 has had a very busy and successful cross-country season this winter.

Back in December, Marianne came second in the West Yorkshire Cross Country League, which is known for being one of the toughest leagues in the county.  She then competed at the Yorkshire Cross Country Championships on 17 January at Lightwater Valley, where she finished sixth and qualified to represent Yorkshire at the National Inter-County Cross Country Championships, which will take place on 7 March in Nottingham.

On Saturday 7 February, Marianne ran in the North Yorkshire Schools Cross Country Race, representing Millthorpe School and City of York Athletics Club. She finished second in the race and has qualified to represent the school, club and North Yorkshire at the English Schools Cross Country Championships on 14 March in Liverpool.

On Saturday 21 February, Marianne ran in the National Cross Country Championships in Sedgefield, County Durham. She competed in the under-15 category running against Year 10 girls and finished in 22^nd place – a brilliant result. Marianne really enjoyed the run and course, and the fact that it was a little bit warmer than the two previous races!

Marianne is now looking forward to the next two races which will both be much bigger events, with a lot more people from across the country attending. We wish her every success and will be cheering her on!

Ex-Millthorpian pursues career in Design Engineering

Congratulations to ex-Millthorpian, Stan Taylor, who is well on his way to becoming a Senior Design Engineer.

After leaving Millthorpe, Stan completed a Design and Development for Manufacturing and Engineering T Level at York College, where he impressed PBH Rail during his 315-hour work placement with his exceptional Computer-Aided Design (CAD) skills. After finishing his course in 2024, his hard work paid off when he was hired as PBH Rail’s very first degree apprentice. Stan is now in his second year of a Level 6 Rail and Rail Systems Senior Engineer course at Sheffield Hallam University and hopes to eventually work his way up to become a Senior Design Engineer.

You can read more about Stan’s journey here.

Job of the Week – Illustrator

Illustrators are paid to create drawings and other images to meet a client’s needs. These could be used for advertising, branding or be used in print or other formats. Illustrators must be able to communicate effectively and respond well to feedback. Illustrators are often self-employed, although when employers are recruiting they often look for graduates in art-related subjects. Having a portfolio that evidences your work is key when applying for roles.

Watch this video for more information about becoming an Illustrator.

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 -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.

Earlier this month we celebrated the ‘International Day of Women and Girls in Science’, so this week’s talk comes from a leading woman in the sector, Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive of the British Heart Foundation.

The British Heart Foundation is the leading independent funder of cardiovascular research across the UK. Since Charmaine completed her PhD in Neuroscience at University College London, she has been passionate about the power of research and innovation to save and improve lives. In this broadcast, you can hear about what it’s like to run a charity as large and vital as the BHF. Charmaine aims to inspire and impassion young men and women to think about their impact on the world.

Just click the image below to view.

SEND CENTRAL in March

SEND CENTRAL is York’s Family Hub that specialises in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) where families can seek advice and information about what’s available in York when they have children and young people (age from 0 to 25) who have additional needs.

Please take a look at the SEND Central website for details of events and sessions taking place in March, including sessions delivered by Think Together (a team of mental health practitioners) and the Parent Carer Forum.

York Futures Fair – St Peter’s School

St Peter’s School invites pupils currently in Years 10-13 to attend their Futures Fair on Monday 16 March 2026, from 4:30-6:30pm in Memorial Hall at St Peter’s School, York.

This event is designed to support pupils as they begin considering their next steps beyond school. Whether they are exploring university pathways, interested in apprenticeships, considering a gap year, or curious about study abroad opportunities, the Futures Fair will provide a valuable overview of the options available.

What’s included:

• Exhibitor stands: Representatives from Russell Group universities, apprenticeship providers, gap year organisations, and a range of other institutions will be available to share insights and answer questions.
• Talks and presentations: Students can attend short talks offering guidance, inspiration, and practical information to help them navigate their future choices.
• Meet the experts: University representatives and industry professionals will be on hand to offer advice, discuss courses and career routes, and provide real‑world perspectives.

Anyone interested should register using this form or the via the QR code on the poster.

Futures Fair External Poster 2026

Register now for the pre-16 online Nuclear Physics Masterclasses

Monday 2 March – Sunday 26 April 2026

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.

York Jobs, Apprenticeships and Skills Fair

York Jobs, Apprenticeships and Skills Fair will take place at York Barbican on Tuesday 24 March, 1.00-6.00pm.

Attendees will be able to speak to recruiting employers, training providers and other advice services. City of York Council Skills Team and Specialist Learning and Employment Adviser Team will also be represented at the fair.

You can attend any time after school – no need to book!

Time Out for Parents: The Teenage Years

The next course for Family Matters York is available as two Saturday morning workshops on 9 and 16 May.

This new format of two morning workshops aims to make the course more accessible for parents/carers, especially for those who are working during the week, but Family Matters will continue to run it as a longer five-week course in the future.

You can find out more and sign up for your free place here.

Opportunities for young musicians

York Music Hub is looking to develop further opportunities for young musicians to play with other musicians from across the county, with dedicated strands for both vocalists and instrumentalists.

These are fantastic opportunities to experience ensemble performance without the need to commit to an additional weekly activity, as they take place on four weekends during the remainder of the academic year.

#WakeUpWednesday – What parents and educators need to know about WhatsApp

With its end-to-end encryption and huge popularity, WhatsApp is often seen as a private and secure way to stay in touch; however, that same privacy can make it harder for trusted adults to see when things go wrong. This guide explains how features like group chats, disappearing messages, ‘Channels’ and location sharing can expose young users to pressure, unwanted contact and inappropriate content.

It also looks at emerging concerns such as scams, advertising and the in-app AI assistant, helping adults understand how these elements may affect children and young people. Alongside the risks, the guide offers practical advice to support meaningful conversations, encourage safer settings and build young users’ confidence in navigating WhatsApp responsibly.

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 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.