Sharing our Stories: 21/06/2024

21st June 2024Geoff Hewitt

Beautiful Work This Week

Park Smart, Walk More, Stay Safe!

Plover School is excited to join the “Walk and Wheel Challenge” by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority. This fun initiative gets kids walking, cycling, and wheeling to school, making travel safer and healthier.

But that’s not all! The students are also tackling a big issue – problematic parking around the school. They’ve made a video asking everyone to park considerately so driveways aren’t blocked and crossing the road stays safe.

Spread the word, watch their video, and look out for their signs around the area to support their efforts.

A Message from C29

‘This week, our school hosted the Conversation Club, shedding light on the challenges faced by refugees and asylum seekers. One major expense is transportation, but we realised that having a bike could eliminate this cost and provide free, reliable transport.

In response, we are organising a bike drive, inviting the community to donate any old bikes, which will be invaluable to those in need. You can drop off your bike donations at XP Doncaster, and we will ensure they are distributed by the Conversation Club to refugees and asylum seekers, helping to ease their daily struggles. Your support and generosity are greatly appreciated.’

We’re got vacancies across XP Trust!

We’re looking for:

Learning Coaches at Carcroft School

An EYFS/KS1 Specialist SEND Teacher at Carcroft School

A Teacher at Norton Junior School

Top of the Blogs

Weekly update for families @ XP Gateshead

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside @ Norton Infants

National Writing Day @ Green Top

We are artists @ Plover

Science Writing @ Carcroft School

Conversations with the Conversation Club @ XP School

Crew O’Grady @ 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!

Sharing our Stories: 14/06/2024

14th June 2024Geoff Hewitt

Beautiful Work This Week

XP Gateshead Students Shine as Digital Leaders in Exciting Expeditions Project

Students at XP Gateshead are stepping up in a big way as Digital Leaders, diving into the world of technology to record content for their Expeditions. Teaming up with the XP Trust Comms Crew, these young tech enthusiasts are taking on the role of professional sound technicians. They’re not just learning the ropes of audio recording and editing – they’re skilfully mastering them, gaining hands-on experience that goes beyond the classroom and reaching into real-world applications.

It was so inspiring to see these students get stuck in and take charge of such an important project. Across our Trust, students are constantly proving that with enthusiasm and dedication, they can achieve anything. A massive appreciation to these Digital Leaders for going above and beyond!

A Decade of Activism – New Beautiful Work in Frenchgate Centre

A new curation of recent beautiful work has been installed in the Frenchgate Centre in Doncaster City Centre! There’s awesome work from schools across our Trust, with a key focus on our Curriculum seam ‘Protecting our Planet’ – be sure to go and see the awesome work our students have created!

We’re got vacancies across XP Trust!

We’re looking for:

Learning Coaches at Carcroft School

An EYFS/KS1 Specialist SEND Teacher at Carcroft School

A Teacher at Norton Junior School

Top of the Blogs

Weekly update for families @ XP Gateshead

World Ocean Day @ Norton Infants

KS1 Sports Day @ Green Top

Fantastic Year 1 Fieldwork to the Deaf School @ Plover

Scott’s Heroes @ Carcroft School

Year 9 Rounders Winners @ XP School

Good luck! @ XP East

Ancient Egyptians @ Norton Juniors

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!

Homemade Granola

13th June 2024Helen Jenkins

Last week, 5HJ explored ratios within recipes. We used a recipe for granola and used our maths skills to upscale it and create a recipe that would provide 32 portions which we then made using oats, raisin, cranberries and desiccated coconut. The finished product was served with natural yoghurt and went down an absolute treat!

Ancient Egyptians!

12th June 2024Emma Gould

This week, Year 6 welcomed a new visitor to the school – Egyptian Arin! They were shown how to mummify a recently deceased body in gruesome detail, studied Egyptian artefacts, learnt two Egyptian games (mancala and senet) and learnt how to write their own name in hieroglyphics!

Learn like an Egyptian!

10th June 2024Charlie Cicero

On Monday, Year 6 were greeted by a real-life ancient Egyptian! First, they were shown how to mummify the body of an unfortunate enbalmer. Only recently did Year Six study the process of mummification and so this was a revision exercise, albeit with sight of some gruesome (plastic) organs.

The children enjoyed many activities throughout the day, such as city building and selecting different buildings based on their function, cost and points. Different, random world events determined whether a city flourished or deteriorated depending on the buildings they had chosen. Year Six also studied many Egyptian artefacts and learned about their significance to the ancient civilisation, many connecting the mortals to their gods.

After lunch, they played two different ancient Egyptian games: mancala and senet. Mancala, a basic accumulation game whilst senet’s rules were somewhat of a basic snakes and ladders. With Egyptian Arin, they also experienced writing a name in hieroglyphics using a reed ‘pen’ and a piece of papyrus.

Sheep heart dissection

7th June 2024Helen Jenkins

As part of our science case study in our Happy Healthy Me expedition, we have been looking at how to be the healthiest versions of ourselves. On Wednesday, year 5 visited Campsmount to dissect a sheep’s heart and use microscopes in the science labs. The visit sparked genuine interest and curiosity in our children who found the tasks exciting and meaningful. Thanks to Campsmount for welcoming us into school

Sharing our Stories: 07/06/2024

7th June 2024Geoff Hewitt

Beautiful Work This Week

Year 10 Band ‘LOOM’ @ the Doncaster Festival of Colour

On the last Friday before half term, students from XP Doncaster performed their original composition ‘Like A Storm’ in the magnificent ‘Luminarium’ at Right Up Our Street’s Doncaster Festival of Colour.

As part of ‘LOOL’ music sessions, Year 10 students have worked really hard to write this piece of music with Skinny Pelembe and Higher Rhythm as part of the Noise Collective project.

We are really proud of what they have achieved over the last few months – they’ve created beautiful work and developed a true sense of Crew in music.

There is No Planet B – Product Curation in Carcroft Community

Beautiful work from LKS2s most recent Expedition ‘There Is No Planet B’ has been curated on three signs in Carcroft! Their guiding question was ‘How can we protect our wonderful world?’.

Their learning focussed on the climate emergency and the impact that humanity is having on the environment, as well as what can be done to prevent further damage and protect the planet. The curated signs they have created not only celebrate the beautiful work they have done during the Expedition, but also make a stand about a persistent issue with local fly tipping.

Students have created helpful guides on recycling as an alternative to tipping and how this can benefit the community as a whole.

Friends of Norton Campus Football!

Friends of Norton Campus Association organised a community football match – parents versus teachers at Askern Miner’s Welfare Ground. Teachers were joined by some of Doncaster Rovers coaches and staff from Green Top – a real crew effort. The match was a tight game with both teams really wanting the win but at the final whistle it was the teachers that took home the trophy!

Friends of Norton Campus organised food, face painting and activities for the children – we even had a special visit from Donny Dog! We were supported with over two hundred members of the local community resulting in a really fantastic event.

Student Showcase – 4th July 2024

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Y5 parents please find attached an event you can attend to find out more about XP and XP East.

Please note this is not for Y6 students who have already been allocated their school. 

You can book your place here.

We’re looking for an outstanding Learning Coach (Teaching Assistant and HLTA) and Crew Leader at XP Gateshead!

Find out more here and apply to #JoinOurCrew

Top of the Blogs

Beautiful Work from Elize, Lyra and Leo @ XP Gateshead

Brilliant Bakers @ Norton Infants

D-Day @ Green Top

Pride of Plover @ Plover

Grammar in MI @ Carcroft School

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!

Exploring the area of complex shapes

7th June 2024Helen Jenkins

Maths last week involved calculating the perimeter and area of a range of different shapes including rectilinear and irregular shapes. Children had to estimate the area of a range of irregular shapes and then calculate by counting the full squares, using reasoning skills to decide upon an answer.

Then and now

7th June 2024Gavin Chadwick

In August 2023, the whole of year 4 embarked on a mission to regenerate the outdoor area behind the infant huts. We have been monitoring the progress of the project over the course of this year and the children were delighted to see our wild flower garden in full bloom this week. There were full eco-systems at work and bees and birds a-plenty. Alas, the fruits of our labour…