It was that time of year again where crew gets incredibly competitive! It was a really hot day but students enjoyed ice lollies and time in the air conditioning between events. We lathered on the suncream and had a great morning of rounders, dodgeball, football and athletics.
During the afternoon we completed the yearly sports day quiz, sporting photo and put together our mascot after being given Australia this year as our country (very fitting for Crew Irwin).
At the end of the day it was announced that we had won for year 8 at XP!
As part of our current expedition, 8.3: Inside the Code, our Year 8 students have been exploring the invisible systems that keep our modern world communicating. But building encrypted networks and powering communication hubs requires energy—and lots of it.
To explore how we can power our future sustainably, we were incredibly lucky last Tuesday to welcome an expert guest into the classroom: Ian Barnes, the Renewable Manager at AE Spinks.
Mr. Barnes spoke to our students about the critical realities of climate change and how we can use environmentally friendly methods to heat our homes. He gave the class a deep dive into the world of heat pumps—a technology currently revolutionising renewable energy across the UK.
Our students got some fantastic “insider facts” about the industry. Mr. Barnes explained the practical realities of his day-to-day role, including the logistics of fitting heat pumps into different types of housing—explaining exactly what makes an installation straightforward, and what makes it tricky. He also shared his overarching mission: to massively increase the number of heat pumps operating across the UK to help reduce our collective carbon footprint.
Learning about engineering is one thing, but actually doing it is another! Following the talk, the students put on VR headsets to step directly into a virtual installation site.
Taking on the role of a heat pump engineer, students had to physically navigate the virtual environment to build, wire, and install their very own heat pump systems. It was an incredible way to bring complex, invisible engineering right into the classroom, allowing students to apply their problem-solving skills in real time.
A massive thank you to Ian Barnes and AE Spinks for taking the time to visit us, sharing their expertise, and letting our students experience the future of green engineering in virtual reality!
On Friday, Crew Caldwell participated in their final ever Sports Day… 😢
I am so immensely proud of how the students performed, especially in the heat! Everyone took part, gave it their absolute all, and, most importantly, had fun.
Once again, our crew finished in 4th place. At least we’re consistent! 😄 But that certainly didn’t dampen our spirits.
Thank you all for making it such a fantastic day, guys! 💙
Not only have Crew Peake come out on top in the Y9 competition… our Y9’s were the ONLY XP Year group to beat XP East!! Wahooo!!!
Crew Peake have been amazing today, with fantastic ability, great sportsmanship, incredible artistry and research abilities on show. I do believe we represented Austria beautifully today, with a significant amount of glitter!
We also loop-holed the quiz by spotting some mistakes… earning us those precious points to pip Crew Sinfield to the winning post!
Great work, Crew Peake – let’s see if we can make it 4/4 in our final year next year! 🤞🏻
Love, Miss Cocliff & the Austrian icon, Conchita Wurst x
At XP School, we believe music has the power to inspire and shape young minds. Each year, we offer a unique opportunity for children with a natural flair for music to gain a place in Year 7 through our dedicated Musical Aptitude route.
Whether your child already sings or plays an instrument, or simply has a keen ear for rhythm, melody, and pitch, this pathway recognises raw musical potential.
With access to expert tuition, vibrant performance opportunities, and a culture that celebrates creativity, XP School is the perfect stage for your child to flourish musically and academically. Click here to see highlights from our recent annual XP Festival of Arts and Culture
Apply now, and don’t miss this chance to join a learning community where talent is nurtured and passion takes centre stage! Find out more about this here: https://xptrust.info/XPMA
To ensure a balanced intake of students across all ability levels, all applicants to an XP secondary school must sit a Fair Banding Assessment.
This multiple-choice test focuses on non-verbal reasoning and helps us place students into one of five ability bands. There is no pass or fail, and results are used solely to support a broad and representative admissions process.
Completing the assessment is a key part of the application and must be done to be considered for a place.
Please ensure your child is registered by 31st October 2026 and prepared to attend the assessment on 21st November 2026.
Please see the attached poster regarding the upcoming Lifewise Open Day on Thursday 6 August (10am – 3pm).
It is a fantastic, free day out for families at the Lifewise Centre in Hellaby, featuring emergency vehicles, uniform try-ons, fingerprinting, and crafts.
A dedicated quiet time will run from 10:00am to 10:30am.
Crew Irwin along with the rest of C31 had a great afternoon finding out about different roles within the NHS. It was great to see so many of Crew engaging with professionals and showing their curiosity and interest in various roles.
