XP East

Find out more here and apply to #JoinOurCrew

It’s the little things…

Sometimes, as a Crew Leader, it’s the little things that make me smile.

On Friday, Crew White were VERY excited because, as Year 11s, they now get to sit at the top of the stairs during community meetings.

To anyone else, that might sound like a fairly insignificant seating arrangement.

To them? This is HUGE.

Since Year 7, they’ve looked up at that spot and watched the older students sit there. And now, finally, they’re the cream of the crop!

It reminded me of that same excitement from primary school when you finally reached Year 6 and got promoted from the floor to a bench at the back of the hall. Because apparently, nothing says “you’ve made it” quite like an upgraded seating position!

They may be the big kids of the school now, but thankfully they’re not too big to share my caterpillar birthday cake in Crew this morning!

And that’s what I love about being a Crew Leader. It’s not always the big achievements that matter most. Sometimes it’s the pride, the laughter, the cake and those little moments that remind you just how far they’ve come.

The little things really are the big things. ❤️

Mrs Fowler

Wednesday – Netball and Football 3.30-.4.30

Thursday – Cheerleading 3.30-4.30

Please come to the changing rooms at the end of the school day.

Here is the link to order the PE t shirt. All students in year 7-10 should have a PE t shirt for their PE lessons.

Any questions please speak to your crew leader.

https://romirosport.com/product-category/education/xpe-doncaster

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

Arts and craft club @ Green Top

EYFS Sponsored Bear Walk @ Plover

Could You Be a Change Maker? @ Carcroft School

Inside the Code @ XP

]Celebrating Crew @ Norton Infants

Digital Leading Experts @ Norton Juniors

G29 @ XP Gateshead

Fossils, Discovery, and Coastal Exploration @ XP East

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!

Last Thursday marked an exciting milestone for E32 as they officially launched the immersion phase for our upcoming expedition. Trading the classroom for the chalk-lined coastline of Danes Dyke, the trip set the stage for a day filled with hands-on discovery, scientific curiosity, and outdoor exploration. Students were tasked with scouring the shoreline for open fossils embedded in the cliffs, observing signs of active marine life, and examining the vast array of shells washed ashore by the tide.

Throughout the day, E32 consistently demonstrated our core character traits of compassion and respect for the natural world. Mindful of their footprint on the delicate coastal ecosystem, everyone embraced Leave No Trace principles. They handled their surroundings with care, ensured marine habitats remained undisturbed, and left the shoreline just as pristine as they found it. Their environmental stewardship showed a mature understanding that true scientific inquiry goes hand in hand with protecting the places we study.

That same dedication extended to the craftsmanship they brought to their scientific observations. Rather than rushing through the beach search, students applied remarkable focus, patience, and attention to detail. They carefully examined the subtle textures of ancient rock layers, closely inspected coastal erosion patterns, and handled every natural find with precision and curiosity.

The absolute highlight of the afternoon came when that patient searching paid off—several students managed to find real fossils embedded directly in the chalk rocks! Holding pieces of ancient history brought the day’s learning to life in a memorable way. With their impressive environmental mindfulness, keen scientific eye, and high standards of conduct, E32 has set a fantastic foundation for the rest of this expedition. A huge well done to all our explorers!

Today provided a fantastic showcase of the focused, high-quality interactions happening across our school. During session 5, myself and a visiting colleague from Meridian Trust conducted a walkthrough and were impressed to see such a great start to students’ work across all the classrooms we visited.

It was a privilege to step into E33 Explorer with Miss Johnson, E32 Explorer with Miss Barton, E31 Explorer with Miss Buckley, and E31 Pioneer with Miss Wilkinson. We also had the opportunity to spend time with the E30 Ethics group and the E29 Science groups. Across the board, students demonstrated a genuinely great attitude to learning.

One of the most impressive takeaways from the walkthrough was the confident academic language on display. Students are consistently using and applying tier 3 subject-specific vocabulary, confidently using complex terms into their contributions during lessons and in their books.

While the standard was high everywhere, there were a few particular highlights from the session. In E33 Explorer, students were deeply and enthusiastically engaged with Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Meanwhile, our Y11 students were seen rising to the occasion, responding brilliantly to high challenge and direct questioning specifically tailored to hone their exam technique.

To help us maintain this excellent momentum, we ask parents and carers to support us with our daily equipment checks. Please ensure your child arrives at school with their iPad and a suitable reading book. Having these essential items ready every day ensures their access to learning is fully supported and allows them to make the most of every lesson.

What a whirlwind first two weeks it has been for Crew Dufton! As we step into our final year, the energy, maturity, and genuine care everyone has shown has been incredible.

Here is a quick look at what we’ve been up to:

• Crew Week: We kicked off the year balancing mind and body, from our stunning walk at Langsett to team games and diving straight into building strong, active revision habits.
• Speaking & Listening Ambition: In Week 2, the crew took on their official GCSE Speaking & Listening prep within English lessons. I have been completely blown away by the ambitious, thoughtful topics everyone chose to tackle. The confidence on display is inspiring!
• Mondays for Crew, Fridays for Reflection: This morning, after a legendary game of our current favourite, Empires, we decided as a crew to restructure our weekly routine so it works best for us:
  • Mondays: All about checking in, bonding, and playing games to start the week with a smile.
  • Mid-Week: Academic Crew sessions, self-led revision, and focused Extended Study.
  • Fridays: Deliberately pausing to “check out,” celebrate our wins, and reflect on the positives before the weekend.

The vibe in the room is unmatched right now. Let’s keep this momentum going, Dufton! 🚀

Crew Spencer have made a fantastic start to Year 11 and are settling back into school really well. We’ve enjoyed a walk to Langsett, explored revision techniques to help us succeed in our GCSEs, and got back into the spirit of Crew.

Students produced some fantastic work creating mind maps about how they are going to be successful in Year 11. It has been a brilliant start, and I’m really looking forward to the year ahead!

Miss Dickinson

Find out more and apply here to #JoinOurCrew

https://xptrust.org/were-looking-for-an-amazing-leading-learning-coach-hlta-at-plover-2/