On Thursday 18 June, I spent a day at XP Gateshead and what an incredible day it was! 

When I first arrived, Year 8 were busy preparing for their Presentation of Learning later that day to reflect on and show their learning from their most recent Learning Expedition, ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go?’ where they have endeavoured to answer the Guiding Question, “Is migration worth the risk?’ Students were rehearsing music, poetry readings and dramatic performances all linked to the Guiding Question. Focus and concentration were high as they coordinated the different transitions into the various component parts of the Presentation.

As we moved into the afternoon, parents arrived and witnessed some incredibly moving and emotive performances by Year 8 students. Their understanding of the complexity of migration and the need for us to ‘above all show compassion’ shone through their creative responses. The opening ensemble musical piece including the whole year group was simply stunning and was simultaneously both powerful and moving. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, students shared their poetic answers to the backdrop of  a stop motion GIF created by the students that illustrated the imagery used in the poem Home by Warsan Shire. It was just incredible.

Over the course of three Case Studies, students had analysed the push and pull factors of migration, the impacts of the climate emergency, and the relationship between fossil fuels and displacement, while engaging with personal narratives like the Crew read The Bone Sparrow. This Expedition integrated diverse subjects, including geography, science, religious education, music, and art, to build empathy and deepen understanding of both the challenges migrants face and the historical context of migration. The Expedition culminated in this collaborative Presentation of Learning during Refugee Week, featuring student art and music that celebrated diversity and community compassion. Without doubt, Year 8’s understanding of the complexity of migration and the need for us to ‘above all show compassion’ shone through their creative responses.

“Year 8’s understanding of the complexity of migration and the need for us to ‘above all show compassion’ shone through their creative responses.”

As the Presentation of Learning drew to a close I was informed that Mike Domingue, a local artist from Hexham had arrived with an art installation that is going to be displayed in the school to further provoke discussion and promote deep inquiry into how we can better protect our planet and how students can educate the wider community to affect positive change in what is a key curriculum seam across all XP schools. Appreciation to Mike, our Facilities guy, at the school and two extremely community spirited Year 10 students, Kenzie and Conor, who helped move and install the plinths and the clay globes!! We couldn’t have done it without them!

Mike is returning next week for an Ambassador Tour, a discussion with our eco-activist group and how we could integrate his work into future Expeditions.

Hardly pausing for breath, the Year 8 Presentation of Learning shifted seamlessly into the very first XPG Live Festival, where a diverse array of students from different year groups showcased their talents through musical sets, choreography, and performance poetry. 

In addition, Year 10 students prepared ‘street food’ and refreshments for our audience. This was so beautiful that it very quickly sold out – testament to its high quality. All of this had been framed by Year 9 performances that had punctuated the week running up to the Festival. The skill and courage of students was only surpassed by the encouragement and support of one another. Not only did students show character but once again they showed what it truly means to be Crew.

If this wasn’t enough, I was then taken into the curation of Year 11’s art and photograph GCSE Exhibition. Not only was the work beautifully curated but the range of work was highly impressive. Student work when displayed in this way evokes a deep feeling of wonder and awe – our students can and do create work of beauty; work that shows their character; and work that shows a high level of mastery of knowledge and skills. It was simply stunning.

Student work when displayed in this way evokes a deep feeling of wonder and awe – our students can and do create work of beauty; work that shows their character; and work that shows a high level of mastery of knowledge and skills.

As the Festival drew to a close, local and upcoming Newcastle band the Leazes headlined the event. They put on a high octane, energy fuelled performance that inspired our students. They ‘danced like no one was watching’ showing joy and appreciation. 

As I was heading home on the train, Julie Mosely ,the Headteacher at XPG, shared an email that had been sent appreciating the event. Here is one of her many beautiful comments:

“The poetry and drama performances were deeply powerful and moving, communicating such an important message about migration and its hardships. I particularly loved the performance of Home by Warsan Shire, it is such an evocative and important piece. I feel strongly that our children are developing the courage and awareness to stand up in an increasingly polarised, “post-truth” world. We truly have hit the jackpot in sending the girls to XP.”

And concluded with the heartwarming and humbling affirmation:

“You are such an inspiring and dedicated team, and we feel so fortunate to be partners in this amazing community of educators and creativity.”

The resonance of our practice is deeply felt.

We are crafting a powerful legacy of beautiful work which brings about a profound transformation in the lives of our learners as well as connecting with, and making a positive impact on, the wider community.

Just another day at XP Gateshead…

Scott Boldt is a long-time partner and valued friend of XP, and recently, he brought his wealth of experience and stories to our Year 8 students at both XP Doncaster and XP Gateshead. Scott joined us as an expert to support their current Learning Expedition, “Should I Stay, Or Should I Go?” where students are grappling with the complex and timely guiding question: “Is Migration Worth the Risk?”

The sessions kicked off with a mystery piece. Scott asked the students to guess where he originated from based solely on his accent. The room buzzed with suggestions as students called out everything from the USA and Australia to Ireland and New Zealand! While his accent certainly kept them guessing, Scott eventually revealed his true roots: he comes from a Polish heritage and was raised on the south side of Chicago in the USA. Scott shared his early life experiences as he grew up in a working-class household with a mother who worked as a waitress and a father in a factory. His journey from those Chicago streets to the classrooms of XP is a story in itself.

Scott’s personal history served as a perfect living example of the “push and pull” factors of migration. Before his life of travel began, he had never even stepped foot on a plane. His journey took him from Chicago to Dublin for his studies, where life took a romantic turn when he met his future wife, Hilary. This connection eventually led him to Belfast, but the move wasn’t without its hurdles; at one point, the necessity of work and the complexities of securing a visa actually required him to move back to Chicago to ensure he could eventually settle with his family.

During the visit, Scott helped students connect these personal anecdotes to broader historical and global themes. He explored the various reasons people move, whether for adventure and love, or out of necessity due to war, oppression, or environmental disasters. He delved into the history of the Irish Famine in the 1840s, explaining how colonisation by Britain fundamentally stripped wealth from the land and imposed laws from a distant Westminster. This led to a nuanced discussion about the negative impacts of colonisation, such as the loss of language and culture, alongside some of the complex systemic changes like education and infrastructure.

When students asked how migration had changed him, Scott reflected on how moving away from home had been fuelled by his sense of adventure, assimilation, and profound self-discovery. Without a doubt his extensive travels (we counted he’d been to at least thirty countries) had fundamentally changed and influenced how he views the world and our common humanity. While he cited South Africa as one of the most beautiful places he’s ever visited, filled with stunning scenery and wildlife, he admitted that Ireland has his heart because it is where he settled and built his life. He also shared his impactful work on “The Troubles” in Northern Ireland, discussing how he actually worked towards peace and reconciliation in a region deeply affected by its own history of colonisation and migration.

We would like to thank Scott for his important and informative contribution as an ‘expert’ and look forward to when he visits our Trust in the future. Matt Wilmot, a lead teacher in the Expedition at XP Doncaster summed it up beautifully, “The sessions with Scott were fantastic, the kids were enthralled by his stories. I think it all came together at the end when he said “Migration is a human story” and tracked back how long people had been migrating for.”