XP East

As we come to the end of our first term at XPE, I want to take a moment to appreciate every member of our crew. Your hard work, your willingness to get smarter every day, and your kindness toward one another have not gone unnoticed.

We have truly come together as a crew, and that sense of unity has made my time as a crew leader phenomenal. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished and the culture we’ve built together.

Here are a few photos from our Christmas morning today — a small snapshot of the memories, laughs, and teamwork that made this experience so special. Thank you all for an unforgettable memories so far.

Merry Christmas from Mrs Stephens

This week in PE we had the privilege of more super sporting experts.

The BTEC Sport students had an expert session from Doncaster Pickleball coach. Students demonstrated their amazing skills and took on board some coaching from the expert.

We were also joined by Legacy sport this week who delivered a glow in the dark Zumba session.It was filled with fun and laughter.

 Early Finish Tomorrow

A reminder that school will close early tomorrow for the start of the Christmas break. Students will be dismissed at 1:30 PM. 

 Looking Ahead: Return Dates

We hope everyone enjoys a well-deserved rest over the next two weeks. We look forward to welcoming all students back to start the new year on: Monday, 5th January

Happy Holidays!

On behalf of all the staff, we would like to thank our families for your continued support throughout this term. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a peaceful, relaxing break with your loved ones.

See you in 2026!

At XP Gateshead, we believe that every child can achieve extraordinary things – and every adult in the building plays a part in making that happen.

We’re looking for a Pastoral Lead and a Learning Coach. We need people who are passionate about helping young people thrive. Someone who brings positivity and the belief that relationships are the foundation of great learning.

If you want to make a real difference, work in a strong and supportive team, and be part of a school that values kindness, collaboration and creativity – this is the place for you.

Find out more about both roles here:

https://xptrust.org/xp-gateshead-learning-coach-teaching-assistant/

https://xptrust.org/xp-gateshead-pastoral-leader-phase-leader/

If you’re looking for a role where your organisational skills and dedication can make a real difference, XP Trust is the place for you – find out more here and apply!

https://xptrust.org/xp-trust-central-trust-team-administrator/

Monday- Netball match for year 8 and 9 away. return at 5.30pm. No other after school clubs on Monday.

Thursday- Cheerleading practice 3.3-4.30.

No girls football, badminton or netball practice this week due to POL’s

Have a lovely Christmas from Team PE.

What a busy and brilliant week it’s been for Crew White — they have truly sparkled and shined! Between POL, our Santa Dash, Christmas Jumper Day, and enjoying Christmas dinner together, the festive spirit has been everywhere.

A huge highlight was hosting our annual bake sale for The Eve Merton Trust. Thanks to everyone who purchased hot chocolate and our home-baked festive treats, we raised an incredible £178! Your generosity and support are greatly appreciated.

Wishing all our Crew White families a wonderful and restful two-week break. Enjoy the festivities, relax, and we can’t wait to see you in the new year!

Beautiful work this week

Here’s a selection of beautiful work from across the XP Trust!

To read about other stories from across the XP Trust, visit xptrust.org.

Top of the Blogs

Reception Christmas Performance @ Green Top

KS1 Pride of Plover @ Plover

Year 4 Carols at ASDA @ Carcroft School

Crew Pasteur catch up @ XP

3SG Christmas art @ Norton Juniors

Enrichment Superstars @ XP East

Weekly update @ XP Gateshead

A Twinkly Nativity to Remember @ Norton Infants

Share your stories with us!

We now have a new dedicated news email so that you can send your stories, updates or ideas about potential news articles directly to us in Comms.

It might be something you or your students have achieved, a charity you’re supporting or anything at all that deserves a wider audience.

Write to us at [email protected] –  we want to hear about it, write about it and celebrate it!

To ensure our wonderful C28 students have a great send off, our awesome parents are organising a formal prom in July.

But… we need your help! To make the evening as memorable as possible, we have a couple of fundraising opportunities.

On December 18th, we’ll be having a Christmas PJ day – long PJs, be as festive as possible – £1 donation towards C28’s prom – along with a breakfast goodies sale during crew.

We’re also currently selling Raffle tickets – some great prizes available (and donations welcomed!) – £1 per strip, run by Y11 crews.

Please see the attached information posters – and if you’re able, get involved!

We’re excited to share that the deadline for submitting Expressions of Interest for the Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award has been extended to Wednesday 17th December.

If your child is hoping to take part in this year’s Silver programme, please make sure the form is completed by the new deadline so we can begin the next steps and secure their place.

We’ve also attached the Information Slides, which include everything you need to know about what the Silver Award involves, expectations for each section, and how to get started.

This is a fantastic opportunity for students to challenge themselves, build new skills and enjoy unique experiences — we’re really looking forward to supporting them on their Silver DofE journey.

If you have any questions, please get in touch.

DofE Team