Weekly email – 8 May 2026

A message from Mrs Rothenburg

Wishing everyone a fantastic weekend – we’ll see everyone back in school on Monday for an ‘A’ Week.

Kavina Rothenburg
Principal

Dates for your diary

• Friday 22 May: School closes for half-term break
• Monday 1 June: School reopens after half-term break
• Thursday 4 June: Moving to Millthorpe – PE event

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
Year 7 has begun their final unit of the year – Animal Antics – which, as its name suggests, explores the presentation of animals and the human relationship with animals as it is portrayed through a variety of texts. Students will get a chance to look at poetry and non-fiction this half term, before embarking on the exciting modern class reader, Dog, by Andy Mulligan. Ask your child what they have studied and learned so far this term.

Year 8 – Maths
Conversation starters

• Students are blending their algebra and geometry skills in a topic on graphs. 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
Year 9 has 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 9.00am! The next Sparx Science Homework is due on Thursday 14 May. All Year 9 GCSE Science are uploaded to the Year 9 Google classroom.

Year 10 – Global
Conversation starters

• French: Students are working on the topic of holidays, using different tenses such as the conditional, to describe what they would like to do, and the imperfect, to describe what they used to do when they were younger. Can they talk about their holidays at the moment, and what they’re going to do this summer on holiday? Students should focus on learning vocabulary and consolidating their knowledge of tenses, in preparation for their PPEs.
• German: Students have completed their speaking assessment on the topic of healthy living and will be moving on to a new topic about house and home. Can they tell you about what they do to feel healthy? Students should focus on learning vocabulary and consolidating their knowledge of tenses, in preparation for their PPEs.
• Computing: Students have been recapping all of the topics on Paper 1 which is nearly done just in time for PPE after the half term. Students have also been doing programming in preparation for Year 11. This has mostly been the basics such as inputs and output but we have also looked at selection and some iteration.

Year 11 – Humanities
Conversation starters

• History: Unsurprisingly, students are spending their final few lessons with us revising all four modules which make up their GCSE History course: Germany 1890-1945, Conflict in Asia 1950-75, Britain: Health and the People c1,000-present, and Elizabethan England 1558-1603. All students have paper copies of the GCSE History Exam Rubric and all revision materials, and these are also posted on Google Classroom. We know that the essay question on Health and the People will ask about the influence of seven factors (war, religion and superstition, individuals, government, science and technology, communication, luck/chance) so please ensure that your child is confident in giving examples of these seven factors from across the whole 1,000-year study, in key areas such as understanding the causes of disease, treating disease, surgery and anatomy, and public health developments. Please encourage your child to bring their revision guide with them to lessons. I have asked students to let me know if there are any topic areas or types of questions that they’d like to focus on, so please encourage them to speak to me about this; that way we can tailor the revision to any areas of weakness.
• Geography: Students have now completed the course content for their Geography studies and should be focusing on revision in preparation for their upcoming exam. Their Paper 1 exam on Physical Geography will take place on 14 May. This paper covers key topics such as: Natural Hazards – Earthquakes, tropical storms, climate change; The Living World – Ecosystems, rainforests, and hot deserts; Physical Landscapes in the UK – Coastal and river landscapes, key processes, and landforms. At this stage, students should be consolidating their knowledge by: Reviewing past papers and practising exam-style questions; Strengthening their case study knowledge for real-world examples; Using revision guides, flashcards, and summary notes to reinforce key ideas; Practising timed responses to develop exam technique and confidence. Encouraging structured revision and checking their understanding will be key to success in this exam. If they need extra guidance, resources like online tutorials, revision websites, and teacher support are great ways to boost confidence before exam day.
• Religious Studies: Year 11 students have now completed the course content for their exam and should be focusing on revision in preparation for their upcoming exams. Paper 1: Tuesday 12 May (Christian Beliefs and Teachings, Christian Practices, Islam Beliefs and Teachings and Islam Practices. Paper 2: Wednesday 20 May (Theme A: Relationships and Families. Theme B: religion and Life. Theme E: Crime and Punishment. Theme F: Human Rights and Social Justice.)

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.

Change to uniform

As we continue to refine our uniform policy to make it as appropriate and affordable as possible, we are proposing a straightforward change: to make our blazers optional. This will be from the beginning of next half term (1 June) until the end of next academic year (July 2027), when we’ll review and consider phasing them out altogether. The rest of the uniform will remain the same, including the jumper, which will remain optional.

Why are we doing this?
Blazers are reasonably practical garments but we are no longer convinced that the cost per item is justifiable. Previous student voice suggests that they would welcome the requirement for blazers being relaxed or withdrawn. The world has changed since we first introduced blazers around 12 years ago, and they no longer feel as relevant. The jumper, as a way to keep warm, is more affordable, more similar to what students are used to at primary school, and many families previously ended up buying both in any case.

Why are we planning to make them optional in the first instance?
We recognise that many families have invested in blazers that have plenty of wear left in them and that there are students who will be happy to continue wearing them. It also gives students the chance to get used to not having a blazer, eg not having as many pockets!

What about the rest of the uniform?
Over the coming months, we will be looking at other aspects of the uniform to make sure it fulfils its purpose as well as possible. As you know, we’ll soon be introducing shorts, which will be available from Keal Teamwear after half term. We are experiencing some supply chain issues, which means that they are expected to be in stock by mid-June. Any further proposals will be shared with you as we move forward.

How will we gather views?
As this is a straightforward change that we expect to be widely supported by both students and families, we will be using a simple straw poll to confirm this or otherwise. Students have been asked for a show of hands in form time this morning and parents/carers can complete this very short Google form: Uniform Change Survey between now and 22 May. We’ll seek further views as we look more widely at uniform next year.

Attendance events – information for families

On Wednesday, students in Years 7, 8 and 9 took part in a one‑hour session either enjoying Retro Sports Day on the Astro or joining Mrs Rothenburg in the Main Hall for a session on the importance of attendance, target setting and a fun quiz.

As you know, these activities were linked to the attendance criteria shared with families before the Easter break.

We are now pleased to share details of two further attendance‑linked events taking place this term.

Ice Lollies and Lawn Games – 12 June
Qualifying window: Monday 11 May – Friday 5 June (three weeks)

Beats Bingo (External Provider) – 16 July
Qualifying window: Monday 11 May – Friday 10 July (eight weeks)

Updated eligibility criteria
Following feedback from parents and students, we have reviewed and improved the criteria for attendance‑linked events. Students will now be invited if they meet either of the following:

100% attendance during the qualifying window

• Students with no absences or only absences supported by medical evidence will qualify.
• Please can parents contact their child’s Progress Leader if their child has historic / ongoing medical issues.

95%+ attendance from September 2025 to the end of the qualifying window

• These students will be automatically invited, regardless of any absence during the qualifying window.

Readathon

Millthorpe will once again be supporting the local charity Readathon from Monday 11 May until 5 June.

Students in Years 7-9 are invited to take part by gathering sponsorship for the time they spend reading. The money raised will help provide books for children in hospital, while also supporting the purchase of new books for the Millthorpe school library.

Millthope has run this initiative for many years, and last year students raised a fantastic £1171.

Please can you encourage your child to take part in this initiative. Students will be given a sponsorship card in form time on Monday 11 May. Any donations they receive can be paid in through this link.

If students in Year 10 or 11 would like to be involved, they can – they just need to collect a sponsorship card from the library.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Job of the Week – Restaurant Manager

Restaurant Managers ensure that the restaurant operates safely and effectively, whilst making profit and maintaining a good reputation. They are also responsible for recruitment, training, management and motivation of staff, ensuring they are providing a good service. Restaurant managers must maintain high standards at all times, including health and safety, quality control, stock listing and hygiene. You do not need a degree or HND to become a restaurant manager as you can train on the job or take an apprenticeship. It is helpful to have practical experience and strong interpersonal skills.

Watch this video for more information about becoming a Restaurant Manager.

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 our Year 11s continue with their GCSE exams, we wanted to share this talk from Solomon N’Jie called ‘Where your choices can take you’ and looks at the concept of just taking that next step.

Solomon is the first black rugby player in the UK who went on to become President of the club he started at, Wasps UK. He’s also worked in the RAF, the Olympics and Microsoft and these moments all came from him taking a first step. In this talk he shares his story of hardship, taking chances and gaining of skills that have helped him build and success in his career. It ends with a simple, empowering challenge inspired by Martin Luther King Jr: you don’t need to see the whole future, just take the next step.

Just click the image below to view.

SEND Central in May

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 this month.

Every Wednesday morning term time there is a preschool playgroup for SEND that alternates between York Inspirational Kids, Portage and Raise York Parent champion led.

Friday 8 May 1pm- 2pm: Elective Home Education: An information session led by our Local Authority School Attendance Lead around Elective Home Education, if you want to understand more about the process or have questions please come along.

Friday 22 May 11am-12pm: An Information Session about Post-16 Education and Employment Pathways: The City of York Council Skills Team will offer a drop in around support and pathways that may be available for young people Post-16 in York.

Think Together Workshops

Wednesday 20 May 10am-11.30am: Energy Accounting Theory: Helping manage energy levels with Autistic young people
This workshop will introduce energy accounting, how we can plan into a daily week and how to build ourselves up when already low on energy. No need to book.

Wednesday 27 May 10.30am-1.30pm: Branding and Understanding Workshop
Think Together are inviting young people/parents/carers and professionals to help them understand what our offer is and shape the look and feel of it going forward. Free food and drink. No need to book.

**Please note: Over the May half term on Monday, Tuesday and Friday the regular reception drop in at SEND Central will be closed**

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.

Free basketball event for girls

Join York Eagles for a Basketball England ‘Her World Her Rules’ skills camp for girls aged 8 to 14.

‘Her World, Her Rules’ is a national initiative designed to inspire, empower and support girls in basketball, creating positive, fun and inclusive experiences on and off the Court. Whether you’re trying basketball for the first time or already love the game, this is a brilliant opportunity to get involved.

The event takes place on 10 May, 2.00-4.00pm at Millthorpe School

The Camp is completely FREE and participants will receive a free T-shirt.

You can register here.

Make Space Festival – June 2026

The Make Space Festival is back this June, bringing two weekends of free activities for teenage girls in York’s parks:

• 13 and 14 June: Rowntree Park
• 20 and 21 June: Homestead Park

The festival offers a wide range of sessions including sports and movement, arts and crafts, nature connection, social awareness and much more. Aimed primarily at girls aged 10-18 (with some activities suitable from age 8+), the festival is designed to be relaxed, welcoming and inclusive.

The festival is part of the Make Space York project, which works to ensure parks feel safe, inclusive and welcoming for teenage girls.

You can view the full programme and book sessions here.

#WakeUpWednesday – Top tips for helping neurodivergent children navigate the online world

Neurodivergent children are often drawn to technology, so early, supported experiences online are key. This Wake Up Wednesday guide explores how adults can model positive digital behaviour, set age-appropriate limits and create open, judgement-free conversations about online safety. It also highlights the importance of balancing screen use with offline activities to support wellbeing and development.

It also unpacks emerging challenges, including AI-generated content and the blurred lines between real and simulated interactions. With clear, practical advice on boundaries, critical thinking and safe communication, this guide helps educators and families build confidence in supporting neurodivergent children to navigate the digital world safely and 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.