A message from Mrs Rothenburg
I hope you have had a good week – it’s been another jam-packed few days here at Millthorpe!
Last week, in partnership with NYBEP, we launched our ‘Experiences of the Workplace’ initiative for our Year 10 students. On Wednesday, our students fully immersed themselves in the workshops and activities delivered by visiting employers. I was extremely impressed by their enthusiasm, engagement, and the maturity they showed throughout the day and the way they demonstrated our school values throughout. I am now looking forward to seeing the Year 10 students present their ideas to the employers on Monday.
Well done to everyone involved, and a sincere thank you to all the employers and partners who generously gave their time to support this valuable initiative. You can read more about the experience below.
Yesterday’s World Book Day was a fantastic success and it was wonderful to see so many students getting involved. A huge thank you to our Student Leaders for organising and delivering a host of fun activities at lunchtime. Again, you can read more below.
On the theme of reading, a reminder that we have our first ever Eco-Book Swap next Thursday. We’re still taking book donations and would love to see as many people at the event as possible – details can be found below.
On Monday, Year 6 students and their families were informed of their secondary school allocations, and we are delighted to welcome those joining us at Millthorpe into our school community. We are very much looking forward to meeting our new students and beginning our extensive transition programme, which is designed to help them (and their parents and carers) feel confident, supported, and excited about starting their journey with us.
Next week we are looking forward to seeing all Year 11 families at our Progress Evening on Wednesday 11 March. Parents/carers should have received all of the relevant information, but if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Congratulations to Erin, Haleemah, Rosie, Isobel, Seth, Molly and Shirley who came along to Principal’s Breakfast this morning. I never cease to be amazed by the efforts and achievements of our students – it is always a pleasure to chat and get to know them a little better. Well done to you all.
Have a great weekend and we’ll see everyone back in school on Monday for a ‘B’ Week.
With best wishes,
Kavina Rothenburg
Principal
Dates for your diary
- 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
- Monday 13 April: School reopens after 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 – English
Conversation starters
World Book Day fell this week which was exciting news for Year 7! Linking to their class study of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, the children enjoyed lessons based on this text in periods 1, 2 and 3 on Thursday, taught by colleagues from all around the school. Ask your child how they were able to use their language skills to persuade their teacher that Narnia – a land under the harsh rule of the White Witch and where it is always winter and never Christmas – is actually THE perfect holiday destination!
Year 8 – Maths
Conversation starters
There are five key instructions to follow in algebra: simplify, substitute, solve, expand and factorise. Can students explain or give an example of how they have used these words in Maths?
Year 9 – Science
Conversation starters
Year 9 students have started their GCSE studies this week. Students are learning about Cells, Atomic Structure and Energy. Can students name the parts of an animal and plant cell? Can students draw and label the parts of an atom? Can students name eight energy stores?
All Year 9 students have Weekly Science Homework to complete on Sparx Science – this is due every Thursday at 9.00am. The next Sparx Science Homework is due on Thursday 12 March. All Year 9 GCSE Science are uploaded to the Year 9 Google Classroom.
Year 10 – Global
Conversation starters
- Computing: All of Paper 1 has now been covered. We will now move onto practising Python programming while still recalling Paper 1 content.
- French: We are studying our new topic about health and wellbeing. We’re starting to discuss mental health and staying calm. Can your child talk about how they take care of their mental health in French?
- German: We are studying our new topic about health and wellbeing. Can your child talk about how they stay healthy, the sports they do and the food they eat?
Year 11 – Humanities
Conversation starters
- RE: We are coming to the end of the third theme students need to learn about exploring ideas about Crime and Punishment. How is UK law different to law in Islamic countries? What are the three aims of punishment? How do Muslims treat criminals? What are their responses to the death penalty? What does Islam teach about forgiveness? We are also focusing on our exam technique and exploring how we answer four, five and twelve-mark questions successfully as a reflection from their mock PPE.
- History: What trouble did Elizabeth I face at home and abroad? You could ask your child: How did Elizabeth deal with the threats from Catholics and Puritans? How did she handle Mary Queen of Scots? Did Elizabeth want Mary Queen of Scots executed, given that whilst she signed her death warrant, she did not seal it? Why did the Spanish Armada’s attack in 1588 ultimately fail? Was leadership, tactics, the crew of the ships, the weapons or the weather the most important factor in the defeat of the Armada?
- Geography: What are the six features of a post industrial economy? What is the N/S divide? What is one strategy other than infrastructure improvements used to reduce the N/S divide?
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.
World Book Day
Yesterday we celebrated World Book Day at Millthorpe, and it was fantastic to see so many students getting involved in the day’s activities.
Students in Year 7 were taught bespoke lessons on the book which they have been studying, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Students in Years 8-11 had a section of a short story read to them at the beginning of each lesson to promote a love for reading.
At lunchtime there were lots of activities for all students to try out and it was great to see how many of them got involved. Some of the activities included guess the author, name the characters from the books on show and write a short story. There were many prizes handed out as well to the lucky winners of these competitions.
World Book Day is a special opportunity to celebrate the enjoyment of reading. We hope the enthusiasm shown by our students will inspire them to continue, or even increase, the amount they read as part of their daily routine.
The Invisible Man Theatre Company
On Friday 13 March we are welcoming ‘The Invisible Man Theatre Company’ back to Millthorpe, to deliver a wonderful play about risky behaviour, followed by a 45-minute workshop. This supports the Personal Development curriculum.
This production is aimed at Year 10 students and is called ‘Inside Out’. The synopsis is:
“Commissioned to examine Mental Health and what is/isn’t a healthy relationship to be in, Inside Out follows several young people in their mid-late teens to see how the world they live in impacts on their wellbeing.
One young couple struggle with what it means to their future now that they’re pregnant. Another couple struggle with their future, and the impact of existing mental health conditions on their relationship.
The play actively avoids labels to conditions, but the action directly examines self-harm, anxiety and depression and eating disorders, to name but a few. Looking also at teenage pregnancy, child sexual exploitation and a suite of behaviours and environmental conditions that may lead to deteriorating mental health for us all, Inside Out is a very honest start to a dialogue about how we each personally affect and are affected by the world around us.”
If any parents or carers have any questions or concerns regarding their child’s attendance in this play and workshop, please contact Year 10 Progress Leader, Mrs Pennington.
Millthorpe Eco-Book Swap
A reminder that the Eco-Book Swap event will take place next Thursday 12 March in the main hall after school.
We have already received a large number of books – thank you to everyone who has already donated – but we would like even more! Please let us have any books you or your child no longer wants or needs, by the end of the day on Wednesday 11 March.
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.
Experiences of the workplace
Last week we launched our ‘Experiences of the Workplace’ initiative with Year 10. Representatives from GMI Construction, FIS (TYSIS), Indigo Greens, NYBEP, Scarborough TEC and York College came into school to launch their work-based projects with groups of students and then on Wednesday this week, students were given the day to produce a presentation answering the employer’s brief, and solving the real-life problem they had been given.
During the day, students were also engaged in workshops focusing on public speaking and how to be employable. This meant that they had to plan their time carefully in order to be able to complete their presentation to deadline.
Next Monday, the employers are coming back into school and the students will present their findings to their employer who will then give each group feedback on how well they met the brief, how effective their presentation was and how well they worked together as a team.
Thank you to all our companies who are supporting our Experiences of the Workplace project – your input is invaluable!
Year 11 Challenge
Dear Year 11 Parents and Carers,
We are launching our next Year 11 Challenge, and we are asking for your support to help every student take part.
Our students are working incredibly hard – from the moment school opens each morning to the many after‑school intervention sessions they attend. To recognise this effort, we would love to reward them with another fun year‑group event.
After speaking with students, the most popular choice was a return of Barbour’s Bingo, which was a huge hit just before Christmas.
To secure a place at the event, students must achieve 100% attendance during the challenge period: Monday 9 March to Friday 20 March. This means being in school every day and on time. They also need to ensure that they don’t receive any red tray removals from lessons.
If your child has a medical appointment or a genuine medical issue during this period, please email me so we can record it appropriately and ensure it does not affect their eligibility.
If a student does not meet the attendance criteria, they unfortunately won’t be able to attend Barbour’s Bingo, which is why your support is so important. We want every member of the Year 11 team to be able to join us.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support.
Mrs Cook
Year 7 Interform Challenge
Congratulations to 7MTU who were last week’s winners in the Year 7 interform challenge!
Participants managed to build the tallest tower in the five-minute time limit. Their teamwork was impeccable, and they gave it their all, despite Miss Richards implementing a tough rule – based on the story of the Tower of Babel – of having to complete the task in complete and utter silence. She sadly wasn’t able to make them all speak in completely different languages, so this had to do!
Next up is our Drama interform challenge. We are eager to see who can knock 7MTU off the winners’ podium.
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!
Job of the Week – Judge
Judges use their experience and knowledge of the legal system to conduct trials in a fair and legally compliant way. They take on a range of different cases that could include civil, criminal or juvenile cases. Being able to reason, communicate tactfully and demonstrate close attention to detail are all very important in this role. To become a judge, you would already need to be a barrister or solicitor, usually requiring a minimum of seven years of experience.
Watch this video for more information about becoming a Judge.
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 yesterday was World Book Day, this week we wanted to bring you a talk all about books and publishing.
If you have ever wondered how books make their way from the publisher’s desk to bestseller lists, media headlines, and bookshop displays, this talk, ‘A Day in the Life of a Children’s Book Publicist’, about the exciting world of children’s book publicity is a must-listen! Beatrice Cross, Freelance Publicist and Former Publicity Director, Bloomsbury Children’s Books talks about working with famous authors to planning book launches and securing press coverage, the highs, the challenges, and the unexpected moments of working in publishing.
Just click the image below to view.
Parent Carer Forum York
To find out more about events and support available from the Parent Carer Forum, please take a look at their latest newsletter here.
Family Information Service
The Family Information Service is a free and impartial universal service available to any family with children from pregnanacy up to 19 years (or up to 25 years old if the child has special educational needs or disabilities).
The attached poster has details of a host of support services that can be accessed by families or professionals.
To find out more please visit raiseyork.co.uk, email: fis@york.gov.uk or call: 01904 554444.
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!
Community notices from the Friends of Rowntree Park
Wild Ones – outdoor group for girls aged 10-16
Calling all adventurous girls! Wild Ones is an outdoor group in Rowntree Park designed especially for older girls who want to feel inspired, challenged and free in nature.
New block starts Wednesday 15 April, 6.00-7.30pm, and runs until 20 May.
Run by qualified forest school practitioners (both Millthorpe parents), these sessions are all about building confidence, resilience and wellbeing through real, hands-on experiences in a safe natural space.
Expect things like:
• Using woodworking tools
• Bushcraft skills
• Nature crafts and conservation action
• Campfire cooking and foraging
• Exploring, chatting and just being – lots of time in hammocks!
These sessions are partly funded by the North Yorkshire Police and Fire & Crime Commissioner to help girls build skills to keep themselves safe. We ask for a small £21 donation for the block to cover refreshments, but this is not compulsory. If cost is a barrier, please get in touch. Book your place here.
Wild Ones is part of the Make Space York project, creating welcoming parks for teenage girls.
Become a Trustee – Friends of Rowntree Park
Become a Trustee and help shape the future of Rowntree Park.
The Friends of Rowntree Park is the charity that helps care for and improve this much-loved green space. Our volunteers garden, litter pick, support wildlife, and run events and projects that bring the community together.
We’re now looking for new trustees to join our board and help guide the charity. You don’t need to be an expert in parks or the environment. What matters most is that you care about the park and want to support the volunteers and work that helps it thrive.
If you’ve ever thought about getting more involved in your community, this could be a great way to make a difference.
Further information can be found here.
National Saturday Club
The National Saturday Club is an established UK-wide network, that gives 13-16-year-olds the unique opportunity to study subjects they love for FREE, on a Saturday at their local university, college or cultural institution.
The Club provides a welcoming space for young people to build their skills, develop their confidence, and discover pathways to further study and future creative careers. With a particular focus on engaging young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and underrepresented communities the National Saturday Club’s established model has proven impact.
There are two clubs in York that still have spaces available:
For more information and to apply to join the club please follow the above links.
#WakeUpWednesday – Ten Top Tips for Parents and Educators: Creative Ways to Encourage Reading
With reading for pleasure in decline, this practical guide offers ten thoughtful ways to reignite children’s enthusiasm for books. From valuing all forms of reading to broadening access to diverse materials, it explores how adults can nurture positive reading habits both at home and in school. Digital tools, audiobooks and augmented reality are also considered as engaging ways to support today’s readers.
It also highlights the power of social connection – recommending books, reading together and meeting authors – alongside the importance of modelling reading ourselves. With expert insight from literacy specialist Carl Pattison, this edition provides supportive, achievable ideas to help young people reconnect with reading and see it as a meaningful part of everyday life.
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.
