Scarlett competed in the under 16 rugby national cup final last Sunday in Lichfield. Her team finished runners up and were presented their medals by England rugby legend Amy Cokayne!
Hector has also recently been presented with his outstanding achievement award for trampolining.
Congratulation to you both!
It was great to see our students make a strong start back to school last week after their half term break. Students were back to working hard, getting smart and being kind, stepping up to our high expectations in and outside of sessions.
On Friday, we said farewell to Mr Watson. I want to take the opportunity to thank Mr Watson for his work with our students as a Crew Leader, Human teacher and in the clubs that he ran too. We wish Mr Watson every success in the future.
Parents of Year 6 students received notification of secondary school places last week. As in previous years, we received more applications than we can offer places and our admissions were determined by a random lottery overseen by the Local Authority.
I’d like to thank all families who expressed an interest in our school and the work we do here. An appreciation too for our existing families and students for showing our school for the really special place that it is. Again we are massively oversubscribed with around six applicants for every place at the school.
For our new families, welcome to XP Gateshead and congratulations! We are delighted to have you and your children join our school. See our welcome post for more details.
Pat Stevens is a Newcastle City Guide, retired teacher, and author who has specialized in researching and sharing the history of the suffragette movement in the North East of England. Pat’s work with our students helped them to consider their guiding question “What is power?” as a historian.
Students in Year 9 and those in Year 10 with an interest in engineering had a session with a representative from Siemens. The focus of the session was careers in engineering, but also keeping an open mind about pathways and ensuring the development of skills, knowledge character is something that is a consistent aim.
Our Digital Leaders’ LEGO robotics team had the opportunity to work at Royal Grammar School on Monday and then again with Dr Bunce on Tuesday afternoon. This is in preparation for a regional inter-school tournament on Friday 27th March.
Keeping children safe is our number one priority and this permeates all of the work we do at XP Gateshead. It is the responsibility of us all to work in a way that will safeguard and promote the welfare of all of the students at our school and provide a safe environment in which all can learn and where all students and staff are respected and valued. Our students are taught how to identify risks and stay safe, including online, through various teaching and learning opportunities and we are committed to this throughout the delivery of our curriculum.
We have the highest expectations of our students for their character growth, beautiful work and academic performance at school. When pupils do display poor behaviours, there are clear restorative practices and sanctions that are shared and owned by the community at XPG.
Our behaviour policy and protocols detail how we collectively support and challenge each other to put things right when we do things wrong to maintain the high expectations of XP school culture.
Parents of G28 please note the final GCSE date is officially the 24th June 2026 which is the contingency day. The JCQ state “Students must remain available until this date, as it would be used for exams rescheduled due to national or local disruption.” Please bear in mind that when booking holidays. https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/JCQ-Preparing-to-sit-your-exams_-2025_2026.pdf
At XPG, G28 students will be presenting their Final Words across the week beginning Monday 22nd June and we will hold our final community meeting on Friday 26th June 2026.
Last week our G28 crews worked on a revision planner for their final months leading to the exam period. Please talk to your son or daughter about this and what support they might need from you. Here is the final Summer exam timetable.
On Tuesday this week members of our Year 8 Rock Bands will visit Blank Studios in Newcastle. For our students this will be an experience of working in an industry-standard environment to record Patti Smith’s Power to The People. Students in Year 8 have already recorded backing vocals in school and now our rock bands will add lead vocals, guitars, drums and keyboards.
We can’t wait to share this with you at their Presentation of Learning.
This fieldwork is entirely during the school day, however students will need a packed lunch. See Mr Allan’s post for more details.
We are delighted to invite our whole school community to a special Family Iftar Dinner in celebration of Ramadan. This event is an opportunity for families, staff and friends of the school to come together, share a complementary meal and learn more about the spirit of Ramadan — a month centred on reflection, gratitude, charity and community.
We warmly welcome families of all faiths and backgrounds to attend from across our school community. We would like to particularly encourage families of G31 students (year 8) to attend, as celebrating diversity, building compassion and learning more about Islam links directly to the expedition they will embark on in term 3.
If you would like to attend and haven’t already done so, please complete the google form.
As part of their expedition with the Guiding Question: “How can we continue to make progress on public health?”, students in G29 will this week carry out workshops with experts from Newcastle University who. Students will gain an insight into cutting-edge research which considers important questions of ethics around developments in medicine such as testing of drugs, autonomy in clinical care, genomics, end-of-life decisions, and the ethics of technological advances such as AI.
On Thursday 12th March, students will be conducting fieldwork to explore the question: Why are there variations in life expectancy in Gateshead?
To prepare for this investigation, students will analyse secondary data from the national census in school and now they need to enhance their understanding by gathering primary data through firsthand observations. Students will spend the full day on foot, walking between XPGateshead, Felling Square, and Durham Road (Low Fell High Street) to examine inequalities in the local area. The data they collect will contribute directly to their Presentation of Learning.
Please see the website post for more details.
“Split Decisions” is an emotive 60-minute performance and workshop taking place with our Year 7 and 8 students. The performance promotes key messages surrounding pedestrian safety, including on public transport, whilst raising awareness of pedestrian dangers such as distractions (phones, music and friends) and risk-taking behaviour. It will also help our students to identify, challenge and cope with peer pressure and influence by highlighting the severe and far reaching consequences of unsafe behaviour.
From this week there is a change to the regular days for PE. Mrs Cadenas continues to work with our Year 7 students on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Mr Devitt and Miss Tatters lead the sessions with Year 8 on Tuesdays.
In line with our dress code, we expect students to arrive at PE lessons with a change of kit which is appropriate for the activity and all accessories removed. This includes sports trainers with non slip soles e.g. running shoes/astro turf (not plimsolls).
For Years 9-11 this week, they will meet our new member of staff Kelsey Cairns – this provision is the start of what we know will be a great working relationship with Gateshead College Sports. This week Mr Devitt will introduce our students to Miss Cairns and remind students of norms and expectations – as such PE kit is not needed for Years 9-11 this week.
Clubs will all run this week along with extended study sessions every day except Friday.
Friday is the first of our staff days this half term, the second is on Monday 16th March. Our staff team will be planning for next term’s expeditions. Students will not be expected to be in school on Friday or Monday unless they are G30 students who have a Passage presentation on Monday. If G30 students want to come to school on Friday to prepare for their passage, they must organise this through their Crew Leader.
G30 are working hard on preparing for their passage presentation next week. They will be using Crew time and additional time in sessions to get ready for this important moment in their time at XP Gateshead.
Passage presentations are hugely important benchmark demonstrations of learning over multiple years that mark this pivotal transition from Key Stage 3 into Key Stage 4 and GCSEs. During the presentations, students will use their portfolios as a guide to articulate their progress and growth. These presentations are another means by which we help students to develop their character and hone their public speaking. The rubrics that will be used during the presentations can be found here.
Students will be welcome to arrive at school earlier than their passage presentation slot to do final preparations, and then should return home after their presentation. If students do not have a passage presentation, there is not a need for them to be in school on Monday 16th March.
This is not a staff day, however Year 9 teachers will be involved in passage presentations throughout the day so we will not be running a regular timetable for this day for Year 9 students. There are three options for Year 9 students and this day:
Please can all G30 families use this Google Form to let us know what your child will be doing, and whether they will need a school lunch
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
On Tuesday of this week, our Year 8 rock band students will travel to Blank Studios in Newcastle to make a professional recording of Patti Smith’s ‘People have the power’ as part of their learning expedition with the guiding question “What is Power?”
This fieldwork will take place entirely within the school day. If there are any delays to the return to school via Metro, we will update the school website.
Drummers and guitarists will work in the the studio in the morning and then vocalists and keyboard players will add their parts in the afternoon.
Students should come to school with their regular kit.
The should also have:
Morning Session – travelling out by foot/Metro and returning by minibus:
Donell E, Olivia W, Leila W, Pearl P, Lucy Mc, Maisy S, Chloe I, Summer B
Afternoon Session – travelling out by minibus and returning by foot/Metro:
Summer I, Alex E, Sylvia R, Emily H, Paige E, Abbie L, Channel C, Amelia Y, Gracie M
A warm welcome to all of the Year 6 families that have been lucky enough to be offered a place at XP Gateshead for your child to join Year 7 in August 2026.
There is not a need to contact us at this point in time, but please do check your emails as you should already have received information about our enrolment process including some forms for you to complete online.
You will no doubt have lots of questions, but rest assured, all of these will be answered over the coming months of transition. At XP Gateshead we spend a lot of time getting to know our students and families prior to starting with us and we have a range of transition activities planned to allow this to happen. Our wider transition programme will include:
We will publish a timeline of these events soon.
Our website xpgateshead.org contains a wealth of information and should be a start in answering your questions, in particular the frequently asked questions section is useful for new parents. Please do also look at our calendars so that you can see our term dates and staff days for the next academic year and beyond.
It is really important that you subscribe to our website by entering your email contact in the section on our front page as this will update you with an email every time we post some new information.
This is what the box to subscribe looks like:
It can be found on the right hand page of our website homepage on a laptop or computer, and at the very bottom of the screen if you are viewing the website your phone or a tablet.
Families can be added to a private Facebook group for families of XP Gateshead once we have carried out the online family meetings.
Should you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact [email protected] .
Thank you again for choosing XP Gateshead, we really look forward to working with you and your child over the next five years.
Julie Mosley
Principal
XP Gateshead
Once again, I’m donning my running shoes, together with my brother Michael, and attempting the challenging Sheffield Half Marathon on the 23 March to raise funds for our upcoming Music and Arts Festival in the summer term.
This year will be the third time we have brought together students from across the Trust to showcase their artistic and musical skills alongside community partners and professional artists. Take a look at the highlights from last year.
To make this happen again we need your support! If you could make a donation, however big or small, we can place music and the arts right at the heart of our mission to make ourselves, our community and our world a better place! And make the third Community Arts and Music Festival the best yet.
Just click the link here to make a donation.
Thank you for your continuing support.
Andy Sprakes
Co-founder and Chief Academic Officer, XP Trust
On Thursday 12th March, students will be conducting fieldwork to explore the question:
Why are there variations in life expectancy in Gateshead?
To prepare for this investigation, students will analyse secondary data from the national census in school and now they need to enhance their understanding by gathering primary data through firsthand observations.
Students will spend the full day on foot, walking between XPGateshead, Felling Square, and Durham Road (Low Fell High Street) to examine inequalities in the local area. The data they collect will contribute directly to their Presentation of Learning.
This fieldwork will also be a physical challenge, covering approximately 10km. If your child is usually transported in a car to the metro on fieldwork they will be in our school mini bus so will not be walking on the day.
The weather forecast is currently showing fine weather for the day but we know that our weather is very changeable so please ensure your child does bring a rain jacket on the day.
Full School kit
Comfortable trainers or walking shoes. No Crocs.
At least one full water bottle (no refill points available during the day)
A rain jacket (weather conditions may change)
Packed lunch (provided for students on Free School Meals)
This is an essential part of the students’ studies. If you have any concerns or questions, please contact your child’s Crew Leader or Miss Jones as soon as possible.
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.
Crew Peake – stewards of our community @ XP
Crew, Collaboration, Critique and Teamwork Tigers! @ Norton Infants
Multiplying our Maths Skills @ Norton Juniors
Write to us at [email protected] – we want to hear about it, write about it and celebrate it!
Mock GCSE examinations will be taking place in the two weeks commencing Thursday 27th April. We are currently finalising the Timetable, but class teachers will be able to guide in terms of the content for revision.
Students will be supported with sessions on how to revise in crew and staff have put together this revision website as a guide for families which has a wealth of information to help you to support your child right the way through to the final assessments in Year 11 next year.
You can access this any time by going to the XP Gateshead website and clicking on Parents – GCSE Revision on the menus.
We will run these as we will the Summer GCSE exams so that students develop their exam skills and learn the rules and protocols of public examinations in the Summer of 2027.
This ,very useful video from The Exam Office , reminds students of these rules will make their exam experience as smooth as possible.
If you have any questions or queries, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Mr Mead and The G29 Team.
We are delighted to invite our school community to a special Family Iftar Dinner in celebration of Ramadan.
This event is a opportunity for families, staff and friends of the school to come together, share a complementary meal and learn more about the spirit of Ramadan — a month centred on reflection, gratitude, charity and community.
Date: Wednesday 11th March
Time: 5:00pm – 6:45pm
Location: XP Gateshead
Guests can look forward to a shared Iftar meal at sunset, a live music performance, raffles and keynote speeches from members of our community.
Ramadan is a holy month in Islam observed by Muslims around the world. During this time, Muslims fast each day from dawn until sunset, refraining from food and drink as an act of worship and self-discipline. Fasting is one of the Five Pillars of Islam and is intended to encourage spiritual reflection, empathy for those in need and a renewed focus on kindness, generosity and community. The fast is broken each evening with a meal known as iftar, often shared with family, friends and the wider community.
We warmly welcome families of all faiths and backgrounds to attend from across our school community. We would like to particularly encourage families of G31 students (year 8) to attend, as celebrating diversity, building compassion and learning more about Islam links directly to the expedition they will embark on in term 3.
If you would like to attend, please complete the google form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZed8IhzezAJaviIvU_nzO7jGVFW2UyeTMkxj-ahsNeV4qYA/viewform?usp=publish-editor
We look forward to celebrating together.
We are currently waiting for our bagel delivery, so bagels will not be available at breakfast this week. Cereal will still be available as usual.
