Our day began with our Crew Mascot design. First job was to do some research about Brian Blessed who has many achievements and is known for a variety of things.
Our research led us to see that Brian Blessed is the voice of Grampy Rabbit from Peppa Pig.
With our rabbit design agreed, Cain and Mollie began drafting some ideas.
From here Lucy started to develop our mascot further.
And here he is… the Blessed Bunny!
Quiz time next…
That’s it for this morning. Onto football and Athletics this afternoon.
It’s been a busy start to this half term for Crew Blessed with expeditions in full flow and final products / Presentation of Learnings firmly in everyone’s mind.
Future Year 7’s (current Year 6’s) have been having a look around their new school over the last few weeks and our students have been leading the tours. Kolby did an amazing job as an ambassador, explaining what we do and how we do it.
Great job Kolby!
It is also a really busy time for fieldwork, supporting the expedition learning. Students were having a final briefing this morning before setting off to Derbyshire.
There’s no slowing down because of the heat for Crew Blessed. Full steam ahead towards the end of this expedition and this school year! Keep up the great work Crew!
Year 9’s current expedition ‘Hold Back the River’ has the guiding question, ‘how does water shape our world?’
During this expedition, our geography content is focusing on river characteristics from source to mouth, river processes, formation of landforms as well as the cause, impacts and responses of flooding. As part of this, we are applying the theory of river processes and characteristics to the field.
On Tuesday 21st June, students will visit Edale in the Peak District, they will work together to collect data regarding the width, depth, velocity and load of rivers. We will also be capturing the beauty of a river by completing artwork. This data collection will allow us to accept or reject our hypothesis once we have analysed our data in our maths lessons.
Students will need to arrive at school no later than 8:15am so that the register and kit check can be completed before leaving school.
It is also essential that all students bring all of the kit on the KIT LIST so that they are fully prepared for the fieldwork; this includes a packed lunch and water to drink. Students will need to ensure they have suitable walking boots/trainers as well as wellies or a pair of trainers they can get wet – we’ll be going in the river to collect the data! If there are any problems in getting the appropriate kit before this, please email your child’s Crew Leader.
Students will be returning to school for 3:15pm (if traffic allows). Please ensure that you complete the ‘Medical Form’ which will be given to students this week and return it to Crew Leaders/expedition teachers as soon as possible.
Many thanks in advance for your support with this!
As they are coming to the end of Year 9, crew has been reflecting on their year. When thinking about their journey throughout the year, here are some of their highlights.
They have been looking at their HoWLs and AP grades from the last data drop. They have then made pledges each week to focus on small changes they can make to try and improve. Crew holds each other to account during this process, discussing whether they think they have been successful in achieving their pledges.
They have finished their second expedition of the year called ‘Every Picture Tells a Story’ by creating beautiful work. They looked at Islamic tiles and then used rotational symmetry to design their own patterns to paint with acrylic paint.
Here are some examples from Crew Kahlo:
Crew also chose their options for ‘Leading Our Own Learning’ that they will be studying next year. The crew has picked a range of options such as Engineering, Citizenship, Psychology, Further maths, ICT / Computing as well as some members of the crew decided to take up the opportunity to join the ‘pushing for 4’ group that will support them with Maths, English, and Science leading up to their exams.
They cant really believe that they are coming to the end of Year 9 and going into Year 10!
What a busy first couple of weeks crew Kahlo has had in Year 9!
There’s never a dull moment at XP, especially at the beginning of term. We kicked off the new year with an outward bound trip where we went abseiling off a bridge (80ft!) and caving:
On our second day of Year 9, crew took part in a number of fun challenges (working as a crew) in the morning and then played the other Year 9 crews in a bench ball tournament. We ended the day with a community meeting.
On our third day of Year 9 we walked to Potteric Carr nature reserve and then did a ‘Solo’.
When we got back to school, crew prepared for their POL to explain what they had done that week and what they had learnt from it. They worked well as a team to present to their peers and parents.
As you can see – we don’t mess about! We start as we mean to go on here at XP.
Cant quite believe that crew Kahlo are in Year 9 already – bring it on!
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.
Students today and tomorrow who hold prescribed medication at school will be handed back their medication. Students who require medication to be taken at school in the new term 2021/22 will be required to fill in the medication form.
The Google form is required to be filled in and then press send. This then gives staff consent to administer medication and for it to be kept on school premises.
Please ensure Inhalers, Epi-pens and other prescribed medications are sent into school with the child’s name and expiry date clearly visible.
Well, it’s been a busy couple of weeks in crew. We have been working hard and cracking on.
This week, crew Kahlo has been looking at ‘British Values’ as part of our crew curriculum. We have been learning about how British Values teach us tolerance and respect for others.
We even made a display in our crew room.
We then moved onto looking at the difference between weather and climate. Pupils carried out research into causes of climate change.
I wanted to highlight this beautiful work by Bryan and Jessy. For our current Y8 expedition ‘Wherever I Lay my Hat’ where we have been looking at the artist Luke Dixon for inspiration. Pupils have practiced adding lines and patterns to simplified copies of his work and also using a viewfinder to zoom in on details. I don’t know about you, but I think Jessy’s pencil-tone portrait is absolutely amazing! I only asked for a line drawing – but she went for it! We didn’t want to add any lines (like Luke Dixon does) over this drawing – so we have photocopied her work and she is adding lines to a copy so she has not one but two beautiful pieces of work!
On Thursdays, crew Kahlo has started to think about the HoWLs grades that they would give themselves for that week in each subject area and crew. Pupils critiqued each other’s grades and commented on whether they agreed with them or not. This led to loads of discussion about what ‘work hard’ looks like and how they could try and improve their own ‘get smart’ in lessons. It has been really great to have Mr. Challen in crew with us as he has been able to comment on pupils’ work in their maths lessons.
A very productive couple of weeks crew! Keep up the good work.
The Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH) school age vaccination team will be visiting XP school shortly to continue the HPV programme for all boys and girls in Year 8 (1st dose) & 9 (2nd dose). Thursday 6th May 2021 is the day allocated. All parent/carers of Year 8 students only should have now received an email with an attached link from your child’s crew leader. It is really important you fill in the form that is attached with the email in the link. This will save time in phone calls being made a week before vaccines in response to whether your child will be having the vaccine or not.
If you have not received the link for the HPV vaccine from your child’s crew leader then please contact them or myself [email protected] requesting the link for the HPV vaccine.
