Our Year 7’s have not disappointed! We have had another brilliant day!
Fortunately for us, life as Vikings has come to an end and we are on route back to school.
Our expected return time remains at 4pm. We will post an update should there be any changes.
Welcome to our first selection of beautiful work from the brand new 2024/2025 academic year!
At XP Trust we always use our first week back to establish and reaffirm our culture of Crew. This year has been another resounding success as young people across our schools have considered deeply the purpose of Crew through a range of opportunities and experiences and how Crew develops character and service so that they can help themselves, others and the wider community to be compassionate and successful.
At Carcroft we saw students engaging fully in a community meeting reflecting on their habits of work and learning and expressing what working hard, getting smart and being kind looks like every day at school. Students at Norton Infants Y5 visited local Care Homes delivering glasses cases they had made as well as treats! At Plover students were working alongside the RSPCA to capture and tell the stories of abandoned pets and, alongside drawing beautiful pictures of the animals, helping to find them homes as well as creating stunning murals in a street art style to promote the importance and legacy of Crew.
Students at Green Top took part in a fundraising Colour Run which was quite frankly spectacular whilst also creating kindness key rings that they gifted to members of the community! At XPG, Year 8 showed their qualities as leaders of their own learning by planning, organising and leading Year 7 activities including creating resources and fieldwork opportunities for their peers. Finally at XPD, students carried out acts of random kindness at the Lake side and welcomed past students who came back to school to talk about how Crew and their time at XP shaped the beautiful people they are today.
It was striking to hear a member of staff at Carcroft say, ‘I’ve been teaching for over twenty years and this is the best start back I’ve ever experienced.’ – I think that says it all!
In addition, our new Year 7’s from XP Doncaster and XP Gateshead spent their first days of secondary school building Crew together in the Lake District with Outward Bound. This is something we have been proud to do with our students for ten years now and it was inspiring to see students cultivating resilience, compassion and teamwork – especially through some very adverse weather! We are looking forward to seeing Crews grow together over the coming years…
Our Chief Academic Officer, Andy Sprakes was the keynote speaker at Spaghetti Bridge’s ‘BridgeFest’ earlier this week. He shared beautiful work and stories from our students at XP as part of their inspiring itinerary celebrating the last year. We are proud to be a part of their story and a key influence on the work that they do.
Alfie Lockey was part of the X22 cohort at XP and left two years ago to study for his A Levels at New College. His results of 3 A*s and and A, helped secure him a place at one of the oldest and renowned universities in the world – Christ Church College, Oxford. Alfie will be studying biology; a lifelong love and something that during his time at XP was actively encouraged and supported.
He created an allotment at school, had an opportunity to take part in an online conference organised by the Edge Foundation, which addressed climate change. That day Alfie spoke alongside the co-creator of the Eden Project in Cornwall, Sir Tim Smit KBE. An office at XP also became the perfect place for Alfie to experiment with growing a variety of plants for several years; bringing a touch of hot house greenery to XP!
CAO of the XP Trust, Andy Sprakes commented:
“Alfie is one of our many alumni who are already making a positive difference to the world. We’re always thrilled to hear about how our students are progressing and where they are now – they will always be part of our Crew.”
In Summer 2024, XP and XP East’s Year 8 students embarked on Learning Expedition called ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go?’, where they aimed to answer the guiding question: ‘Is migration worth the risk?’.
In Art, they looked at the work of artists who used imagery of birds to represent migration. Leonardo da Vinci studied anatomy and used that to design flying machines. The students took his ideas and constructed their own three dimensional bird designs. They then made large scale sculptures of the birds that you can see on display, here. Before culminating in the display, the sculptures were paraded at this summer’s inaugural XP Festival of Arts & Culture.
Find out more here to apply now and #JoinOurCrew
Music Composition in MI @ Carcroft School
We’re all in this together! @ XP School
Acts of Kindness @ Norton Juniors
Weekly Update for Parents @ XP Gateshead
We now have a new dedicated news email so that you can send your stories, updates or ideas about potential news articles directly to us in Comms.
It might be something you or your students have achieved, a charity you’re supporting or anything at all that deserves a wider audience.
Write to us at news@xpschool.org – we want to hear about it, write about it and celebrate it!
Y11 have had an absolutely fabulous start to their final year and have not even been fazed by being thrown straight into preparing for and presenting their English speaking exams!
Academic Crew and Learning Labs will be running this week – full details in the Weekly Planner above.
We would also like to take this opportunity to invite all Y11 parents and students to our GCSE Revision Evening on Wednesday 11th September, 5pm-6pm. Again, details are in the planner.
As ever, if you have any questions please contact your student’s Crew Leader in the first instance or Y11 Phase Lead for your school: Angella Parker for XP East (aparker@xpschool.org) and Mel Cocliff for XP (mcocliffe@xpschool.org).
Wow! After an action packed few days at Outward Bound where Crew KBA really had to learn the art of working together to ensure everyone (myself included) made it through the experience.
We had tears and lots of laughter through out the activities but I am proud to say that every member or our crew made it to Friday.
We completed a range of activities from packing our camping bags, to a jog and dip, rock climbing and boating. Each had its own challenges but we worked through these together.
This week Crew KBA have been navigating yet again but this time it was between their sessions and rooms. I have seen lots of praise being added and last time I checked every single crew member had at least one praise!
I can’t wait to see what the next few weeks hold for us as a crew and I look forward to seeing each of them grow and develop.
Mrs Barnes
We had a great week on Outward Bound. Everyone in the crew tried something new and was challenged to show courage. The week began with a quick plunge into Ullswater which certainly woke us all up after a long coach journey! The challenges continued with gorge walking, waterfall climbing and a lengthy hike up Hallin Fell. Pupils were very tired, with many even asking for an earlier bedtime so they could get some much needed rest.
One of the most memorable experiences was the overnight camp. Pupils set up their shelters at the lakeside, hunkering down in their sleeping bags until it was time to wake up and enjoy the sunrise over the water. The ration packs were surprisingly tasty, with macaroni cheese and full English breakfast gaining rave reviews.
Although everyone was pleased to get home and enjoy the comforts of their own beds, we had a wonderful time getting to know each other.
Crew Southgate had a fantastic first week back reuniting as crew and catching up.
One of the highlights was heading into town and choosing our crew mascot and trying to find an antique item.
We also realised how much we need to knuckle down in year 11 with a visit from some XP alumni students.
We had a busy time in crew last week and were really proud to be able to share our efforts with parents who were able to come in for our little presentation of learning on Friday.
Here are some highlights if you missed it.
We are thrilled to share the incredible journey that our crew embarked on during their week at Outward Bound. It was a week filled with challenges, growth, and unforgettable memories as we explored the great outdoors and built bonds that will last a lifetime.
At the core of this expedition was the concept of building a crew. We were not just a group of individuals; but a tight-knit team, learning to trust and support each other. Through shared experiences and challenges, we developed a deep sense of what it means to be ‘Crew’.
This Outward Bound experience was more than just an outdoor adventure; it was a journey of personal growth and self-discovery. We were challenged in ways we may never have been before, and they rose to the occasion with resilience, determination, and a spirit of adventure. We are incredibly proud of what they have accomplished.
The Hike: We embarked on a challenging hike through breathtaking landscapes to the top of the mountain. This wasn’t just a walk in the park; it required physical stamina, mental resilience, and teamwork. But wow! What a view at the end!
Wild Camp: We spent a night under the stars after learning how to set up camp, cook meals, and appreciate the simple beauty of nature.
Gorge Walk: The gorge walk was a highlight for many. We navigated through rocky streams, scrambled over slippery boulders, and braved the cold waters—all while supporting one another through every step. This activity not only built physical strength but also fostered trust and teamwork.
We are incredibly proud of what our crew have accomplished, and we have come away from this experience with a deeper understanding of what it means to be Crew.
Like we say at XP…‘If we get Crew right, we get everything right.’
We are two very proud crew leaders!
Sarah and Polly
I am sure you have all had excited students return home from school today, eager to set up their devices! They were all sent with a number of instructions, in support of the questions I have been emailed I am sharing information below:
The screen protector must be installed to keep the Applecare warranty on the iPad valid, please do this first to ensure the most successful installation.
You can follow the written guide below or use our instructional video here. Please note the password for this year is not enrolment as stated in the video, it is summer2024
Don’t unbox the iPad until you are ready to install the screen protector.
Make sure you have lots of space and a clean dust free flat surface before you start.
This is really nice and easy, open the case from the box, align the camera on the rear to the top right of the case and clip it in.
Then then username would be firstname.surname31
(We apologise if the surname is not the preferred surname – these were set up using the information provided from your application to the school during Year 6. These usernames will only need to be used once.)
After school your child’s iPad behaves exactly like any other iPad. During the day we manage the iPads so that only certain apps are available.
In order to download apps at home that you have agreed your child can have, you will need an Apple ID. If you do not have one, you can find instructions on how to set one up here.
If you have separate Apple ID’s – for example if your child already has an apple device – you can link Apple ID’s in a family sharing group. More info on that can be found here.
Screen time and other parental controls are also available. You can find guides to these here.
For additional protection we recommend that you filter what your children can access at home using your own Wifi. Most hubs for your Wifi at home will have settings that will also restrict content. Log in to your broadband provider account and search for parental controls.
Please note: If you chose not to purchase a school iPad and bought your own, in order to be used in school we must add it to the JAMF system. This will ensure the same safety features are enabled and the iPad will be restricted during school hours. Please email the serial number to your child’s Crew Leader to ensure we are able to do this in a timely manner, in support of your child’s learning.
Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to email your child’s Crew Leader in the first instance.
