XP Gateshead

Dear Families

Students have settled back into school and routines well and it has been great to hear staff and students recognising this in themselves and each other during briefings, crew sessions and community meetings. 

Immersion

Last week we launched our new learning expeditions across all years. As is always the case, expeditions start with a week of immersion which is an opportunity for students to dip their toe into the content of the learning expeditions, to build background knowledge and generate curiosity about the GQ (guiding question) for the expedition. 

G32 Immersion

Year 7 students have two new learning expeditions in STEAM and HUMAN. Their STEAM immersion has involved reading extracts from a dystopian novel called Station 11 and preparing to carry out food tests, making connections back to their study of elements, compounds and mixtures from term 1.

In HUMAN and ARTS year 7 have been building background knowledge about World War I, and beginning to read a play called White Poppies as well as revisiting skills from term 1 to represent medals in graphite pencil drawings.

G31 Immersion

Year 8 have carried out a gallery walk in HUMAN, making connections between stimulus images on natural hazards and Shakespeare’s Macbeth. They have also started to read an abridged Modern English version of The Scottish Play to put together a storyboard of its key moments, before grappling with the full text. Connected to this in STEAM students have grappled with an excerpt from A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson about the genius of Sir Isaac Newton. 

G30 Immersion

Year 9’s immersion has involved building background knowledge about health around the world and in our own country as well as trying to unravel a mysterious connection from these ideas to a 17th century poem by John Dryden. In STEAM students have been building viral, fungal and bacterial cells from scrap materials as part of their immersion. 

G29 immersion

This term Year 10 have an expedition that combines HUMAN and STEAM. The week of immersion has involved studying Nazi ideology and how pseudoscientific arguments were used to promote fear and division, as well as a study of The Weimar Republic of Germany between wars, and the impact that The Treaty of Versailles had on living conditions and society pre-WWII. Connected to this students have made connections from this and their wider studies from previous expeditions about the class system in Britain, that of today and of the past.

As you can see, these immersive and intensive experiences at the beginning of a learning expedition help to generate curiosity and excitement about the topic, build background knowledge and provide students a solid starting point to launch into and tackle their guiding questions for the rest of their learning expedition.

Guiding Questions

This week will see all of the GQs (guiding questions) revealed for our new expedition. GQs are a crucial part of the anatomy of an expedition and are revealed at the end of immersion.

GQs influence, shape and act as a reference point for student learning. GQs provoke thinking and deepen learning throughout the 12 week expedition and allow students to be engaged in authentic and purposeful work which makes connections between different subject areas and disciplines. During the course of a learning expedition, our children experience a range of case studies, with challenging texts which deepen their understanding and help them to develop an answer to the rich GQ for the expedition.

G28 

Our Y11 students have made a strong start to their final Spring Term at XPG. As subjects move towards course completion, more time will be dedicated to revisiting and securing prior knowledge with revision and exam preparation becoming more prevalent this term. G28 students continue to show high levels of maturity and commitment which will serve them well in the coming months.

This week we started our Tuesday and Thursday Academic Crew sessions which have allowed us to run more targeted intervention sessions across Science, Maths, English, Art, Photography. This intervention block will run until February half term and we will look at new intervention groups and subjects next half term. 

At the end of this month we will start our final mock session which will run across 3 weeks. We will be publishing our mock exam timetable later this week and continuing to work with students to support their preparation and revision. Please look out for the upcoming website post from Mr Mead.

XPG students are once again published

Last term, as part of celebrating National Poetry Day; 21 of our students entered the Young Writers’ poetry competition ‘I have a Dream’. This week we found out that every single entry from XPG had been selected to be published which is a phenomenal achievement and we are delighted. Look out for the post from Ms Tatters this week where she will share more details – our poets and some sneak peeks of their beautiful work due to be published. Huge congratulations to all of our poets for their beautiful work and courage in sharing with a wider audience.

Staffing update

On Friday we said farewell to Miss Blain. Again I want to take the opportunity to thank Miss Blain for her work with our students as a Phase and Crew Leader, Learning Coach and member of our SEND team. We have advertisements in place for posts of both a Phase Leader and a Learning Coach/Crew Leader and will look to make quality appointments as soon as possible.

The week ahead

PE sessions this week

Our PE sessions this week are as follows. Please ensure that your child has their  full PE kit.

• For G32 students (Y7)
  • G32 Class 2 students have PE on Monday
  • G32 Class 1 students have PE on Wednesday
• G31 students (Y8) have PE on Tuesday
• G30 students (Y9) have PE on Thursday
• G29 students (Y10) have PE on Monday
• G28 students (Y11) have PE on Monday

SLC Preparation G32 and G31

SLCs for G32 and G31 will take place this term in the two weeks commencing 26th January 2026. You will soon receive an email from your child’s Crew Leader asking you to make an appointment through Google Calendar.

Crew Windsor’s SLCs will take place later in the term although they will still start preparation for that. Mr Said will be in touch with Crew Windsor families starting next week to give updates around HoWLs and academic progress.

We invest a lot of time in giving students opportunities to reflect upon their learning and growth. A significant amount of Crew time is devoted to this in the run-up to SLCs.  Please do also ask your child about how their preparation is going

Clubs and Extended Study

Lunchtime and after school Clubs and supervised Extended Study sessions after school return this week.

Upcoming Events

Passage Presentations for G30 and Pathways into KS4

This half-term we will host an information evening for G30 families to discuss the rest of the year ahead including Passage Presentations and pathways into GCSEs. Look out for a separate post this week with more information.

Teacher / Student Led Conferences for G29 – Tuesday 17th February

G29 will have their first TSLCs (Teacher / Students Led Conferences) on the evening of Tuesday 17th February. During a TSLC your child will sit alongside their teacher to update you on the progress they are making in their GCSE and Level 2 courses.

Each conference will be strictly five minutes, with a few minutes of input from your child which our staff will support, and then there will be an opportunity for you to ask any questions of your child or their teacher.

Following these events next week, we will post some further guidance about revision and Year 10 study habits in the run up to mock examinations which will take place early in the Summer Term after the Easter holidays.

We will share information on how to book slots closer to the time.

Upcoming Staff Days on Friday 23rd and Monday 26th January

Please note that our whole staff will be travelling to Doncaster on Thursday 23rd January for a twilight CPD session which will launch an XP Trust Teaching and Learning conference on Friday so school will end at the slightly earlier time of 1.30pm on Thursday 22nd January to allow for this.

As usual if you have any questions please contact your child’s crew leader in the first instance. Thank you as always for your ongoing support.

Julie Mosley

Principal

W/C Monday 5th January 2026 

Dear Families

Happy 2026! We hope you have had a great Christmas and a safe and restful New Year. 

We are really looking forward to welcoming students back tomorrow to the start of our new term at XP Gateshead. 

There is a lot of information in this start of term update. Please read all of the following information carefully as there are important notes for all families and children. 

Important reminders for a good start back to school…

Punctuality

School opens at 8:00am every morning. Students should arrive between 8:00am and 8:25 am and there are spaces available for socialising, reading or completing extended study. Students must be on site for 8.25am for the call to Crew. A calm start to the day is really important for students to settle into learning so we ask that parents support their child with this. 

Dress code

Please refer to our website post for full details on our dress code. Can I remind parents of the following expectations around daily dress within school and ask for your full support around this as we move in to a new term 

For a normal day within school, it is not appropriate that students wear:

• Hats, hoods & coats inside school
• Revealing clothing, i.e. revealing the midriff, chest or upper thigh
• Noticeable make-up, including false eyelashes
• Valuable, sentimental or impractical accessories / jewellery
  • For example heavy chains, thick sovereign rings, or false nails
• Impractical footwear:
  • For example sliders, flip-flops or high heels

Daily kit list

As always, students need to bring a school bag with:

• A filled water bottle
• Pencil case including: pens, pencils, ruler, eraser, pencil sharpener, glue stick and purple biro pen. 
• A fully charged iPad.
• Their AR reading book (please remember that as part of our reading strategy, we expect all students to read between 20-30 mins. each day)
• Headphones 
• A healthy snack for break (no confectionery (sweets), fizzy drinks or energy drinks, nut products)
• A notebook

Last term we continued to have issues with individuals arriving at school without a charged iPad. Please ensure your child has a charger at home so that charging issues can be avoided this term. We do not provide replacement chargers. 

PE sessions this week

Our PE sessions this week are as follows. Please ensure that your child has their  full PE kit.

• For G32 students (Y7)
  • G32 Class 1 students have PE on Monday.
  • G32 Class 2 students have PE on Wednesday.
• G31 students (Y8) have PE on Tuesday.
• G30 students (Y9) have PE on Thursday.
• G29 students (Y10) have PE on Monday.
• G28 students (Y11) have PE on Monday.

Extended Study and Clubs

There will be no extended study or school clubs running this week. After school and lunch sessions will all start again next week.

New Term – New Expeditions

A new term means new and exciting expeditions for our students. Immersion takes place this week and our students will be working hard to find out what their new guiding questions are and the challenges and new learning their expeditions will bring. 

Staffing Changes for the New Year

As detailed last term, there is one staffing change for the Spring term. Miss Blaine will be leaving us on Friday 9th January. We will be contacting families of Crew Windsor later this week with crew plans for this term.

Dates to note this term 

Here’s our 2025/26 Calendar again for you to see our term dates this year. 

Student-Led Conferences G32 and G31

SLCs (Student-Led Conferences) replace the conventional parents’ evenings at XP Gateshead. During an SLC, your son or daughter will share their learning with you and their crew leader. You will have an opportunity to look at work from their portfolio and ask questions about their HoWLs (Habits of Work and Learning) and AP grades (Academic Progress). They will also share their progress around pledges set last term with you during the SLC and you will be able to ask questions around these. 

SLCs for G32 and G31 will take place this term in the two weeks commencing 27th January 2026. In the coming weeks you will receive an SLC invite from your son or daughter’s crew leader. It is an expectation that all families attend SLCs to fully support their child’s progress. 

Passage Presentations G30 

Our Y9 students will give passage presentations in March.  Passage presentations are an opportunity for students to reflect on their learning and their readiness to move on to the next phase of their education. G30 students will provide evidence to an audience of family, their Crew Leader and an XPG invited guest to demonstrate that they are ready to start their GCSE journey. 

In the coming weeks you will hear more about passage presentations from your son or daughter as they start preparing for this key passage at XPG. Passage presentations will take place during the 16th and 17th March and slots will be available throughout the days. There will be a booking system in place and shared with families in coming weeks.

We will be able to share more information about these important rites of passage, as well as our Key Stage 4 offer of GCSEs and other courses as part of an information evening for all Year 9 families which will take place on Wednesday 29th January at 5:30pm.

G28 mock exams: Thursday 29th January to Friday 13th February

Our Y11 students will sit their final set of mock exams this half term in the week and we are planning for them to complete full sets of papers across subjects. We will be publishing a provisional mock timetable in the coming weeks. 

Staff Days

A reminder that we have two staff development days each half term; 

Friday 23rd and Monday 26th January. Our whole staff will be travelling to Doncaster on Thursday 22nd January for a twilight CPD session which will launch our XPTrust Teaching and Learning conference on Friday so school will end at the slightly earlier time of 1:30pm on Thursday 22nd January to allow for this.

Our second set of staff days this term are on Friday 13th and Monday 16th March.

As normal, students are not expected to be in school on staff days.

Holiday dates

Please note that our dates do not always fully align to other Gateshead schools.

Spring half term break starts Friday 20th February. We return to school on Monday 2nd March 2026. 

Easter Holidays

We break up for Easter holidays Friday 27th March and return to school on Monday 13th April 2026. Please note that the bank holiday weekend of Good Friday 3rd April and Easter Monday 6th April fall within our two week break this year. See our 2025/26 Calendar.

As usual if you have any questions please contact your child’s crew leader in the first instance. Thank you as always for your ongoing support.

Julie Mosley

Principal

Final Post of 2025

Thanks to our families for your support this term, the last couple of weeks of Presentations of Learning (PoLs) are always a special time, giving students an opportunity to present the best versions of themselves to their families. We have had fantastic feedback from all who attended the PoLs in Years 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 and look forward to showcasing work on our website where we will curate each expedition and link to our final products.

G32 PoL at St. Mary’s church in Heworth, Tuesday 16th December

What a fabulous first PoL for our Year 7 students. This was a truly impressive and packed culmination of their cross-curricular expedition. It seamlessly interwove centuries of North East history, from the Romans through the Industrial Revolution, with core science concepts, culminating in a published book of creative writing and compelling performances of music and drama. The deep dive into local figures and events like the Felling Pit Disaster demonstrated a profound and personal connection to their community’s story.

What a great way to finish the term, alongside their fantastic advent challenge.

G28’s Final PoL at XPG, Wednesday 17th December

G28’s final PoL was a truly spectacular and powerful abridged performance of Romeo and Juliet, staged across a range of spaces within the school to immerse the audience in the world of the play. The students delivered their lines with passion and provided insightful scene analysis, demonstrating a deep understanding of the text’s themes and characters. It was a production that truly made their final PoLone to remember! As one might say, ‘O, it doth teach the torches to burn bright!’

Staffing Update 

As you may be aware, we have recently advertised a Learning Coach/Crew leader role and a Pastoral Leader (Phase Leader) role at XP Gateshead (see website post).

We are unfortunately losing Saoirse Blaine from our team at the end of our first week back to school in January. Saoirse is resigning from her position as Learning Coach and Y8/9 Phase Leader at XP Gateshead and going to work with the NHS as a Children’s Wellbeing Practitioner. 

Expert in school – Craig Buglass

On Thursday, Craig Buglass Co-Founder of Spark Design Academy and world-renowned designer spent the morning at XPG talking to our students from Y8, 9, 10 and 11 about his work in design and his creative career which has ranged from fashion design to football kits including world cup winning Brazil shirts and the Arsenal invincibles team. Craig also talked about his progression to leading teams of designers and consulting for organisations on their brands.

It was great to hear Craig talk honestly about his journey, stressing the importance of curiosity, resilience, and backing yourself, and how unconventional pathways can still lead to meaningful and fulfilling work. 

Craig has since been in touch with high praise for our students and school culture:

“It was genuinely inspiring to see the school in action. The sense of purpose, strong Crew culture, and the way learning is brought to life through expeditions and real-world relevance really stood out. I was grateful for the opportunity to share my own life journey and introduce the work we’re doing with Spark Design Academy. The learners’ openness and thoughtful questions were brilliant. I left feeling genuinely energised and optimistic about what schools like XP Gateshead are enabling young people to become.”

We want to thank Craig and the team at Spark Design Academy for the time they have given to our students and are excited to be at the start of a partnership with their organisation.

XPG – above all, compassion 

As is always the case at Christmas, our crews come together to support charities and this year it was great to see G32 support Gateshead Foodbank in their Reverse Advent Challenge – see post.. 

Crews from the rest of the school put shoeboxes of kindness together to support the CHUF (Children’s Heart Unit Fund which delivered to the Children’s Heart Unit at the Freeman Hospital – see post.

Finally, we would like to thank you all for your ongoing support this term and the contribution you make to our crew. Can we take this opportunity to wish all of our students and families a very Merry Christmas and restful holiday period. 

We return to school on Monday 5th January 2026 and look forward to another successful New Year at XP Gateshead.

Julie Mosley

Principal, XP Gateshead