We had a brilliant first week back in Crew King. We started the week with a scenic and challenging hike on the Monsal Trail in Sheffield. Students worked together to keep spirits high. The highlight of the walk was an amazing view for lunch.
Another highlight of the week was the XP Colour Run. An event where students were showered in water and colour to raise money for charity. See the photos.
Alongside all the outdoor fun, we spent time practising some mindfulness activities including a brilliant yoga session led by Miss O’Grady.
It was great to reconnect as a crew, get a smile on everyone’s faces, and make some memories together. Bring on the rest of the term!
E28 visited Burleigh Hall in support of their most recent expedition, studying the Elizabethans. Students had a tour of the hall and learned about the history behind it.
I’m really proud to share that Crew Anning are off to a fantastic start this academic year. We currently hold the highest attendance in Year 9 and also have the most praise points – an incredible achievement that reflects the effort, focus, and positivity within our crew.
We’re also very proud that one of our crew members currently holds the highest number of praise points in Year 9 for our HOWL Be Kind. This is a fantastic example of the values we want to live by, and as a crew we hope to follow in their footsteps.
What makes this even more special is how much we’re supporting one another. As a crew, we’re holding each other to account, encouraging one another to keep raising our standards, and making sure no one gets left behind. The level of focus and engagement we’ve shown so far this term sets a really strong foundation, and it’s clear we’ve set the bar high for Year 9.
I’m so impressed with how Crew Anning have started the year – their encouragement, determination, and teamwork are already shining through. I believe these qualities will continue to shine and keep us strong as we approach the challenges and opportunities of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. I can’t wait to see what else we can achieve together this year.
At XP, we believe education should prepare young people for life in the real world. That’s why our recent Community Engagement Day was such a powerful experience for students across XP and XP East.
Working alongside South Yorkshire Police, our students had the chance to appreciate and experience the reality of keeping our communities safe. From police dog demonstrations to interactive sessions on knife crime, stalking, criminal exploitation, and human rights, students engaged with some of the issues facing young people today.
Crew ABO have set off their XPE journey in a positive way and already have celebrated some fantastic achievements. Within crew we have been focussing on building connections and settling into XPE after there fantastic week at outward bound. Crew ABO are already demonstrating what it means to be thoughtful, hardworking, and kind. Their approach to the HOWLs—Work Hard, Get Smart, and Be Kind—is setting a strong foundation for the years ahead.
It’s been inspiring to see the enthusiasm and commitment Year 7 have shown in Crew ABO:
Several crew members have celebrated 100% attendance, a true reflection of dedication and responsibility.
Many students are already at the very top of the praise board, recognised for their effort, attitude, and kindness.
With such a strong beginning, it’s clear that our Year 7 students are embracing every opportunity Crew ABO offers. They are not only learning about themselves but also how to support and uplift one another. We are excited to see how they continue to grow, both as individuals and as a community, throughout the year.
I am proud of the way Crew ABO have taken everything in their stride and I am excited to see what the next few weeks has to offer!
Please click on the links for websites and course options, most are open for applications for 2026/27 for new year 11 students applying. We recommend students apply to a range of providers.
It is never too early to start the application process and secure a provisional place for your students’ next steps.
Since returning after the break, Crew Spencer has hit the ground running!
Week One – A-Z Challenge in Doncaster We started the term with some exciting fieldwork around Doncaster town centre, taking part in an A–Z challenge. The Crew worked brilliantly together to visit key places in Doncaster, each one linked to a different letter of the alphabet. Along the way, we picked up something very special – our brand-new Crew mascot. Please join us in giving a warm welcome to “Spenny”!
Week Two – Settling into GCSE Learning I couldn’t be prouder of how Crew Spencer has returned to school. Everyone has come back focused, motivated, and ready to take on the challenge of GCSE content. Our praise points so far have been fantastic, and I’m really hopeful this strong start continues throughout the term.
In Crew time, we’ve been working on improving our reading ages to prepare for those tricky GCSE questions. Interestingly, we’ve recently learned that to fully understand GCSE exam papers, students need to have a reading age of at least 15 years old – something that really opened our eyes last week!
Wise Wednesday – Focusing on Wellbeing As part of our Wise Wednesday sessions, Crew has been exploring the theme of mental health. We’ve discussed ways to challenge negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones, as well as learning some useful strategies to support our wellbeing.
Overall, it’s been a fantastic start to the new term. Crew Spencer is showing maturity, focus, and a real sense of teamwork – and I can’t wait to see what the coming weeks bring!
With the current academic year now in full swing we have been reflecting on our start so far. Along with the rest of E32, Crew MWI experienced the head first, deep end dive into XP culture at Ullswater and came out as a crew. There were challenges and a few tears but the bonds of fellowship will remain forever.
Both classes of Explorer and Pioneer have experienced immersion at XP which has prepared them for the challenging academic curriculum that makes our expeditionary learning so impactful. Every member of crew has thrown themselves into life at XP which has been reflected in our HoWL’s data. Every Thursday we look back at the week before and make notices and wonders on how we have been the previous week. As a crew we look for patterns and celebrate the positives but also offer critique and support to keep us all on track. This past week Crew MWI had an astounding week with every single member of crew logging multiple praises from all across the school. Not a single student was challenged for poor conduct which was reflected in our total of 0 conducts for the week.
As a crew, we not only pledged to continue with our achieving of multiple praises but also keep up the score of zero conducts. Crew MWI are leading the way with showing fantastic character traits and will no doubt smash year seven if they continue on this trajectory
First Week Back at School: A Season of Growth, Teamwork, and New Adventures
The backpacks are packed, alarm clocks are back in action, and just like that, another school year has begun. As the first few weeks of school unfold, classrooms come alive with energy, curiosity, and the unmistakable hum of young minds getting back into the rhythm of learning . Crew Melladee have been working hard and producing some amazing work and in doing so, we have reset our crew NORMS and started the year making some perfect memories.
We absolutely loved our first crew week in school!!! We went on a walk to Sandall woods and embraced team work and the meaning of crew daily ,which led to the whole crew taking part in a POL and producing a video of key moments to show the memories we made.
I’m excited to see all students develop and become the best versions of themselves and continue to embrace XP and all of our values over the next year !
