Lost in the Rainforest: Drafting and critique

This term, the English curriculum focused on narrative composition. Using Lynne Cherry’s The Great Kapok Tree as a stimulus, students produced pro-conservation stories targeted at an infant audience. The unit culminated in an assessment where 5CC planned and drafted a ‘lost in the rainforest’ narrative.

Students were required to incorporate specific grammatical features, including direct speech, expanded noun phrases, and similes. The drafting process included structured peer critique, allowing students to correct errors and enhance narrative tension.

Christmas Crafts in Year 5!

On Friday, Year 5 and the rest of the school welcomed family through the school doors to take part in our annual Christmas craft afternoon. Following their recent learning in D.T., 5CC put their sewing expertise to good use making Christmas ornaments from felt and ribbon. The children chose from a range of templates and produced their very own stuffing-filled baubles. Great job, Year 5!

Sharing our Stories: 04/12/2025

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

Crew 5/6 Community Crew Meeting @ Green Top

We are Scientists @ Plover

Testing out our final product @ Carcroft School

Epic week for PE @ XP

Year 5/6 Netball Tournament @ Norton Juniors

Weekly update @ XP Gateshead

A Christmassy Start to December! @ Norton Infants

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!

Sharing our Stories: 28/11/2025

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

Class 8 fantastic writing @ Green Top

Our Disneyland Video @ Plover

David Hockney style artwork @ Carcroft School

Crew Nightingale – kindness @ XP

Stitching up a colourful rainforest @ Norton Juniors

E29 Expert – mental health @ XP East

Weekly update @ XP Gateshead

A Marvellous POL @ Norton Infants

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!

Year 5/6 Netball Tournament @ Laurel Academy

This afternoon, ten girls from upper school represented NJS in a netball tournament at the Laurel Academy. Across six fixtures against other schools in the Doncaster area, the girls performed well winning two games but not securing enough points to progress to the final.

For the majority of the team, it was a competitive debut in a netball team but there was great experience to hand with the likes of Olivia, Peggy, Dolly and Autumn. Standout performers include Lottie, who performed well in the final third of the court, and Katie who was fierce in the centre role, playmaking and interception passes. For both girls, it was their first time playing netball. Well done to all the girls for all their effort this afternoon, it was a pleasure to see!

Stitching Up a Colourful Rainforest! 

Check out 5HJ’s rainforest-themed soft toys—bursting with vibrant colors and creativity! Not only are these cuddly creatures adorable but they’re also sewn by our talented children. The children’s sewing skills really shine through, making each toy extra special. Perfect for sparking joy and learning about the rainforest!

The Gift of Giving

After selling academic calendars from our previous expedition, Fight For Your Rights, and hosting a bake sale, Year 5 & 6 students raised over £600 to support not one, but two local food bank charities!

A huge thank you to all the parents, students, and everyone involved for making this happen. Your hard work and generosity are helping provide food for families in need within our community.

Snowy fun!

The snow brought pure joy to the playground yesterday. Laughter filled the air as the children played in the fresh snow, making the most of every frosty moment.

It was the perfect day for outdoor fun and a reminder of how exciting nature can be! Let’s hope there’s more snow to come!

Masters of Short Multiplication!

5HJ have been diving into the short multiplication and it’s been fantastic to see their progress! With a bit of practice and plenty of focus, they’ve been mastering how to multiply larger numbers step by step. The children have really embraced the challenge showing a lot of determination and teamwork as they solve problems. Not only are they sharpening their multiplication skills but they’re also building confidence. It’s exciting to watch them grow in their understanding and enjoy the process of problem-solving!