This October half term, 9 members of staff from across XP Trust travelled to San Diego to work with the best project based learning teacher in the world – Jeff Robin. Each teacher brought with them a personally crafted exemplar – a tangible product of their passion and planning – to refine and inspire transformative future Expeditions.
Inspired by Jeff’s groundbreaking work at High Tech High, the school that inspired XP, they sought to elevate their teaching through creativity, activism, and lasting legacy. Away from the familiar, they embraced new ideas in a setting that ignited their imagination…
Stay tuned for the full length documentary and story of Jeff Tech High…
To mark the 70th anniversary of Lord of the Flies, students in E29 have taken on the challenge of interpreting this classic novel in their own unique ways as part of a special competition. From digital artwork to imaginative stories and diary entries written from the perspectives of the characters, they have truly embraced this creative opportunity. Some students are even going above and beyond, filming their own dramatic interpretations over the weekend as extended study!
I’ve been incredibly impressed by their creativity and dedication this week. It’s inspiring to see each student bring their personal vision to life, demonstrating their understanding of the novel in such innovative forms.
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.
On the last day of term, Crew White turned the school into a vibrant sea of pink and green, as students and staff alike donned the colours to raise both awareness and funds for a cause close to their hearts: The Eve Merton Trust. This local charity, which provides support for families affected by cancer, was chosen by Crew White as their charity of the year, and what better way to show support than with a fun, colourful dress-up day?
Through the support of Crew White and generous donations, £40 was raised on the day—an amount that will go directly to The Eve Merton Trust, helping them continue their vital services.
A big thank you to everyone who participated and donated. Your support is truly appreciated, and together, we’re helping to make a real difference in the community!
XPD hosted eight visitors from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust – an organisation established in 1884 – that is one of the top ten charities in the world . The visitors are looking at models of education, visiting XPD to see how and why we do what we do. The feedback they left about our team and students was wholly positive. They were ‘touched, impressed and inspired’. We hope to be able to welcome them again soon.
Bikeability at Plover!
Plover Primary had an exciting and active day, thanks to the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, who awarded the school a cycling workshop with triple Olympic Gold Champion and Active Travel Commissioner, Ed Clancy. This recognition was given for Plover’s dedication to promoting active travel and the high participation of their students in the Mayor’s Walk and Wheel Challenge. The Bikeability Trust, led by CEO Emily Cherry, generously donated balance bikes to the children, further supporting the school’s commitment to encouraging cycling from an early age.
Cycle North also played a key role, delivering ‘learn to ride’ workshops that taught 26 KS2 pupils how to ride a bike for the very first time. Additionally, Judith Shaw from Doncaster Council Road Safety Education kindly donated bike lights to the school. The day concluded with an inspirational whole school assembly led by Ed Clancy, where children were celebrated with Bikeability badges and snap bands for their achievements.
