Christmas bazaar bonanza! 🎄

The spirit of Christmas was alive and thriving at Norton Junior as the entire school came together for an afternoon of joyous games and heartwarming entertainment. With activities being led by 6CC in their classroom, children from across the school partook in a joyful range of festive-themed activities! 

Among the highlights were classics like ‘Knock the Elf off the Shelf’, where precision and skill were put to the test to dislodge mischievous a mischievous elf from his perch, ‘Santa’s Sleigh Ride’, ‘The Coin Flick’ and ‘The Christmas Spin’. What a way to mark the beginning of the Christmas festivities in school!

Dipping, diving and dodging @ Trust Games Year 3/4 Dodgeball

On a very chilly first of December, a team of 10 year 3/4 dodgeballers has the pleasure of competing at Carcroft Primary School against the other schools within the XP trust. All played exceptionally well and demonstrated agility as well as great throwing and catching skills, which subsequently landed the team in second place overall. Well done to the other teams!

Sharing our Stories: 01/12/2023

Beautiful Work This Week

Pride of Thorne Awards

This very special event has brought together nominees from across Green Top’s local community who have been recognised for their invaluable work both with and for the people of Thorne. From food banks to emergency services to care homes – all were presented awards by KS1 children at Green Top, as part of their Expedition ‘Not all superheroes wear capes’. The list and variety of work celebrated this evening was incredible and each and every award was so well deserved. Congratulations to all of you from Green Top!

Norton Infants march for Askern CRY Foodbank

Carcroft celebrate and share their awesome ‘Chronica Carcroft’ Roman Newspaper!

Top of the Blogs

Year 6 final touchdown writing @ Green Top

G28 Class 1 Court Case @ XP Gateshead

X27 Ethics revising hard! @ XP

Case Study 3 – Reflection in 1M @ Plover

A freezing day out at the Kids EFL Cup! @ Norton Juniors

Christmas is coming! @ XP East

What does it mean to be British? @ Carcroft School

Presentation of Learning @ Norton Infants

We’ve got Vacancies at XP Trust!

Visit xptrust.org/vacancies to find out more and apply to #JoinOurCrew

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!

A freezing day out at the Kids EFL Cup ⚽️❄️🥶

The Kids EFL cup, a football tournament hosted by club Doncaster, took place on Thursday at the Eco power Stadium. With schools only able to select a strict team of nine for the competition, a team year 5/6 NJS children made the trip to the home of Doncaster Rovers to play against invitational teams from across Doncaster, including local schools Owston Park and Askern Spa. In freezing conditions, the team played exceptionally well and enjoyed a good tournament, showcasing great attacking and defending skills – passing to good support options in space when in possession and closing down the space against attackers when in defence. Whilst the team did not progress to the latter stages of the tournament, there were several exceptional performances: strong defensive performances from Ted and Will in Year Six ensured defenders were kept in check as well as great attacking performances from Fraser, Brooklyn (both Y6) and young Blake in year 5. Additionally, a huge thank you to Mrs Flint for accompanying the team with myself in extremely cold conditions. Great effort team! 

KS2 Girls Football @ Campsmount Academy

Celebrating athleticism, teamwork, and the spirit of competition, Norton Junior School girls recently took centre stage at the Key Stage 2 football tournament held at Campsmount Academy. The event not only showcased the girls’ skill on the field but also emphasised the importance of camaraderie and self-expression in a team setting. Well done to the girls and a shoutout to Mrs Blunt and Miss Gill for accompanying the team!

Animal Classification!

As part of their science case study, Year 6 have been using classification keys to classify Amazon Rainforest animals. They use specific criteria to sort the animals into groups including habitat, appearance, diet and which animal group the creature belongs to.

Super Sewers!

6SO have now completed their rainforest animal soft toys and we think the outcomes are fantastic! They have learnt how to do range of stitches in the last few weeks, including blanket stitch, over stitch, back stitch and running stitch, and then applied these skills to their toys. The children will be showing these toys to the Year 2 pupils alongside an accompanying rainforest story about deforestation.

Year Six Conquers Maths Week England Challenges 🧮

Last week marked an exciting and stimulating time for the Year Six as they participated in Maths Week England 2023. The week-long celebration of all things mathematical brought forth a plethora of challenges, fostering a spirit of friendly competition and collaborative problem-solving.

One of the highlights of the week was the thrilling Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS) Crew battle. 6CC and Crew Cicero eagerly embraced the opportunity to showcase their multiplication prowess, facing off against other crews within the school. The TTRS Crew battle not only tested the children’s mental agility but also encouraged teamwork and camaraderie. Among these formidable crews, Crew Cicero emerged with a commendable 4th place finish, showcasing their dedication and skill in the world of numbers, with ‘arch rivals’ Crew Oliver achieving a 1st place finish.

The Cube Challenge was a captivating conundrum for the children, introduced by Dr. Katie Steckles. The challenge required the young minds to grapple with the intricacies of transforming an eight-faced net into a three-dimensional cube. This spatial puzzle not only engaged the children’s mathematical sharpness but also nurtured their problem-solving skills and perseverance. The atmosphere in the classrooms was one of focused determination as the children eagerly tackled the challenge. The challenge served as a testament to the power of hands-on, interactive learning experiences, making mathematics come alive in a way that traditional lessons might not.

Congratulations to all the NJS pupils who participated in Maths Week England. Their unwavering enthusiasm, coupled with their impressive problem-solving skills, made the week a resounding success. The celebration of mathematical prowess is not just about numbers; it is a testament to the pupils’ ability to think critically, work collaboratively, and embrace challenges with a growth mindset. A special thank you to Mr Chadwick for organising the Maths week activities. Well done to all!