Just a reminder that Bronze and Silver DofE Celebration of Learning will take place on Tuesday 2nd December at 4:30 on XP East Stairs.
We look forward to seeing you soon.
DofE Crew
Crew White
This week, linking to our expedition on transformational change, Crew White turned our attention to small acts of kindness. One of these acts involved writing an appreciation postcard to a member of staff, accompanied by a small flower as a token gesture. It was heart-warming to see Crew members thinking so carefully about who they wanted to appreciate and why. The messages they wrote were thoughtful, genuine, and full of gratitude.
The activity was a real success and provided a lovely pick-me-up for staff. Moments like these remind us how powerful small gestures can be in creating positive change within our community.
A week full of enrichment
Well done to all the students who have taken part in enrichment this week. Great effort from the year 9 boys football team who visited Outwood Adwick on Wednesday evening out in the cold. Cross country was another huge success this week where have had a number of students make it through to the South Yorkshire next round.
Well done to the year 7/8 girls football who have had a busy week. First fixture was against Hungerhill on a cold winter night, not the result we were hoping for but the girls did not give up. The girls then went on to compete in the EFL cup at the Keepmoat, where 21 school competed. The girls were fantastic and came top of their group with some outstanding wins against Hall Cross, Don Valley, South Axholme and many more. The girls then made it through to the semi finals but unfortunately lost 1-0 in what was a tight match. What an incredible achievement, well done to everyone who played.
We have another busy week next week so please read the what coming up next week blog post.
Have a fab weekend from Team PE.
Next week in PE W/C 24th Nov
Monday – Badminton Practice 3.30-4.30. Cheerleading practice 3.30-4.30
Tuesday- Man City fieldwork, leaving school at 3.15. Return around midnight. Will contact parents on the way home. Students will need warm clothing, packed lunch for the bus and money if they would like to buy any food there. All letters have gone to parents/guardians whose child is on the fieldwork.
Wednesday – Year 7 and 8 girls netball game at home finish at 4.45. Year 7 boys football match at home finish at 5pm. Please tick your name off the team sheet.
Thursday – KS3 badminton fixture at home finish at 5pm. Please tick your name off.
Any questions please email
Sharing our Stories: 21/11/2025
Beautiful work this week
Here’s a selection of beautiful work from across the XP Trust!
To read about other stories from across the XP Trust, visit xptrust.org.
Top of the Blogs
Authentic Art making in Y8 @ XP
And sew it begins… @ Norton Juniors
E30 Explorer – A Debate Full of Energy, Respect and Brilliant Ideas @ XP East
G29 Geography – Has the regeneration of the Ouseburn been a success? @ XP Gateshead
Remembrance Day Celebration @ Norton Infants
Share your stories with us!
Write to us at [email protected] – we want to hear about it, write about it and celebrate it!
E30 Explorer – A Debate Full of Energy, Respect and Brilliant Ideas
This afternoon, E30 Explorer showed what thoughtful, passionate learners they truly are during our big debate: Who was responsible for the deaths on the island?
The enthusiasm in the room was infectious; students were animated, expressive and full of insightful ideas. What made the debate so special, though, was the level of respect they showed one another. Even when opinions differed (and they definitely did!), students listened, challenged each other kindly, and built on each other’s thinking.
Discussions like this remind us just how powerful books can be: they spark curiosity, emotion, imagination and deep thinking. E30 Explorer absolutely brought the story to life today.
Fantastic work, all of you. Keep debating, keep questioning, and keep reading! 📚✨
Miss Buckley’s Year 11 English Group – Smashing Exam Technique!
Miss Buckley’s Year 11 class have absolutely hit the ground running this week as we reflect on our mock results and apply everything we learned to a brand new English Language paper.
The productivity and focus in the room has been brilliant. Students have been getting smart by asking direct, specific questions about the mark scheme, unpicking what the exam really wants, and taking real ownership of their progress. They’ve also been working incredibly hard to apply our writing structures independently, using their feedback to push themselves further with each attempt. It’s been a joy to see them making such thoughtful improvements.
To keep motivation high as we move towards the next round of exams, there are some challenges and prizes coming their way… so Year 11, keep your eyes peeled! Well done!!
Miss Buckley
Y11 TSLCs
We would like to invite parents and carers to Y11’s Teacher-Student Led conferences on Wednesday, 10th December 2025 at XP East.
These conferences will provide parents with an opportunity to meet with subject-specific teachers, allow students to discuss and reflect on their progress in different subjects following their recent mock exams and look at areas for development as they move into Y11.
Students will be given a booking form which will allow them to book a time between 14:30 and 17:30. These will be booked on a first come first served basis, so please ask your child to see their booking form and suggest a time to meet teaching staff. These booking forms will be handed out in crew time this morning.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
The Y11 Team
PE reminder
Dear Parents and Carers,
We would like to remind all students and families of our expectations regarding PE lessons.
Students are expected to bring a full PE kit for every PE session. This includes a complete change of clothes appropriate for physical activity. If a student forgets their kit, they will be required to borrow a PE kit from school to ensure full participation in the lesson.Students in Year 7-9 have a PE t shirt that they should be wearing for every lesson. If you do not have a PE top please purchase one from our school website.
We appreciate your support in reinforcing these expectations with your child to help maintain a safe and positive PE environment for everyone.
Many thanks Team PE
What’s coming up this week in PE
W/C17th November 2026
Monday- Badminton practice 3.30-4.30
Tuesday- Cheerleading practice 3.30-4.30, Year 7 and 8 girls football away return to school at 5.15
Wednesday- Year 9 boys football away return to school at 5.30. Netball practice 3.30-4.30. Cross country only for students who have received a letter from Mr Currie, during school time finish at 3.15.
BTEC learning labs 3.30-4.30
Friday – EFL Year 7 and 8 girls cup, during school time finish at 3.15, letter has gone to students who are taking part with all the information.
Any questions please email
