A message from Mrs Rothenburg
This week has been wonderful! I am always a proud Principal, but our students have blown me away this week.
Over the last three evenings, an impressive number of our students from all year groups took to the stage in ‘A Night at the Musicals’, performing to families, friends and guests. They radiated talent and confidence, and I know they have all worked incredibly hard to create such a wonderful show. Thanks and recognition must also go to the team who have worked behind the scenes and on the door on the evening – you have all done us proud too. In total, well over a hundred students were involved in the production in a whole range of roles. A special thank you goes to Mrs Sladen and Ms Longbottom who have worked tirelessly with our performers since December to make the show such a success.
On Tuesday, our Year 10 and 11 Drama students visited York College to watch a Year 12 Physical Theatre devised performance and attend an accompanying post-show discussion. Our students had a wonderful time and it was great to see ex-Millthorpians, Thea and Riley performing and doing so well!
Yesterday, we celebrated our Year 11 students with a special event recognising excellent attendance and positive behaviour. The return of Barbour’s Bingo proved as popular as ever, and it was wonderful to see the year group enjoying time together and creating lasting memories. Well done to all who took part.
Congratulations to our netballers who have recently taken part in various leagues and tournaments. They all represented the school brilliantly and I want to say a special ‘well done’ to the U14 (Year 9) B team who were crowned York and Selby Champions. Congratulations on a wonderful victory!
You can read more about this and several other successes, achievements and events in this term’s Millthorpe Messenger which will be in your inboxes tomorrow.
Congratulations to Frankie and Sofia who joined me for Principal’s Breakfast this morning. It was lovely to chat with you both.
It just remains to wish you a happy and restful Easter break and we’ll see everyone back in school on Monday 13 April for the Summer Term and an ‘A’ Week.
With best wishes,
Kavina Rothenburg
Principal
Dates for your diary
- Monday 13 April: School reopens after the Easter holidays
- Tuesday 14 April: SEND Review Evening
- Monday 4 May: School closed for May Day Bank Holiday
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 – Global
Conversation starters
- Computing: What is AI? Where is it used? What are the concerns surrounding AI? What do you predict AI will be used for in the future and why?
- French: We are finishing our module about free time and hobbies, and talking about what we and others do for fun. Can your child prepare for their speaking assessment and talk about what they or their friends like to do to have fun?
Year 8 – Humanities
Conversation starters
- History: Why did farming have to change? What was the Industrial Revolution and how did it impact the people who worked in the new cities and factories? Ask your child what it would have been like to live in Manchester in the 19th Century.
- RE: We have been considering different beliefs about life after death. We have been looking at Christian, Buddhist and Humanist beliefs and how they celebrate people’s lives.
- Geography: What is development? Can you give any examples of indicators of development?
Year 9 – Performance
Conversation starters
- Drama: Scripted Drama – ‘Noughts and Crosses’, Dominic Cooke. Who was Bertolt Brecht, what is Epic Theatre and how is this style reflected in ‘Noughts and Crosses’? How is dramatic tension built at the end of Act One and how could the event explored be safely and creatively presented on stage? What is capital punishment and how and why does it exist in the world of ‘Noughts and Crosses’?
- Music: Students are beginning a new topic on remixing classical themes. This will allow them to further develop their composition/arrangement skills on DAW software whilst exploring music of some of the great composers through musical history.
- PE: Students have moved onto new activities with the boys learning about different skills in athletics and basketball. The girls have started their fitness block and athletics.
Year 10 – Creative
Conversation starters
- Child Development: Students have just started a mock run through of their first piece of coursework. This involves selecting appropriate sleep or travel equipment for a nursery. They are working on analysing and comparing three items before moving on to writing an evaluation. This is to prepare them for the real version which they will begin in June 2026.
- Food Preparation and Nutrition: Students are now learning about food science, beginning with the science behind breadmaking and the functional and chemical properties of all of the ingredients involved.
- Graphics and 3D: Students are working on their Component 1 portfolios. They have been learning a range of different techniques including Polytile printing and presenting a series of observational studies in their sketchbooks. They should have taken a set of 20 photographs linked to their theme – if they haven’t yet done this, the Easter holidays would be a great opportunity to do so. They can always take a second set to add to their sketchbooks if they are going somewhere interesting. Next term they will be researching an artist and showing they can work in their style. Year 10 have made a really pleasing start to their projects.
- Fine Art: Students continue to research artists and develop ideas for the ‘Aged’ starting point. Presenting and communicating their ideas using imagery and written annotations in their Pink Pig sketchbook has been an important focus before they refine research and start to take photographs for the first personal response after Easter. The Easter holidays can be used to complete sketchbook presentations including at least two in-depth artist studies relevant to a chosen sub-theme.
Year 11 – English
Conversation starters
Year 11 have been working hard in preparation for the Literature Paper Two past paper – a really tough exam of 2 hours and 15 minutes! Many thanks for the support we know students have had from home with quote learning from the modern text and the Power and Conflict poems. We are confident they will do themselves justice and will have had an opportunity to sit a PPE in all four of the Literature and Language exams. Students have been given a booklet to support revision over the Easter holidays – again, your encouragement and support with this is very much appreciated!
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.
Thank you Mrs Guppy
This week, we say goodbye to Millthorpe’s longest-serving colleague. Incredibly, Mrs Guppy started work at Millthorpe in July 1987, nearly 39 years ago (having previously worked at Knavesmire Primary School). She has held various administrative positions over the years, and has been a midday supervisor for the last ten years, gradually reducing her hours before finally calling it a day as she approaches her 84th birthday in April.
Thanks for all you have done for the school Mrs Guppy!
Change in the English Department
We would like to wish all the best to Mr Brothers who leaves at Easter after three-and-a-half years at Millthorpe, and a warm welcome to Mr McCallion who joins the department after Easter.
Culture Day
We are excited to celebrate our second annual Culture Day on Friday 24 April 2026 and this year’s event will be even bigger and better! We are holding a Culture Day Fair which students will be invited to and we’d also love to see families at the event from 3.15-4.15pm.
More details to follow next term!
Enrichment activities – Summer Term
This week during form time, students have signed up to the new enrichment clubs for next term. Please note that enrichment activities will start again on w/c 20 April. Families will be informed of which clubs their child is signed up to via a ClassCharts message.
You can see what is available here.
Places available for Year 9 residential visit to Carlton Lodge
A small number of places are still available for the Year 9 trip to Carlton Lodge on 15-16 June 2026. Further details about the trip can be found here.
If anyone in Year 9 is interested in attending, please email the school.
Retro Sports Day
We are excited to share that following the Easter holidays, Millthorpe School will be hosting a special Retro Sports Day for all Year 7, 8 and 9 students. This fun event will give pupils the chance to take part in classic games, develop teamwork skills, and even enjoy watching their teachers compete against one another.
To be eligible to take part or to spectate, students will need to achieve 100% attendance for the three weeks after the Easter break. We hope this incentive encourages pupils to be in school every day, making the most of everything Millthorpe offers for both academic progress and personal development.
If your child has a legitimate medical reason for absence during this period, please don’t worry, simply contact their Progress Leader so we can be as fair as possible.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Sparx Science homework
The next Sparx Science homework is due after the Easter holiday on Thursday 16 April at 9am. This assignment has gone live to all students at their respective lunchtimes on Thursday 26 March. 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.
We want all students and their families to have a restful holiday 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 Easter break.
Excel Staff Recognition Awards
Following the success of our first year, we are once again coming together as a Trust for the Excel Staff Recognition Awards in July to celebrate the incredible individuals who make our community thrive.
This year, we’re bringing back the category ‘Excelling through Parent or Community Recognition’. As a parent/carer or a member of the community, should you wish to nominate a member of staff in this category, please complete the online form here with the staff member’s details and the reason for your nomination. Nominations close on Friday 24 April.
Should you have any questions regarding the nomination process or the staff awards, please do not hesitate to contact Katie Dent on central.services@elt.org.uk.
Welcome to the Easter edition of ‘Sensations’ – Excel Learning Trust’s newsletter
As the term draws to a close, we wanted to share some fabulous news items with you to update you on what has been happening across the Trust over the last couple of months and in the lead up to Easter.
You can read the newsletter here.
I hope you and your families have a happy and relaxed Easter break and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to school on Monday 13 April.
Kind regards
Mark Hassack
CEO, Excel Learning Trust
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.
Marianne has a standout season!
Marianne Lowson (Year 9) has had a busy and enjoyable cross country season, representing Millthorpe School, City of York Athletics Club, and both North Yorkshire and Yorkshire. Most recently, on 14 March, Marianne competed in the Junior Girls race at the English Schools Cross Country Championships in Liverpool, finishing 57th out of 349 runners in a strong national field. She was very proud to represent both the school and North Yorkshire, rounding off a brilliant and enjoyable season.
Marianne also took part in the U15 girls National Cross Country Championships in Sedgefield at the end of February, where she finished 22nd, and represented Yorkshire at the Inter-Counties Championships in Nottingham (on 7 March), placing 85th in a field of over 300 runners (Years 9 and 10), with the Yorkshire team finishing first overall.
Marianne has enjoyed the opportunity to take part in a range of events, experiencing different courses and conditions. With spring and summer ahead, she will now turn her focus to the track!
We’re very proud of your achievements Marianne!
Job of the Week – Newspaper Journalist
Newspaper journalists are responsible for finding and writing stories and articles to cover national, regional and local press. They are involved in interviewing, investigating stories, attending press conferences and creating content that we read. Newspaper journalism is fast becoming multi-platform, now including the internet and social media platforms. Most employers will look for a degree in Journalism or English-related studies.
Watch this video for more information about becoming a newspaper journalist.
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.
As this Wednesday was World Maths Day, we wanted to share this talk from Chris Budd OBE, Professor of Applied Maths, University of Bath. Chris loves the practical applications of maths to real world problems, and has worked in many areas, including food distribution and cooking, climate change, weather forecasting, electricity supply, telecommunications, aerospace and saving the whales. His talk, ‘Why Study Maths – Real World Maths Careers’ looks at why you should think about a career in maths and all the opportunities it could bring to your future.
Just click the image below to view.
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.
Discounted entry to Flamingo Land
For a limited time, Jorvik Radio is offering entry to Flamingo Land at the discounted price of £77 for a group of four. They’ve secured a limited number of vouchers which are being offered to local schools at half the normal price, with an additional £20 off.
To get this deal, head over to https://vouchers.jorvikradio.com/product/half-price-family-ticket-voucher-to-flamingo-land/ and add the ticket to your basket. When you come to pay, enter YK20 at checkout. It will reduce the cost by £20 which means you pay £77. Vouchers can be used until 1 November 2026.
#WakeUpWednesday – Top tips for effective revision and study skills
As exams approach, many young people fall back on familiar revision habits like rereading and highlighting. While these can feel reassuring, they often do little to support long-term memory. This week’s Wake Up Wednesday guide explains why passive techniques can lead to misplaced confidence, gaps in understanding and increased stress when pupils struggle to recall key information under pressure.
Focusing on simple, evidence-informed strategies, it supports parents and educators to guide more effective revision. From active recall and spaced practice to building manageable routines, the guide offers practical ways to improve retention and confidence. With expert insight, it encourages a balanced approach where challenge supports learning without overwhelming pupils.
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.
