G29 Fieldwork on Monday

On Monday, 11th October, G29 students will participate in local fieldwork. Class Two will head out in the morning to visit the site of the Owen Luder car park, using the space as inspiration for designing their own structure that could be built on the Trinity Square site, along with sounds to accompany their personal oral histories. Additionally, students will spend an hour building on the virtual fieldwork they’ve completed in school, collecting primary data to answer the enquiry question: “Are there inequalities on Gateshead High Street?” They will return for an early lunch at 12:00.

Class One will follow the same schedule after their early lunch at 12:00, completing the same fieldwork and returning to school by 15:15.

Following Monday’s fieldwork, students will have an expert session on Tuesday with University lecturer Michael Jefferies, where he will explore mapping techniques and discuss how these could be used to improve Gateshead.

The weather is currently forecast to be cloudy with sunny spells. Students should bring their usual kit, including a waterproof jacket, comfortable shoes, and their normal school kit!

Gateshead Youth Assembly – Exciting Opportunity!

Gateshead Youth Assembly (GYA) is now recruiting new council members! This is a fantastic opportunity to make a real difference in the local community. As part of GYA, you’ll represent young people in Gateshead, work closely with decision-makers, and help shape the future of services for young people in the area. Plus, you’ll have a lot of fun while doing it!

Over the past year, GYA members have designed, delivered, and evaluated various social action projects. They’ve also collaborated with local leaders on initiatives like the future planning of Gateshead town centre. You can read all about their achievements in the GYA Annual Review. Being part of GYA is a big deal—past members say it significantly boosted their personal statements for university and job applications.

GYA full meetings are held on the second Tuesday of every month, usually at Gateshead Civic Centre. Other Tuesdays are reserved for project work, social events, training, and activities, all planned by GYA members. Meetings continue during school holidays, except when our support workers are unavailable (typically during the first and last weeks of the month).

This year’s Training Weekend, which kicks off the GYA year, will be held on Saturday, 2nd, and Sunday, 3rd November 2024, from 10am to 4pm at The Lobley Hill Building, Lobley Hill Road, Gateshead.

Youtube video from GYA 

Training weekend sign up

Membership form

Please let Miss Jones if you are planning to join up. Valarie from the GYA will be in school on Monday and would love to meet with possible new council members!

 

Beautiful work from Brooke in G31

Brooke brought a very special guest to school earlier this week, her silver medal from her first gymnastics competition! Brooke’s partner also did brilliantly in their first acrobatics section too. Beautiful work Brooke! Well done.

G29 Science Checkpoint assessment

G29  have a checkpoint assessment in Science next week  on Monday . Students have been directed to help via their Google classrooms.

Students should focus upon the following targets:

I can describe the structure of an atom of an element

  • I can identify the different parts of an atom and state their charges and masses.
  • I can use the atomic number and mass number of an element to identify the number of protons, electrons and neutrons it has.
  • I can state the maximum number of electrons found in each of the first three energy levels.
  • I can write and draw electron configurations for the atoms of the first 20 elements.

I can describe the structure of the modern periodic table

  • I can describe how the modern periodic table is arranged by atomic number and that the elements in each group have the same number of  electrons on the outer shell of their atoms.
  • I can explain why elements have similar properties because of their electronic structure
  • I can use data from the periodic table to draw the electronic structure of the first 20 elements of the periodic table

I can explain how the atomic model changed over time

  • I can explain how the discovery of the electron changed Dalton’s model of the atom
  • I can explain how Rutherford’s Gold Leaf experiment change Thomson’s plum pudding model of the atom
  • I can describe Bohr’s contribution to the atomic model
  • I can describe Chadwicks contribution to the atomic model
  • I can explain the importance of evidence in changing scientific models.

G28 GCSE Checkpoint Assessment.

G28  have a checkpoint assessment in Science next week  on Tuesday . Students have been directed to help via their Google classrooms.

Students should focus upon the following targets:

LT1 I can use the periodic table to work out what different elements need to be stable

  • I can interpret the Mass and atomic number in terms of the structure of an atom
  • I can draw the electronic configuration of the first 20 elements
  • I can describe how ions are formed and what charge they will have
  • I can write accurate chemical formula of compounds based upon their position in the periodic table

LT2 I can explain the properties of ionic compounds using knowledge about ionic bonds

  • I can explain the electrostatic forms holding ions together in an ionic bond
  • I can represent ions using dot and cross diagrams
  • I can explain the formation of an ionic lattice structure
  • I can I can explain the melting and boiling points, solubility  and the conductivity of ionic compounds
  • I can write accurate chemical formula of compounds based upon their position in the periodic table

LT3 I can explain the properties of covalently bonded compounds and elements

  • I can explain how a covalent bond is formed
  • I can represent simple covalent molecules using various methods
  • I can explain the melting and boiling  point, and conductivity of  small covalent molecules
  • I can describe the structure of giant covalent materials and explain their properties  (Diamond, Graphite, Fullerenes, and silicon dioxide.)
  • I can describe  the size of nanoparticles
  • I can explain the properties and uses of  nanoparticles.
  • I can discuss the advantages and disadvantage of using nanoparticle

LT4 I can explain the properties of metal materials referring to their structure and bonding.

  • I can describe metallic bonding in pure metals
  • I can explain the conductivity of heat and current in metals
  • I can explain the high melting and boiling points of metals
  • I can explain the ductility and malleability of metal materials
  • I can describe a metal alloy and explain their properties

GCSE Required Human Geography Fieldwork

On Friday, G28 GCSE geographers will participate in their first required fieldwork for their two-year course.

They will investigate the regeneration of the Ouseburn area in Newcastle, building on their first unit of study, where they explored the question: “Is Newcastle a city of opportunity or challenge?” We will be joined by Northumbria University geographer Michael Jeffries, who will provide valuable insights into the history and geography of the Ouseburn.In the coming weeks, students will analyse their findings and answer the fieldwork question: “Has regeneration had a positive impact on the Ouseburn?”

Students will spend the full day conducting fieldwork. They should bring their regular kit, including their iPads, and be prepared for the weather. The current forecast is cool with a low chance of rain.

School Dinners

We’d like all parent/carers opinions on school dinners, including those who’s children have packed lunches. XP Trust would like as many children as we can having delicious healthy meals so your and your child’s opinions are important to us. Children will be asked about their dinners at school but it would be good to have parent/carer opinions too.

Please complete the below form:

Dear Families

When we get to the end of the day on Friday, staff and students head home for what is always a well-deserved weekend rest. There is no wonder when you look at all that is achieved in a week at XPG. As always, I will try to capture some highlights from this week.

Club Tasters

As well as tasty tacos on Friday (see above), this week our students had the chance to try some of the clubs on offer this year before school, at lunchtime or after school. As a small school, it can be challenging to offer a wide variety of extra-curricular opportunities but staff at XPG always go that extra mile and it has been wonderful to see such a choice of clubs offered as well as daily extended study clubs. We have extended our offer this year with more sports clubs, a school newspaper, psychology, languages clubs including Mandarin, music and arts opportunities and targeted study support. It is great to see real leadership in our students with some G28 student leaders running clubs this year in girls football and cheerleading.

Please encourage your son/daughter to get involved in clubs and make use of an extended study slot or two to keep on top of their work load with help on hand from their peers and staff.

G29 Fieldwork

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Once again G29 students worked on a university campus at Newcastle University, beginning preparation for their final product, which will be sound installations as part of the ‘Concrete Dreams’ exhibition at the Farrell Centre for architecture. They also were able to spend time at the beautiful Edwardian Hatton Gallery, considering how abstract art can use visual structures to illicit meaning. In both settings students had input from our expert partners and were able to make further connections between the arts and design and their wider expedition and guiding question “How can structures help to explain our world?’  

Open Evening

On Tuesday we held our Open Evening and welcomed over 400 people to our school. As you know, on evenings like this our students take centre stage and as always, they shine.

Families attended 4 sessions – XPG Mythbusting, Beautiful work, Character and Academic Success. Every session, apart from the Mythbusting one, was a showcase ran by students who shared the work done at XPG and answered questions from their audience.

The positive feedback on exit tickets was stunning, our students definitely communicated our culture well with very few questions left unanswered. Here is just one of the many comments we received:

“I just wanted to say what a brilliantly executed evening it was last night and what absolute stars the students were. They were so articulate, passionate and professional. They gave thoughtful answers and were fantastic ambassadors for their school. I have seen a couple of them present previously and the difference in their confidence and presentation skills was remarkable.”

The confidence shown by our young people and their ability to articulate what we do and why we do it is stunning and we are extremely proud and grateful to all students who were involved. A thank you to families too who supported this event.

G31 Fieldwork

Our history and our story forms the backdrop for G31’s first learning expedition with a timeline that starts in the events surrounding the Norman invasion of England in HUMAN sessions and brings in the development of our society, our language, church and industry. In STEAM students have already studied the industrial revolution and how we exploited our mineral wealth in the coal-powered Industrial Revolution. In the last few lessons, students have taken that same timeline and looked at our geological story, in the deep past. The fieldwork this week helped students to see how, by working alongside our expert, they could make inferences about 250 million years ago just by looking at the rocks in Marsden Bay. It also helps that we picked a perfect day in terms of the weather, although conditions were not quite the tropical temperatures from the Permian Period when those rocks were first laid down. 

And as always, we are working hard, getting smart and being kind

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We continue to challenge our students in every session around our habits of work and learning (HOWLs). Our students reflect on their HOWLs each week during Thoughtful Thursday Crew session, setting pledges for the week ahead and challenging each other to be better and offering support to each other to get there. Over the next two weeks our staff will be entering their assessment of students’ current HOWLs and academic performance in each subject. This will be shared with students and their families after the half-term in preparation for our first Student-Led Conferences this year.

Our week ahead 

Extended Study and Clubs

Our clubs will all run this week (see schedule below) along with extended study sessions every day except Friday. If a student attends an after school club or extended study session they must attend the full sessions until 4:30pm.

Our before-school fitness and running clubs on Tuesday and Thursday will start at the earlier time of 7.45am this week.

PE sessions this week

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

Looking ahead to next week

Half term break starts Friday 18th October 

On Friday 18th October, we will finish at 1:30pm as is our usual for our end of half-term de-gunge. This allows classrooms packs to be replenished and checks carried out to ensure that spaces are ready for learning when we come back from the break.

We return to school on Monday 4th November at the normal start time.

 

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].

Thank you as always for your ongoing support.  Together we are stronger #WeAreCrew.

Julie Mosley

There is an exciting opportunity to take part in Film&Screen and Art&Design Club at  Gateshead College?

Apply HERE

Dates / Saturdays 10.00am -13.00pm, 12th October 2024 to 12th April 2025

Venue / Gateshead College Baltic Campus, Quarryfield Rd, Quarter, Gateshead NE8 3BE

Skills Film&Screen / if you’ve ever dreamt about seeing your creations on the big screen – you will have access to broadcast quality cameras, Premiere Pro and After Effects to produce Music Videos, Horror Films, Adverts and Documentaries in our brand-new purpose-built TV studio – using camera skills, filming on location & in a studio with green screen using Video Editing Motion Graphics & Soundtrack Production.

Skills Art&Design / building on your existing creative abilities, learning new skills and possibly working on a specialism that challenges and excites you – Fine Art, Digital Arts & Entertainment Design, Illustration, Digital Design, Photography, Fashion Design.

   

Free Visits / Club members have the chance to take part in national events including Masterclasses with leading industry professionals and the Summer Show, where all Club members exhibit their work in a public showcase – all for free!

Apply / For more information and to get young people involved, please click this link: saturday-club.org/join , it is open to any students who are interested in these creative fields.