Millthorpe School celebrated the rich diversity of its community this week as it hosted its second annual Culture Day.
Students and staff were invited to wear traditional dress to celebrate their culture and several students shared personal cultural insights at the Culture Day Fair which ran throughout the day.
The fair, which was organised by students, showcased a wide range of cultures, with more than 60 students and staff representing countries including Nigeria, Ukraine, Scotland, France, Macedonia, India, Ireland and Egypt amongst others. They proudly showcased their heritage through activities, food and storytelling. During form time students watched a short video created by their peers and staff teaching everyone how to say ‘hello’ and ‘how are you?’ in their home language, whilst at the beginning of each lesson, students took part in a variety of activities representing some of the different cultures at Millthorpe, designed to broaden everyone’s understanding of different traditions and perspectives.
Food from around the world was available at lunchtime, kindly donated by Aspen’s, the school’s catering partner, and at the Culture Day Fair, giving everyone an opportunity to try a cuisine they may not have eaten before. Students also experienced different cultures through traditional dance workshops, live music and a culture quiz.
Throughout the day, further cultural opportunities were available for students including a popular henna station where they could create their own design and the chance to browse the mobile library which contained a range of fiction and non-fiction books from different cultures. The event concluded with families being invited into school to visit the fair and celebrate alongside students and staff.
Hannah Boyd, Vice Principal at Millthorpe School said “With over a thousand students in our school and more than a hundred staff, we wanted to celebrate the many backgrounds, traditions and experiences that make us who we are. This year’s student-led event builds on the success of last year’s Culture Day and it was inspiring to see students take pride in sharing their heritage and to watch others engage with such curiosity and respect. Events like this help to build understanding, strengthen connections and remind us of the importance of inclusion in everything we do, as well as embodying our school values of Fairness, Hard Work and Ambition.
“A huge thank you to everyone who got involved and a special mention to all the families who prepared food and cooked meals to share at the Culture Day Fair.”
Millthorpe School belongs to Excel Learning Trust alongside York High School, Inspire Academy, Carr Junior School and Knavesmire, Scarcroft and Woodthorpe Primary Schools.
24 April 2026
