A reminder that G31’s first POL of the academic year will be at the Farrell Centre on Newcastle University’s campus on the evening of Tuesday 1st December from 3:30pm to 5:30pm. We understand that the timing may be challenging for some parents due to the earlier start time. This is because the Farrell Centre is a public building that must close after the POL.
The POL also includes a walking tour by our students through Newcastle upon Tyne, exploring community buildings and how physical structures impact community relationships.
If you think you might struggle with any aspect of the POL, whether the timing, location, or walking tour, please contact your child’s crew leader as soon as possible so adjustments can be made.
We return to school on Monday 2nd November 2026.
We return to school on Monday 2nd November 2026.
Here’s a selection of beautiful work from across the XP Trust!
To read about other stories from across the XP Trust, visit xptrust.org.
Wise Wednesday @ Norton Infants
Authors, illustrators and now educators! @ Norton Juniors
C33 engage with Bayeux Tapestry live @ XP East
Write to us at [email protected] – we want to hear about it, write about it and celebrate it!
We are looking for courageous educators to join our Crew at XP Doncaster and guide transformative Learning Expeditions.
Help our students grow their character, create beautiful work, and achieve academic success.
Is your child passionate about film? Who can tell a good story, create animations, or are budding actors? Then the Childnet Film Competition could be the perfect opportunity your child to use their creativity to inspire change!
The theme for this year’s competition is: Reflect on tech: How can you take control of your digital wellbeing?
Young people aged 7-18 can submit films up to 2 minutes in length with a focus on digital wellbeing. There are a range of free resources available in the competition pack to help your young people create an award-winning film.
Download the Competition Pack and see more details on their blog post.
The judging panel is made up of experts from the TV and film industry rank our final three in each age category, with finalists then invited to an awards ceremony in London. At this exciting event, they can see their film on the big screen and hear from fellow finalists as well as industry experts.
Childnet are not looking for professional or polished films, with those that are creative and including great educational messaging being most impactful within their setting.
Embells Community Support Project is expanded their Community Market offer and is launching a pop-up outdoor community market in Fewster Square. This will enable more people to access affordable food and household products and provide more variety with a number of local traders involved.
The market will take place 10:00 – 14:00, monthly and the dates for 2026 are;
The Gateshead Volunteer Recruitment Fair 2026 will take place on Tuesday 13 October, 10am-1pm at Gateshead Leisure Centre, Alexandra Road, NE8 4HU.
Organised by Gateshead Volunteer Centre, powered by Connected Voice, the event will bring together around 20-30 local charities, community groups and voluntary organisations from across the borough. Visitors will have the opportunity to meet organisations, learn about volunteering opportunities and discover how getting involved can benefit both themselves and their community.
Find out more and plan your visit: Gateshead Volunteer Recruitment Fair | OurGateshead
Sense-
ability matters will be hosting a fortnightly coffee morning, downstairs in the Leam Lane Hub, starting on Monday 9th November 10:00 – 11:30, promising tea, coffee, chat and community – everyone is welcome. Contact Kirsty [email protected] for more information.
The GLL Gateshead Community Fund is now open for Round 2. The fund is for new projects and programmes to support people to move more in Gateshead and is open for applications until 30th November.
To find the criteria and application process please head to Gateshead Community Fund.
Every year, Gateshead’s Director of Public Health, Alice Wiseman, publishes an independent report about the health of local people and what can be done to improve it. This year, Alice wants to hear what matters to you about health and wellbeing in our neighbourhoods. You can respond by clicking here.
Welcome to the final week of this half term. It is hard to believe that we have only been together for 7 weeks having achieved so much!
This half term we have successfully transitioned our G33 cohort into school along with staff and new leadership positions in school (our three new Phase leaders Ms Crowder, Mr Devitt and Ms Tatters, Ms Jones our Leader of Crew and our School Faculty Leaders Ms Simpson and Ms Jamison). Our students have continued to work hard to develop their beautiful work, character and academic success and they, like staff, will be ready for a well deserved rest and our two week half term break when we finish this half term on Friday 16th October.
G29 students have started their final year with us at XPG and the majority are stepping up to the challenge!
This week all G29 students completed their Spoken Language Endorsement of their GCSE English Language presenting formal, individual presentations on a topic of their choice, followed by a short question-and-answer session or discussion with their Crew leader and crew.
On Wednesday our G29 RS students visited the Al Azhar Mosque in South Shields to experience first-hand the practices and environment of a place of worship studied in their GCSE course. Authentic encounters like this deepen student understanding of Islam beyond classroom learning, helping to develop respect and cultural awareness, alongside strengthening their GCSE exam preparation.
On Thursday our G29 Geographers completed their second compulsory fieldwork visit in Seaham with the enquiry question: “How is erosion changing the coastline at Seaham?
Last week, five G29 students got the opportunity to work in a local training centre completing a two day ‘Scaffolding in Schools’ course. This was a pilot course designed to give students a meaningful encounter with an aspect of construction and students looked at scaffolding design, manual handling, H&S requirements alongside practical builds.
On Friday, all G29 students took part in a Fine Art and Photography critiques session which involved students laying out their work to an audience of their peers, staff and visitors. Seeing this beautiful work laid out across art classrooms was stunning and students gained a huge amount from both giving and receiving critique on their work. We are looking forward to seeing students act upon feedback and continue to work on their portfolios. Unlike in the majority of schools, every student at XPG studies either Fine Art or Photography as a core subject for G29, so the standard is even more impressive.
G30 students have made a good start to their GCSE courses and staff working with this cohort have commented on their mature approach to learning, their resilience and willingness to take risks with their learning and appetite for challenge.
In particular it has been really impressive to see G30’s approach in their LOOL (Leading our own learning) sessions:
This half term G31 have made a great start to their first expedition with GQ “How are structures important in helping us to explain our world?”. Students will present their learning on structures that impact our world such as the atom, governmental structures and structures of habitation at their PoL at the Farrell Centre in December.
G32’s expedition is a long-standing favourite of ours with the guiding question “What does it mean to be human?”. In support of the artwork that they will produce, students are working with experts from the NHS to discuss the importance of raising awareness around the need for organ donors. G32 have been praised in particular for their writing so far this term, and also their musical responses to stimulus material associated with The Blues.
G33 have had a successful start to life at XPG and are studying through learning expeditions. We are proud of the culture in lessons, and students are working hard to produce high quality work. This term their final product will be a book on the local history of Gateshead and its place in the wider history of the UK. We will be able to share the students’ writing and artwork at the presentation of learning in December and their book will be published in time to launch at the end of the academic year. All of our children in Year 7 will be able to say by this time next year that they are published authors and artists. They fully deserve this accolade!
This weekend I attended the annual Thomas Hepburn memorial service at St Mary’s church in Heworth with Mr Said and eight of our choir: Lyra, Olivia, Molly, Evie, Ros, Reuben, Sylvia and Emily. Each year the NUM and Reverend Lucy coordinate a service which pays tribute to Hepburn’s commitment to working people and the trade union movement. Aside from the connections to our character values, local history and students’ first learning expedition in year 7, we continue to keep the connection to our community.
This year our students with accompaniment from Mr Said were included in the service, performing one of G31’s songs “Start a Union Boys” which was written about the life of Thomas “Tommy” Hepburn and invoked a wonderful reception from the attendees. They also accompanied Bill Elliott, a local singer and songwriter, to perform ‘A Miner’s Life’.
Sylvia and Emily laid a wreath to honour Hepburn alongside wreaths from many other dignitaries. Local MPs and former MPs were in attendance alongside local councillors and members of the education community. All were full of praise for XPG’s performance and the quality of the music that G31 had written.
All in all a wonderful way to spend a Saturday morning alongside students, their families and our community and I’d encourage everyone to look out for next year’s Thomas Hepburn memorial service which takes place in October.
This week our Y11 students start their mock exams with a focus on Spanish speaking. Students will build their ‘exam muscle’ by once again experiencing the conditions in which they will work when it comes to their final examinations. Spanish speaking trial exams take place over Monday and Tuesday.
This week we are looking forward to meeting all G29 families for an information evening on Thursday. We will share key dates alongside useful information on how you can support your child through Year 11 examinations, as well as guidance around helping them to make choices for Post-16 pathways. We will also go through the mock exam timetable and final exam timetable so parents can fully support their children in the coming weeks and months.
All clubs will run this week along with extended study sessions every day except Friday.
Our before-school G29 fitness and revision clubs on Tuesday and Thursday, with fitness from 7:15am and then revision sessions starting at 7:45am.
Don’t forget that school finishes at the earlier time of 1.30pm this Friday. This is to allow us time to “degunge” and set up for the next half term. Please make arrangements to pick up your children at the school gate for 1.30pm this Friday. As always, please be conscientious of our neighbours if parking as it is always very busy when students all leave school at the same time.
We return to school on Monday 2nd November 2026.
Thank you for your continued support through this half term. We hope everyone has a safe and restful holiday. We are looking forward to next half term where we will be continuing to focus on our culture of beautiful work, character and academic success. Students will be adding work to our “beautiful” work portfolios and getting ready for student-led conferences and presentations of learning which will be an opportunity for you to see some of the work your children have been doing – more on this later.
As usual if you have any questions about your son or daughter please get in touch with your child’s Crew Leader in the first instance or email general enquiries to [email protected].
Here’s a selection of beautiful work from across the XP Trust!
To read about other stories from across the XP Trust, visit xptrust.org.
C29 and C30’s fieldwork to Cambridge University @ XP
Sensory Play Crew @ Norton Infants
Year 5/6 boys football champions @ Norton Juniors
G31 Farrell Centre Fieldwork @ XP Gateshead
Netball Update: Brilliant effort and a first win! @ XP East
Write to us at [email protected] – we want to hear about it, write about it and celebrate it!
