Celebrating the highs and sharing the lows

By A Parker3rd October 2020

 

Friday is definitely my favourite Crew Day.

Firstly, it’s Quiz Friday so we start the day with a bit of healthy (but not always friendly!) competition by splitting into teams and seeing who can score the most points for the whole-school Crew Quiz League.  Congratulations this week to Team Wilmot who beat Team Parker by just 1 point.

Secondly, I love Friday’s because we have an extra Crew session in the afternoon.  We use this as an opportunity to reflect on the past week.  This week, I asked Crew for the highlights and lowlights of the week.

The Highs…

As Crew Leader, there have been so many highlights:

One of my highlights is welcoming Mr Wilmot to Crew Finch.  He is currently volunteering at the school and will be joining us in Crew three days a week.  He’s already contributed so much to our sessions and we’re looking forward to spending more time with him.

Another highlight for me was seeing how well Crew have done on their recent Star Reader test, an assessment of students’ reading and comprehension skills.

Miss Johnson recently shared a presentation with us on why reading is so important. During the presentation we learnt that:

  • The current GCSE exams (including subjects such as Maths and Science) require students to have a reading age of at least 15 years 7 months.
  • Recently studies have found that for the latest exams the average reading age was just 10 years 7 months, indicating a 5 year disparity between where they are at and where they need to be, to be able to access a question.

I’m delighted that three of our Crew members are already above this reading age – Noah, Brendan and Tom – and their love of reading is definitely evident in their academic work and attainment.

Being told by two members of staff how well Libby is doing in sessions was a major highlight of the week for me!  It’s no secret that she struggled to keep up with her learning during lockdown but since coming back she has really taken charge of her own learning and has started to create her own revision aids during lessons. Great work, Libby!

Meanwhile, Mackenzie’s lowlight actually ended up being his highlight!

Mackenzie was struggling to manage his behaviour is lessons (low level stuff bit enough to disrupt his own and others learning) so was placed on a behaviour tracker at the start of the week.  He told us that being on a tracker has actually helped him focus more in class and he is enjoys having set targets to work towards in class. He was given the target to achieve a 3 across Work Hard, Get Smart and Be Kind in all sessions, but he has absolutely smashed this target by consistently  working to a level of 4 and 4.5!  I’m so proud of your attitude and work ethic, Mackenzie and this just goes to show that you CAN do it!

Other Crew highlights included enjoying the challenge of Further Maths (Tom), sorting out some friendship issues (Dakota) and Bryn’s highlight was just being back and settled in school!

…and the Lows

As we worked round the circle, one crew member had the courage to share with us that he didn’t have any highlights to share and  that he actually felt a little ‘lost’ since returning to school.  Crew allowed him to explore why he felt like this, offering guidance and support in a compassionate and respectful manner. As he spoke, others had the courage to share their own thoughts and worries.

What came out of this is an acknowledgment that, even though we’re back in school, the new normal is anything but normal!

Some of us are obviously still struggling to cope with the previous lockdown, current restrictions, and uncertainty about he future.

It’s something we’ve all agreed to explore in more detail during Monday’s Crew session.

The highlight for me from this is that Crew instantly recognised that a fellow crew member needed their support.  Their problem has become “our” problem because… #wearecrew

Coming back stronger and wiser

By A Parker12th September 2020

Crew have been well and truly on it this week, no more so than on what we now call Wise Wednesday, where we’ve started to look at revision techniques to help prepare for GCSEs (it’s never too early!)

This week, we looked at memory recall – in particular, cognitive load theory and the forgetting curve (thanks to a master class from Mr Portman!) which illustrated why it’s so important to keep on going over new information until it is stored in our long term memory.

So, Crew have started to create flash cards to help them remember key points from their GCSE text ‘A Christmas Carol’ which they can keep on revisiting over then next 18 months or so, and I’ll be encouraging them to do the same for other subjects, too.  Hopefully this will make the last few weeks before exams a little bit less stressful as they will have had a head start on retaining key information.

It’s really great to see how Crew are becoming leaders of their own learning since returning to school and already planning how they can do their absolute best in their exams.

We’ve had lots of discussions around our HOWLs and getting back on it over the last couple of weeks, and I’d like to give a special mention to Thomas H who has been working exceptionally hard and contributing in all lessons.  He is setting a fine example to the rest of Crew.

Back where we belong!

By A Parker3rd September 2020

My newsfeed has been overrun with ‘back to school’ photos this week – so here’s ours!

After almost 6 months apart, it’s fantastic to be back in Crew together – albeit socially distanced from me, as per our bubble safety measures!

I can’t praise my Crew enough for how they’ve handled the return to school.  They all sauntered back into school like they’d never been away, keen to get right back into lessons.  It’s been an absolute joy to see them back where they belong, sat at their desks with their classmates, enjoying the challenges of this week’s immersion activities.

I always notice the physical changes after the Summer holidays, but the changes have been on another level this year.  Yes, they’ve all come back taller, but I’m even more astounded by the changes in their attitude and outlook.  All of a sudden, my Crew are very grown up!

As we look ahead to what we want to achieve in Y10,  we’ve spent some time revisiting the pledges we made at the start of Y9.  This time last year we were thinking about Passage Presentations and beginning our GCSE journey.  Many of the pledges focussed on improving HOWLs grades in certain subjects by the end of the school year… but the rest is history and we never got to see what those grades would’ve been!

However, I reckon Crew have achieved so much on a personal level during lockdown, above and beyond what we could teach them in school (and no, I’m not talking about Mackenzie’s new found block paving skills!)

So, as most of them wanted to end last year with improved grades, I’m giving them all a 4.5 for their courage, resilience and determination not to let the missed time at school hold them back from wanting to succeed.

Year 10 – we’re ready for you 🙂

Dear Crew

By A Parker16th July 2020

Dear Crew

I’ve just read the blog I posted this time last year, on the last day of Y8.  Look how happy we were!

I remember our last Y8 Crew Session well, not just because we had cake, but because even though you were were all excited for the holidays, you were also looking forward to starting your Y9 journey.

  • You knew it would be an important year.
  • You were nervous about having to do your Passage presentations.
  • You were looking forward to starting your GSCE Choice studies.
  • You were excited about achieving your DofE Bronze Award.

And then this happened:

School Closure Update

Overnight, we had to adjust to a new socially-distanced, locked-down, scary world… We took lessons and Crew online and we had to get used to our new normal:

This change, on top of being told that we couldn’t see family and friends, hasn’t been the easiest thing to cope with and I absolutely get why some of you have struggled with our Strange New World.

I want to thank those of you who have turned up for every Crew hangout, for keeping up with your work and for helping me feel that things were (kind of) normal at least once a week!

If you haven’t shown up for Crew – don’t worry; we understand.  We’re right here waiting for you and your place in our Crew circle is safe.

If you’re behind on your work, be prepared for some hard work catching up, but remember that our whole Crew will be supporting you. As ever, we’ve got your back.

A massive appreciation to those of you who have had the courage to reach out and say that you’ve been struggling to cope.  You are all braver than you think.

 

Our end of year photo looks a little bit different this year, doesn’t it?

I visited some of you yesterday and I can’t tell you how happy I was to see you!  I didn’t realise how much I’d missed you until I saw your smiling faces.

An extra special thanks from me to you – Thomas, Noah, Tom and Ali – for “just” getting on with it (that’s harder than you think during these times!); for your continued hard work; for your kindness; for your humour (even when you didn’t realise you were being funny!) and, above all – for the compassion you’ve unknowingly shown over the past 4 months just by rocking up and being there with me every Thursday at 2pm…  You really are Crew Superstars.

 

 

Y9 wasn’t what we expected it to be but we’ve managed to get up to the top of our Y9 mountain.  The journey was a a bit slower and sometimes lonelier than our Y7 and Y8 journeys, but we made it all the same!  The Y10 mountain will be the biggest and hardest one to climb yet but #wearecrew and I’m ready to race you to the top 😉

Now – go off and enjoy the Summer break.  I’ll see you all back in Crew at the end of August, back in school, getting used to another new normal.

And now I’m checked out.

Stay Safe,
Mrs Parker xx

Dear Crew Parents

By A Parker16th July 2020

Dear Crew Parents

 

We have a saying in school that “if we get Crew right, we get everything right” and my Crew would be far from ‘right’ if it didn’t include you.

I can’t thank you enough for the support you’ve given me over the last 17 weeks.  I’ve spent a lot of time working from home and some of you will know how lonely that can be.  However, I’ve always felt like I’ve had you lot right behind me (especially when chasing up missing work those first few weeks!)

So:

Thank you for responding to my emails and calls.

Thank you for letting me know when I’ve needed to to more.

Thank you for letting me know when I’ve needed to ‘back off.’

Thank you for the messages and kind words you’ve sent to me (there have been a few tears shed after reading them on a Friday night!)

Thank you for supporting your children, the school and me.

Just ‘Thank you’ for everything you do.

You’re all simply amazing and I feel so privileged to get to work with you and your children.

It’s hard to think back to everything Crew achieved before lockdown, but can I just say again how incredibly proud I was of them all during their Passage presentations – certainly the highlight of the year for me and I’m guessing most of you, too!

If you get the chance, please have a watch of our short film All About Crew just to reinforce why Crew is so important to me, featuring our very own Ali from 8 minutes onwards.

Stay Safe,
Angella xx

A familiar face!

By A Parker3rd July 2020

I do spend time catching up with Crew at least once a week, either via hangouts or by telephone, but nothing quite beats the feeling of seeing them face-to-face!

As children of key workers, both Bryn and Aden have been accessing our in-school provision and today I got to see Aden for the first time in 15 weeks.  I think I was more excited than him, though!

(Note: the only picture I’ve got is of Bryn is of him doing star jumps for our Crew PE Challenge, so I don’t think he’d appreciate me publishing that!)

Crew’s experience of lockdown has varied but as restrictions are eased, actually being able to see and talk to other people “in real life” outside of our households has been a major mood booster for us all.

In this week’s Crew session, I really enjoyed hearing about Crew’s visits with Grandparents, bike rides with friends, family trips out to the seaside and Brodsworth Hall, and even a shopping trip to Meadowhall to spend birthday money!  We’re all enjoying being able to do ‘normal’ things, albeit at a safe 2m distance apart!

An all of a sudden, the world is not as frightening as it was back in March.

As we make plans for the return to school, one thing I’ll remember from our time apart is that we still remained Crew.

A different type of Crew, maybe, but still Crew.

I’m absolutely positive that we’re now an even stronger one.

Stay safe – even more so now!

Mrs P x

Top advice from Crew: “just keep smiling!”

By A Parker19th June 2020

I’ve spent most of the last 3 weeks on Google Hangouts with Y6 students who are coming to join us at the end of August.  These meetings usually happen in person at their primary school, but our transition process is yet another thing that we’ve had to take online!

I’ve met some very excited children who can’t wait to start school.  I’ve also met some very anxious children (and parents, too!)

I asked Crew if they could remember their own Y6/7 transition visits… Most could, and could even remember which member of staff visited them, which I guess shows the impact of these visits.

We had a lovely discussion about what their Y6 selves were worried about as they moved up to our school: most were worried about not knowing anyone, not making new friends and that the work would be too hard.

And these were more or less the same worries that the current Y6’s spoke to me about, 4 years on!

So, what advice would my Crew give to Y6 students today?

  • You will definitely make friends on your first day, and even if you struggle, your Crew will always look out for you.
  • Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
  • Don’t let your worries stop you from enjoying all the experiences XP East will be offering you.
  • Everyone probably feels as nervous as you, so just keep smiling and someone will smile back! (love that one!)

Wise words from the founding year of XP East!

This Crew session gave me a good excuse to look through old photos and get a bit teary eyed at the first ones we had taken together at Malham Cove in 2017.

My, haven’t they grown? Not just in height and appearance, but also in character (especially over the last 3 months!)

I’m a little bit envious of my colleagues who are about to start their own unique journey with their new Crews… I hope their journey is as eventful, exciting and enriching as my own with Crew Finch.

In other news…

Well Done to Noah for winning the monthly Crew Quiz during Thursday’s hangout!  Well done also to Thomas H for showcasing his excellent knowledge of ‘Animal Farm’, even with the cheeky bonus point questions (one which unintentionally gave a major spoiler – sorry about that, guys!)

 

DofE Bronze Award Update

19th June 2020A Parker

In April we told you about changes to our DofE delivery in this blog post.

We now know that students won’t be able to complete the Outdoor Expedition within the original timescales set.

Unfortunately, this means that our Y9 students won’t be awarded the full Bronze Award this academic year.

However, DofE still want to recognise and celebrate participants’ achievements so far – and rightly so! – and will be awarding a Certificate of Achievement to all those who complete the Volunteering, Physical and Skills sections before the end of the year (31/12/20 is the official date but we will be setting our own school deadline, which is likely to be much earlier!)

Students will receive the full Bronze Award once they have completed the Outdoor Expedition, and we already have plans in place to get this done as soon as we can!

It is important to note that students will NOT receive the full Bronze Award if they don’t have the 2020 Certificate of Achievement before the end of the year.

We really hope you continue to support and encourage your child through their DofE journey.

Here’s the WHY:

Outdoor Education is a huge part of the XPE experience; it starts with Outward Bound and carries on through fieldwork and the DofE Awards we offer from Y9.

DofE in particular helps students build key life skills – not least compassion, resilience, and teamwork – reinforcing what our CHARACTER TRAITS, HOWLS and CREW.  We want our students to be the best versions of themselves, and truly believe that DofE helps them to achieve this.

So, here’s a quick summary of where we’re at at XPE:

 

 

 

 

 

Students have completed the Volunteering section.  This was done in school with Y9 students becoming Volunteer Reading Mentors for Y7.

 

We have asked all Y9 students to complete the St John Ambulance First Aid Course. Details have been uploaded onto the DofE Google Classroom.

I’d like to give a massive appreciation to the the following students who have been working through the weekly First Aid tasks that are being set for them:

Thomas H, Ben, Aran K, Rhys, Summer, Maclaren, Kaiden, Keisha, Theone, Eleanore and Chloe

Thank you all so much – I’m really impressed with what you’ve all done so far and would definitely feel safe being out on expedition with you guys!   

There are still quite a few of students who need to join the classroom, or who have joined but have yet to start – it is really important that they make a start as soon as possible and get these tasks done!


Many students were using out of school activities as evidence for this section.  However, once we went into lockdown, these activities were stopped and some students haven’t been able to collect enough evidence to complete this section.

However, students still need to continue with evidencing some form of physical activity and we have made some suggestions of what they could easily be getting on with: walking, running, gardening, Joe Wicks’ daily PE lesson on YouTube to name a few.

These sessions can be added to any which were previously recoded before lockdown (so you don’t have to start the 12 hours again!) but you MUST agree this with your Crew Leader. New evidence sheets are on the DofE Classroom.  

Submitting Evidence

All evidence will be submitted via the eDofE mobile app.  It’s really easy to use and I’ll be in touch with each Crew to talk them through the process.

Thank you. 

YEAR 9: New birdwatching world record*

19th May 2020Martin Said

We have a new record in Year 9 for the most birds spotted in a single session.

Kyle in X24 spotted an incredible 60 birds from 14 different species, including a sparrow hawk and two herons.

Whilst we have not set any work for students in Year 9 to complete over the two week break we would love it if they continued with their birdwatching, bug hotels and bird boxes. Please remind them to send us lots of photos. We are in competition with XP for the most birds spotted. This means we need to up our game, as E24 are currently behind X24 in the leaderboard.

*not verified by Norris McWhirter

Highlights and lowlights

By A Parker14th May 2020

I received this card in a parcel this week (another wool delivery to feed my out-of-control crochet habit – don’t tell Mr Parker!) and when I first read it I thought “Yeah, right! No such thing as a happy day at the moment!”  popped it on the table and forgot about it.

And then, Crew happened.

Today we checked-out for half-term with our Lockdown Highlights and Lowlights.

The lowlights were the same for most of us: not being able to see friends/family and a flurry of uneventful lockdown birthdays.  Other lowlights included eating too much cake (never a lowlight, in my eyes!), annoying siblings and, that good old lockdown classic, ending up with a wonky home haircut.

The highlights made us appreciate that, despite the lowlights, we’ve actually had lots of Happy Days during lockdown, too:

  • We’re spending more time with immediate family
  • We’re spending more time outside
  • We’ve switched off gaming consoles and gone out on family walks
  • We’ve had more time to do new things, like gardening and baking
  • Some of us have taken up running
  • We’ve found that we’re eating together as a family more

It’s fair to say that half term hasn’t been met with the usual enthusiasm.  Crew haven’t been buzzing with the thought of having two weeks off: no meeting up with friends in the park or in town, the novelty of having late nights and lazy lie-ins has worn off and we have no holidays or day trips with family to look forward to!  In fact, some of them have admitted that they’re going to miss having school work set because – let’s face it – there’s nothing else to do!*

However, having heard how Crew are enjoying the extra time with family, spending time doing things they wouldn’t normally do, I think there will be more ‘oh, happy day’ moments to look forward to.

So, before we check out for a well deserved break, I just want to say this:

Crew – it’s been a tough 8 weeks, getting used to our new normal.

You’ve all dealt with it in your own way. And that’s OK.  There is no right or wrong way to deal with this situation.

Some of you have adapted really well and have embraced the challenges of home learning.

Some of you have struggled with the changes and have had to withdraw from us for a while.  And that’s OK. Crew have been right here waiting for you. It was lovely to welcome you back today.

What you’re doing – right here, right now – is good enough.

Enjoy the break and stay safe,
Mrs Parker x

*I have suggested to those who are behind on work to use these 2 weeks to catch-up and I’ll be available to help!  I’ll be sending emails out to those this applies to.