E24 Pioneer and Explorer

By Heather Cross20th September 2019

What a week from E24!

This video is of Pioneer working hard, creating beautiful work and showing craftsmanship and quality.

We then did some peer critique doing the protocol ‘milling to music’. What a great way of getting students out of their seat, appreciating other students work and writing purposeful feedback.

Some great moves from Explorer! When the music stopped students went to the nearest table and peer critiqued (we did this twice). Students then actioned their feedback by improving the work from the suggestions given. In purple pen they explained this and wrote a personal target they needed to achieve in next weeks lesson. All in all an excellent week in Art for E24! Keep it up!

E24/Year 9 How to build a rollercoaster workshops

By Katie Haughey14th September 2019

Year 9 have been lucky enough to experience another fantastic day of fieldwork, helping them build background knowledge for their STEAM expedition, ‘Slow Down’. In a few weeks time, their learning will culminate in a final product that answers the guiding question:

What does physics and maths have to with saving life?

This Thursday, the year group visited Alton Towers’ education department to learn about how they assess the safety and functionality of their roller coasters. Students were briefed on how they might want to design their own roller coasters using the principles of physics and mathematics.

They also applied their knowledge of algebraic substitution by calculating gravitational potential energy, as well as velocity at each hill of their roller coasters and centripetal acceleration. Students were then given a workbook to fill out as we travelled through the park – they were able to explain why they felt so weightless during the drop on oblivion, and were able to calculate GPE on the coasters across the theme park using the knowledge gained in the workshops. Plus, we all had a lot of fun on the rides!

We will be picking up this new physics and maths content once we get back into school this coming week and applying it across the STEAM sessions.

E24 Explorer and Pioneer

By Heather Cross12th September 2019

E24 started off their immersion for the expedition ‘Why do we still need Charity?’ Creating contextual studies from the artist: Karl Schmidt-Rottluff. What a great start to beautiful work! Some have been carefully using a craft knife to remove sections: creating contrast. Others have been using pen to block out areas. All students will do both pieces of work.

This is just some of the beautiful work they have produced. Keep up the hard work! Can’t wait to work on the final product with you (we are creating a product that runs alongside Hums).

Y9 (E24) Fieldwork 12/9/18

By A Parker11th September 2019

Here’s a reminder about tomorrow’s fieldwork, and a bit more information about where we are going and why.

The fieldwork relates to our STEAM expedition – ‘Slow Down’ – and the Guiding Question has been revealed:

What does physics and maths have to with saving life?

Tomorrow, we will be visiting Alton Towers. We have already explored the Smiler accident (as part of Case Study 1) and tomorrow’s visit will help us to understand more about forces, speed and safety.

Students will attend a focussed STEAM workshop in the morning. This will build on our visit to AMRC.

After lunch, there will be an opportunity for students to visit some of the rides discussed in the morning session (working in small groups, accompanied by a member of staff.) Of course, it isn’t compulsory to go on any of the rides!

So, here’s a reminder about the key information for the day. If you have any further questions, please contact Mr Smith – [email protected]

**Please also note that students have been told NOT to bring any money**

All students to arrive at school by 7:45am for a prompt departure at 8am.
Students will need to bring a packed lunch and bottle of water (no glass bottles or fizzy drinks or sweets.) A packed lunch will be provided for those students receiving free school meals.
Please bring any prescribed medication required, clearly labelled in a plastic bag or envelope with your child’s name and required dosage. This includes travel sickness tablets where necessary as we will be travelling by coach for approximately 1hour 30minutes.
Sensible clothing, coat and shoes need to be worn. We will be outside for part of the day, so please make sure clothing is weather appropriate.
Students will return to school at approximately 4pm – although we will post updates on the school’s twitter account and the XP East Parents/Carers Facebook group.

Expedition ‘Slow Down’ Immersion E24/Y9

By J Smith9th September 2019

Last week E24 started their first STEAM expedition in year 9. We visited the advanced manufacturing research centre in Sheffield where we were able to get a first hand look at the types of careers, technology and equipment being used in engineering today.

The students also recapped concepts of forces by building self propelled lego cars and measuring the speed distance and time.

Watch this video for more information of what year 9 got up to!

Showing we are ready to start

By J Smith3rd September 2019

E24/Y9 completed an 9 mile hike in the peak district.

Why? Because for the students to understand the planning, preparation to start GCSE and Duke of Edinburgh, where better place to start than meeting the demands of the great outdoors as a first crew expedition. All students were a credit to XP East whilst on the hike, watch this video to see more!

E24 (Y9) Fieldwork: Thursday 12th September

By A Parker3rd September 2019

9Pioneer and 9Explorer will be out on fieldwork on Thursday 12th September. The location and planned activities relate to our current STEAM expedition (the guiding question will be revealed later this week!)

The fieldwork arrangements are as follows:

All students to arrive at school by 7:45am for a prompt departure at 8am.
Students will need to bring a packed lunch and bottle of water (no glass bottles or fizzy drinks or sweets.) A packed lunch will be provided for those students receiving free school meals.
Please bring any prescribed medication required, clearly labelled in a plastic bag or envelope with your child’s name and required dosage. This includes travel sickness tablets where necessary as we will be travelling by coach for approximately 1hour 30minutes.
Sensible clothing, coat and shoes need to be worn. We will be outside for part of the day, so please make sure clothing is weather appropriate (we’ll keep an eye on the weather and let you know if anything ‘extra’ is required!)
Students will return to school at approximately 4pm – although we will post updates on the school’s twitter account and the XP East Parents/Carers Facebook group.

E24: Visiting Sheffield Hallam University

By K Poncia29th August 2019

Day 3 of E24’s first week back saw students visiting Sheffield Hallam University. This fieldwork was designed to further develop students’ knowledge and understanding of how to get to higher education, what opportunities are available and what university life is like.

Throughout the day students discovered the different ways to get to further education, whether this is by completing A Level courses, maybe BTECs or through an apprenticeship, some of the many different types of degrees which could be studied (who knew that Surf Science was a degree?) and what else makes up life at college or university – anyone for a game of Quidditch at the Harry Potter Society?

A tour of the university allowed students to see the different facilities that are available. The size of the lecture theatre made students gasp and the flight simulator, used by students studying aeronautical engineering, had them asking insightful questions.

At the end of our visit, feedback strongly showed that the majority of students would like to go to university and now feel more confident knowing how they can access this amazing opportunity.

Well done, E24! Now, don’t forget your hiking boots tomorrow!

E24: Smashing it!

By K Poncia28th August 2019

Following on from a great first day back, E24 (Year 9) have had another excellent day!

It has been wonderful today to see such high levels of engagement, focus, co-operation and graft!

The day started with a crew session where crews were given four different challenges to solve. These included: Radioactive Isotope, The Floor is Lava!, Precious Trophy and Scientific Breakthrough.

Here we are working as crew!

The next part of our day saw us building on our careers sessions from yesterday by finding out what potential employment opportunities might be suited to us. Using a programme called ‘Start’, we discovered which careers matched our qualities, skills and interests. We also researched what salaries different jobs would pay and the availability of specific jobs throughout the country.

Ali discovered that being an author could earn her anything from £9,800 a year to over £2million a year! She’s already started writing her bestseller!

Rhys is interested in becoming a paramedic. He researched the qualifications he needs to achieve this and found out that there are over 2,000 job opportunities in this field across Yorkshire. We’d all be in safe hands with Rhys!

Throughout this session, learning and conduct behaviours from ALL students were exemplary!

The final session of today saw students introduced to ‘Passage Presentation’ which is an important piece of work students complete during Year 9 to demonstrate that they are GCSE ready. More information to follow about this…

So, tomorrow, we are heading to Sheffield Hallam University. We can’t wait!

Welcome back, E24!

By K Poncia27th August 2019

Today saw all students returning to school following the summer break. It was wonderful to see students smiling and sharing how they are looking forward to the new school year.

For E24 (Year 9), it has been a busy first day back, with students rejoining their crews and starting the day with a summer check-in and inter-crew puzzles and challenges to get everyone warmed up!

We then had an informative introduction to the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme by Mrs. Ap Harri and discussed how we would be taking part in the scheme as crews. It’s fair to say everyone is looking forward to how they can take part in voluntary and physical activities and how they can learn and develop new skills.

This was then followed by the introduction to our new guiding question:

‘What makes me ready to start GCSE?’

This guiding question will be explored over the coming weeks as students prepare for their passage presentation which holds the key to them being considered ‘GCSE ready’.

Today saw the introduction of Case Study 1: ‘Where can I be?’

Throughout the day, students investigated how professionals in a number of trades and industries started their journey and investigated potential career paths starting at GCSE. This was done by a three hour career carousel of experts, including the police, Yorkshire Wildlife Park, Polypipe and GoGreen, who visited XPE.