Year 8 Being Human Update: they have been blowing staff’s minds!

The last few weeks have completely flown by, and that is largely down to just how much awesome work Year 8 have been producing. They have been absolutely blowing my mind with the start they have made to their new expedition, Being Human.

We began with immersion, with students being challenged to think hard, spot patterns and make connections without yet knowing exactly where the expedition was heading..

One of the biggest moments was our fieldwork to Danes Dyke, where students took part in fossil hunting. On the surface, it looked like the expedition might be heading in the direction of dinosaurs, but that was all part of the mystery. The fossils encouraged students to think scientifically about evidence from the past, while also using mathematical thinking to compare, measure and look for patterns in what they found. It was a brilliant red herring and got students questioning how all of these different experiences might eventually connect. A huge appreciation to Mr Heslop for his fantastic organisation of this fieldwork.

Then came the big reveal..

Students took part in an amazing (and patience testing) puzzle and scratch-card adventure, working together to uncover clues and piece together how their individual words linked to a much bigger picture. Across Year 8, students were able to make connections, test ideas and begin to see where the expedition was heading.

And finally, our Guiding Question was revealed:

What does it mean to be human?

Since then, X33 Skipper and E33 Pioneer have been producing some absolutely brilliant work.

Students have been taking real pride in their books and producing beautiful work with strong Craftsmanship and Quality. The level of thinking in lessons has been just as beautiful. Class discussions have been thoughtful, respectful and full of really interesting ideas as students begin to grapple with identity, belief, religion, experience and what all of these things can tell us about being human.

A special shout-out has to go to Roza, who shared some of her own experiences and understanding of religion and belief with the class. Her contribution gave us even more knowledge and perspective to grapple with and really enriched the discussion.

You may also have seen on other blogs that our brilliant Year 8 staff team, alongside the amazing Mrs Mawby, have been getting out into the Doncaster community and visiting residents in local residential care homes.

Students have been getting to know individual residents, listening to their stories and beginning to piece together their life experiences. This gives them another powerful way into our Guiding Question: what can someone’s memories, relationships, experiences, challenges and achievements teach us about what it means to be human?

Students will use what they learn from these conversations to create a beautiful gift for the residents they have worked with, which will be delivered closer to Christmas.

There is already so much to celebrate, and we are only at the beginning!!

Year 8, you are absolutely smashing it. Watch this space..

Art Meets Algebra: Year 8 Unlocks the Secrets of the Vitruvian Man

Mathematics is often hidden in plain sight, and recently, our Year 8 students proved that it is even reflected right back at us in the mirror. Bringing history, art, and geometry together, our latest unit on ratio and proportion saw students stepping into the shoes of Renaissance polymath Leonardo da Vinci to investigate the famous Vitruvian Man.

To kick off the investigation, classrooms transformed into active research laboratories. Armed with their rulers, students paired up to gather empirical body measurements—carefully recording key features, including head dimensions and total body height. The mission was clear: discover whether human anatomy follows predictable mathematical patterns.

The classroom buzz was immediate as students uncovered fascinating proportional relationships. Many were thrilled to confirm da Vinci’s observation that an individual’s total height is roughly equivalent to eight head lengths—a classic 1:8 ratio. Abstract mathematical concepts like scaling factors, simplifying ratios, and proportional reasoning suddenly became personal, visual, and remarkably intuitive.

Translating those real-world measurements onto paper is where the true precision comes in. Students are currently hard at work drafting self-portraits drawn strictly to scale. Applying scale factors to turn raw millimeter and centimeter measurements into proportional artwork demands careful calculation, sharp focus, and a solid understanding of how ratios operate in practice.

Once the drafting phase is complete, these impressive pieces will be proudly displayed on our expedition working wall to showcase the progression of their learning journey. By bridging the gap between abstract algebra and creative application, our Year 8 mathematicians are developing a whole new perspective on how ratio shapes the world around us. Fantastic effort so far, Year 8!

XP Outdoors

Today, Year 7 took a much-needed break from the busy school routine to explore the beautiful green space around Lakeside! 🦆✨

Sessions like this are all about self-development, building stronger relationships, and coming together as a crew. As we strolled along the waterside, students paired up with walking buddies to share their new interests and get to know each other better.

We also paused for a sensory reflection. Taking in everything we could see, hear, and feel around us. Hearing the students share their reflections was wonderful, and we’re so lucky to have this serene spot right on our doorstep to connect and reflect.

XP Y10 Maths- Changing the subject of the formula

Fantastic work and understanding from the Y10 class at XP today. All the students demonstrated great resilience and excelled to achieve the learning target of changing the subject of the formula. It was amazing to see students grow in confidence from the mini-whiteboard checks to demonstrating their learning in their books. They finished the lesson with some AQA exam style questions, which they smashed!