Crew Frank Thanks You for Your Support!

Crew Frank would like to appreciate everyone who attended their Christmas Quiz last night. Your enthusiasm and generosity helped make the event a resounding success!

Thanks to your participation, Crew Frank raised an impressive total of £70.00. Every penny will be donated to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, a charity dedicated to funding cutting-edge cancer research and supporting those affected by the disease.

Thank you once again for helping us spread holiday cheer and support such an important mission. Crew Frank wishes you all a joyful festive season and looks forward to seeing you at future events!

Sharing our Stories: 13/12/2024

Beautiful Work This Week

Here’s a selection of beautiful work from across the XP Trust over the last week! To read about other stories from across the XP Trust, visit xptrust.org.

Top of the Blogs

Christmas Singalong in FS2 @ Norton Infants

Y6 Space Lecture @ Green Top

Year 2 Multi Skills Christmas Festival @ Plover

Real life heroes @ Carcroft School

This week in PE @ XP

Year 3/4 Presentation of Learning @ Norton Juniors

Beautiful Work on a Bag! @ XP Gateshead

Get your groove on for a great cause! @ 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… on a bag!

We are excited to offer parents the opportunity to order a tote bag with their child’s artwork on. I have attached some pictures of some that were created this week at the craft event.

G28 students are going to undertake the production of these bags and guarantee the 1st 30 orders will be ready by 20th December (making it the perfect Christmas gift for family members).

We know from the craft event this week that this will take a great deal of time which G28 students will be giving up at social times and after school. As a result, we are charging £5 for the bags and the money raised will go towards helping to fund the Silver Duke of Edinburgh expeditions.

If there is appetite for it, we will reopen orders in the new year but due to time constraints we can only at this stage guarantee the 1st 30 orders will be done in time for Christmas.

To order a bag you must use this Shopify link. It will show as sold out once 30 orders have been made. It is crucial that you leave a note on your order with your child’s name, Crew and the artwork you would like printed on the bag. Without this, we will not be able to create your bag and therefore it may not be ready by 20th December. 

If the artwork you are requesting is digital, it is very easy; your child simply needs to share the piece of work with Miss Tatters.

If it is a physical piece, it is very important to us that the student artwork is kept safe and secure. For this reason, we are asking your child to follow these steps once you have ordered a bag.

  1. Inform your child you have ordered a bag and which piece of work you have requested.
  2. The student will then collect the piece of artwork from their folder during their next art lesson (or at break or lunch)
  3. They will bring the artwork to G8 and place it in the purple folder on the teacher desk (ensuring their name is on the work either on the back or by attaching a post-it note). Without this, we will not be able to proceed the order. 
  4. When the bag is printed, we will hand the bag and the original artwork back to the student who will need to return the artwork to their art folder immediately.

We are really excited to be able to showcase the student work in this way and get it out into the community!

Crew Watson are raising money for The Children’s Society, a charity who fight for the hope and happiness of young people when it’s threatened by abuse, exploitation and neglect.
Crew Watson will be hosting a bric-a-brac sale in the sports hall for students at lunchtime on Monday 16th December where they will be able to purchase a gift for a loved one and make a difference to the lives of children and young people in the UK.
There are lots of gifts available to buy, ranging in price from 50p to £4 (most things are no more than £2.50).
We will also be providing a Christmas wrapping service which will cost 50p per gift.
We would very much appreciate any support you can give to our event and are pleased to be able to provide the opportunity for students to purchase affordable gifts for their loved ones.

Important Information for the G29 Presentation

Important Information for the G29 Presentation

We are excited to welcome you to the G29 presentation tomorrow! Here are the key details:

  • Start Time: The presentation begins at 3:45 PM.
  • Venue Information:
    • If you are a Class One parent, please arrive at The Great North Museum.
    • If you are a Class Two parent, please arrive at the Farrell Centre.

At 4:14 PM, we will ask all parents to switch venues. You will spend approximately 30 minutes at each location visiting the students’ market stalls, where they will share their learning through engaging explanations.

Parking and Transportation:

  • Parking is available further north on Claremont Road.
  • Both venues are within walking distance of Haymarket Metro Station for those using public transport.

Student Arrival and Activities:
Students will arrive at the Farrell Centre and The Great North Museum at 11:00 AM to prepare for their presentations. During the day, they will also participate in a university campus tour and a talk by the 93% Club, a society dedicated to promoting university access for state-educated students.

Students will need a pack lunch due to the early arrival time at the University. If you child receives free school meals this will be provided.

Preparation:
G29 students have been working diligently to finalize their market stalls and are eager to showcase their efforts.

We look forward to seeing you tomorrow and sharing in the celebration of their hard work and achievements!

We are excited to remind you that Year 7’s first Presentation of Learning (PoL) will take place at the Parish Church of St Mary on Monday, 16th December, from 4:30pm to 5:45pm.

This historic venue is deeply rooted in the mining heritage of our region. St Mary’s is the final resting place of Thomas Hepburn and many victims of the 1812 Felling Pit Disaster, making it a meaningful and fitting setting for our students’ presentations.

Public speaking and sharing learning through PoLs are key elements of our school’s approach to education. To support students in building character and showcasing their academic progress, it is important that each child has a family member in attendance.

What to Expect

The evening will include:

  • Students recounting the story of their expedition.
  • Presentations answering their guiding question.
  • Performances of folk songs that students have written about ‘local heroes’ as their final product for this expedition.

Arrangements for Monday

Towards the end of the school day, students will walk to the church and rehearse before the presentation begins. To ensure they are prepared for the day, and because inclement weather is forecast, students must bring:

  • Comfortable walking shoes.
  • A water bottle.
  • Plenty of layers to stay warm.
  • A warm, waterproof coat.

As this is a formal occasion, students are expected to dress smartly in line with our dress code. Polo shirts are a great option for this event.

Lunch will take place as normal at school. Students who typically bring a packed lunch should do so as usual. Between 3:00pm and the start of the event at 4:30pm, students will have a short break and may eat healthy snacks provided by you.

Attendance and Capacity

Due to the limited capacity of the church, a maximum of three family members per child can attend.

We look forward to celebrating Year 7’s achievements with you in this special setting!

Raffle tickets will be sold at the event (£1 per strip) for a lovely Hamper provided by Simon Musgrave, National Sales Manager for local family run business Ringtons.

The raffle will be drawn at the end of the POL and all proceeds will go towards St Mary’s Church funds.

Dear Families

It’s been another busy and productive week at XP Gateshead. 

In these final weeks of term, rather than wind down, our students  step up in their work and dedication to craftsmanship and quality. They are all working hard on final products, responses to their guiding questions and preparing for upcoming Presentations of Learning. This brings lots of challenges as you can imagine but I am so proud of the courage, determination and resilience shown by our students and staff on a daily basis.

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G28 Engineering/Technology students

Our G28 students spent the morning at Royal Grammar School on Wednesday, in preparation for a day of manufacturing on Friday this week during the school day. The students have been designing a plinth to hold an iPad so that it can become an interactive kiosk. This is going to be used by our G28 Interactive Media students as part of their design work on an interactive quiz associated with their Viking studies.

A big appreciation to Dr Bunce from RGS, who also works with our digital leader and LGO robotics team, for helping to facilitate these days!

G29 First Aid Training

On Wednesday our Y9 students were involved in first aid training as part of their DofE skill development. Sam Clark from First Aid Schools was blown away by the maturity shown by all of our students and their response to all challenges set. Our students now know some basic principles of assessing an emergency situation, contacting emergency services and how to perform basic skills required to sustain life while awaiting their arrival. They are now more prepared to handle various emergency situations including administering CPR and using a defibrillator.

G28 PoL – Is Charity Enough?

On Wednesday afternoon our Y10 students welcomed new members of our community into our school. Our students put on an Afternoon Tea full of homemade goods along with Christmas treats which really demonstrated the power of connection and community. It was wonderful to see the smiles and hear conversations between our students and older members of the community. Please see the website post for more details and some extracts of students’ answers to the guiding question.

G31 Fieldwork

Students in G31 have been studying Gateshead’s and the North-East’s place in the UK since 1066. There current studies see them learning about the industrial revolution and our coal mining heritage. On Friday they carried out fieldwork to St Mary’s Church in Heworth and saw the memorial to the Felling Pit Disaster – which will feature in their songs as part of their PoL next week.

The Week Ahead

G29 PoL at Farrell Centre and Great North Museum, Wednesday – Newcastle University 3:45pm

We are really looking forward to seeing our Y9 present their learning this week at Newcastle University. They will be sharing their responses to the guiding question from this expedition How are structures important in helping us to explain our world? Their work will be part of the ‘Concrete Dreams’ exhibition at the Farrell Centre and their art work will be exhibited at the Great North Museum.

Students will be travelling over to Newcastle in the morning, so will need a packed lunch on Wednesday. They need to be prepared for the weather as they will also have a campus tour as part of their day.

Families should arrive at the Farrell Centre /Great North Museum in Newcastle University Campus at 3.45pm. We will put out a separate post tomorrow with information on which families will be starting in which location. Parking is available further north on Claremont Road, or the two sites are within walking distance from Haymarket Metro Station.

Christmas Charity Events

On Tuesday Crew Stanton are running an after school Christmas Crafts session to raise funds for their charity ‘Tiny Lives’. On Thursday Crew Frank are hosting a Christmas quiz and all funds raised will go to their chosen charity ‘The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation’.

   

PE sessions this week

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

  • All G30 students (Year 8) have PE on Monday.
  • For G31 students (Year 7)
    • G31 Class 1 students have PE on Tuesday.
    • G31 Class 2 students have PE on Wednesday
  • All G29 students (Year 9) have PE on Thursday.
  • All G28 students (Year 10) have PE on Thursday.

PoLs next week

  • G31’s PoL will be on the evening of Monday 16th December at St. Mary’s church in Heworth at 4.30pm.
  • G30’s PoL will be on Wednesday 18th December in school at 4.30pm.
  • G28’s PoL will be on Thursday 19th December in school at 4.30pm.

Degunge Next Week – Friday 20th December

A reminder, especially for families of Year 7, that students finish at the earlier time of 1.30pm on the final day of term to allow for staff to de-gunge classrooms and restock class supplies in readiness for the start of the new term.

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].

Julie Mosley

G28 POL Success

Thank you to everyone who attended G28’s Afternoon Tea on Wednesday, it was lovely to welcome so many new members of our community into our school. The event was a roaring success and really demonstrated the power of connection and community.

I have included here some of the poignant extracts from the students’ answers to the guiding question which were read out yesterday at the event. We were all blown away by the maturity, the reflection and the passion portrayed in these words.

Well done to all of the students for their beautiful work on this and thanks again for supporting our students and our school.

Sabrina – In this expedition our guiding question was ‘is charity enough?’. In my eyes I would say no. Charity is all about providing resources, food banks and funds to those in need and while that is a necessary step to ending poverty; I feel that relationships and bonds also play a key part. Without them, someone can be free from material poverty but still be in deprivation in regards to relationships and feel a sense of emptiness – the exact same emptiness that someone with lack of money would feel. While reading A Christmas Carol, we see in stave three that when Scrooge visits the miners, although they had absolutely nothing, their company and togetherness made up for it. This shows us that relationships are near enough the equivalent to a fortune and we even see Scrooge (a solitary miser) admit this when telling the ghost of Christmas Past about how Fezziwig had the ability to make the affection and the happiness he gave be quite as great as if it cost a fortune. Scrooge was a man of many riches yet was deprived of friendships and family, proving to us that someone who is financially whole still has the capability to not fully be whole as a person. 

Katie W – Charity is good, it’s so important, but it’s not enough. People shouldn’t have to depend on others’ kindness just to survive. We need to do more, not just to help right now, but to fix the bigger problems. Everyone deserves to live without having to hope someone else will save them and maybe be in constant worry that someone won’t. Also people should feel like they have enough and to be comfortable with what they have and how they are living. 

Emily – Bonds transform lives! Charity is not just about giving- it is about seeing humanity in another person. It is the smile that is exchanged, the hand offered, the simple words ‘you matter’. These bonds create ripples of hope and healing for beyond the material provided. When we build connections, we nourish not only our body’s but hearts and spirits.

Evan – This expedition had the guiding question: ‘Is Charity Enough?’ We looked at Charles Dickens’ famous novella A Christmas Carol, which covers the story of a ‘covetous old sinner’, Ebenezer Scrooge. Throughout the tale Scrooge undergoes an amazing transformation that Dickens aimed to show the reader, is possible for anyone to experience. The start of the novella introduces Scrooge as ‘a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone … a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner! … self-contained, and solitary as an oyster.’ who rejects invitations for Christmas dinner and to donate to the poor. Scrooge had the typical Malthusian view of many Victorians that would have read the book at the time; the idea that the only way to decrease the excess population, hence Scrooge’s infamous quote; ‘if they had rather die …  they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population’. At the end of the novella, however, Scrooge vows to ‘honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.’ saying that he will be more generous and jovial all year. Christmas is shown to Scrooge all through the book, as three spirits; the Ghost of Christmas Past, Present, and Christmas Yet To Come, show him how it is celebrated in different ways and by different people, but that overall, what matters most is family bonds and the time spent together with others. By showing Scrooge this, Dickens allowed him to be redeemed and transform into a much kinder, more generous man, and by showing the reader Scrooge’s transformation, he would hope that they could find it in themselves to change.

Danny – In the novel we were told lots about charity and Scrooge represented rich people in this time. He refused to donate to charity in the first stave which summarised how they treat the poor in Victorian society. As the novella goes on, Scrooge’s attitude towards society changes for the better and he begins to support charity workers which we can see in stave 5. Dickens’ message was to show that the rich people have the power to change their attitude towards the poor but it’s down to them to decide if they will or won’t. 

Louie – This entire interaction links to the common views that many people of a greater wealth would have during the victorian era, with many people believing that the poor were only poor because they were lazy, which is why scrooge asks if there are “no prisons” or “no workhouses” in order to avoid paying the charity collectors. The common views of Scrooge are the direct antithesis, or opposite, of Dickens’ own views towards the poor in Victorian England. Dickens was known to be a compassionate philanthropist, often making donations to charities at the time, along with this he was a massive activist who stood up for human rights.

Lily – Workhouses and prisons were available for the people who were living on the streets but the conditions were appalling and as we see in the book “many can’t go there; and would rather die” and Scrooge’s response to this was “If they would rather die, they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.” This very much displays the point of the upper classes’ ignorance. Dickens’ main aim of A Christmas Carol was to display people’s ignorance to poverty and problems in the world. I wonder if A Christmas Carol made an impact then? Because if it did, maybe we could use this now.

Holly S – In the period that we live in, we have places like food banks and different charity places. This is a large improvement on the Victorian times as people nowadays are seen as struggling and in need of help, rather than lazy and a waste of space and money. However, this does not change the fact that people are still struggling with loneliness and often spend Christmas without their family or friends. People often overlook loneliness during Christmas time and focus solely on giving away money and gifts. This causes issues because someone could have all the money in the world but could also feel like the loneliest person in the world at the same time, which is exactly what’s happening to these people at Christmas time. Therefore we must try to feel empathy as to how they would feel for the other 11 months of the year, where they are receiving less charity and less help. Giving items and money to those in need isn’t enough for them to fully thrive emotionally and will only help them through Christmas. It won’t get rid of the feeling of loneliness.

Bella – This very same ideology can be applied to the world we live in. The struggles of those around us are comparable or maybe even significantly worse than those seen in a christmas carol however they are far from fictional. There are more than 170,000 charities in the UK and yet more than 13 million people are living in poverty. Over 300,000 people have nowhere to call home. Over 3 million people are malnourished. How can that be? I believe that more effort, thought and time needs to go towards preventing these problems rather than throwing loose pennies at those suffering the consequences. A food bank would not have impact without the donations of kind hearted people with food to spare, a coastal cleanup would not have impact without the hard work of volunteers, a charity itself would fail to function without the people truly passionate about making a difference who organised them.

Liam – This is still seen in today’s world. Homeless and poor people are being rejected and ignored. The play I, Daniel Blake shows this very well from the poor’s point of view. That very play caught the attention of governments. Things are beginning to get better with more help to those who need it. However, even with money anyone can suffer from loneliness. Loneliness can severely impact a person’s mental state and is more common than you may think. Some people find Christmas to be a sad time with no one to be with. This is why bonds are so important. To always have someone to talk to is something no one should ever go without. Friends and family will always be there when you need them and without it, it’s something that I think must be handled.

Will – In my personal opinion, I think charity is nowhere near enough and it is so far away from being enough. I think that people should never be in the state of having to use charity. Personally, I think that it should be used as a last resort. Charity does not help people being lonely, paying the bills and the food they need to get the feeling of fulfilment. People use charity to survive and we need to help them to thrive. 

Beth – Around this time of year, especially those who cannot afford Christmas, find themselves to be quite alone, as maybe they can’t visit family or friends. Maybe they feel inadequate as a parent because they couldn’t get their child a gift. Without bonds, families can be lost and friends can fall apart. This is why now, around Christmas time we not only have to try our best to give to those without much on Christmas, we have to always, no matter what, be kind, thoughtful and polite when speaking to anyone.

Ruby – But charity is still essential. It reminds us of our shared humanity and plants seeds of empathy that can grow into movements for change. Charity is the beginning of something greater—a way to inspire hope and call people to action. Charity is only a stepping stone, essential to the path to total equality but not the whole path itself. Charity, while powerful, is not enough on its own. It can soothe pain, bring comfort, and remind people they are loved, but it must be paired with systemic reform to create lasting change. As individuals, we must give generously and care deeply, while demanding a society that lifts everyone up. After all, the true measure of charity is not just in what we give but in how we change—ourselves, our communities, and our world.

Daniel Dav No charity is not enough until we have everyone thriving, and even then people will make it difficult for people to live a sustainable life.  Charity can ease the pain of individual people, offering kindness in the face of hardship, but it’s not enough to create a fair and just world. True change demands addressing the systems that keep people trapped in cycles of inequality. This would ensure dignity, opportunity, and fairness for everyone. Charity gives relief, but justice creates hope.

Sharing our Stories: 06/12/2024

Beautiful Work This Week

Here’s a selection of beautiful work from across the XP Trust over the last two weeks! To read about other stories from across the XP Trust, visit xptrust.org.

Top of the Blogs

Crew Chadwick goes outside! @ Norton Infants

Christmas Card Packs – Crew Council @ Green Top

Be Kind – Celebration of Learning @ Plover

Den building @ Carcroft School

Crew Nightingale engaging with challenges

If I had a hammer! @ Norton Juniors

Real Craftsmanship and Quality from George in Crew Darling @ XP Gateshead

This week in PE @ 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!