On Tuesday, Yr 5 & 6 were given the challenge to complete a 12 km walk to Brockadale Nature Reserve and back. 5HJ supported each other along way and showed huge levels of determination and stamina. The sun was shining and we all had a fabulous time. I can’t wait for the fantastic year ahead! 😊
WOW! What a start year 3 have had to their time at NJS! Since coming through the school gates on Tuesday in brand new blue uniforms, the children have made the entire year three team incredibly proud with how they have adapted to life in the juniors. We have had an action packed week with a number of team building activities and competitions.
On Tuesday, we headed outside and held a mini sports afternoon – we had running races, throwing competitions and even the speed bounce!
We have had lots of fun activities in our morning crew sessions this week. Wednesday saw a very competitive game of dodgeball between Crew Gate and Crew Gracey with all the children showing both amazing determination and sportsmanship. This morning, we were extremely lucky to be joined by a number of year 5 children to do some fabulous buddy reading.
We then headed to the hall as a whole year group for a STEM paper chain competition which the children absolutely knocked out of the park.
We finished the week by looking at acts of kindness. We started by getting out the litterpickers, heading outside and cleaning up the playground. We then headed back inside and baked rice crispy buns to be sold at the Y5 bake sale this afternoon.
On Tuesday, Year 6 started their first day as the head of the school and made a brilliant start settling in for the year ahead. With a focus on building our crew, the children have engaged in activities to bring individuals together, and to learn each other’s strengths; Wednesdays group challenge was to complete a long distance walk to Brockadale Nature Reserve , and back, a route of just over 8 miles (12 km). Enthusiastic, positive and very supportive of one another, the children completed their first challenge of year six with vigour. We now look forward to some interesting, unorthodox athletics challenges on Thursday before beginning of the hook week for our first expedition of the year. Looking forward to a fantastic year ahead with 6CC 2023/2024!
It’s the first week back and we’ve been having a ball in 4GC. Here, we have created 240 bookmarks for every child in school; undergone team building challenges such as bridge building and shape making, established our crew norms in some graffiti style artwork; engaged in some fun problem solving with a variety of parachute games and mathematical challenges…and we’ve only been back two days! Roll on tomorrow.
G29: From The Ground Up – launch at Seven Stories!
G29 Students at XP Gateshead launched their book ‘From The Ground Up’ which answered the guiding question ‘What do the communities of North East England owe to the miners?’ at Seven Stories in Newcastle!
Year 5 and 6 Students at Plover School launched their awesome new Poetry Anthology ‘At the Coalface’ at a Mining Gala they hosted for their local community – beautiful work!
Beautiful Curation at XP Gateshead
Plover Early Years: Transport Day
Celebrating Success at Green Top
Over 5 years ago Miss Stewart and Miss O’Neill started their journey with us at Green Top as apprentices. They then progressed and secured Learning Coach positions whilst studying towards a degree in Education. Over the last two years they have both completed their degree and qualified as teachers! We are so unbelievably proud of them both and grateful that we were a part of their special journey. Sadly we didn’t have any teaching positions for them at Green Top so they have secured teaching positions in other schools. Again, we are so, so proud of them! We wish them both lots of luck in their new schools and know that they will be wonderful teachers inspiring many children in the future!
School Cook retires after 30 years at Green Top
This year we say goodbye to Sue, one of our school cooks. She has been looking after us all for 30 years and we will be sad to see her leave!
We presented Sue with flowers and gifts today and celebrated her time at Green Top!
Good Luck Sue!
XP Students gift their gorgeous terrariums to care homes in Doncaster
Year 9 students from XP and XP East gifted 30 terrariums they created for the residents of the Oaklands Care home this week. The home on Bawtry Road was delighted to accept the miniature indoor gardens, which the residents will look after and keep.
Darren the Oaklands manager is pictured here accepting the terrariums – all of which are low maintenance and were happily handed over to residents.
Ed Miliband praises XPCC23
Ed Miliband shared an update from his Facebook page about XPCC23, praising students for their awesome work and involvement in the conference.
On the morning of the final Monday of year six, 6CC enjoyed putting their coordinates skills to good use as friends became enemies in today’s pirates bay game.
When friendships had rekindled, the team had the pleasure of engaging in a Shakespearean murder mystery: Romeo and Juliet Edition with Campsmount English teacher, Mrs Green. All enjoyed putting their detective skills to the test as they attempted to piece together a timeline of events from the evidence. Well done all!
“Every young person should learn about climate change in school. It’s marginal to most people’s curriculums – not XP School as you’re such a brilliant school”
Ed Miliband – Shadow Secretary of State for Climate Change and Net Zero
After the success of our inaugural conference last year and with climate change at the heart of our activism as a Trust, we held this year’s event on 13th July with the question: If not now, when? If not us, who?
The programme for the evening featured the work and research of our Year 10 students and the contribution of experts from across our region.
Powerful keynote speeches, delivered by six students left the audience in no doubt that the planet is in crisis and action has to be taken now.
What that action might be was ably and inspiringly answered by the panellists taking part in our Q & A.
These were The RT. Hon Ed Miliband MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Climate Change and Net Zero; David Pulham, UK Manager Vossloh and Tim Newton, Sustainability officer, Doncaster City Council.
The conference also featured many stalls covering such subjects as Sustainability and ‘greener’ food, as well as scientific demonstrations and break out discussions.
One of the breakout presentations was delivered by Dr Mike Sprakes, Gastroenterologist, Mid Yorks Hospitals NHS Trust and Peter Leighton Jones, Head of Sustainability, Mid Yorks Hospitals NHS Trust.
Their talk focussed on Climate Change and the NHS.
We’re already thinking about next year’s conference – but more importantly if you can pledge to make a difference all year round we can all work together to save our planet. There is no Planet B.
As you know a school-managed iPad is part of the standard kit required of students in secondary schools across XP Trust. We have brokered a successful Parental Contribution Scheme to enable this for all our children for the last 4 years and continue to do this again for 2023/24.
The iPad scheme for September 2023 includes:
An iPad 9th Generation
A logitech keyboard and trackpad
AppleCare + for two years
Jamf – (device management and security)
A glass screen protector
We will have a bank of Apple Pencils for use in Art and Design sessions. You are welcome to purchase an apple pencil of your own, should you wish, and we would recommend either:
Apple Pencil – Touch sensitive
Skriva – Not touch sensitive but does shade on the angle of the nib.
The extended warranty is covered by Apple for the first two years. You handle your own claims through an app. Further information can be found here:
There is a claim excess for broken screens at £29, we will supply a glass screen protector free of charge. This will be checked regularly by Crew Leaders as part of our kit checks.
This afternoon 6EG had a visitor from Campsmount – Mr Wilson, a science teacher. They have learnt about acids and alkalis, all in preparation for next year!