Last Wednesday, 43 students from Year 7 through to Year 10 had the incredible opportunity to visit the heart of British democracy; Parliament!
From the moment we arrived, it was clear our students were representing XP and XP East with pride. Compared to other school groups touring Westminster that day, our young people stood out as the most polite, knowledgeable, and respectful by far. Staff from the Parliament Education Service commented on how impressed they were with the conduct, curiosity, and confidence of our students, feedback that was 100% positive across the board.
Throughout the day, students explored the House of Commons and House of Lords, took part in a hands-on workshop about how laws are made, and even had time to rub shoulders with some politicians. Among the highlights: spotting Diane Abbott in the corridor, chatting with members of the House of Lords, and touring Westminster. Sadly, Sir Keir Starmer was tied up; rumour has it he was a bit busy running the country, but we did meet Sally from the Parliament team, who made time for our brilliant students! However, Students did have the opportunity to discuss petition ideas with Sally Jameson (local MP for Doncaster)!
What really stood out, though, was how every student embodied our character traits to the fullest: respect, craftsmanship & quality, and above all, compassion.
A huge shoutout and heartfelt thanks to Mr Morrison, Mrs Fowler, Mrs cross, and Mrs Burrows for supporting the fieldwork, and for getting up at 4am!.
Please see letter – Crew Leaders will be handing these letters out in due course. If you have any questions please contact your child’s Crew Leader. We look forward to seeing you soon.
We are well on our way home after a great day in parliament, even meeting the MP for Doncaster Central. We have hit intermittent traffic along the way and so our current return ETA is 18:30.
The countdown is on! In just two days, the XP Festival of Arts & Culture kicks off – and alongside the incredible music, dance, and creativity on show, you can enjoy some fantastic food from Relish!
You can check out their menu below – there’s something for everyone to fuel your festival day.
Just a heads-up: Relish is card payment only on the day!
🎵 Great food, great music, and a celebration of our amazing young people – it’s going to be a day to remember.
Tickets are free but essential – there’s still time get yours here: xptrust.org/festival
Thank you to all the parents, carers, and students who attended our recent Silver DofE Information Evening. It was fantastic to see so the interest and enthusiasm for the next exciting stage of the Duke of Edinburgh journey.
For those who were unable to attend, or would like a recap, we’ve attached the slides from the presentation below. These outline everything you need to know about how the Silver Award will run this year, including:
🏃♀️ How the Physical, Skills, and Volunteering sections will be completed independently
💼 Expectations around kit, costs, and planning
📆 Important deadlines and next steps
We’re really excited to be working with this year’s Silver participants and can already see how eager they are to take on the challenge. Expedition supervisors Emma Watson and Chris Morrison will be leading both the practice and qualifying expeditions and will be on hand to support throughout the process. Please see the links for information and forms of interest on the slides below.
We’re aware that there was some miscommunication regarding the letters that were recently sent home. Please accept our apologies for any confusion this may have caused. The attached slides should help clarify the key information, but if anything remains unclear, don’t hesitate to get in touch. I will also be avalibale tonight (Wed 9th July) to meet with anyone that requires more information till 4:30pm.
If your child had previously expressed interest but is no longer wishing to take part, please let me know as soon as possible by emailing ewatson@xpschool.org so we can update our records.
Thanks again for your continued support, we can’t wait to see what this next chapter brings for our amazing students.
Just a quick message to keep you in the loop with the work going on behind the scenes!
As you can imagine, we’ve got quite the task ahead as we work to verify all the Bronze DofE Awards on the eDofE portal. Our incredible expedition supervisors are busy finalising individual reports for each student and passing them on to the award verifier. It’s a big job – but we’re on it!
Our goal is to have everything completed by the end of term. Once that’s done, we’ll be sharing details about a very special Celebration of Learning event and an official Award Ceremony, we’re currently looking at the last week of September for this. 🎉 Stay tuned for more info soon!
As ever, if you have any questions, please contact your child’s Crew Leader in the first instance.
Make sure students have a water bottle as the weather is getting hotter this week.
Bring suncream to school.
Parents/ guardians please email or write a note if students are excused from PE and students still need to bring full PE kit if excused so they can take part as a coach/ referee.
All students in Year 7 and 8 should be wearing their PE t shirt for PE.
Any questions please email cogrady@xpschool.org, dcurrie@xpschool.org and aboswer@xpschool.org
The Power of PE: A Celebration of an Incredible Few Weeks of Sport
The last few weeks have been nothing short of phenomenal for our PE department, with a whirlwind of achievements, competitions, teamwork, and unforgettable experiences. From athletic victories to inspirational fieldwork and whole-school events, the power of PE has truly been on full display.
D&D Athletics Competition 🏃♂️🏅
We’re incredibly proud to share our success at the recent D&D Athletics competition, where our students put on outstanding performances. A special congratulations goes to our Year 8 boys, who stormed to victory in both the 100m sprint and the relay event. Their determination, speed, and teamwork made for some thrilling moments on the track and are a true testament to the talent and hard work within our school.
Rounders Tournaments – Resilience and Teamwork in Action ⚾
Both Year 7 and Year 8 rounders teams recently took part in their respective tournaments, showing amazing sportsmanship and resilience. Regardless of the result, every single student gave it their all, working together and supporting one another throughout. The teamwork and positive attitude on display were just as impressive as the gameplay, and we couldn’t be prouder of their efforts.
National School Sports Week
What a brilliant week we had celebrating National School Sports Week at XPD. It was great to see everyone involved in sport with a smile on their face throughout the week. We had a crew step challenge going on as well as sporting tournaments during active lunch. We also had lots of extra curricular and students getting involved in sports outside of school.
Exploring Sports Careers at Sheffield Hallam University 🎓🏋️♂️
Our C28 BTEC Sport students had the incredible opportunity to visit Sheffield Hallam University for a fieldwork day focused on careers in sport. It was an inspiring and eye-opening experience, where students explored the vast range of career pathways, courses, and opportunities available in the sporting world. They also had the chance to dive into sports science, learning about the components of fitness through engaging, hands-on activities. A brilliant day of learning, discovery, and motivation for their futures.
🏅🤝 Leadership in Action: Sports Leaders Support Primary School Event
Shortly after, our talented Year 8 and 10 Sports Leaders stepped up to run a primary school sports event—an incredible experience that gave them the chance to apply their leadership skills in a real-world setting. They planned and delivered engaging activities for younger pupils, demonstrating confidence, responsibility, and teamwork throughout the day. This opportunity helped them develop vital transferable skills such as communication, organisation, and problem-solving—skills that will serve them well in future careers, education, and work experience. A huge well done to all involved!
Sports Day – A Whole-School Celebration of PE 🎉⚽🎨
This year’s Sports Day was one to remember! Every single student in our school took part in what was a celebration of inclusion, competition, and school spirit. From team-building challenges, mascot design competitions, dodgeball, football, and rounders, there was something for everyone to enjoy and get involved in. The event was brought to an energetic and uplifting close by an incredible performance from our cheerleaders, who wowed the crowd and lifted spirits even higher. Look out for more on the sports day video.
The Power of PE 🌟
What an amazing couple of weeks it has been. From competitive success to inclusive participation and career exploration, the recent events have highlighted just how powerful and impactful Physical Education can be. The diversity, teamwork, and enthusiasm seen across all activities has been truly outstanding. Here’s to even more achievements, memories, and inspiration in the world of PE!
Next Wednesday, 16th July 2025, XP will be hosting a Police Day for students in Years 7 to 10 across XP and XP East.
This is a pre-planned educational event and part of our wider curriculum focused on citizenship, personal safety, and community engagement. Students will take part in a range of age appropriate sessions including workshops, talks, and demonstrations led by members of South Yorkshire Police and other community safety organisations.
Throughout the day, there will be a high and visible police presence on site, including:
Police officers in uniform
Police dog demonstrations
Police vehicles and equipment
Community safety teams
This is nothing to be concerned about; all activities are designed to support learning and build positive relationships between young people and the police. We look forward to an exciting and meaningful day! Students will need pack lunches (FSM are provided). If you have any questions or concerns please email Miss Wilkinson, Mrs Burrows or Mrs Poncia.
