E26 / Year 9 Spanish students’ exceptional productivity!

12th November 2021D Pearson

I’m really proud of the exceptional levels of productivity of E26 / Year 9 students since the start of this academic year. Last term they interpreted the results of a summative assessment on media to prioritise language skills or learning targets that need further development, and this term they are routinely producing extended writing about their school in Spanish. Yesterday they used one of 4 writing frames – the one within the quadrant that is closest to or above their ME – to help produce a positive and negative opinion of school subjects, justified with one or more comparatives and extended with extra details about staff. Although the work is increasing in its complexity, they are responding with extremely strong H.O.W.Ls. Great work, E26!

How can we fight injustice?

11th November 2021Web Blogger

E27 Pioneer have been working hard picking apart the anchor text, To Kill a Mockingbird, for types of injustice they think is wrong! They are doing a fantastic job and talking about the subject with such maturity!

They have been looking at how characters are treated differently through stereotypes such as race, gender, age and even areas they are from!

We have focused on the transatlantic slave trade and have moved on to injustices in the present and what we can do to stop this happening!

Begging the question…..what does it mean to be human? You will find out their answer to the guided question in their coming Presentation of Learning! Keep your eyes peeled for updates on this!

Back to Business!

9th November 2021Web Blogger

After returning from half term we have been busy in Crew, alongside our additional Common Mission and Duke of Edinburgh sessions, which are new for this year and it is great to see. 

Before breaking up for the half term, Year 9 were introduced to ‘Passage’. This is something we will be working on in our Crew sessions and Common Mission sessions in order to demonstrate why each individual is GCSE ready. As part of this we began to think about careers and what our hopes and dreams for the future were. This led to a fantastic afternoon of Crew researching careers, and job roles they may be interested in.

Last Wednesday was the first session working on our Passage presentation scripts and I have to say that we were blown away with how hard each person worked and how seriously they took the task.

Since starting the Duke of Edinburgh bronze award Crew have been learning the skill of First Aid and have worked on specific topics each week which have included, practical skills, completing a workbook, posters and diagrams. It has been great to see how the Crew have helped and supported each other in these sessions when completing tasks and produced some beautiful work.  

We also don’t want you to think we have forgotten about our charity we selected to help at the end of Year 8, as this certainly is not the case. As a Crew we emailed ‘Big C Little Warrior’ at the start of last term asking how we could best help them. They were so grateful we had selected them as our charity and were keen for us to be able to help. They had a team meeting where our offer of help was discussed and they came back to us asking if we could raise money, as this would be used towards the cost of making hair accessories for those undergoing cancer treatment. How we can raise money is something we are currently looking into and organising in Crew. 

As we have moved Crew rooms this year this meant that we were able to redesign the Crew wall. This is something Crew Rowling pride themselves on and take very seriously. Our plan is to continue to add to this throughout this year’s journey and move it with us if we relocate again next year. Just like the photos from the Year 7 Outward Bound week have!

We have already begun thinking of how we can decorate the Crew room at Christmas!

We can’t wait to show you more beautiful work and keep you up to date on all things Crew Rowling.

Mrs Barnes and Miss Johnson 🙂

Enrichment Timetable – October – December 2021

9th November 2021Web Blogger

Due to the fantastic efforts of our incredible staff, we are delighted to be able to offer so many extra curricular opportunities to our wonderful students!

Please see attached an updated version of our enrichment timetable. On here, you’ll find sports clubs/fixtures, Arts clubs (including our new Vocaleles!) and KS4 Revision sessions with staff. We would encourage our students to attend as many of these sessions as possible to secure their GCSE grades and achieve their potential!


I can also share with you that D6 will begin again this coming Saturday, November 13th. D6 is our Saturday provision where students are able to come and work with coaches in school from 9am – 12:30pm. For the time being, D6 is open to year 11 only.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the staff running any extra-curricular activities, or myself at [email protected].

Thank you for your continued support – we look forward to seeing many of our students in these sessions!

Mel Cocliff
XP Y11 Phase Lead
Crew Macmillan Crew Leader

Badminton Fixture

9th November 2021Web Blogger

Thursday 11th November Away at Don Valley

Leave school 3.30, return to XP school 17.20.

We will get students to contact parents when leaving Don Valley.

Students, please can you tick your name off the list on the PE notice board.

Any questions speak to Mr Stables and Miss O’Grady

E28 Experts – Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band

9th November 2021Marc Robins

We are very lucky to have secured the world class Carlton Main Frickley Colliery Band to visit XP as experts for Year 7 (E28) as part of their expedition ‘From The Ground Up’.

We have been studying brass bands as part of this expedition and couldn’t have found a better example for the students to hear than Frickley, who are currently the No.10 best band in the world!

They will visit XP on Wednesday 17th November where they will rehearse for our students from 8:00pm – 9:00pm. Students will need to arrive (through the normal student entrance) for 7:45pm. Students will need to be dropped off and collected by a suitable adult from Car Park 3 (the normal car park at the side of school). Students will come into XP school and sit on the main stairs.

Please complete this form so we have an idea of numbers. It is an expectation for students to attend an event like this unless there is a particular reason for being unable to (eg. a prior commitment or a transport issue).

Any further questions please email Mr Robins ([email protected])

This really will be a night to remember!

The XP journey continues with new appointments at two Trust schools

8th November 2021XP East

Two new appointments within the XP School Trust have been made and the new appointees will take up their posts from  April 2022.

Mrs Claira Salter will be the new Principal of XP Doncaster (XP School and XP East) and Mrs Kelly Overson will be the new Head of School at Green Top. 

Both leaders have been involved in the XP Journey for many years and are currently part of the Green Top school team. They will nurture and guide their new schools through the opportunities, expeditions and ever evolving connection to their communities that are at the heart of the ethos of the XP School Trust.

Claira commented this week:

“My new appointment ends my time as Headteacher of Green Top. Since I started there in September 2008, the Green Top community has supported me to be the best version of myself. I have so many precious memories of my time as a teacher, leader and headteacher of the school. It has shaped who I am as a leader.”

Claira continued: 

“I am excited about continuing to be challenged and supported by the students, staff and parents of the XP Doncaster schools when I take up my new post next year. From my working relationship with the XP Doncaster schools during my time as a headteacher at Green Top, I have been inspired, motivated, challenged and supported to influence the students and staff I work with. I look forward to developing relationships with the students, staff and parents at XP Doncaster in the coming weeks in preparation for this new role.” 

Kelly added:

“I am delighted to have been appointed as the new Head of School at Green Top. It is an absolute privilege to have been asked to lead the school continuing the exciting journey that we are on.  Green Top is an amazing school where the staff work extremely hard to ensure the very best learning opportunities and outcomes for our wonderful children and I am proud to continue to develop and strengthen this over years to come.” 

“I joined Green Top in 1997 and during this time I have worked in every year group from nursery to year 6 as a member of support staff before becoming a teacher working in KS2.  I have also been assistant headteacher at Green Top for 5 years and so I have a strong understanding of the School, and our local community.  My own children attended the school so I not only understand the many roles in which I have played over the years, I also know what being a parent in the Green Top community means.  The past 24 years have provided a strong foundation of knowledge and understanding of our community and our school’s incredible potential.” 

“I am looking forward to continuing the journey with the students, staff and parents.”

Editor’s Note:

For further information about this press release please contact [email protected] mobile: 07881201740

Year 7 Immersion – Dia de los Muertos

7th November 2021Vicky Collinson

November 1st and 2nd mark the festival of Day of the Dead in Mexico, and Year 7 spent their Spanish session this week learning all about this festival, and attempting to create an important part of the festivities – papel picado – or paper cutting. In Mexico this is very intricate and time consuming. Our version was simpler but gave students an opportunity to experience this unique craft!

Students watched a video in Spanish showing how to create a simple papel picado design. Then they worked independently, watching the video again in their own time, trying to recreate the cutting done in the video. The results were absolutely fantastic! Buen trabajo Year 7.