Dear Staff and Students,
We hope this email finds you well and happy 
Happy New Year from Yorkshire English School!
As we step into January, we reflect on the festive spirit of Hogmanay and the New Year celebrations that mark the beginning of 2025.
This time of year is all about new beginnings, and we hope you all had a wonderfu
l holiday season filled with joy and togetherness.
Student Graduation
Congratulations to Siraj!
We are overjoyed to celebrate the graduation of Siraj from his Elementary course last month. His friendlines and sense of humour will be missed, and his commitment to his English language learning journey has been truly inspiring. We wish him all the best as he continues to achieve his goals, and would be happy to welcome him back in the future.
Well done, Siraj!
Meet Our Newest Staff Member- Wendy
We are very happy to announce the newest member of the YES team- Wendy– who will be taking over the Beginner/ Elementary class (and more in the future we hope!).
Wendy is an extremely experienced educator with over 40 years of experience, including teaching English as a second language (ESL), and teaching in various countries such as South Africa and the UK.
Her skills in creating an inclusive and stimulating learning environment for pupils with diverse needs, and her ability to inspire and motivate learners by building their confidence, will be a most valuable addition to our school.
We ask all the staff and students at YES to join in welcoming Wendy to our school! 
Hogmanay/ New Year’s Eve
Hogmanay, the Scottish celebration of New Year’s Eve, is a time for celebration and tradition. It typically starts on December 31st and lasts until the early hours of January 1st. Here are some beloved Hogmanay traditions:
First Footing:
The first person to enter a home after midnight, known as the “first footer,” is believed to bring good luck for the year ahead. Traditionally, this visitor is expected to bring symbolic gifts, such as coal, shortbread, or whisky.
Fire Festivals:
Many communities celebrate with bonfires, symbolizing the burning away of the old year and welcoming in the new one. Fire plays a significant role in Hogmanay, representing the light of hope and renewal.
Singing “Auld Lang Syne”:
This classic Scottish song, written by Robert Burns, is sung at midnight to bid farewell to the old year and embrace the new one. This tradition has spread worldwide, making it synonymous with New Year celebrations everywhere.
Street Parties and Fireworks:
Major cities, especially Edinburgh, host large street parties filled with music, dancing, and impressive firework displays, attracting thousands of revelers.
We hope you have enjoyed all the festivities going on around the UK!
Film/ Movie Suggestion of the Month: About Time (2013)
This romantic comedy-drama not only entertains but also offers thoughtful reflections on life, love, and the importance of cherishing every moment. It’s a wonderful reminder to make the most of the time we have now.
Language Learning Tips:
For Lower Levels: Watch with English audio and subtitles in your 1st language.
For Higher Levels: Watch in English with English subtitles.
A Heartfelt Goodbye
We are deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of our beloved long-term teacher and friend, Maria.
Maria was greatly loved and admired by all who met and worked with her. She brought a huge amount of joy and fun to teaching and learning and we always looked forward to seeing her.
Maria had a long and varied career in teaching and in other fields. At Yorkshire English School, she started as a regular teacher; later, she worked with us as a summer school and cover teacher while teaching Italian and English privately. She had also mastered several European languages.
We are inspired by Maria’s ability to engage and motivate her students, colleagues and friends, and we will always try to be like her in the way we work.
Maria’s passing was not unexpected – her illness was diagnosed earlier last year – but still very shocking. We will always remember her with great affection.
Please keep Maria in your prayers, thoughts, and in your heart. 
Talk to us! Question of the Month
We want to hear from you! Feel free to write your answer in English and send it to us at info@yeschool.uk (or drop it off at reception). We’ll share some of the best answers in next month’s newsletter!
New Year’s Resolutions 
New Year’s Resolutions are promises that we make to ourselves to start or stop doing something in the year to come. It can help people to focus and motivate themselves to make the changes they want to see in their lives. These can be personal or professional- for example: to save money, to get a qualification, to exercise more, to stop smoking or to eat healthier.
Question:
What are your New Year’s resolutions for 2025?
You can also write a message and see all previous issues of our Newsletter on our YES Blog.
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Last Month’s Question:
Question:
What’s your favourite festive food or drink from your home country?
Student Write-In (Omer- Turkey):
“My favourite dish is Okra. It is made with tomatoes, pepper, lemon, and meat. We usually use small okra.
