Category : Comms Blog

Following up on our experience and journey of producing and delivering last year’s XP Y11 Christmas Carol Study Guide, which culminated and in a beautiful CoL at the Dickens’ Museum in London, I just wanted to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions made by the students after their initial artworks and written work/reflections had been submitted for us to begin pulling the Guide together. 

The extra work that the students all put in, from the beautiful illustration and writing redrafts and provision of additional content as needed and as we specified, to coming into Comms and sitting alongside us, getting an appreciation of what we do with their work, and using their voice to critique and input on our design work and styling, made for a truly purposeful, inclusive, impactful and rewarding experience for us all. It resulted in a truly beautiful product, and, from a Comms perspective, it was truly refreshing and to have that face-to-face connection with the students.

As a consequence, and having spoken to several Heads and Expedition Leads in recent weeks about the positives and mutual benefits of such an experience, I genuinely think that exploring any opportunities for Comms to work closer with the students throughout the entirety of their expedition product journeys, whether through more rigorous and regular check-ins, specific workshops, or simply just allowing students to come into Comms and critique what we’re doing, as we’re doing it, would have huge benefits and lead to even more beautiful work.

One of the greatest aspects of working in Comms is our involvement with final products. As one of the conduits between the beautiful work the students produce and the outside world, we get to see tremendous amounts of well crafted, high quality activism before it lives out in the community. 

This time of year is especially exciting for that reason. Not only are products culminating and being celebrated all up and down the country (two of us were in Newcastle this week to help launch yet another incredible book from XP Gateshead students) but planning and preparation has begun for Expeditions for the new year!

It has been great for Comms to work with staff on this, who through the process of Jeff’s Law actually model and make the product themselves first – if it’s good enough for our students, it’s good enough for us! This crucial stage allows the seeds of activism to be planted early on in the process – it means the students can engage with their learning knowing that their teachers have grappled with the product they’ll be making too!

Over the last few weeks, we’ve been in countless meetings and been privy to lots of really inspiring conversations about what our students across the Trust will be working on in September. We can’t reveal too much (because that’s what immersion and hook week are for!) but the prospect of supporting products full of beautiful stories, artwork and music that connects with all sorts of communities around the world is very exciting! 

I for one can’t wait to see the impact the work will have on the world! Let’s do this, XP Trust!

XP Trust has welcomed over one thousand visitors, from all over the world, to our eight schools over the last two years. These visits, whether a couple of hours or a couple of days, have been experienced by people from all walks of life.

For example, we have had visitors from as far as Australia and America, some from India, Israel, Norway, Spain and other countries, as well as many visitors from across the UK.

They come to XP schools to learn How We XP. They learn all about ‘Crew’ and why it is so important throughout a child’s life at school. They learn how Expeditionary Learning is planned, delivered and celebrated throughout our students’ educational journeys.

Having people visit our schools allows us to share and reflect on our work, provide professional learning opportunities for our staff and students as well as encouraging feedback and critique of our model. 

Our students learn how to be ambassadors for their school by having the opportunity to speak with visitors. They share information about our Trust, show their work, talk about ‘Crew’ and Expeditionary Learning. They learn how to speak to visitors, grow in character and become confident when speaking to the public.

At XP Trust we are all very proud of our schools and would love for children all over the world to experience the XP way of learning. 

The Second World War may feel like several lifetimes ago to some of us, but there are still thousands of people for whom it was a lived experience,  something they will never forget. 

Years 3 and 4 in all the Primary Schools across our Trust, have through their recent expedition Lest we Forget: How does war change Lives? examined the lives of local people and national figures – all of whom have stories that deserve to be shared.

Four beautiful books have been created, capturing times both traumatic and remarkable.

From Pat Grainger, who lives in the centre of Doncaster and remembers the Corn Exchange cellars being used as an air raid shelter, or Harry Hewitt who as a child helped the war effort by being a runner – delivering messages between the Home Guards. 

The research for these books has been thorough, the original poetry and illustrations adding so much to the work that has become a valuable and treasured resource of stories from a time past, but part of our history and community. 

A post about a comms visit to Norton schools

Last week’s Comms Crew curation day at Norton Infants and Juniors to install products, Trust displays and signage was from a personal point of view – both rewarding and productive in equal measure. 

The visit was purposeful in many ways, but mainly because it emphasised to me how important it is that we celebrate our student’s beautiful work wherever and whenever we can. 

This was made clear when I witnessed at first hand (and on more than one occasion – whilst levelling up a wonderful painting of Martin Luther King Jr. and adjusting the position of a large green caterpillar – the reaction of the children in seeing their amazing work being displayed in all its glory on the walls of their school. 

Sadly I didn’t manage to photograph these priceless moments, which would’ve enhanced this blog ten-fold, but to say they were delighted would be an understatement. I could still hear the excitement in their voices when they reached the opposite end of the corridor.

I must mention the feedback that Rick and I received from Laura (LPA) and Andrea (ATU), which was very kind indeed and mutually appreciated. It is such a lovely atmosphere and environment to go and work in and we were both massively impressed by the general immersion displays across both Norton schools.

So it was a delight to be able to add to the already lustrous feel of the corridors and spaces.

If you have – anywhere across the Trust –  for example an unfortunate looking wall or frightful cupboard door that requires some love, then here’s the link to our Comms request form (click here). Or, if you simply would like more of the children’s beautiful work displayed then please put in a request for that instead.

After all, we all have stories and beautiful work that needs to be shared.