Elina won The Customs House Young Performers Company’s highest award last night. The award is the ‘Mamma G’ award, named after their teacher’s mum. It is awarded to the student who has stood out during the year, for their hard work, skills progress and attitude. What an amazing achievement, well done Elina!
We’ve enjoyed a good first week to our final Summer half term. There’s been high quality work in and out of sessions as usual. We had a great G32 fieldwork at the Baltic last week alongside a careers event for some G29 students with KPMG. G28 exams continued and our Year 11 returned with full focus again after the half term break. It has also been great to hear from families following SLCs last week where our G32, G31 and G29 students have once again taken the lead in their own learning sharing their progress to date, work they are proud of and the areas they are targeting for improvement this half term.
Last week we used our Theatre space for the first time. After 2 years of ongoing hard work from Gateshead Council we are finally able to use this space again. On Friday we used our Theatre to gather all students together with another input on water safety. Unfortunately over the May half term holiday there were another 17 reported water-related deaths in the UK so it is important that we share water safety messages with our students. Royal Life Saving Society UK data shows that child drowning deaths in England have doubled in recent years, with 125 accidental deaths over a four-year period. Around 47% of accidental drownings in the UK happen between May and August, so this is a particularly important time to be reinforcing these messages. All students were shown the following video https://vimeo.com/514252164 this week in readiness for Drowning Prevention Week 13-20 June which is run by the Royal Life Saving Society UK. This focuses on helping children and young people to understand how to stay safe in, on and around water.
A calm start to the day is really important for students to settle into learning and this happens in Crew each morning. Students must be on site for 8:25am for the call to Crew and be ready to start sessions at 8:30am. Crew is inextricably linked to our Narrative for Success and these routines and practices in Crew ensure that students are safe and are set up to succeed at the start of every day at school. Poor punctuality affects a student for the rest of the day and as you will agree, good punctuality is needed in all future jobs. It is vital that we are building the habit of excellent punctuality now. We ask all parents/carers to fully support our expectations around good punctuality.
Over this half-term we will have some of our new staff joining us for induction in readiness for the new term. We are now fully staffed in terms of teaching and support at XP Gateshead.
We have also appointed some internal leadership roles which I will share later this half term.
This week is a final full week of exams for our Y11 students
We have continued to put timetable changes in place to allow focused revision sessions prior to exams and make sure that our Y11 students are fully prepared.
Please see the recent website post for a full G28 update.
We continue to welcome our Y10 families into school this week so that G29 can present their SLC with a focus on recent mock results, work placement and their next steps in terms of readiness for Year 11.
This week we have a host of experts in school, working with Year 8 in readiness for their presentation of learning on Thursday 18th June for their expedition with the guiding question: “Is migration worth the risk?”.
On Thursday this week Dr Scott Boldt from The University of Cumbria will be joining our Year 8 students to help them to understand migration to and from and within the island of Ireland.
Also on Thursday Zeek Burgess from Phosphorus Theatre will work with all students in a drama workshop which will explore the lived experience of refugees. Then in the afternoon they will work with a group of Year 8 students in the afternoon to help them to devise a piece of drama that will be performed for families on 18th June – which coincides with Refugee Week.
On Friday of this week all Year 8 students will have the opportunity to work with Kema Kay, a local writer, actor and musician. Along with Rob Kitchen from Gateshead Music Hub, Kema will support our students to devise rap lyrics, using a piece of Bollywood music as a stimulus alongside ideas from their current expedition. This will then be followed up on Monday 15th June with another session with Haaji Ka Halva who will run expert workshops supporting our students to use music technology to further develop and remix the music that they will write on Friday this week. This music will then also be performed by our students for families on 18th June. Thanks to Rob Kitchen from the Gateshead Music Hub for his support in helping to organise these events.
On Friday this week, G30 and G29 students will spend the day at Gateshead College Academy for Sport. This day has been organised by Keavy Steel as part of our continued partnership at Gateshead College. The day will include access to a range of sports and the world class facilities at the college. Students will meet staff and student leaders from the college as participating in sports throughout the day. Students will need a packed lunch for the day and should come to school in their regular PE kit.
A huge appreciation to Keavy, Jo Chadwick and Tom Bradley for their continued support for our students’ sporting development.
Our PE sessions this week are as follows. There are some changes due to exams so check the days carefully. Please ensure that your child has their full PE kit.
After school clubs and extended study will run this week.
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
Since we met with G30 families for the GCSE information evening earlier this term, students have had a series of meetings with teachers of the courses that are part of our KS4 offer. Thanks to all of those families that attended our drop-in session earlier this week.
The slides linked here and embedded below have details of all of the courses being offered, how students will be assessed and where courses could lead.
Please discuss these pathways with your children and let us know your thoughts as a family be completing this Google Form.
We are aiming to finalise decisions on pathways by 26th June. We would therefore appreciate it if all G30 families could complete this form before Thursday 11th June.
Not long to go now!
Students have done brilliantly this week both in exams and getting stuck into the in-school revision sessions. It is wonderful to see and hear students speaking so confidently and positively as they come out of exams.
Next week marks the final FULL week of exams for the students:
Next week, revision with subject teachers continues so it is important that everyone is in school every day to help them prepare. Being in school with subject specialists is the best way for students to revise and prepare for their upcoming exams.
There will be after school History revision on Monday – this is especially important for students who do Spanish who will be doing their exam on Tuesday morning when the revision for history is scheduled.
On Tuesday there is after school iMedia revision for 1.5 hours.
On Thursday 11th June there is after school iMedia revision for 2 hours including a break with pizza provided.
Looking ahead, there is also a Physics revision session on Sunday 14th June AM – this will be live online with Mr Mead. There will be a sign-up and more information to follow but I wanted you to have this on your radar.
Thank you to everyone who has booked a Final Word slot on the week commencing Monday 22nd June. Students will be in school for all of the Final Words (any parents who would like to stay and hear from other crew members are welcome too). Other crews have their Final Word on Tuesday and Wednesday and if invited to do so, students are welcome to come into school and attend the Final Word of friends from other crews.
Prom is then on Thursday 25th June and the coach will be leaving from school to transport students to the venue at 6:30pm. It is compulsory for the students to come on the coach. The school site will be open from 5:30pm for students to get photos with others.
The coach will be leaving Beamish Hall at 10:30pm then arriving back at school at 11pm for those who will be collecting students. Please make sure you have made arrangements for your child to get home
The final G28 community circle will be on Friday 26th June at 2pm in school and will finish at around 3:15pm.
We are nearly at the finish line and we are incredibly proud of them all and can’t believe they are almost ready to leave us!
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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.
POL and our first XPG Live for all families @ XP Gateshead
Seaside explorers @ Norton Infants
Spotting Greatness in X32 Skipper: Working Hard, Getting Smart, and Being Kind @ XP School
Write to us at [email protected] – we want to hear about it, write about it and celebrate it!
We are delighted to share details of our upcoming G31 Presentation of Learning and XPG Live, both of which are taking place on Thursday 18th June 2026.
Taking place during Refugee Week 2026, both events will be a celebration of diversity, belonging, honouring the many cultures from which our students come through the medium of art, music, dance and more.
G31 families will attend the celebration of learning in the early afternoon. Then from 3.30pm we will open up the school to all children and families for our first ever XPG Live.
This event will showcase and celebrate Year 8 students’ learning from their current expedition with the guiding question: “Is migration worth the risk?”.
This event will include music and artwork, and acts also a “pre-show” for the XPG Live event. G32 students will also be involved in a range of performances as part of XPG Live and will be in school until around 4.30pm. From that point G31 students and families can choose to stay for the full XPG Live event.
(All G31 students involved for the first hour)
This event will include live music from our rock bands, music put together with professional musicians, dance, poetry recitals, street food, and more. Our Year 8 students’ work will form a large basis of the opening hour of XPG Live.
Importantly for G28 families and their children, this will be an opportunity to view all Year 11 artwork which will be exhibited at the event.
Headlining the event will be local band Leazes.
We’d love to see as many families there as possible from 3.30pm!
We hope you have had a restful break and enjoyed the lovely weather. We are looking forward to welcoming students back for the final half-term of this academic year. This half-term we will welcome our Year 6 G33 students into school for the first time supported by student leaders from G32 and G31, G30 will be making important decisions on their pathways into Key Stage 4. G29 are presenting their SLCs following their recent mocks and work placements and G28 are in the final weeks of exams.
This half term we are looking forward to a couple of firsts – our G28 Pioneers will present their Final Word to families, staff and peers which will mark the end of their 5 years at XPG, we will be hosting our first XP Live music event, and where our final Crew Day will be a sports day as usual which will be hosted at Gateshead Stadium in July.
Look out for a post later this week on the XPG Live event, and how this connects to our Year 8 presentation.
Can I remind all families about the importance of students attending school everyday. School attendance is vital to the life chances of young people and being in school improves health, wellbeing and socialisation throughout life. Put simply if pupils are not at school then they are not learning and quickly fall behind in all areas of their development. Term time holidays are not authorised at XP Gateshead. Let’s all work hard together to ensure school attendance is high – students, parents/carers, Crew Leaders.
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.
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 into our final Summer half term and warmer weather.
For a normal day within school, we do not think it appropriate that students wear:
As always, all students need to be fully equipped for school and bring a school bag with:
Exams continue for our Y11 students with another full week
We have continued to put timetable changes in place to allow focused revision sessions prior to exams and make sure that our Y11 students are fully prepared.
Once again we offered May Half Term Revision sessions for our Y11 students and it was great to see our students take full advantage of these sessions across the week. School is the best place for students to prepare for exams as support is on hand alongside revision resources.
Good luck again to all of G28 – keep on keeping on, you have definitely got this!
On Tuesday at 5pm, we are hosting a drop-in event in school for families that would like to talk to Key Stage 4 course leaders, to support them and their child to make decisions about the subjects that will be studied in year 10. Please see Mr Said’s post here for more details.
Please see Mr Said’s post for more details and important information about kit and lunches..
This is for students that choose to sign up. There are still 5 places remaining, please see Mr Said’s post for more details.
This week, we welcome our Y10 families into school so that G29 can present their SLC with a focus on recent mock results, work placement and their next steps in terms of readiness for Year 11.
Our PE sessions this week are as follows. There are some changes due to exams so check the days carefully. Please ensure that your child has their full PE kit.
Due to the SLCs for G29, and our first week back from the break there are no after school clubs or extended study this week. They will return next week, w/c 8th June.
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
A reminder that to support Year 9 families in discussing Key Stage 4 pathways with your children, we are hosting an evening slot for any G30 families that wish to attend.
This event is happening on Tuesday 2nd June between 5pm and 6pm in school. You can drop in to the evening at any point from 5pm.
Staff leaders will be available to talk about your child and the courses on offer.
On the evening staff will be available to give you and your child advice in their role as:
Mrs Mosley and Miss Tatters will also be on hand to answer any questions that families might have.
All G32 students will be taking part in fieldwork at The Baltic Gateshead on Thursday this week.
The day will involve a tour of galleries and an artist-led workshop connected to the current exhibition: For All At Last Return which is about marine ecosystems. This connects to our current guiding question of “How does water shape our world?”.
G32 Class 2 students will be travelling in the morning, setting off at 8.30am so they must be in school for 8.25am to be registered before departure. They will be back in school for a late lunch so will not need to bring a packed lunch unless they would usually do so.
G32 Class 1 students will be travelling in the late morning. We will leave school before lunchtime so all Class 1 students will need to bring a packed lunch.
Both classes will travel on foot to Heworth Metro and then on foot from Gateshead Metro down to the Baltic. The forecast is currently mild with showers. All students will need:
