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.
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.
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.
Kian wants to ‘help those who need it most’ – so all of C30 are walking 1,000,000 steps this Thursday as part of Sam Thompson’s fundraising for Cash for Kids.
You can support their efforts to help stop kids going hungry during the school holidays – http://xptrust.info/STEPS
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’.
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].
At XP Doncaster, we believe in the transformative power of nature in education. We are embarking on a project as part of our Year 9 learning expedition to encourage our students and their families to cultivate plants, herbs, and flowers at home. Our aim is to not only enrich their learning experiences but also to make a positive impact on our community by fostering a deeper appreciation for green spaces and sustainable living practices. This will help them to answer our guiding question: ‘What is our relationship with the natural world?’
To bring this project to fruition, we are reaching out to family and friends. We are in need of donations. Your resources could greatly contribute to the success of this initiative.
Specifically, we are seeking:
Plant pots
saucers
seeds
seedlings
compost
soil
any other gardening essentials that would enable our participants to kick-start their gardening journey at home.
Year 8 have been working exceptionally hard since their POL on Wednesday night! They have started immersion for their new expedition by researching and designing their own countries through a Citizenship lens. Students discussed key international organisations, grappled with existing forms of government and even wrote their own national anthems. Explorer then voted on the country they would most like to migrate too.. watch the video to find out our Winner!
We would like to make you aware that your child will be bringing home a leaflet about Extended Study at XPD before the end of the week. Please take time to read the information with them, and discuss the expectations for time spent learning at home as well.
Please contact your child’s CL in the first instance should you wish to discuss anything further.
