Welcome
Welcome to our latest edition of the Rowntree Reporter that is jam packed with information about events and visits our students have been involved in. It is always lovely to see students representing our school so well, and benefiting from the opportunities that members of staff provide for them. Whilst Christmas can easily become about the presents that are given, I hope that you also enjoy the gift of spending time with your families and friends, and have a restful holiday period. Mr Hewitt, Headteacher
York Minster Christmas Tree Festival
Work together collaboratively
Our students at The Joseph Rowntree School have shown incredible creativity and talent this festive season! As part of the York Minster Christmas Tree Festival, students have designed beautiful stained glass window ornaments and hand-crafted crocheted decorations. Their imagination, skill, and enthusiasm have truly shone through, and we are so proud to see their work displayed as part of such a special community celebration.
A huge thank you to our dedicated Textiles and DT Technicians and to Mrs Kisby for running the crochet club, and for all their hard work in preparing and decorating the tree. We couldn’t have done it without their support! The festival runs through to January 5th - don’t forget to go and see all 70 trees decorated by local schools and businesses, and to vote for your favourite! - Miss Wrigglesworth
Christmas Concert Brings Festive Magic to JRS
Nurture talent
This year’s Christmas Concert lit up the Vaudeville Hall with festive cheer, outstanding musicianship, and more than a few moments of laughter thanks to the expert hosting duo often dubbed Joseph Rowntree’s answer to Ant and Dec, Harry Thompson and Matthew Warry. Their quick wit and effortless rapport kept the evening flowing smoothly, delighting the audience from start to finish.
A wide range of ensembles took to the stage throughout the night, each bringing something unique to the festive celebration. One of the standout moments came from the school choir, whose warm and joyful performance of ‘Winter Wonderland’ perfectly captured the spirit of the season.
Excitement also bubbled as the audience was treated to an exclusive sneak peek of the upcoming school production, We Will Rock You. The cast’s energetic preview earned enthusiastic cheers and has certainly built anticipation for the show’s full debut later in the year.
Adding some rock and roll flair to the programme, the band Dragonsika delivered a brilliant rock version of ‘Jingle Bells’, complete with electric energy and some seriously impressive musical skill. It was a highlight that had the hall buzzing.
The evening wrapped up on a high note with a stunning rendition of Elton John and Ed Sheeran’s ‘Merry Christmas’. The combined talents of the performers created a heart-warming finale that had the audience singing along.
This year’s Christmas Concert wasn’t just a celebration of music, but also one of community, creativity, and festive joy. Congratulations to all performers, the technical team, staff, and of course our unforgettable hosts. What a way to end the year, and here’s to an equally exciting 2026! - Mr Hill
Solar Project Delivery
Work together collaboratively
Over the summer holiday period, the school installed a rooftop solar project on top of the Humanities and Design Cluster areas. This completes phase one of the project, with the potential to expand the scheme further in the future.
The project scheme has been partially funded from a significant grant received from the Mayoral Renewables Fund, secured by the York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority. This has resulted in an installed capacity of 158.8kWp from 349 panels. The scheme is estimated to generate 127,000kWh per annum, saving the school between £25-30k in electricity costs each year at current rates.
This hugely beneficial project to the school was delivered by locally based companies from York and the wider Yorkshire region, with the assistance of a professional services team led by Aspect 4. JMARK secured the main contract, delivered with the specialist expertise provided by Leeds Solar.
Huge thanks go to all involved in delivering this project on time and within budget, helping to secure not only financial savings to the direct benefit of the school, but also to significantly lower our carbon footprint within the community. - Mr Alexander
End of Term Community Week
Respect all members of our community
In our final week of term the student leadership team focused on celebrating the community, both in school and in our local area. A wide range of events and activities took place that highlighted our many links with our local community, and celebrated the fantastic work of our students in school.
Leaders of our year group student councils organised a litter pick in and around the New Earswick area near the main school.
Members of the Student Leadership team also visited a number of local businesses and charities in Haxby to deliver Christmas cards and small gifts for the festive season.
Within our school itself, each year group celebrated in our rewards assemblies, and Key Stage 3 students with top marks in Attitude to Learning and Independent Learning grades were invited to our famous "Rewards Breakfast" as a thank you for all of their consistent hard work across all subjects.
We also created a showcase stage in our hub, and two lunchtimes across the week saw performances from our staff band, the choir, and some amazing year 7 soloists.
At both lunches this really brought the whole school together as a community, and was exceptionally well received by students.
We have also had a huge collection of food items brought into school by both staff and students, which will be delivered to York Changing Lives for distribution over the festive period. This will be alongside a donation from our Christmas Jumper day on the final day of the year. Thank you to everyone who has contributed.
A huge thank you to the large number of students and staff who have contributed to our community week! There has been so much going on, all celebrating what is great about The Joseph Rowntree School and its local community. - Mrs Clarke
Celebration of Achievement
Recognise excellence
On Wednesday 17 December we celebrated the amazing achievements of our Year 13 and Year 11 students from this summer, at our annual whole school celebration of achievement event. Over 70 students received subject prizes and pastoral awards. Our chair of Governors, Ms Ali Patey, delivered an excellent speech to all of the students and families, and our choir got us off to a fantastic start. The evening concluded with a musical performance from Esme Bell, recipient of the David Harry Award.
Our recipients for the whole school awards are below:
- The Chadha Trophy, awarded in recognition for outstanding personal achievement, was awarded to Dymtro Helych.
- The Joseph Rowntree Foundation Trophy, in recognition of outstanding contribution to the wider community, was awarded to Jacob Lalowski.
- The Percy Roberts Student Council Award was awarded to George Moss.
- The David Harry award, in recognition of outstanding contribution to the life of the school, was awarded to Esme Bell.
A huge congratulations to all who received an award this year! - Mrs Clarke
In October, the History Department celebrated Black History Month. This year’s theme was ‘Standing Firm in Power and Pride’. Alongside studying the Mangrove Nine in lessons, students were invited to produce a piece of work that commemorated or celebrated an aspect of Black history. We were delighted by the wide range of impressive entries we received. Students demonstrated outstanding research skills, originality, and creativity. Thank you to everyone who took part. A special congratulations goes to Harry in Year 7, who won first prize. His entry was exceptionally well-researched, strongly connected to the brief, and showcased remarkable artistic talent. - Ms Hunter
Sixth-Form visit to the Castle Museum
Teach and learn through inspiration
At the end of September, several of our A-Level History students visited York Castle Museum’s newly redesigned fashion gallery. Dr. Bethan Bide led a fascinating guided tour, explaining what changing fashions can reveal about cultural and social change. The visit was organised by York’s Young Historical Association, and it was a pleasure to connect with fellow history enthusiasts from across the city. Students also had the chance to explore Kirkgate, the museum’s recreated Victorian street, where we compared the lives of the poor and the lives of the wealthy in Victorian England. - Ms Hunter
Belgium & France Battlefields Trip
Respect all members of our community
It was once again an honour to be a part of the school's Battlefields Trip to the World War One sites of Belgium and France. Our Year 10 students visited some of the key landmarks of the Ypres and Somme areas, and were superb representatives of the school and their families. The impact of this visit cannot not be underestimated - it is a real eye-opener for everyone who attends.
As has happened on many occasions, we had several students who were able to visit graves and memorials of family members, which is always such a special part of this trip when it occurs. I finally gave in and agreed to be one of the party of wreath layers at the Menin Gate Ceremony.
I have our students Poppy and Bivon, and our excellent tour guide Alana, to thank for helping me get through one of the most nervous moments of my life. It certainly made the three and a half hour ferry crossing during Storm Benjamin pale into insignificance!
"I think laying the wreath at the Menin Gate ceremony is something that will prove unforgettable. Waiting in the line to lay it whilst surrounded by 52,000 names of lost people touched me in an indescribable way. There wasn't one dry eye amongst the thousands who had gathered. In front of them, we walked up the stairs with the choir singing. It was such an honor to be given this opportunity." - Poppy Moss 10KET
Huge thanks as ever to Ms Shepherd, Mrs Pattinson, Mrs King, and Mr Hatter, along with all of our excellent students for making this visit such a huge success. - Mr Ireton
Wellbeing Ambassadors at The Joseph Rowntree School
Encourage wellbeing
Last term we were thrilled to have a large number of students in Year 7 apply to become Wellbeing Ambassadors, particularly as the quality of applications was extremely high. Our new Year 8 students have brought the total number of Wellbeing Ambassadors in school to 28, which is a real testament to how many students at The Joseph Rowntree School want to contribute to the wider student community in terms of student wellbeing. You’ll be able to spot Wellbeing Ambassadors, as they will be wearing yellow badges. This half term we have concentrated on meeting as a group with the Wellbeing in Mind team to discuss the projects we want to complete this academic year, as well as help the new Year 8 Wellbeing Ambassadors feel part of the team. Part of this involved some Year 8 Wellbeing Ambassador training, which took place in the Lecture Theatre and focussed on the topics of self-esteem and resilience. Two of our new Wellbeing Ambassadors have written about their experience so far. - Mrs Day
“I volunteered to become a Wellbeing Ambassador because I wanted my input to help other people feel more welcome and comfortable in our lovely community at The Joseph Rowntree School. In my first training lesson, I learnt about self-esteem and resilience…It's amazing because we get to help school with ideas to try and improve not just our community, but even the village and maybe our city. It heals something in me knowing that maybe our ideas could help someone!” - Isaac Johns, Year 8
“Recently, I made the decision to become a Wellbeing Ambassador. I think this is an amazing role to have, as it is a subject I feel passionate about and has significantly impacted my perspective on mental health. One meeting this term focussed on self-esteem which is a factor that may control someone’s outlook. By attending this meeting, I gained more passion on this subject and it showed me one of the key messages we may continue to learn about.” - Lauren Smith, Year 8
Bewerley Park Residential Visit
Encourage wellbeing
During October 2025, 138 Year 8 students attended the residential to Bewerley Park, Pateley Bridge. The Year 8's took part in a variety of activities, such as gorge walking, mountain biking, and high ropes to name a few.
After dinner activities were a night walk and team building games. The weather was excellent for October, and we all enjoyed our water and land activities.
The behaviour and attitude of our students was fantastic, and the Bewerley Park staff commented on how amazing our students were. The resilience shown was something they can be very proud of. Well done Year 8! - Ms McLaughlin
Performing Arts
Teach and learn through inspiration
Year 12 - Sophocles' Antigone
Year 12 Drama and Theatre students have been exploring Greek theatre through our set text of Antigone by Sophocles. Did you know that only seven of his plays survived and it is thought he wrote over 120? We've been practically exploring the very important role of the chorus in the production using costume and masks - here are some of our experiments. - Mr Coates
Year 7 Freeze Frames
Year 7 have been working hard on their Introduction to Drama project. Here they have been making Freeze Frames to communicate the emotions of 'Loneliness', 'Anger', and 'Friendship'. Well done Year 7 on a great start to Drama! - Mr Coates
The afternoon was really informative, and was a fantastic way to consolidate all the incredible hard work these two exam groups have put in this term. - Mrs Clarke
Art & Design
Teach and learn through inspiration
Art Student - Prospectus Design
Amy has enjoyed studying graphics at school since GCSE, and now flourishes as an A-level student. Her independence and commitment to the subject saw her organising and completing a work placement at a graphic design studio last term, where she didn't hesitate in stepping up to the challenge and being part of the team that designed The Joseph Rowntree School’s new prospectus. Being responsible for key areas of the design work, Amy contributed a superb level of skill, graphic ability, and drive to produce fantastic content. We are super proud of her achievements! - Mrs Hickinson
Sam Joesbury Workshop
November 28th saw the return of ex Jo-Ro student Sam Joesbury. He has just completed his degree in Fine Art at Lancaster University and was kind enough to come and deliver a workshop session to our own lovely Y13 Fine Art students. He gave them a whistle-stop tour of his own work, a breakdown of what to expect in the step up from A-level to Degree, and a practical session on drawing inspiration from the students’ own work in the form of thumbnail drawings.
Our students were very complementary of Sam and his workshop - they have become reinvigorated about their own work, and as we approach the end of the coursework it has been a very timely visit.
The department would like to thank Sam for his time, energy, and care for our students. He is a true talent and a great inspiration to our young, budding artists. You can see his work via Instagram here - Mrs Atkinson
A Level & GCSE Showcase
Recognise excellence
Last year saw many students from the design faculty celebrating a wide range of fabulous achievements at both GCSE and A-level. This is just a small snapshot of students work from our textiles, art, graphics, and photography classes.
Wednesday 5th November
On Wednesday 5th November, ten A-level students attended a trip to the Aesthetica Short Film Festival in York city centre.
We attended a masterclass on 'Concept to Screen: Inside UK TV Production’, which explored taking an idea from paper to greenlight through a talk with experienced industry experts, who have worked on shows such as Baby Reindeer, Line of Duty and It’s a Sin.
This was followed by a New Wave cinema screening, where six short films were shown by graduate filmmakers, followed by a Q&A panel afterwards. Students then had free time around York, before reconvening for a poster exhibition and podcast experience. - Miss Thorpe
Thursday 6th November
After the fantastic trip the day before, we took 22 students to the UNESCO City of Media Arts EXPO in York.
Students watched a series of short animated film screenings at York Theatre Royal, followed by an EXPO at The Guildhall. Students met people from a variety of different creative companies such as: Aesthetica, Art is My Career, Ay-Pe, Pilot Theatre, Revolution Software, and Viridian FX.
These companies have also collaborated with well-known clients, such as Adidas, Apple TV+, BBC, Channel 4, HBO, ITV, Netflix, Pepsi and Sky. Students visited the different stalls, asked questions, and gained first-hand careers advice from a variety of different creative media industry employees. - Miss Thorpe
Sunday 9th November
Students in Year 9 and 10 took part in a filmmaking program at The Joseph Rowntree School with Aesthetica Film Festival and the Pauline Quirke Academy. They made a short horror film, which was screened at City Screen Picturehouse, alongside the films of 6 other participating schools in York.
The event began with a talk from Aesthetica Short Film Festival director Cherie Federico, followed by the film screenings, and then a Q&A panel with a student representative from each school. Sophia Cocker proudly represented The Joseph Rowntree School and shared her thoughts on the filmmaking process, which elements she enjoyed the most, and gave budding young filmmakers the sound advice that having a little confidence can take you a long way. The event concluded with soft drinks and nibbles at Thor's Tipi. - Miss Thorpe
Drax Geography Field Trip
Teach and learn through inspiration
This term has seen Year 9 out on their Geography trip - seeing geography in action first hand at Drax Power Station and Skylark Nature Reserve in Selby. Drax Power Station provides the most renewable power of any single location in the UK - some 14 terawatt-hours, or enough electricity to power the equivalent of four million homes. On the tour of the facilities, students (in their full safety attire), witnessed the four operational boilers, each as tall as a 15-storey office block, and a main chimney taller than the London Eye.
Students were immersed in the fascinating world of energy generation. From start to finish, participants gained valuable insights into the intricate energy generation process employed at Drax, witnessing first-hand how electricity is produced on a massive scale. Students also learnt about Drax’s social impact within local communities and the pivotal role biomass plays in ensuring energy security and renewable power, as well as a look into their future project - the carbon dioxide removal and storage which will mitigate climate change and foster a cleaner, more sustainable energy landscape.
The afternoon part of the day trip involved students exploring the Skylark Nature Reserve, which was covered in beautiful white snow on the first day. Here, students had the opportunity to get their hands dirty and learn about conservation in the UK. Students are to be commended for their excellent behaviour and enthusiasm on the trip - staff even enjoyed the competitive singing between the boys and the girls on the bus journey home. Who knew JRS had such talent!
Remembrance Day
Respect all Members of Our Community
On Tuesday 11th November, the school once again gathered together to pause and reflect in our annual Remembrance memorial.
Just before 11 AM, the hub came alive with a special ceremony that was live-streamed to every classroom. Student council representatives, along with visitors and classes, gathered to witness the event. Our inspiring student leadership team led the ceremony, backed by talented musicians and vocal groups. Adding to the occasion, members of local cadet groups proudly wore their uniforms and joined the observance.
Thank you to all the students and members of staff who were involved in this important event.
Wiltshire Christmas Coffee Afternoon
Embrace diversity
Wiltshire celebrated the end of term with another wonderful coffee afternoon. The event allowed parents and families to engage with staff within the SEND team as well as some outside agencies - York Independent Travel Service (YILTS), Tang Hall Smart (post 16 provision in the city), Wellbeing in Mind Team (WIMT), and SEND Hub.
The students were a credit to the school, talking to parents and other adults and providing an excellent service when working on the tombola and games stalls. Everyone who attended commented on the relaxed atmosphere and array of refreshments on offer. Staff in the SEND Team would like to thank everyone who came and supported our event, and we look forward to the next one. - Miss Umpleby
Sporting Achievment
Recognise excellence
Under 13's Girls Football Tournament Success!
On Thursday 2nd October, the Joseph Rowntree U13s Girls football team visited Bootham School for the annual tournament. The girls had six fixtures at the tournament, and were able to decisively beat off all other competition. Throughout the afternoon the girls did not concede a single goal against any of the other teams. This was due to the impressive contributions of Myla, Emmie, Flossie, and Amelia. As well as a very impressive clean sheet record, the girls were able to score ten goals, with Georgia, Lauren, and Ester all scoring three goals each. Jessie, the school’s centre midfielder, also scored a great goal, with many close misses from distance as well. It was a brilliant event, and the quality of football was incredibly high. The girls worked as a team and should be very proud! - Miss Bevan
Under 14's Girls Football
The U14 girls football team secured a great win against Rossett School Away in Harrogate to progress to the quarter finals of the County Cup. They will play Tadcaster Grammar in the quarter final later this term. - Mrs Tindall
York & District Cross Country
We took 35 students to the York and District Cross Country competition and the students performed amazingly, with many of them getting letters to invite them to the district round. The Year 7 girls and boys both placed 6th out of 11 schools and the Year 8 and 9 girls placed 4th out of 11 schools. - Mrs Tindall
Wheelchair Rugby with York Knights
The Year 10 BTEC Students and Year 12 A-Level PE students all enjoyed a session playing Wheelchair Rugby with Dawn from York Knights. The session was great fun, and all students engaged really well with this as part of their Sports Courses. - Mrs Tindall
Celebrating Excellence
We would like to thank four of our alumni, who have kindly donated signed shirts that we have now displayed in the PE cluster within school. We're sure this will act as inspiration to aspiring students, who we hope will follow in their footsteps in the future! - Mr Kite