Here’s a selection of beautiful work from across the XP Trust from the last two weeks of term! It’s been filled with all kinds of wonderful things from all of our schools. To read about other stories from across the XP Trust, visit xptrust.org.
Why the Arts Matter at XP – Our Festival Highlights @ XP Trust
Year 6 leavers party 2025 @ Green Top
At the Coalface: POL @ Norton Juniors
Climate Change Through Data @ XP
G29 What a Wonderful World POL @ 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 [email protected] – we want to hear about it, write about it and celebrate it!
At XP, we believe education should help young people discover who they are, what they stand for, and how they can make a difference. The arts are at the heart of this.
Through music, dance, drama, and visual art, our students learn to collaborate, express themselves, and craft work of real depth and beauty. These aren’t “extras” to the curriculum – they are essential experiences that develop the character traits we value above anything else: courage, craftsmanship, respect, and compassion.
Last Friday, we celebrated these values at our second XP Festival of Arts & Culture – a day filled with music, dance, and art from across all the schools in our Trust. Every primary school showcased their dancing skills in collaboration with Phoenix Dance Company, alongside cheerleaders and singers from across the Trust.
The afternoon culminated in a show-stopping parade led by the New York Brass Band, bringing everyone together for an unforgettable rendition of Kool and the Gang’s “Celebration”. The evening carried the energy forward with live music from XP Doncaster and XP Gateshead students, alongside local bands and professional artists.
Our students were phenomenal – both on stage and in the audience – showing once again the power of Crew in action.
A huge thank you goes to the XP Doncaster and Plover staff who stewarded and supported the event. It was a powerful example of what’s possible when we create spaces for young people to thrive.
Here’s to next year!!!
In Crew,
Andy Sprakes
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!.
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
This week, our dear friend and world renowned educator Ron Berger visited XP Trust. After delivering a keynote session at the Whole Education Conference in Warwick, we had the privilege of presenting Ron with honorary membership of our Trust. He is the first person who we have honoured with this status and to do it on a national stage was a fitting tribute in recognition of Ron’s significant contribution to XP over the years. We presented him with a beautiful certificate and a wooden ‘blok hed’ sculpture by a Doncaster artist.
Ron subsequently visited XP Doncaster and he spent three awe-inspiring days working with a range of staff and students from across our Trust on Crew and Learning Expeditions, as well as checking in on our ‘Alumni’ programme, listening to the visiting EKS Herten Big Band and taking in a superb performance of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ at Green Top Primary.
We owe everything to Ron, he continues to be an inspiration to us all and we can’t wait for him to visit us again in the near future!!
More details of his visit and impact will follow soon!!!
Here’s a selection of beautiful work from across the XP Trust from this week. To read about other stories from across the XP Trust, visit xptrust.org.
XP FESTIVAL TICKETS @ XP Trust
Key Stage 1 Dance Workshop @ Green Top
Experience Day @ Carcroft School
A visit from Donny Dog and Doncaster Rovers @ Norton Juniors
E28 Shine at Bradford Literary Festival @ XP East
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 [email protected] – we want to hear about it, write about it and celebrate it!
A quick reminder that everyone attending the XP Festival of Arts & Culture must have a ticket to enter the event – this includes parents and family members of children who are performing.
Tickets are free, but spaces are limited, so please make sure you’ve booked yours in advance to avoid disappointment.
📅 Friday 11th July
📍 XP Doncaster, DN4 5NG
🔗 https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/xptrust/t-yaogpqm
We can’t wait to see you there for a truly special celebration of our students’ creativity and talent!
Here’s a selection of beautiful work from across the XP Trust from this week. To read about other stories from across the XP Trust, visit xptrust.org.
Who’s performing at the XP Festival ’25? @ XP Trust
Wizard of Oz was amazing! @ Green Top
Summer slice @ Carcroft School
Working together as artists @ Norton Infants
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 [email protected] – we want to hear about it, write about it and celebrate it!
What if education was about more than just academic success?
In this episode we explore how the expeditionary approach to learning can drive student growth, wellbeing and meaningful outcomes. Ron Berger, Senior Advisor for EL Education and Harvard Graduate School of Education professor, and Gwyn ap Harri, Chief Executive Officer of XP School Trust in the UK, reveal how powerful learning experiences can empower students to thrive, both in and beyond the classroom.
But more than anything, it marks 10 years of Crew.
This year marks the celebration of 10 years of XP – 10 years of crafting beautiful work, challenging what school can be, and building something extraordinary together.
To honour this milestone, and as we complete our eleventh year, we’re creating a documentary built from the heart of XP itself: the stories of our people. We’re inviting students, staff, and alumni to share a single, powerful moment – a time when Crew truly mattered. A time when someone showed up, when you made a difference, when you saw what XP was really about.
These stories will come together as part of 100 Moments of Crew – a living, breathing tribute to the spirit that holds us together. Whether you were here in Year One or just joined last term, your voice is part of this story.
Because at XP, we’re not just a school – we’re Crew.
We want you to come and share your moment of Crew.
We’ll be filming in a dedicated space at XP Doncaster on the following dates:
Friday 27th June – during the staff day
Monday 30th June – during the staff day
Friday 11th July – during the Arts Festival
We’ll also set up sessions during the first term back for 25/26 – during our weekly Comms visits at your school.
All you need to do is turn up, ready to share a meaningful story – something real, something human, something that captures what Crew has meant to you. If you have a photo or piece of video connected to that story, even better – bring it along or send it through in advance.
If you would prefer to Hangout with Geoff to share your story remotely, we can also make this work!
This is your moment to add your voice to something truly special.
We look forward to your contribution.
In Crew
Andy Sprakes
