Category : Sharing Our Stories

Beautiful Work This Week

Rail City

From Market Town to Railway City – The Railway Journey that Helped to Shape Doncaster.

This is an updated collection of all the beautiful work created over the last few years by students across the XP Trust schools, inspired by the centenary of the Flying Scotsman and the railway heritage of Doncaster.

This book has given us an opportunity to update the original content of the many rail expeditions, with quotes from experts and our community about the importance of railways, the steam engines built here and the ongoing rail-related business here that will help shape the future of rail.

Published to coincide with a centenary celebration visit from the Flying Scotsman, we humbly hope that this book, created by our students and a new generation of rail enthusiasts, will become part of our railway story.

Norton Infants march for Askern CRY Foodbank

XP Gateshead: ‘Unheard voices of WWI’ broadcast on Memory Lane Radio

XP Doncaster: ‘Do Your Bit’ Radio Broadcast

Top of the Blogs

Weekly Update for Families @ XP Gateshead

C30: Hearing the stories of mining @ XP

A big thank you from KS1 @ Plover

Smashed it! @ Norton Juniors

World Diabetes Day 2023 @ XP East

Jaffa cake fractions @ Carcroft School

Fantastic family learning @ Green Top

Tranquil Tuesday Reading Crew @ Norton Infants

We’ve got Vacancies at XP Trust!

Visit xptrust.org/vacancies to find out more and apply to #JoinOurCrew

Share your stories with us!

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!

Beautiful Work This Week

Flying Scotsman Centenary

Students from XP Doncaster were very lucky to be able to welcome Flying Scotsman home today as guests of Doncaster Council. They had the opportunity to see this iconic engine up close and meet so many people who have made this special visit happen. 

They were also able to hand copies of the newly published book ‘Rail CIty’ to those who had so kindly contributed to it … but more on that next week!

Final Product Preview: Beautiful Sewing at Norton Juniors!

XP Gateshead: Unheard voices of WWI

Last year, Y8 at XPG recorded a radio broadcast of unheard voices from WWI. They did this to honour the sacrifices of those who are sometimes forgotten when we remember the victims of WWI.

We are proud to share that this broadcast will be played on Memory Lane Radio on Saturday 11th November at 11am (their Armistice day slot!) Reuben visited the studio with Mrs Downes and was interviewed about the project. We will share a link to this interview in the coming days.

Be sure to tune in tomorrow to hear this beautiful work on the radio!

Top of the Blogs

Getting Smart with Beautiful Revision @ XP Gateshead

C26 Experience the Golden Age at Burghley House @ XP

We Will Remember Them @ Plover

Netball Extravaganza @ Norton Juniors

Spooky Season Reading! @ XP East

Diwali @ Carcroft School

Class 8 – Great use of iPads @ Green Top

Crew Champions @ Norton Infants

We’ve got Vacancies at XP Trust!

Visit xptrust.org/vacancies to find out more and apply to #JoinOurCrew

Share your stories with us!

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!

This week, most of our schools are on their half term break – except our newest school, XP Gateshead. They’ve had a week full of incredible stories…

Beautiful Work This Week @ XP Gateshead

Thomas Hepburn Memorial Service

On Saturday 14th October some of our staff, students and families from G30 attended the annual memorial service for Thomas Hepburn at St Mary’s Church, Heworth. The service commemorates the life of Thomas Hepburn who spent his life working to improve the lives of miners and their families as well as being the founder of the Colliers United of Durham and Northumberland in 1825. 

It was a real honour to be invited to the ceremony where the acclaimed filmmaker, Ken Loach, spoke about Thomas Hepburn’s life and his fight for social justice as a leader of the first miners’ trade union. The service also featured readings from the local MP for Easington Grahame Morris, the Mayor of Gateshead, Cllr Eileen McMaster and the Reverend Lucy Moss. The Durham Miners Association Brass Band were wonderful and accompanied the service throughout.  Following the service, wreaths were laid at Thomas Hepburn’s grave and the Felling Banner group gave our students the great honour of laying their wreath.

Coming Soon: ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go?’

Beautiful Curation in our new spaces…

Share your stories with us!

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!

Beautiful Work This Week

XP Trust’s first ever Tag Rugby Tournament!

Last week, we hosted our first ever Trust Sport Tournament for three of our primary schools. Hosted at Club Doncaster near XP, the three schools competed in a series of games of tag Rugby – here are some of the exciting highlights!

Yomiuri Shimbun journalists visit XP!

Iain Boothroyd and Kazu Makita from the Yomiuri Shimbun, the most read daily newspaper in Japan came to XP to find out more about what we do! Alicia and Freya were awesome ambassadors for the school and gave our guests a tour of all the beautiful work created by our students. Mr Makita is writing an editorial about XP, which will appear in the newspaper in Japan!

Welcoming our first delegation of the academic year

This week we had our first collection of visitors from all over the country at XP! They learned about how Crew, Expeditions and how we design our curriculum. Our student ambassadors were terrific and the delegates really enjoyed their time in Crew sessions!

Top of the Blogs

Beautiful Work from Lucy @ XP Gateshead

Crew Malala on Bronze DofE – Litterpicking @ XP East

Smashing Short Division @ Plover

Haunting Halloween @ Norton Juniors

Crew Pasteur @ XP

A Roman’s Daily Life @ Carcroft School

Class 5 Awesome Maths @ Green Top

World Mental Health Day in Reception @ Norton Infants

Nursery Admissions for 2024!

Start your learning journey with XP! You can apply for any of our schools with nurseries using the link below!

https://doncaster.gov.uk/services/schools/nursery-admissions

Share your stories with us!

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!

Beautiful Work This Week

At The Coalface: A Plover Expedition Story

Beautiful Curation in the XP Ideas Cafe!

Top of the Blogs

Crew MW’s School Trip @ Carcroft School

Beautiful Work from Scarlett @ XP Gateshead

Year 3 Glow Day Crew Maths and Science @ Plover

Rainforest Research @ Norton Juniors

Reading for Pleasure @ Green Top

Class 2 Make Bird Feeders @ Norton Infants

This Week in PE @ XP

Share your stories with us!

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!

Beautiful Work This Week (…and last week!)

XP Outdoors: Campfire Training!

A Visit from Ron Berger!

We’ve been very lucky since XP first opened and as the Trust has grown over the last ten years, to be able to welcome Ron Berger to our schools. Ron, the CAO of Expeditionary Learning (EL) in the US, has visited us several times, sharing with us his knowledge, energy and wisdom. 

Always supportive and inspiring, Ron has now, after a two week stay, just returned home. His time here has included visits to all of our schools, a well received and inspirational talk with our staff and chatting with our students and hearing their stories. 

He also travelled to Scotland to visit our brilliant partners at The Wood Foundation and the educators they support in the Aberdeen area. Their school teams have been regular visitors to XP Doncaster on our delegate days for the last four years. 

Last but not least, Ron joined colleagues on their induction in Derbyshire, sharing moment by moment with them the experience of developing Crew and fellowship. 

Renowned as an educator and catalyst for innovation and compassion in education all over the world, we hope it won’t be long before we can welcome Ron back again. 

Beautiful Curation at Plover

Top of the Blogs

Let’s get critical… critical! @ Comms

Year 2 Music – playing tunes on the Glockenspiel @ Carcroft School

More beautiful work in the community from Elyse and Brody @ XP Gateshead

Our Ambassadors run their first Macmillan Event @ Plover

Rainforest Research @ Norton Juniors

Drama Hut Visit in Class 6 @ Green Top

Let the children march @ Norton Infants

Awesome artwork in Crew @ XP

Food Bank Fundraising @ XP East

Share your stories with us!

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!

Beautiful Work This Week!

Family Learning at Carcroft!

Staff Crew at Plover: We are Artists with Joyce Dickinson

Beautiful Curation at XP Gateshead

Top of the Blogs

Star Reader Breakfast @ Carcroft School

Weekly update for families @ XP Gateshead

Handwriting Superstars @ Plover

Garden Restoration Complete! @ Norton Juniors

Impressive home learning @ Green Top

What is Crew? @ Norton Infants

What a week in Crew MCO/CMO@ XP

Crew Malala getting creative with pledges! @ XP East

Beautiful Work This Week – Double Edition!

#C30Aberdovey – Our Reflections

Last week our new Year 7s were the 9th cohort of students from XP to head off to the Aberdovey Outward Bound centre to answer the guiding question ‘What does it mean to be Crew?’. These are their reflections after just three days of their secondary school journey…

Orchestra in residence at XP

XP is now the official new home of the Doncaster Youth Jazz Association.

Fifty years ago John Ellis MBE created the Doncaster Youth Jazz Association (DYJA). 

Over the next half century, with three bands and a fourth ensemble made up of alumni, the organisation was to become internationally renowned.

The Doncaster Youth Jazz Orchestra has played at some of the awesome venues in the world, from the Royal Albert Hall to Buckingham Palace, the United Nations in New York to Ronnie Scott’s in London. Always delighting audiences and showcasing the young people of Doncaster’s talent and virtuosity.

Now, after many years at Beckett Road, DYJA are moving into our XP school, which will become their base. Their office, rehearsal and teaching rooms and music library – as well as full band rehearsal space will be here with us at Middle Bank.

Andy, our Chief Academic officer commented:

“We are absolutely delighted, across the XP Trust, that the Doncaster Youth Jazz Association is now based at our founding school, XP.

To support and be associated with an organisation that has travelled the world, sharing its music and the amazing talent of Doncaster’s young musicians, is very exciting and part of our ongoing commitment to the local community.

As we look forward to celebrating 10 years of XP in 2024, this feels like another landmark moment in our story – and we hope this is so for DYJA too as they continue their decades-long journey.”

Charlotte Arrowsmith, Chair of the Board of Trustees added:

“This feels like a new and exciting chapter for us at DYJA as we enter our 51st year. We’re delighted to have moved into XP School – and we’re looking forward to working and creating here, in such an inspiring place.”

#C30Austerfield

Plover’s Colour Run

Acts of Service: C28’s Sine FM Adverts for Moorends Foodbank

X28, X27 and X26 Building Crew

Top of the Blogs

BBK/Chotting @ Carcroft School

Weekly update for families @ XP Gateshead

Student Ambassadors – First meeting of the year @ Plover

Stay and Challenge @ Norton Infants

Class 12: Crew Reading @ Green Top

Act of Kindness @ Norton Juniors

XP Outdoors – a (number) minefield! @ XP

Sports Day 2023 Video @ XP East

Beautiful Work This Week

G29: From The Ground Up – launch at Seven Stories!

G29 Students at XP Gateshead launched their book ‘From The Ground Up’ which answered the guiding question ‘What do the communities of North East England owe to the miners?’ at Seven Stories in Newcastle!

They also celebrated all of their beautiful work from their first year at XPG – you can view a collection of it here!

Plover’s Mining Gala

Year 5 and 6 Students at Plover School launched their awesome new Poetry Anthology ‘At the Coalface’ at a Mining Gala they hosted for their local community – beautiful work!

Beautiful Curation at XP Gateshead

Plover Early Years: Transport Day

Celebrating Success at Green Top

Over 5 years ago Miss Stewart and Miss O’Neill started their journey with us at Green Top as apprentices.  They then progressed and secured Learning Coach positions whilst studying towards a degree in Education.  Over the last two years they have both completed their degree and qualified as teachers!  We are so unbelievably proud of them both and grateful that we were a part of their special journey.  Sadly we didn’t have any teaching positions for them at Green Top so they have secured teaching positions in other schools.  Again, we are so, so proud of them!  We wish them both lots of luck in their new schools and know that they will be wonderful teachers inspiring many children in the future!

School Cook retires after 30 years at Green Top

This year we say goodbye to Sue, one of our school cooks.  She has been looking after us all for 30 years and we will be sad to see her leave!

We presented Sue with flowers and gifts today and celebrated her time at Green Top!

Good Luck Sue!

XP Students gift their gorgeous terrariums to care homes in Doncaster

Year 9 students from XP and XP East gifted 30 terrariums they created for the residents of the Oaklands Care home this week. The home on Bawtry Road was delighted to accept the miniature indoor gardens, which the residents will look after and keep.

Darren the Oaklands manager is pictured here accepting the terrariums – all of which are low maintenance and were happily handed over to residents.

Ed Miliband praises XPCC23

Ed Miliband shared an update from his Facebook page about XPCC23, praising students for their awesome work and involvement in the conference.

Top of the Blogs

Pizza Party! @ Carcroft School

Weekly update for families @ XP Gateshead

Red Carpet Celebrations @ Plover

Final Word @ Norton Infants

Products at the Picnic @ Green Top

Ahoy there, Shakespeare? @ Norton Juniors

Year 10’s Final Year Group Community Meeting @ XP

Jeff’s Law – exciting Expeditions on the horizon! @ XP Comms

Thank you for joining us for another great year of beautiful work and stories from across the XP Trust – we hope you have a wonderful summer!

We’ll see you in September!

XP Comms Crew

Beautiful Work This Week

XPCC23

“Every young person should learn about climate change in school. It’s marginal to most people’s curriculums – not XP School as you’re such a brilliant school”

Ed Miliband – Shadow Secretary of State for Climate Change and Net Zero

After the success of our inaugural conference last year and with climate change at the heart of our activism as a Trust, we held this year’s event on 13th July with the question: If not now, when? If not us, who? 

The programme for the evening featured the work and research of our Year 10 students and the contribution of experts from across our region.

Powerful keynote speeches, delivered by six students left the audience in no doubt that the planet is in crisis and action has to be taken now. 

What that action might be was ably and inspiringly answered by the panellists taking part in our Q & A. 

These were The RT. Hon Ed Miliband MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Climate Change and Net Zero; David Pulham, UK Manager Vossloh and Tim Newton, Sustainability officer, Doncaster City Council.

The conference also featured many stalls covering such subjects as Sustainability and ‘greener’ food, as well as scientific demonstrations and break out discussions.

One of the breakout presentations was delivered by Dr Mike Sprakes, Gastroenterologist, Mid Yorks Hospitals NHS Trust and Peter Leighton Jones, Head of Sustainability, Mid Yorks Hospitals NHS Trust.

Their talk focussed on Climate Change and the NHS.

We’re already thinking about next year’s conference – but more importantly if you can pledge to make a difference all year round we can all work together to save our planet. There is no Planet B. 

A Visit to the Dickens Museum

C29 Edale Fieldwork

Top of the Blogs

Crew Marsh Transition @ Carcroft School

Weekly update for families @ XP Gateshead

Crew 5&6 are loving XP Outdoors @ Plover

Sports Day Fun @ Norton Infants

Y6 Leavers Party @ Green Top

Glorious Sports Day @ Norton Juniors