XP East

Well done to E30 Crew Rosa Parkes on completing their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award!

It was a tough two days, but the students demonstrated outstanding resilience, teamwork, communication, and determination throughout the expedition. They faced challenges with a positive attitude, supported one another when things got difficult, and showed great perseverance to reach the finish.

The experience provided an excellent opportunity for students to develop their independence, problem-solving skills, and confidence while working together towards a shared goal. They should be incredibly proud of what they have achieved and the way they represented themselves and the school.

A huge congratulations to everyone involved on this fantastic accomplishment, and thank you to all the staff who helped make the expedition a success. An achievement to remember and a well-deserved Bronze Award! 👏🏅🥾

On Wednesday, our Year 10 BTEC Sport students visited Sheffield Hallam University to take part in an exciting Sport event. Throughout the day, students engaged in a variety of workshops, ranging from practical sport sessions to exploring the business side of the sporting industry. They also had the privilege of hearing from a Sheffield Hallam University alumnus who now works within the football industry, providing valuable insight into potential career pathways in sport.

After dropping off the BTEC students, staff headed straight to Hayfield for a Year 7 and Year 8 rounders fixture. It was fantastic to see such a significant improvement from our previous fixture, with both teams demonstrating excellent teamwork, skill, and determination. There were plenty of rounders scored throughout the afternoon, making for some exciting matches.

A huge well done to both teams for their efforts, and congratulations to the Year 7 team on their well-deserved victory!

On Thursday 25th June, join our Crew at XP Doncaster for a joyful celebration of creativity. Expect live music, powerful performances, and the beautiful work that defines our students. Grab your free tickets today!

https://www.ticketsource.com/xptrust/t-oemmpmr

This week, our Year 10 students visited the National Holocaust Museum as part of our ‘Power and Prejudice’ expedition. The visit supported learning in both GCSE History, focusing on life under Nazi rule, and GCSE Ethics by exploring Judaism. 

Students explored the museum’s powerful exhibitions and beautiful memorial gardens before hearing the moving testimony of a Holocaust survivor. Listening to their first-hand experiences brought history to life and encouraged students to reflect on the importance of challenging prejudice, discrimination and hatred.

The day was a valuable opportunity to deepen students’ understanding of the Holocaust and its lasting lessons for society today. We are incredibly proud of the respect, maturity and empathy shown by all students throughout the visit.

We’re looking forward to welcoming our students back shortly! Before they return to their classrooms and activities, we’ll be spending a little time helping everyone degunge and freshen up after today’s fun.

Please note that collection time remains approximately 4:00pm. We expect all students to be cleaned up, changed if necessary, and ready for pick-up by then.

Thanks DofE team/ C30 Crew Leaders.

Dear Parents and Carers,

The Year 9 Presentation of Learning is Thursday 25th June as part of the wider Arts Festival. We would ask that Parents and Carers arrive at around 3.50pm where students will be briefly outlining the expedition. The presentation from students will run between 4.30pm and 4.50pm.

Students will be presenting their learning answering the guiding question: What is our relationship with the natural world?

As the presentation is part of the wider Arts Festival we ask that parents/families book free tickets using the link below:

https://www.ticketsource.com/xptrust/xp-festival-of-arts-and-culture-2026/2026-06-25/12:30/t-oemmpmr

This is so that we have a record of numbers of people on school site.

After this time there will be opportunity for families to attend the other aspects of the Arts Festival if they wish to. If students are leaving school site at the end of the Presentation of Learning they will need to sign out with a member of staff.

Thanks

The Year 9 Expedition Team

Monday- Athletics 3.30-4.30

Wednesday- Rounders fixture away 3.30-5.15.

Thursday- Cheerleading practice 3.30-4.30. No cricket practice.

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

Crew Walton Wildlife Park @ Green Top

Handwriting champion of the week @ Plover

Expedition – Science @ Carcroft School

Beautiful work from Harry in Year 10 @ XP Gateshead

Crew Nightingale Hunt for a Rainbow in the Rain! @ Norton Infants

Moving Together @ XP School

A settled and productive afternoon @ 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!

This afternoon I have had a great time! I managed to visit all year groups who were in session at XP East and see how settled our starts to afternoon sessions are. In the STEM and HUMs lessons I visited , the focus was immediate. Students wasted no time opening up their books or logging into Tassomai, swiftly immersing themselves in independent reading and targeted retrieval practices.

Craftsmanship on Display in E29

Meanwhile, in the E29 3D Art classroom, a completely different kind of focus was underway. The room was a hub of deliberate, high-quality craftsmanship as students worked diligently on their 3D products.

The attention to detail and standard of work on display today highlighted true pride in curation. From initial structural choices to the final meticulous finishes, our students are proving themselves to be true artisans, pushing the boundaries of their creativity and technical skill.

It has been a fantastic, deeply productive start to the afternoon here at XP East. A huge well done to all of our students for maintaining such high standards and bringing their best selves to their crews today!

I was invited into to the official relaunch of Embrace today — our dedicated hub designed to support wellbeing, foster connections, and provide a safe, structured environment during social times.

We are only a few days into the relaunch, and we are already seeing a massive, positive shift in how students utilise their lunchtimes. While unstructured free time is important, it can sometimes feel overwhelming or isolating for students. By providing a well-structured shared space, Embrace has bridged the gap.

We are already noticing;

1. A Sanctuary for Wellbeing

Navigating the school day can be draining for some of our students. Embrace offers a calm, regulated environment where students can decompress, take a breath, and reset before their afternoon classes. It has quickly become a cornerstone of our daily mental health support.

2. Meaningful Social Interactions

Because the space is structured with intentional activities, board games, and relaxed seating arrangements, breaking the ice is easy. We are seeing students from different year groups sit down together, share, and build new friendships that might never have formed.

3. Reduced Social Anxiety

The environment naturally invites participation, giving everyone a clear sense of belonging and a safe place to land. Staff and Students – Next time you pass by during lunch, take a peek inside!