Ignite your child’s creativity at XP East!

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At XP East, we believe that creativity is a powerful tool for learning, expression, and personal growth. Our Visual Arts Aptitude route offers a unique opportunity for Year 7 students with a natural flair for creativity to gain a place at a school where the arts are truly valued. 

This pathway is open to all children, no prior art training or experience required, just a passion for drawing, designing, and thinking creatively. 

Through an inspiring curriculum, expert support, and dynamic extra-curricular opportunities, students will develop their talents across a range of visual art disciplines. If your child loves to create, imagine, and explore the world through art, this is the perfect chance to help them shine. Click here to see highlights from our recent annual XP Festival of Arts and Culture – https://youtu.be/-tcB979lD_g

Apply now and let their creativity take centre stage! Find out more about this here: https://xptrust.info/XPEVA

Applying for a place at XP East – Fair Banding Assessment

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To ensure a balanced intake of students across all ability levels, all applicants to an XP secondary school must sit a Fair Banding Assessment. 

This multiple-choice test focuses on non-verbal reasoning and helps us place students into one of five ability bands. There is no pass or fail, and results are used solely to support a broad and representative admissions process.

Completing the assessment is a key part of the application and must be done to be considered for a place. 

Please ensure your child is registered by 31st October 2025 and prepared to attend the assessment on 22nd November 2025.

Find out more here – https://xptrust.info/XPTFBA

If your child has an aptitude in visual arts, find out how to apply for a visual arts aptitude place at XP East here: https://xpeast.org/ignite-your-childs-creativity-at-xp-east/

Post 16 evening success

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Thank you to all who attended last night’s Post 16 event, it was lovely to see Year 10 & 11 parents and students there and the feedback from our local schools and colleges was really positive and they are looking forward to welcoming XP and XP East students as year 12s in September. They were really positive about the conversations they had with our young people last night and both our alumni students’ character and dedication to learning that students have and are showing as they progress through their next steps.

I’ve attached a copy of the presentation from last night which has links to all the post 16 providers. The expectation for year 11 students is that they apply for more than one college/6th form/apprenticeship with a recommendation of at least 3 different places. Students don’t need to commit to chosing one specific place and do not need to make any final decisions until results day in August.

Here is also the different minimum expected grades that are needed for each level of course, the school/colleges website will have their own guidance. Some schools and colleges also use grade averages so all GCSEs count towards their entry requirements.

As always any questions please email me at [email protected]

Thankyou for supporting your student and the school in this

Kathryn Burns XP Trust Careers Lead

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Careers Update Autumn 2024

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 24 September 2024

 K Burns

I am Careers Lead at XP & XP East schools and I am arranging an information evening for parents and students at both schools on Wednesday 6th November to enable them to make informed choices for their Post 16 provision. I am inviting providers to attend with a short 1 minute presentation and a stall where students can explore all avenues that are open to them.

For our year 10 students and parents you are invited to attend and it is an opportunity to get an early look at what is available in the local area. For our year 11 students and parents there is an expectation that all students and parents/carers attend the event. Previous years have been informative and give both students and their parents an opportunity to ask questions directly to providers.

Timings are 4.30 – 6pm for KS4 & Parents/carers – Lorax and XP East stairs, tea, coffee and squash will be provided at the event.

Meanwhile please find attached links to Post 16 websites and dates for open events, many applications are open for Post 16 and we expect our year 11s to apply to at least 3 providers where possible.

Post 16 websites and open event datesFront Page NewsCareerspost 16EDIT

Hardwork is their business!

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E29 Pioneer have been absolutely smashing their work on A Christmas Carol! This afternoon, I asked them to show me a page from their books that they were really proud of, and I was blown away by the craftsmanship and quality demonstrated within their work.

The detail, effort, and pride that’s going into their annotations and written responses is fantastic to see. It’s clear they’re not only working hard but also really thinking deeply about Dickens’ message and the presentation of Scrooge.

I couldn’t resist sharing just how impressed I am – amazing work, Year 10!

Miss Buckley

Sharing our Stories: 03/10/2025

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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.

G29: What makes a great education?

Last term, students in G29 at XPG were challenged to give a keynote at the MTEM conference on what makes a great education. Over a week they drafted and put together an incredible speech which they have now recorded back in school.

Top of the Blogs

Class 8: Martin Luther King research @ Green Top

Decorating cupcakes @ Plover

Fire Fighters @ Carcroft School

Crew Nightingale – Higher Maths @ XP

XP Outdoors – Year 7 take on mighty task of litter picking @ XP East

A visit from Stuart – learning about helping homeless people @ 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!

Celebrating the power of inspiration: Exploring Black History Month.

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Crew CSP have been honouring the remarkable achievements and contributions of black individuals who have shaped our world we live in today. This celebration is a powerful reminder of the importance and appreciating the experiences of black communities.

With this in mind, I set crew a challenge to research and write about an inspirational figure from Black History Month, exploring their life and lasting impact on society.

Martin Luther King Jr, Rosa Parks and Harriet Tubman are just some of the icons figures they chose to write about. Crew CSP took immense pride in their work and showcased their understanding.

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Crew Dufton Takes on the “100 Skips a Day” Challenge for Cancer Research UK

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This October, Crew Dufton are getting active for a cause close to all our hearts — we’re taking part in Cancer Research UK’s “100 Skips a Day” challenge! Cancer Research UK

Every member of our crew has committed to doing 100 skips (with a skipping rope) on each day in October, and raise funds to support life-saving cancer research.

Why we’re doing this:

  • Nearly 1 in 2 people will receive a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. Cancer Research UK
  • Every penny we raise helps fund research grants, cancer nurses, and trials for new treatments. Cancer Research UK

We’ll encourage every member of the crew to track their 100 skips per day and share motivational updates, photos, and progress. We hope to show that when a community unites, even a small effort each day can add up to something powerful. We’ve set a goal of £130 (£10 per crew member raised). Please cheer us on, share our journey, or sponsor us — your support means everything.

Let’s skip for hope this October!

https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/jodies-giving-page-3376

— Miss Buckley, Crew Dufton Crew Leader

XP Outdoors – Year 7 Take on the Mighty Task of Litter Picking

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Last week, our Year 7 students took on the mighty task of litter picking in and around our school site. Armed with bags, gloves, and plenty of energy, they were eager to collect as much as possible and make a real difference to their environment.

From the very start, their enthusiasm shone through. Students worked together to ensure every corner was covered, leaving our school grounds looking truly impeccable. It was inspiring to see how committed they were to keeping not just our school, but the surrounding community, clean and litter-free.

Well done Year 7, you’ve set a fantastic example for the whole school community, showing that together we can take pride in our environment and play our part in protecting it.

Crew Dufton & Crew Windsor Wise Wednesday

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Crew Dufton and Crew Windsor teamed up to tackle our Wise Wednesday topic last week. This was about managing stress in key stage 4. The students had some fantastic input into how easy it is to slip into stress creating habits – which is exactly what we need to avoid during our GCSE studies over the next two years! We collectively created an anchor chart to represent this! Well Done!

Crew Anning- GAS Y9

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Crew Anning have kindly sorted through the lost property, and we now have a collection of unclaimed items ready to be returned. If you recognise any of the belongings, please ask your child to visit the East office to collect them.

Thanks Miss Askin and Crew Anning

Sharing our Stories: 26/09/2025

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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

Class 6’s visit to 1666 @ Green Top

Amazing craftsmanship and quality in home learning @ Plover

]Crazy Crew Challenge @ Carcroft School

Outstanding Craftsmanship and Quality in X29! @ XP

Crew Hoy – Not Passengers @ XP East

Continuing Our Marvellous ME Expedition @ Norton Infants

Weekly Update for Families @ XP Gateshead

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!