Crew Blessed Year 9 Week 1

By Marc Robins5th September 2021

Wow, it has been a fun packed first week back. From Doncaster to Derbyshire, from 60ft above ground (on a bridge) to 20ft below (in a cave!).

Crew Blessed were amazing during this week, supporting each other, over coming their fears and all while having fun.

We even managed to get parents into school in person for the first time in a very long time to present our answer to the guiding question – “What does it mean to be Crew?”

This week has been great to bring Crew back together after the summer break and a fantastic way to kick start their Year 9.

Crew Blessed Reconnecting

By Marc Robins12th April 2021

Crew Blessed have been enjoying reconnecting in recent weeks.

It’s been great to get back into Mindful Mondays. Today we wrote positive postcards for staff who have supported us.

Tranquil Tuesdays have been relaxing with some focused reading going on and we have taken responsibility for our own HOWLs in Thoughtful Thursdays.

Wise Wednesdays have been great to get into too, with some meaningful face to face discussions about British Values.

Crew Blessed – SLCs Complete!

By Marc Robins26th February 2021

With SLCs complete and the end of lockdown round the corner, we are also heading towards the end of term 3!

It’s been a challenging term and one that has really shown the power of us as individuals and as Crew. The strength students have shown to keep producing beautiful work and attending sessions so consistently has been incredible. Everyone should be really proud of themselves.

This was all encapsulated by their Student Led Conferences. Everyone spoke clearly about where they need to improve and equally about the work they are proud of. There were honest reflections that were discussed in a mature way that was often ahead of their years. This resulted in some very proud families and a very proud Crew Leader.

Here are some pictures from those meaningful SLC evenings…

Crew Blessed SLCs… Up and Running!

By Marc Robins8th February 2021

We have had two excellent SLC evenings so far and it was fantastic to hear both Oscar and Ben speak so confidently about their strengths and weakness. They both knew what they needed to do to take their learning to the next level and equally, they could identify beautiful work that they were proud of.

A special mention has to go to Oscar, who has only been at XP a short time and this ‘online’ SLC was his first experience of this process. He coped really well and is quickly getting on board with how we do things. Well done young man!

It’s going to be a great week ahead, with lots more SLCs to come. I’m sure it will be a really positive experience for everyone!

Crew Blessed – Business as usual!

By Marc Robins25th January 2021

What a fantastic effort in all areas Crew Blessed have made. It really is business as usual with regards to productivity and our character development.

Flashbacks to Crew displaying COMPASSION in school towards each other and supporting others with their CRAFTSMANSHIP & QUALITY.

The level of individual COURAGE and the support for each other has shown just how strong Crew can be when things change or get tough. The support and compassion shown above has definitely moved online with our learning.

There was a heart-warming morning where Liam wanted to share an online voucher with someone in Crew. Cejay was selected by Mr Robins to receive this (based on his online efforts) and he then chose to share it further with others. If that’s not Crew I don’t know what is!

The level of INTEGRITY too has been outstanding: students finding ways to overcome IT issues and other members of Crew making sure everyone has the link for the the next Google Hangout. Everyone has really stepped up and the level of engagement compared to the first lockdown has been fantastic. I’m really proud of our attendance so far, both to Crew in a morning and to the sessions.

When Mr Robins delivers online Crew from school, it’s not uncommon to get a visit from the Lorax!

It is also true that Crew Blessed are showing such RESPECT for their teachers by not only engaging in the sessions but really appreciating them and their efforts to provide stimulating lessons. This comes up every Friday in the appreciations section of our Community Meetings.

We Are Crew!

 

Can You Help With Our Suffragette Commemorative Plaque?

By Joe Nixon11th October 2020

Part of the product for the Y8 expedition Fight the Power! is going to be a plaque that celebrates the work of Doncastrian Suffragettes. But we need YOUR help to make it happen….

From September to Christmas, the all Y8 students across XP and XP East are completing an expedition called Fight the Power! This expedition focuses upon the power of protest and rebellion, from the Peasants’ Revolt, through to the Suffragette Movement and beyond.

Fight the Power! is an ambitious study that bridges all subject, HUMAN, STEAM and the Expeditionary Arts. During this expedition students are paying particular attention to the amazing work of the Suffragette Movement, focusing specifically upon how the Suffragettes of Doncaster helped to build and improve the society we live in today.

To celebrate the work of these amazing women, all students in Y8 will be involved in raising money to produce a cast-iron plaque by a local artist that will be placed permanently in Doncaster town centre. For the rest of their lives, our Y8 students will be able to take family and friends to see how their work has positively impacted their local community by highlighting the incredible work of these unsung heroes.

Y8 would really appreciate it if you could take a look at their crowdfunding page for the project and donate anything you can:

https://www.spacehive.com/doncasters-suffragette-plaque?searchText=doncasterhttp://

Without your pledges, this won’t be able to happen!

It is really important that at this stage the crowdfunding page is NOT shared on social media -this will come a little further down the line.

If the students manage to raise enough funds for the plaque then, the crowdfunder will enter its second stage, where students will be able to raise funds to work with Sarah Smizz, another local artist. With Sarah, students will get the opportunity to help design and create trade union style banners that will immortalise the work they are currently undertaking on their expedition.

Thank you for your support with this important work.

Crew Blessed – STEAMing ahead like super HUMANs!

By Marc Robins28th September 2020

As we enter week 6 of the year, Crew Blessed are working really hard in both STEAM and HUMAN. Great to see the focus and enthusiasm in these sessions, well done Crew.

Personal success for Ebony Sheppard too through her interest and high level of skill in football. We are all looking forward to seeing what you achieve in the near future Ebony!

Crew Blessed Back Together

By Marc Robins1st September 2020

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!

Crew Blessed Checkin’ Out of Year 7…

By Marc Robins15th July 2020

It’s been a school year no-one will forget and there have been many highs and lows.

We’ve got through it all because WE ARE CREW!

Here is a look back at Year 7 from the perspective of Crew Blessed.

That’s Crew Blessed checked out of Year 7, bring on Year 8!

We hope that everyone has a positive and healthy summer break.

Crew Blessed – We Meet Again!…

By Marc Robins3rd July 2020

Well some of us did!

We happened to have 5 of our Crew in school last Wednesday (including Mr Robins). It was great to see each other in real life!

In other news Liam has been contributing to a community collection of painted rocks near his house. These are fantastic and will no doubt have given lots of people a smiley moment when they saw them.

Great work Liam!

As we are the newly named Crew Blessed I thought it a coincidence when I saw on Twitter that Doncaster Council has used Brian Blessed to reinforce safety measures across the town!

Crew Blessed hope everyone stays safe and well as we head into the final couple of weeks of this academic year.