Principal’s Weekly Post – Week 24

It’s been a wonderful week at York High School. 

Our Year 11 students have embarked on their final mock exams this week. Their attitude, attendance and approach to these vital exams has been so impressive and we look forward to sharing the outcomes with students shortly.

We hosted our Book Fair in school this week as part of our Reading Festival. It has been lovely to see our students engage in their reading and find new books to read over the coming weeks. The proceeds go towards buying new books for our library so thank you to all parents and carers who have supported this whole school event.

This week we also held our Year 10 Parents’ Evening. This was a really important occasion and provided the opportunity for our parents and carers to talk about their child’s progress as they move towards their final year at York High School. It was great to see so many people there.

And finally, we welcomed our students back into school earlier this week after their Paris trip. The feedback from this educational visit has been incredibly positive with students embracing a different culture whilst improving their French vocabulary. A visit to Disneyland Paris was enjoyed by all and left our students with some lovely lifelong memories. You can read more about the trip below.

Have a great weekend!

Gavin Kumar
Principal

Coffee with Mr Kumar

A reminder that Mr Kumar is inviting parents and carers to join him for a coffee and a chat next Tuesday 18 March at 4.00pm. If you have not already done so and would like to attend, please email Dawn Becton. 

Students enjoy an unforgettable weekend in Paris

Forty students from Years 9 and 10 had a fantastic weekend in Paris, leaving very early last Friday morning and arriving back at York High late on Monday night.

While in Paris, we all climbed to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower, took a boat ride on the river Seine, saw the Arc de Triomphe and even had time for some shopping on the Champs-Élysées! On Sunday the children got to experience the magic of Disneyland, followed by the incredible lights and fireworks.

The students had a great time and were amazing for the whole trip – they are to be congratulated for being outstanding ambassadors for our school!

School uniform and school meal prices

Due to Government increases in the National Living Wage and changes to National Insurance contributions for employers, a number of our suppliers have been in contact recently to advise us of price increases. Two such suppliers are our Catering contractor, Dolce, and our school uniform retailer, SchoolShop. We understand that any increases can be difficult to manage, but have worked with our suppliers to try and ensure that these increases are as small as possible.

Those pupils entitled to a free school meal will be unaffected by this change, as the school will cover this increase in cost.

Excellence Every Day

Congratulations to Sophie, Aaron, Anitah, Marcia, Roy, Gracie and Maisie who all received an Excellence Every Day Award this week. 

Well done to all!

Red Nose Day – Battle of the Butts!

Ten years ago, footballers Alan Shearer and Robbie Savage attempted to sit on every seat at Wembley Stadium for Sport Relief – they had five days to sit on 45,000 seats each!

Our Red Nose Day challenge on Friday 21 March is, as a school, to sit on 90,000 seats in one day!

Red Nose Day will be a non-uniform day for a £1 donation, all proceeds will go to Comic Relief. Donations can be made on the day or via ParentPay.

RAS Achievers – Technology

Well done to Issy and Ryan, RAS Achievers from Week 23, who were nominated by our Technology department.

Inaugural Excel Staff Recognition Awards

Next term, Excel Learning Trust will hold its Inaugural Staff Recognition Awards 2025 celebrating the incredible individuals who make the Trust community thrive.

These awards provide a way for the Trust to express its gratitude for the tireless effort, hard work, dedication and passion that members of its community bring to the table. There will be awards for support staff, teaching staff, leaders and volunteers, who will be recognised for the amazing impact they make and for ensuring that our children experience educational excellence every day.

One very special award is the ‘Excelling Through Parent or Community Recognition’. Awarded for those who build strong relationships outside of the Trust and for making sure that our school is not just a place for children but a hub of support and connection, this is parent or community nominated. If you would like to nominate someone from York High School or any of the other Trust schools, just complete this short nomination form by Monday 14 April 2025. 

The award winners will be announced at a celebratory event on 10 July 2025.

Community Cupboard

Our school is committed to helping those in need through our community cupboard, ensuring that every student and family has access to essential food/household items. Donations are always welcome and greatly appreciated, as they help us continue to support the local community.

If you or someone you know needs any support, please contact Aimee a.stewart@yorkhigh.elt.org.uk or Emma e.masterman@yorkhigh.elt.org.uk, or pop into main reception.

All requests will be handled with care and confidentiality.

The YHS Way

Next week’s focus: Routines and Habits – Eating