Dear Parents and Carers,
As we move into the second week of December, I want to bring your attention to two very important and exciting events taking place next week.
Next week provides a crucial opportunity for Year 11 students and their families to engage with subject staff as they continue their preparation for the summer GCSE examinations.
This evening is highly significant. Students will receive their mock examination results, allowing them to clearly identify their current strengths and areas for improvement. Critically, subject staff will provide key, personalised feedback and strategies on how you can best support your child’s studies and revision efforts leading up to the final examinations. We strongly encourage all Year 11 students and their parents/carers to attend.
We invite you all to join us for our annual Festive Showcase. This is a wonderful evening dedicated to celebrating the remarkable talents of our students.
This year’s showcase promises to be an evening of high-quality performances, culminating in the return of our much-loved, infamous staff pantomime! It’s a fantastic way to get into the festive spirit and support our talented young people:
We look forward to seeing many of you next week, both to support your Year 11 student’s academic journey and to celebrate the creative talents within our school community.
Thank you for your continued support of York High School. We look forward to a successful end to the term.
Warmly,
Gavin Kumar
Principal
Thursday 11 December
Festive Showcase
Friday 19 December
School closes for Christmas break
Monday 5 January 2026
School closed for Training Day
Tuesday 6 January 2026
School reopens for Spring term
It is with a heavy heart, but a heart full of fond memories and experiences that I say farewell to York High School.
It has been a privilege to have served this community for well over 12 years and work with the fantastic families and pupils that make up York High School.
I wish all the staff the best of luck for the future and wish all the pupils the greatest of success for their futures and journey through their remaining years at York High and into later life.
Farewell and all the best!
Mr Walker
On Tuesday, we were delighted to welcome Jamie Gavin, producer at Match of the Day, to York High School. He spoke to Year 8, 9 and 10 students about life at Match of the Day, and how he got into his role. He talked about his interest in sport and how that inspired him to look into opportunities, ultimately ending up in his current role.
Jamie highlighted the importance of English in his role, showing the importance of this core subject for jobs even where you might not expect it.
Thank you to Jamie for coming in, and to all students for their fantastic focus!
On Monday, we welcomed Jess and Emma from The Place to York High to carry out a Dragons’ Den activity with our Year 10 Work Skills group. Students worked in small groups to design a new product to fix a problem. We had gloves to support artists, a mechanical arm to support with putting coats on, and heated trainers.
Students did wonderfully, and we were really impressed with the way each student demonstrated employability skills. Well done!
Over the course of the last few days pupils have been given their access codes to access their ClassCharts account. Pupils can see their behaviour, positives and detentions on their own devices.
Pupils can also access the reward shop and order their rewards directly on the app.
If you have any concerns or questions, please get in touch with your child’s progress leader.
On Wednesday, twelve Year 10 students visited Cushman & Wakefield, a real estate business, in a visit organised through our partnership with The Place. Students learned about the opportunities in this industry, including apprenticeships, and enjoyed the opportunity to speak to apprentices, graduates, and senior managers, as well as participating in a meaningful task with feedback.
The students were amazing, thank you to all for your engagement.
On Monday, we were excited to welcome ITV regional broadcaster, James Webster, to York High School to speak to two of our Year 10 English classes about his work. James has over 20 years of broadcasting experience, and it was great to hear about his journey from school up to present. He talked about how important it is to start thinking about careers from this stage in school, and the importance of constantly learning in whatever job you choose. It was a really inspiring assembly, to think about how to move forwards with next steps on our options. Thank you, James!
York College is currently advertising a number of apprenticeship vacancies which can be seen on the attached pdf. Each vacancy has a hyperlink to the Apprenticeship Service website, where you will find full job details and where you can submit your application.
A note on closing dates: vacancies often close earlier than the stated date, so if you are interested, please make sure you apply as soon as you can.
You can also read the attached guidance on how to write a strong application to ensure the best chance of success.
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This week saw our final York St John visit for the year, completing Year 10’s first day of work experience as well as an opportunity to see a place of higher learning. Students’ attitudes were phenomenal, with Inspiring Choices saying that they were one of the best groups ever. Well done to all of the students on this third visit!
We are looking for employers to participate in either our Careers Fair or Year 11 mock interviews (or both!) in January 2026. If this is something you may be able to support with, please contact Vicky Bettney on v.bettney@yorkhigh.elt.org.uk – your support would be greatly appreciated!
Last Friday, we had a Learning Experience Day for Year 9, welcoming Portakabin, Bettys and Taylor, the University of York, Yorkshire Ambulance Service and Transpennine Route Upgrade for the morning – students designed their own businesses and projects, receiving feedback from employers.
In the afternoon, students enjoyed the Theatre in Education piece YOLO! from An Invisible Man theatre company.
Attitudes were brilliant, thank you to Year 9.
Kelley from the Job Centre will be available 2:45pm – 3:30pm for students in the LRC on Monday to support with interview tips, CV writing, and any other careers questions. Please encourage your child to attend.
On Monday, Ashley (who has supported with Swing Dance Club) hosted a talk about working within the civil service, and how this connects to the government.
We had a great turn out from students in Years 9 – 11 in particular, and it was wonderful to hear the detailed questions they were asking Ashley.
Thank you to Ashley for another talk, and for his support running Swing Dance with Miss Donkin!
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.
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📆 OPEN EVENING 📅
We are looking forward to welcoming everyone to our annual Open Evening.
York High School's Open Evening is a wonderful opportunity to experience the characteristic warmth that makes our school setting so distinctive.
This year’s event will be held on Wednesday 7th October 2026, and will run from 6.00-8.00pm.
There is no need to book, just come along – all are welcome!
On the evening families will be given the opportunity to:
🔘Hear from our Principal, Mr Gavin Kumar and some of the key staff that work across the school.
🔘Meet students and staff.
🔘Experience a range of activities in our different subject areas.
🔘Find out how we support students to be happy and successful if they choose York High.
We can't wait to welcome everyone to York High!
For more information visit our website: www.yorkhighschool.co.uk/open-evening/
1 CommentsComment on Facebook
📆 OPEN EVENING 📅
Our annual Open Evening gives families the chance to see our community in action and to understand our culture and ethos.
York High School's Open Evening is a wonderful opportunity to experience the characteristic warmth that makes our school setting so distinctive.
This year’s event will be held on Wednesday 7th October 2026, and will run from 6.00-8.00pm.
There is no need to book, just come along – all are welcome!
On the evening families will be given the opportunity to:
🔘Hear from our Principal, Mr Gavin Kumar and some of the key staff that work across the school.
🔘Meet students and staff.
🔘Experience a range of activities in our different subject areas.
🔘Find out how we support students to be happy and successful if they choose York High.
We can't wait to welcome everyone to York High!
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
