A message from Mrs Rothenburg
No sooner had we said goodbye to our Year 11 students and noticed the school grow a little quieter, than we were welcoming our new cohort of Year 7s for their transition events this week – and school felt fuller again for a short while! On Monday evening, our new students and their families came along to Transition Evening when they got to meet their form tutors and other students who will be in their form. On Wednesday, our new Year 7s spent the whole day with us – they were absolute superstars and we are so excited for them to join us in September.
Some of our students were lucky enough to take part in the Wimbledon trip earlier this week, and what a time they had! The weather was glorious, and in addition to enjoying some incredible tennis, they also got to do some whistlestop sightseeing and shopping in central London.
Today, our Year 7 Geographers have enjoyed a field trip to Bolton Abbey where they gained invaluable first-hand experience of a rapidly changing upland river environment. The group only returned an hour or so ago, so I have yet to hear the full details about the trip, but I have been told that the students behaved beautifully and were a real credit to the school.
Congratulations to all those students who took part in the York and District Athletics Finals at York University at the end of last month. There were some standout performances, which you can read more about below, but everyone who took part should be very proud that they made it to the finals. Well done all!
It was lovely to welcome a small group of students to have breakfast with me this morning, including Tansy, Elsa, Eddie and Niamh, who were all nominated by their faculty.
Next week, we have several events to look forward to. On Monday, our Languages department will be hosting a French Café experience for Year 5 pupils from our Trust primary schools. We can’t wait to welcome them, and their families, into school.
On Monday evening, we will gather for our Recognition Evening to celebrate the success and progress of those students who have a real passion for learning or who work relentlessly to make good progress, or who have been selected by Heads of Department to receive an award in their subject. This is always a special event, and we are looking forward to celebrating our students’ success.
We’re also holding our annual Sports Day on Tuesday when we can all enjoy lots of sporting activities and some healthy competition. The weather forecast looks very promising, so fingers crossed we get a fine day!
Some of our students will be taking part in the Trust’s SportFest on Wednesday next week at York Sport Village. This is a fantastic opportunity for all of the Excel Learning Trust schools to come together to collaborate, champion and celebrate each other’s athletic achievements.
On Friday 11 July our Student Leaders are organising a Charity Day in aid of Save the Children. Our Student Leaders have been working hard to plan fun and meaningful fundraising activities, and we’re looking forward to seeing the whole school community get involved. You can read more below.
Beginning on Monday next week, some of our outgoing Year 11s will have their artwork displayed in the Excel Learning Trust Art Exhibition at City Screen, alongside the work of other students from across the Trust. Please do go along if you can – the work is incredible! Further details can be found below.
Have a lovely weekend and we’ll see everyone back in school on Monday for a ‘B’ Week.
With best wishes,
Kavina Rothenburg
Principal
What is my child learning at the moment?
Please see below to find out what your child has been learning this week in order to have productive discussions about their education:
Year 7 – English
Conversation starters
Year 7 are continuing with their study of our amazing class reader, Dog, by celebrated author Andy Mulligan. As they follow the exciting and heartwarming adventures of its animal and human protagonists, students are getting the opportunity to learn about complex philosophical ideas – such as affluenza – and advanced writing techniques, such as stream-of-consciousness. Ask your child what they are enjoying most about Dog – and what they think will happen at the end!
Year 8 – Maths
Conversation starters
What information do you need to plot a linear graph? How can you tell if lines are parallel, or share a y-intercept? What algebra skills are you using in this topic to help you plot and interpret your graphs?
Year 9 – Science
Conversation starters
In Science, Year 9 students have started their GCSE studies. 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 9am! The next, and last Sparx Science Homework of the term, is due on Thursday 10 July. We are really excited to launch GCSE Sparx Science to support the students with their learning. All Year 9 Science lessons are uploaded to the Year 9 Science Google classroom.
Year 10 – Global
Conversation starters
- Computing: We are looking at the environmental issues relating to computing such as e-waste and pollution caused by manufacturing.
- French and German: We have finished our PPEs, and students are using dedicated time in the classroom to evaluate their areas of strength, and how to improve in each of the reading, listening, writing and speaking papers, before we start the topic of holidays.
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.
Raffle tickets now on sale – win a hamper!
We’re excited to announce that raffle tickets are now available to purchase via ParentPay, until Thursday 10 July.
Tickets are just £1 per entry, and there’s no limit to how many times you can enter – the more tickets you buy, the better your chances of winning one of our fabulous hampers!
All proceeds will go towards the installation of additional water fountains around the school site. Thank you to the Student Leaders for organising.
Don’t miss out – get your tickets today!
Charity Day
As you will know, our Student Leaders are organising a Charity Day on Friday 11 July, to raise funds for Save the Children.
From Monday 7 July, students can bring money into school to donate to vote for which teacher they would like to see get a gunging! The teachers with the most money donated will be gunged in front of the school at lunchtime on Friday.
Students can also ‘Guess the Dinosaur’s Name’ to win a giant dinosaur teddy – the winner will be announced on Friday, together with the raffle prize winners.
Student leaders will be in the canopy at break and lunchtime every day next week to collect donations and register votes.
On Friday 11 July, everyone is encouraged to wear a splash of red (as an addition to their uniform) to show support for Save the Children.
On the day, there will also be a bake sale at break and lunchtime, so we need donations of baked goods please. And don’t forget to bring in some change to buy yourselves a sweet treat!
If anyone is still able to donate a raffle prize, no matter how big or small, we’d be very grateful – details can be found on the attached document, where you can also find full information about our Charity Day.
Thank you for your support.
Road safety
We have seen an increase in parents/carers dropping their children off directly outside the school gates, especially at the rear entrance (Philadelphia Terrace off Albemarle Road) at the start of the school day. In order to keep all children safe, especially the overwhelming majority who arrive on foot or on a bicycle, parents/carers are kindly asked to avoid stopping on these roads, especially on the yellow hatchings directly outside the school gates. This causes congestion for other road users but more importantly, poses a risk to student safety. If you need to drop your child off at school, please do so away from the school gates in a safe place.
At the end of the day, if you are collecting your child in a car, please avoid waiting on Albemarle Road at the bottom of the Philadelphia Terrace hill. Many students need to cross the road here and their visibility of oncoming traffic is often hindered by parked cars, many of which are collecting other Millthorpe students.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter so that we can keep all students safe.
Flamingo Land & Yorkshire Wildlife Park, September 2025
The deadline for payments for either trip has been extended to Tuesday 8 July. Please pay the full amount on ParentPay by this date if your child (currently in Years 7-10) wishes to attend, as we need to book tickets and coach travel. If there are any issues, please contact Mrs Brown in Finance.
New caterer – Aspens
We are excited to announce that from September, a new caterer will be delivering school meals at Millthorpe and across the Trust. Aspens are experienced school food specialists and were selected following a competitive tender process involving all the Trust schools. You can find more information about their secondary school offer here.
Nut allergy reminder
In the UK around 1 in 200 adults have an allergy to nuts (the figure for young people isn’t as clear because it often goes undiagnosed until later in life) which makes it the most common type of severe food allergy. Some reactions are so extreme that the individual may experience symptoms even if a packet of nuts is opened near to them and accidental contact can cause severe symptoms. We have several students and staff with serious nut allergies and may have more who are currently undiagnosed.
Please can parents/carers be mindful of this when they are putting together snacks and packed lunches? We recognise that many students really enjoy nuts as a snack, but can we politely request that they are not brought into school in support of the students and staff that suffer from this sometimes extreme and potentially dangerous food allergy. We also ask that students refrain from sharing food they have brought in if there is any risk of accidental exposure to nut products.
Site Security and Safeguarding Project – New fencing plans
We are pleased to inform you that we will be installing new fencing across the school site this summer to make it safer and more secure. This is part of a project to improve security across the Trust, financed by their capital funding grant (School Condition Allowance).
The fencing will form a secure boundary around all of the school buildings, so we will no longer need to rely on biometric (thumbprint) locks during lessons, which we acknowledge have sometimes been a source of frustration for students. The fencing and gates have been designed to be sensitive to the aesthetics of the existing school site and to allow safe circulation of students between lessons, whilst keeping the space inside school as secure as possible during the school day.
Lockers
A reminder that all lockers need to be emptied and locks removed before the summer break.
Year 7 and 8 cricketers victorious against Bootham School
Our Year 7 and 8 cricketers recently took on Bootham School in a hundred-ball match – and won by six wickets!
George followed up an impressive four wicket haul by being joint top scorer with the bat with Megan, and ably assisted by Jayden.
A great evening of cricket was had by all!
Year 7 tennis at Rowntree Park
Last Friday, a group of Year 7 girls went to Rowntree Park to take part in a small tennis tournament run by Rowntree Park Tennis Club and their head coach Jill de la Pla. Jill has previously been into school to deliver some bespoke sessions to all of the Year 7 girls through their PE lessons. The initiative is funded by the LTA who want to raise the participation levels of girls and women in tier sport.
We had a wonderful time, playing several games of tennis (doubles play) and learning a lot from the numerous volunteers at the club who came to help. They coached the girls on court, helping with positioning and also scored the games with the girls. The students were a credit to our school, showing grit and determination in their matches against All Saints and Fulford Schools, who had brought older children to the tournament.
Huge congratulations to all who took part and a special well done to Megan who won Millthorpe’s player of the tournament.
If anyone is interested in having tennis coaching, Rowntree Park Tennis Club runs a club for young people aged 10-14. There is a girls only club on a Thursday for an hour between 4.00-5.00pm, followed by a mixed club from 5.00-6.00pm.
If you would like more information, please don’t hesitate to contact Miss Watts at admin@millthorpe.elt.org.uk.
Athletics record holders
We’ve already had some athletics records broken this year – and who knows, more may go at next week’s Sports Day! Check out our records as they stand below:
A message from the Student Librarian Team
As we approach the end of this academic year, I’d like to take this opportunity to remind all students who have borrowed books from the library, to start thinking about returning them.
Students in Years 7 and 8 have a library lesson once a fortnight, during which they have the opportunity to return, renew and borrow books from the library. However, most classes only have one library lesson left before the end of the year so they may not be able to return books as they don’t come into the library during social times.
Please can you ensure that all books are returned by Friday 18 July at the latest – ideally earlier if possible. Ms Brooks, myself, and the rest of the student librarians can then begin preparing the library for September so that everyone has an organised social space where they can continue to return, renew and borrow books.
Anyone wanting to borrow a book over the summer holidays should speak to one of the student librarians during the last week of term to arrange this. (We cannot do this before the last week of term as books would be marked as overdue before we break up for the summer holidays.)
Thank you for your continued support during what is always the busiest part of the year.
George D
Library Team Lead
York & District School’s Athletics Finals
On Tuesday 24 June, qualifying athletes travelled to the University of York to compete at the York & District Schools’ Athletics Finals. All of our athletes performed brilliantly and should be incredibly proud of their achievements.
Outstanding performances included:
Year 7
- Esme L won gold in the 200m with a time of 26.0 secs
- Year 7 girls relay team won gold with a time of 58.67 secs
Year 8
- Imogen B won gold in the high jump with an impressive jump of 1.45m and took silver in the 75m hurdles with a time of 12.50secs
- Immy B won gold in the javelin with a distance of 20.27secs and took silver in the 100m with a time of 13.64secs
- Rosie D won gold in the 800m
- Marianne L took gold in the 1500m
- Jacob L took silver in the javelin with an impressive throw of 22.20m
Year 10
- Ruby L won silver in the 300m with a time of 45.77 secs
- Fin T won gold in the discus with a distance of 21.05m
- Oliver R took bronze in the javelin with a throw of 27.28m
Well done to everyone who took part!
Alice wins first place at national gymnastics debut!
Well done to Alice C in Year 9 who represented Leeds Gymnastics Club last weekend, competing at her first national competition in Leicester.
Alice came first on floor and first overall out of 43 gymnasts! Great job Alice – well done!
Excel Learning Trust Art Exhibition
From 7-19 July, artwork by pupils from across Excel Learning Trust will be on display in an exhibition at City Screen in York.
The exhibition includes the work of six of our Year 11 Art students who have just left us, several of whom have a couple of pieces on display.
The exhibition is free to enter during cinema opening hours and you do not need to be viewing a film to visit.
Job of the Week – Hydrogeologist
Hydrogeologists study the distribution, quality and flow of water underground. In this role you can make a positive contribution to the environment, protecting and managing groundwater resources and could work for charities or NGOs to create water sources for those in need. You will need a good degree and a Masters degree in a related field.
Watch this video for more information about becoming a Hydrogeologist.
Speakers for Schools – inspirational talks
This year sees the launch of ‘Create Week’, which runs from 1-7 July, so we’re featuring a talk about careers in the creative industries.
In ‘Future Roles in the Creative Industries (marketing, media, advertising and tech)’ you will hear from ADventure (part of the Brixton Finishing School family) and creative industry representatives as they provide real and practical insights for students who are considering pathways into the creative industries.
Learn more about some of the entry level roles; how to find those first work opportunities; what kinds of skills, attributes and experiences employers are looking for; and how tech and AI are shaping the future of the industry.
Just click the image below to view.
York Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme
York’s Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme offers fun activities for keeping active, being creative, and trying something new over the Easter, summer, and winter school holidays.
Children and young people in receipt of benefits-related free school meals can receive up to sixteen sessions of free activities during the summer holidays. Each day will include: a healthy meal and a selection of activities ranging from sports, drama and creative workshops, nature activities, and more.
The York Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme Summer Activity Brochure (23 July – 31 August 2025) can be seen here. Information is also available on the HAF web page on the Raise York website.
Parent Carer Forum
To find out more about events and support available from the Parent Carer Forum, please take a look at their latest newsletter here.
York College – ‘Getting Sorted drop-in events
York College is holding two ‘Getting Sorted’ events in the summer holidays:
- Tuesday 29 July, 10.00am – 3.00pm
- Tuesday 5 August, 10.00am – 3.00pm
These events are aimed at students who plan to start at York College in September and may be feeling particularly anxious about this and their new environment. Parents and carers are very welcome too!
Students will meet the Wellbeing team, discuss the support available, and can visit key areas of the College and their subject classrooms if they feel it would be reassuring to see where they will be based. There will also be a wide range of support teams to chat to if you have questions about travel, funding, careers choices etc.
For more information, please contact Julie Murgatroyd E: wellbeing@yorkcollege.ac.uk
Time Out for Parents: The Teenage Years
Family Matters York is hosting its ‘Time Out For Parents: The Teenage Years‘ course once again in the autumn.
#WakeUpWednesday – A Guide to Apple iPads
Tablets have transformed the way children learn and play, but are they always a safe choice? This #WakeUpWednesday guide from The National College focuses on the ever-popular iPad and how to use it responsibly with younger users. We explore key concerns such as exposure to harmful content, data collection by apps and the possibility of screen addiction.
This guide also offers practical advice on using Apple’s own tools to limit screen time, filter content and prevent unwanted purchases. With expert insights and clear recommendations, it’s essential reading for parents and educators keen to make iPad use safer and smarter. 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 Mrs Cole, Mrs Cooper or Mr Beever during school hours by emailing safeguarding@millthorpe.southbank.academy, you may wish to make direct contact with the 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.
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