Sharing our Stories: 10/05/2024

Beautiful Work This Week

XPGPHC – How can we continue to make progress in public health?

Year 9 students at XPG have embarked on their “You Give Me Fever” Expedition, which has culminated in their inaugural Public Health conference, addressing the challenges of public health amidst the cost-of-living crisis. Through three case studies examining historical and current health influences, they explored the impact of living conditions, government structures, and scientific advancements on people’s well-being.

This comprehensive analysis has also resulted in a formal report that presented key health risks for Gateshead’s residents, particularly in the context of the cost-of-living crisis. The report will be shared with the Health and Social Care Committee in Parliament.

Art takes flight at XPG!

Freya, a Year 7 student at XP Gateshead has created a beautiful piece of work that has been awarded a place in one of the most prestigious art galleries in the world. The Royal Academy is famous for showcasing new and established artists, bringing their work to a whole new audience. 

The Young Artists Summer show, which is open for submissions to students studying in the UK aged from 4 – 19, opens in London on the 16th July and runs until the 11th August.

Freya’s painting Mr Pigeon was part of the expedition ‘Do your bit’ and honours the sacrifice that carrier pigeons made during WW1 and has been chosen from 21,500 other submissions. A remarkable achievement for a clearly talented and inspiring young artist. 

We’ll follow up this story when Freya’s artwork is in place at the Royal Academy!

Is Science enough to save lives?

As part of their Expedition ‘You Give Me Fever’, C28 celebrated their learning this week – complete with a gallery of their incredible artwork. They shared scientific writing about diseases and their impact on society, dating back to the middle ages.

They sold their prints to raise money for their DofE Expedition – and the content will also be made into a book later in the year!

Top of the Blogs

Weekly Update for Families @ XP Gateshead

How can we save our seas? @ Norton Infants

Community Crew @ Green Top

How do you make ice cream? @ Plover

Caring for our sunflowers @ Carcroft School

Mindboggling Mayans @ Norton Junior School

Visit to the National Holocaust Museum @ XP School

Year 9 Sharing Portfolios with Visitors @ XP East

Join our Crew – we’re looking for a Maths Teacher at XP Doncaster!

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!

Huge Thank You From Year 7!

Year 7 at XP and XP East would like to thank you for supporting us in taking part for the ‘Cash for Kids’ Steps Challenge – we raised a grand total of £355.00! Thank you so much for getting involved and donating money, and for all your lovely comments of encouragement and support – we had a great time!

The Steps Challenge contributed to Cash 4 Kids raising a phenomenal £1,004,030 – which can provide food for 182,551 children who could’ve gone hungry this Summer. THANK YOU!

Netball Fieldwork, Friday 10th May

Not long now until we go to watch Leeds Rhinos at the EIS Sheffield

Few details and reminders

Students to meet on XP east stairs at 5.30, the event is indoors.

Students can bring money to buy refreshments or merchandise at the event. You are allowed to take in your own snacks and drinks (no cans or glass).

Return to school for 22.15 (students to contact on the way home) Meet in car park 3 near the XP east entrance. Please be mindful that Doncaster Rovers are at home so there could be traffic around this area. Students will be waiting at the gate entrance to school in car park 3, where staff will dismiss when they see parents.

Any questions please email [email protected]

Thanks

Y9s sharing Portfolios with our visitors from Northern Ireland

Last week we had 30 visitors from Northern Ireland visiting our schools in order to learn more about ‘how we XP’, and I wanted to celebrate the quality of the session where 5 our Y9 students shared their portfolios with them.

To say that Owen, Alex, Isobel, Danny and Holly smashed it would be an understatement! Our visitors were stunned at the quality of their explanations around how we use rubrics, assessments, SLCs, Passage. All students spoke eloquently about our expeditions, final products and they answered all of their challenging questions in relation to helping the visitors to understand what we do, and how we do it.

Great work Owen, Alex, Isobel, Danny and Holly!!!

Sharing our Stories: 03/05/2024

Beautiful Work This Week

We’re celebrating EL’s #BetterWorldDay at XP Trust!

Better World Day is EL Education’s annual event showcasing student learning that contributes to a better world. Students work in partnership with each other and their local communities on this day to engage in and celebrate meaningful student work that positively impacts the world around them.

As a partner and friend of the EL Schools Network, XP Trust contributes to this every year. Like students at EL, all of our students are active citizens who engage in acts of service to their community – so naturally we have lots of Activism to share with the EL Crew.

This year, we’re celebrating all of our schools and their collective work. They’ve planted trees, created artwork for hospitals and raised money for worthy causes. Here’s just a few examples from this year of XP Schools making the world a better place.

Visitors from Northern Ireland!

Last week we welcomed a delegation from Catalyst Schools, an organisation in Northern Ireland that supports school leaders and teachers by exposing them to innovative educational experiences. Over the visit, they learned all about Crew and Expeditions from our awesome students at XP and XP East – including going to see world from across the Trust in Doncaster City Centre. As always we are delighted to welcome visitors into our Crew and share the beautiful work our students do every single day with the world.

Top of the Blogs

Weekly Update for Families @ XP Gateshead

Rockpool Magic @ Norton Infants

Mayans and Chocolate @ Green Top

Expert Artist @ Plover

Drawing Pictograms @ Carcroft School

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!

Sharing our Stories: 26/04/2024

Beautiful Work This Week

Beautiful Activism @ Green Top

A few months ago, Jake in Year 6 approached the school and his Crew with wanting to raise awareness around Motor Neurone Disease. Being a big fan of Leeds Rhinos, he has been inspired by Rob Burrows’ bravery and the superb effort of his ex-team mate, Kevin Sinfield.

Last week, Jake and his Mum organised a coffee morning fundraiser – including a bake sale, raffle and more! With the help of the Green Top Community, they have raised over £2600.

You can donate here: xptrust.info/MND – please leave a note to say ‘care of Jake at Green Top School’!

We would also like to give a massive shout out to Elsie from Class 6 and her family, who raised an outstanding £275 to buy raffle tickets. This is a cause very close to their hearts as they sadly lost Elsie’s Grandad to the disease in 2011. You can read more about it here.

Once again the generosity of the Green Top community has blown us away. We are Crew!

Full Steam ahead at Gresley Exhibition launch

A remarkable new exhibition about Sir NIgel Gresley has opened at the Danum Gallery in Doncaster – and our XP Schools Trust is playing its part! Our Rail City book, which is on sale in the gift shop at the gallery, was one of the catalysts for the invitation to contribute to this important collection of work – and the inspiration for the brochure which has been delivered by our Comms Crew. Our students’ study of our city’s rail story has given them a real overview of how important the work of Sir Nigel Gresley, who created Flying Scotsman and Mallard at the Plant, is in the history of steam and speed.

Letters and personal objects such as his hat and portrait are part of the exhibition, which has been curated with the collaboration of the Gresley Society, the Doncaster Grammar School Railways Archive and Doncaster City Council. Students from XPD are creating an audio experience for exhibition visitors and our Primary School Pupils are being invited to create rail related illustrations for colouring books that will be part of the gallery’s summer holiday resources for children across Doncaster.

Seb, who joined us at the launch said: “Going to the private viewing of the exhibition was great. It is important that young people carry on the legacy of our ancestors!”

Mel Cocliff added: “It was a privilege to be invited to the launch of the Sir Nigel Gresley exhibition at the Danum Gallery. To watch students from XP interact with people involved, including our Civic Mayor, was truly heartwarming. It’s vital that young people in our communities continue to appreciate the rail heritage of Doncaster, and pass on that baton as they grow up, too!”

The exhibition runs until September.

EYFS @ Green Top build their sandpit!

Following the playhouse being removed from the Reception outdoor area, it was in need of a revamp so the children decided to create a sandpit in this space! What a perfect opportunity to work collaboratively to create a purposeful learning space for their Summer term expedition ‘What happens where the sea meets the shore?’ The children designed the space and made a list of resources and jobs – beautiful work!

Beautiful Curation @ Carcroft

Beautiful displays were installed this week at Carcroft School – a culmination of last term’s Expedition ‘There is no Planet B’.

Top of the Blogs

Crew RPU Highlights @ XP

Beautiful Work from Grace @ XP Gateshead

Sunshine and Fairies @ Norton Infants

Long Jump @ Green Top

Messy Maps @ Plover

Exploring in the tree @ Carcroft School

E29 Working Hard @ XP East

Investigating Foods @ Norton Juniors

Join our Crew!

We’re looking for Cleaners and a Cleaner in Charge to #JoinOurCrew at XP Doncaster – find out more and apply here!

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!

C28: Exciting opportunity for optional fieldwork to Valencia in February 2025!

I am pleased to announce that there is a brilliant opportunity for C28 students for optional languages and cultural heritage fieldwork to Valencia 14th – 17th February 2025. The fieldwork will include various cultural visits, such as a tour of the world-famous Mestalla football stadium, a paella cooking workshop, a visit to Valencia Cathedral and old town, a flamenco workshop, and a visit to the City of Arts and Sciences museum. Please see the letter below for details. Students will receive a hard copy of this letter to take home with them tomorrow morning.

Places for the fieldwork are limited, and there is a tight turnaround on registering interest in order to secure places. To register interest for your child, please fill in the Google form linked here by no later than Monday 29th April. There will be a randomised draw to allocate places, and students will be notified of place allocation on Tuesday 30th April, as the initial deposit of £150 is then due in by no later than Thursday 9th May.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected].

Thank you,

Miss Barton