Sharing our Stories: 08/09/2023

Beautiful Work This Week – Double Edition!

#C30Aberdovey – Our Reflections

Last week our new Year 7s were the 9th cohort of students from XP to head off to the Aberdovey Outward Bound centre to answer the guiding question ‘What does it mean to be Crew?’. These are their reflections after just three days of their secondary school journey…

Orchestra in residence at XP

XP is now the official new home of the Doncaster Youth Jazz Association.

Fifty years ago John Ellis MBE created the Doncaster Youth Jazz Association (DYJA). 

Over the next half century, with three bands and a fourth ensemble made up of alumni, the organisation was to become internationally renowned.

The Doncaster Youth Jazz Orchestra has played at some of the awesome venues in the world, from the Royal Albert Hall to Buckingham Palace, the United Nations in New York to Ronnie Scott’s in London. Always delighting audiences and showcasing the young people of Doncaster’s talent and virtuosity.

Now, after many years at Beckett Road, DYJA are moving into our XP school, which will become their base. Their office, rehearsal and teaching rooms and music library – as well as full band rehearsal space will be here with us at Middle Bank.

Andy, our Chief Academic officer commented:

“We are absolutely delighted, across the XP Trust, that the Doncaster Youth Jazz Association is now based at our founding school, XP.

To support and be associated with an organisation that has travelled the world, sharing its music and the amazing talent of Doncaster’s young musicians, is very exciting and part of our ongoing commitment to the local community.

As we look forward to celebrating 10 years of XP in 2024, this feels like another landmark moment in our story – and we hope this is so for DYJA too as they continue their decades-long journey.”

Charlotte Arrowsmith, Chair of the Board of Trustees added:

“This feels like a new and exciting chapter for us at DYJA as we enter our 51st year. We’re delighted to have moved into XP School – and we’re looking forward to working and creating here, in such an inspiring place.”

#C30Austerfield

Plover’s Colour Run

Acts of Service: C28’s Sine FM Adverts for Moorends Foodbank

X28, X27 and X26 Building Crew

Top of the Blogs

BBK/Chotting @ Carcroft School

Weekly update for families @ XP Gateshead

Student Ambassadors – First meeting of the year @ Plover

Stay and Challenge @ Norton Infants

Class 12: Crew Reading @ Green Top

Act of Kindness @ Norton Juniors

XP Outdoors – a (number) minefield! @ XP

Sports Day 2023 Video @ XP East

🐒🦓🐅 Yorkshire Wildlife Park 🐅🦓🐒

It was certainly a hot one but Year 5 had a wonderful time visiting The Yorkshire Wildlife Park yesterday! The children took part in an endangered animals workshop learning how and why animals are becoming endangered and what we can do to help. Our highlights were definitely spending time with the wallabies and polar bears.

🍰🤍🧁 Act of kindness 🧁🤍🍰

During crew week, our guiding question was – How can crew be strengthened by acts of service to others? After holding crew sessions, Yr5 decided to litter pick whilst on our walk to Brockadale, visit The Laurels residential home to take gifts and spend time with residents as well as hold a bake sale to raise money for charity.

We are we’re blown away with the amount of donations received across Norton Campus and are excited to share that we raised a whopping £142.70. As a crew, we will decide where this money goes.

Crew Oliver – National Read a Book Day!

Crew Oliver had a lovely crew session yesterday morning for National Read a Book Day where we each shared our favourite book and then we enjoyed The Tunnel by Anthony Browne – one of Miss Oliver’s favourite books.

National Read-A-Book Day

Today is National Read-A-Book Day and to celebrate Crew Gould and Crew Blunt read their favourite books with their classmates. Hopefully this love of books will continue!

Relentless Romans!

That’s right. This is the title of the expedition we’re about to embark on and our children were in for an absolute treat on Monday when we went on our fieldwork to Murton Park to experience life training as a Roman Soldier. You really wouldn’t mess with this lot, would you?

Year 6 Amazing Animal Art!

This week, Year 6 have been fully immersed in all things rainforests and the amazing animals that live there! 6SO worked in teams of 4 to create these awesome pieces of art using mixed media. We think the finished pictures look extremely effective.

Beginning Y6!

6EG have had a great start to the year! Team games, walks, and immersing themselves in our new Expedition ‘The Lungs of the World’.

Hook Week- Animal Split Art

The students have enjoyed the start of Hook Week. They started by exploring pictures of animals and began to ask questions about how the animals are all connected and how they could be grouped together. They then chose an animal and have been using watercolours, pastels, pencils and crayons to create some split art. We are looking forward to seeing the finished pieces!