Crew Stan Lee had a fantastic time in our Wise Wednesday session creating a still image.
This session we looked at what a still image might look like and how they as a crew could recreate their own.
Crew working together…
Pause!! Frankie was in charge of this freeze frame.
This week in our Thoughtful Thursday crew session we focused on supporting each other to get on top of our academic work. Some students decided they wanted to work on revising for their test in History by studying the rise of Hitler, whilst others used this time to do additional work for Common Mission.
I was really impressed with Crew Earhart’s focus during this session. Well done to Bobby who also wrote a superb essay on how Hilter gained power in 1933.
After such a long time away from school, the start of the new term means a new start for Crew Webb! We have two new Crew leaders and a new Crew member – welcome Eleanor! Mrs. Collinson and I are Crew Leaders this year for Crew Webb, and we’re delighted with the way that Crew Webb have settled back into school, despite all-new routines and the demands of being in Year 10.
Crew Berger have had a busy few weeks since returning to school at the end of August. Getting used to new protocols in school, meeting new staff and realising the reality of such an important year in our educational journey.
Meeting experts from our pioneering C21 year group made us realise that we needed to start working immediately on our studies for next year’s GCSE exams. Emily, Alex, Chloe and Gabby helped us to focus on what we should be spending our time on in the coming months and I was really proud of crew Berger when they identified that starting revision was something that we needed to do immediately.
Over the last couple of weeks we’ve been working on spending at least 10 minutes every night on revision tasks and crew have been sharing their success each morning. We’ve also been holding each other to account and reminding each other to complete these small challenges so that we can build strong habits of self study and revision. The best thing has been seeing members of crew explaining their learning and sharing revision techniques when we check in the next day.
Here you can see Abi and Callie’s personal notebooks and Isaac’s flashcards. Current topics of revision have included the rise of the Nazi party, ratios, electricity, spanish vocab and the great heathen army!
I’ve had the absolute pleasure over the last two weeks to spend much more time with crew than before lockdown, as I’m back teaching X26 again (woohoo!) What I’ve loved most about this is I’m able to see first-hand how well Crew Thunberg work in sessions.
The levels of maturity in the conversations we’ve had have been astounding — members of Crew Thunberg across both classes have engaged in thoughtful discussions about racial inequality and gender inequality over the last 2 weeks, during their immersion for the expedition Fight the Power!
But more than this! Crew have brought these discussions from their sessions and back into crew, sharing their thoughts and ideas on how we construct an identity for ourselves and how that identity is influenced and affected by others.
The conversations around inequality, oppression, and identity have been as important and crucial to these times as any I’ve heard. Students in Crew Thunberg have excelled themselves this week in supporting each other in having these, often difficult, conversations about who they are, and who determines their identity.
I know I say it every time, but it’s just very true: this term looks like it will be our absolute best ever yet! I’m looking forward to getting back into sessions this week to see how Crew Thunberg are getting on beyond their sessions with me in maths. I’ve already seen them hard at work in HUMAN — keep up the brilliant work, everyone!
It’s all go at XP after our time at home during the lockdown. It’s so good to have the crew back together again. I’m really proud of crew Kahlo for settling back into their school routine (even though they’re all a bit tired). Each and every member of crew has made a fantastic start to Year 8 and has received some lovely feedback from their teachers.
For our first day back we had a full day together to re-connect and catch up.
I was impressed with their mature attitudes towards the new rules that we have to follow to stay safe in school. They also let off a little steam by playing a few games outside to get some fresh air…
We discussed ideas for crew pledges to try and help each other when we need support
The crew has had some changes this week like our first whole school virtual community meeting:
We also had the introduction to ‘Wise Wednesdays’. For our first week, we were looking at ‘Understanding Identity’. We discussed how social and cultural factors help to shape our identity. It was a chance for the crew to explore who they were as people and think about how others see them. It was challenging for some members of the crew but they grappled with the tasks and supported each other. It was lovely to have the chance to speak to them all about ‘what makes them who they are’.
Well done for having a great start to Year 8!
Welcome to Year 10, Crew!
What a start to year 10 it’s been, too! Members of Crew Macmillan have returned to school after such an uncertain time and have done so really positively, coming back in like they’d never been away – even if most of them are about a foot[and a half] taller!
Last week we spent our first day together in crew and looked at coming back stronger. We looked at how we can keep ourselves and each other safe when back in school. Thursday saw us straight back into sessions, where teachers have been praising Crew Mac!
We’ve also spent some time together thinking about pledges, and what we can do in crew to make sure Y10 goes smoothly – and spoke about how we can hold each other to account!
I’m hearing really positive feedback from staff about how Crew Mac are getting on in sessions. I’m really hoping we can keep this up – along with good attendance, good HoWLs and good focus will mean that every member of crew succeeds this year! (Did i mention that we’re currently joint #1 for attendance, too? 😉 )
I’ve spoken before about how I am so proud of what Crew have achieved over lockdown, and it’s lovely to see that continue with their almost flawless return to school – Ricki has even branched out and learned to cook more (he eats things now that are not chicken nuggets!!!) – Frankie is well on her way to her first book being written, and Heather is ready for GBBO!
Keep doing what you’re doing, keep working hard, getting smart, and being kind.
I’ll leave you with this, at the start of your Y10 journey…
It was a great start to the new school year for Crew Blessed and really nice to be in the same room as each other once again.
Ben celebrated his birthday in school last Friday which was quite a contrast from last year in a Welsh valley…
Also on Friday we took part in the first virtual Community Meeting via a Google Hangout. What a great experience and thanks to technology we could still feel part of the whole school Crew.
It’s great to be back!
It is wonderful to welcome back our students in Year 8 and 9 today, they have certainly returned with renewed energy and enthusiasm!
Today, is all about Crew. Students have been spending their time today reflecting on the past few months, learning how to keep themselves safe whilst in school and most importantly reconnecting as a Crew.
I have had the pleasure of spending time in each of the Crew’s and it is great to see the students engaged, working collaboratively and happy!
What a way to start the year! #Comingbackstronger
As previously posted. This summer, X24 are taking part in fundraising for the toilet twinning scheme by walking 2 miles with 4 litres of fluid on their back, just a portion of what those we are trying to help do on a daily basis. Here is evidence from one students walk:
This is an opportunity to provide support for countries who don’t have the simple facility to wash their hands, at a time when hand washing is vital. To support please donate money via this link.
