In the ‘Fight the Power’ expedition, Year 8 have been studying Macbeth as our anchor text. We have been focusing on the theme of power and how Macbeth’s power rises and falls during the course of the play as well as the power dynamics between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth.
Students have been so engaged and working really hard getting their teeth stuck into Shakespeare so we are very excited about our upcoming fieldwork!
To support our expedition students, in Year 8 will be visiting Leeds Playhouse to watch a performance of Macbeth.
XP East will be attending on Wednesday the 13th March. We will be leaving during school time but as it is an afternoon showing we expect to be back at school between 4-4:30pm, depending on traffic.
XP will be attending on Tuesday the 19th March. Students will be setting off promptly so please make sure your child arrives no later than 8:30am.
Students will need to bring a pen, water bottle and packed lunch. Lunch will be provided for children on Free School Meals.
As always, the school will provide fieldwork free of charge but if you would like to support us please see our voluntary parental contribution letter.
It’s been really lovely to support crew Da Vinci with their SLC. As it was my first time doing SLC’s I found crew worked with me and I was really impressed with their reflections.
I was waiting for permissions to publish previous work placements but thank you to a parent for suggesting sharing LOGOs to give students and parents/carers ideas to work from when thinking about making choices. I feel super silly for not thinking of it myself!
This week we’re proud to share the beautiful story LKS2s Expedition from last term ‘Coming to Doncaster: why then and why now?’. The incredible work from the students is on display outside the school for the community to see – make sure you go and check it out!
Being Human: Beautiful work in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead
This week beautiful work created by students at XP Gateshead was curated and unveiled at the QE Hospital!
‘What does it mean to be human?’
As part of their learning the students considered what makes a human both in a scientific way, through study of the gas exchange, circulatory and reproductive systems, and with regard to culture and religious beliefs when studying the Abrahamic faiths and the sanctity of human life.
Students then began the analysis of the tone and structure of successful speeches, and used this learning to write persuasive speeches on the topic of organ donation.
The theme of how humans and their societies and cultures grow and develop was then explored. Studying the development of humans from a single cell, through childhood, and puberty and onwards to adulthood. Adding to this theme we also considered our evolutionary past.
Students also worked with an expert to explore innovations and advancements that are being made around the world to help and support the development of humans. Alongside this students met with experts in organ donation, Dharmic faiths and Humanist beliefs in order to reflect upon who we want to be and how we can be the best version of ourselves.
The students were then challenged to create artwork to promote organ donation, and reflect upon what it means to be Human. Students also gave a speech expressing what they think it means to be human to parents and experts.
This work displayed at the QE hospital is the result of XPG’s community collaboration and celebrates what it means to be human and how together we are stronger.
The work has been well received already and Gateshead NHS have shared this post about working with the students at XPG!
XP on the TV!
We’re on TV next week!
XP Doncaster will be featured in a BBC Two documentary to be aired on the 7th March.
Multi award winning TV company Tern TV, spent several days filming with us last summer, with the presenter Darren McGarvey, who won the Orwell prize for his book ‘Poverty Safari’.
The filming was for the second of three documentaries, which in order focus on Justice, Education and Health, titled: Darren McGarvey: The State We’re In.
Claira Salter, our Principal of XP Doncaster said:
“We love to share what we do across the XP Trust, welcoming over a thousand visitors and delegates from all over the world in the last year alone. So, when we were approached by Tern TV to take part in the education documentary presented by Darren, it was a real opportunity to engage with an even wider audience here and for our students to participate in the process of interviewing and film making.”
“We are looking forward to seeing all three programmes and are delighted that the spotlight will also be on Doncaster and the communities and partners we are proud to work with.”
On Wednesday we welcomed back our personal safety from Instincts Training to deliver another session, this time focussing on internet safety.
We began by discussing whether we thought the internet was good or bad. Whilst we agreed that the internet is a good place (especially for gaming!) we recognised that it does have its bad/dangerous points, too.
Students were presented with several scenarios to encourage them to reflect on their online behaviours, such as:
Have you ever shared anything online about someone online that you knew they wouldn’t want posted?
Have you ever liked or shared a mean post about someone?
Have you posted something using someone else’s account?
Have you ever spoken to someone online who you didn’t know?
These questions helped to generate some mature and well thought out discussions around the internet, interacting online and how to spot online dangers. It was reassuring to know that on the whole, Y7 are a savvy lot.
We’d like to appreciate all our Y7 students for the Integrity, courage, compassion shown when sharing and listening to crews’ experiences.
The British Heart Foundation is a fantastic charity which works tirelessly to fund life-saving research into heart and circulatory diseases. To raise awareness of the amazing work that the BHF do, and to raise money to support the charity to continue to save lives, I will be going without chocolate for a whole month! This means no chocolate at all for the month of March.
Please click this link, or scan the QR code in the image below, to donate to this wonderful cause. Every penny counts! Any support you could give would be very much appreciated! Thank you!
