We are now leaving the wider Doncaster area after coming through some heavy traffic.
Our estimated arrival time back at school is just after 7.15pm.
XPT Festival Update
Our children have performed brilliantly today, and enjoyed performances from groups across our Trust.
We have departed Doncaster at 16.45, around fifteen minutes earlier than planned. We are now on our way home, tired and hot but enjoying an air conditioned coach.
Once we are out of the Doncaster area we will have a much better idea of an estimated arrival time in Gateshead.
We will update the website again in due course.
What an absolutely unforgettable evening! During Refugee Week, our school community came together to celebrate the culmination of the G31 learning expedition: “Is migration worth the risk?”
Instead of just looking at the challenges, our students turned the spotlight on the incredible positives, culture, and richness that migration brings to our world. And because we don’t do things by halves, we fused this POL with the first-ever XP Live! music and arts festival.
The evening kicked off with high energy and deep emotion as Year 8 shared their learning journey.
One of our G31 Rock Bands set the tone for the night with a high-octane performance of Should I Stay or Should I Go?—a perfect musical nod to the expedition’s core question. The entire cohort then came together for a deeply moving, collective performance of the poem Home by Warsan Shire to the backdrop of their running man GIF that came as a result of every student producing 30 individual pieces of art! Demonstrating their incredible musical versatility, students performed a custom piece created in collaboration with GemArts. Fusing Hip-Hop, Rave, Garage and Punjabi rhythms with live vocal and instrumental performers as well as music technology inputs through Ableton Live, they had the whole room moving. Moving performances followed from students who had developed original drama scenes after inspiring workshops with the Phosphorus Theatre group. The formal POL element concluded with a guided gallery walk. Students walked their parents through the international competition of Humanity Arts cartoons, expertly explaining the deep understanding and empathy they have developed throughout this expedition.
As the gallery walk ended, we transitioned seamlessly into the festival element for the very first XP Live!
The energy shifted into pure celebration. Our Year 8 cheerleaders blew everyone away with an incredible routine, followed by a showcase of phenomenal bands from across all year groups in the school. The absolute climax of the night came from local band Leazes, who delivered a blistering set that had students absolutely packing the dance floor and getting lost in the music! It was the perfect end to a historic school event.
Throughout the night, we were so proud to be able to showcase the beautiful GCSE artwork produced by G28 and to welcome them and their families back into school to celebrate their success.
Beyond the arts, the evening was about action. We were proudly raising money for the School of Sanctuary charity—a network we are actively hoping to join in the coming years as part of the lasting legacy of this expedition. Our community showed up in full force to support the cause. The Year 10 students cooked up a storm, serving a range of delicious street foods that celebrated the massive impact migration has had on our culinary culture. Year 8 hosted a bustling bake sale, popcorn stand and tombola, while a raffle was held for a stunning garden planter, beautifully crafted by the G29 DT group. Thanks to the immense generosity of our parents, students, and staff, the event raised a grand total of… £445.25!
A massive thank you to our incredible staff, our external partners (GemArts and Phosphorus Theatre), the brilliant performers, the amazing Leazes, our hard-working student chefs, and everyone who came along to support.
G31, you didn’t just answer the question of whether migration is worth the risk—you showed us the beautiful, vibrant world we get to live in because of it.
Check out the gallery below for highlights of the night!
Good evening
We are looking forward to welcoming students in school for their transition next week.
For year 6 students, each day will start at 8.25am with students able to arrive from 8.00am.
Each day will end at 3.15pm.
Lunches
Students can have a school lunch or a packed lunch. If you have not already done so, please can you complete this Google form to let us know of your child’s dinner choices for each day.
At break and lunchtime, we will have activities led by our existing student leaders.
Kit
A reminder that for their daily kit, students should bring basic kit which includes a pen, pencil, eraser, ruler and pencil sharpener in a pencil case. Students should have a water bottle and a bag for resources. We recognise that you may not already have all of this equipment yet. It is important that this is in place for August when children start with us fully.
Dress Code
Some students choose to come in their primary school uniform or PE kit, however this is not necessary. Students need to dress modestly and appropriately for a day of learning in school. More details of our dress code can be found here.
Students will be introduced to PE at XP on Tuesday, so we recommend trainers and clothing appropriate for sports on Tuesday so that a change of clothes is not needed.
(When students start with us fully in the Autumn Term we will talk to them about bringing a change of clothes for their first PE sessions).
Plans for the days
Our guiding question for the two days will be:
“What will it take for me to be the best version of myself at XP?”
Tuesday 30th June
On Tuesday students will experience:
- Crew
- STEAM (Science)
- HUMAN (Humanities / English)
- PE
We will end the day with a Community Meeting where students will make appreciations to each other connected to our character traits of courage, respect, integrity, craftsmanship & quality, and above all… compassion. Our student leaders will support and model this process – as they will have been supporting in their sessions throughout the day.
Wednesday 1st July
On Wednesday students will experience:
- Crew
- STEAM (Maths)
- Art & Design
- Spanish
Again we will finish the day with a Community Meeting to celebrate the beautiful work and character of our newest students over the two days.
Tuesday 7th July – Meet your child’s Crew Leader
Our ‘Meet the Crew Leader’ will be hosted in school. This is an important opportunity for families to meet their child’s Crew Leader and being forming the strong relationship that will be needed to support and challenge your child to become the best version of themselves. This event is for adults from families only, you should not bring your child to this event.
This event will start at 5pm on Tuesday evening next week and is expected to last for around 45 minutes.
Ullswater Participant Form
If you have not already done so, please complete the participant form for Ullswater. More details on how to do this can be found here.
We are so excited to welcome G33 into school next week, and meeting you all again in the week after.
iPad issues
Good evening
The iPad issue should now be resolved. Our ICT management providers have cued up an additional app to install in the background which fixes the problem.
If your child would like to use their iPad at home this evening please try the following steps:
- Ensure that the iPad is charged
- Reset the iPad
- On the older model iPads (mostly Year 9-11, with the home button and Apple Lighting Bolt charging port) hold down the home button and power button at the same time. Continue to hold and wait around fifteen seconds until the screen has turned off and then release the buttons once the apple logo appears.
- On the newer model iPads (mostly Year 7-8, no home button and a USB-C charging port) quickly press volume up, then volume down, then hold the power button down. Continue to hold and wait around fifteen seconds until the screen has turned off and then release the buttons once the apple logo appears.
This should do a soft reset of the iPad. Once the iPad connects to your home network, wait around 2 minutes and then apps and website should be accessible through the Safari app. If you are still having problems we can look at the iPad in school tomorrow.
XP Festival Logistics
We can’t wait to welcome our community to the XP Festival tomorrow! To ensure the day runs smoothly for our entire Crew, here are a few quick logistics:
Weather
Currently (at 7.00am Wednesday 24 June) there is an Amber warning in place by the Met Office and temperatures are expected to reach approximately 30 degrees at some points during the Festival.
As we are expecting hot weather please make sure that:
- You are appropriately attired – loose fitting lightweight, loose-fitting garments made from natural fibres like cotton or linen, which allow air to circulate and keep your body temperature regulated are recommended. Wear a hat or bring a parasol to keep you out of direct sunlight.
- You bring suncream and regularly apply this as extra protection against sun burn.
- You keep hydrated throughout the Festival – feel free to bring your own water to drink. Food drinks and ice lollies will be available on the Festival site
- You use sheltered areas on site and gazebos to avoid direct sunlight
- If you start to feel the effects of the hot weather, check in with a steward and/or access the First Aid provision on site which is clearly signed and we can ensure you cool down in an air-conditioned space, if required.
- You listen carefully and follow any Health and Safety announcements from the main stage.
Refreshments and Food
Food and drinks will be available from 4pm through Relish. Please note this is an alcohol free event.
Seating
There is no designated seating. You are welcome to bring your own portable chairs or picnic blankets so you can sit comfortably and enjoy the performances.
Parking
Parking for the festival is completely free if you use Doncaster Rovers Car Park 3. Accessible parking is available – please ask a Steward on arrival.
Support
This event is free, but we will welcome donations on the day to support future XP Live Events. Your contributions help us continue to provide authentic, creative platforms where our young people can craft beautiful work and share their stories.
See you tomorrow!
G28 parent Update: Education Records
Dear G28 Parents and Carers,
We will be issuing digital education records to year 11 pupils on Friday afternoon, before our final community circle. To accommodate this work can students please be in school by 1:45pm.
Education records are part of a new service from the Department for Education (DfE) to provide pupils with their education information and help them share these details as part of their post-16 journey.
Education records contain unique education information for each pupil, including:
their name, address and date of birth
the schools they have attended
their qualifications (after results are released) I
any support needs
This video summarises their use: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSg32VhCHSw
Education records will be issued on the DfE education record app. Pupils must download the app onto their phones from the Apple or Google App Stores. The rest of the issuing process will take place in school. Please encourage your child to download this before they come into school.
The Apple version of the app requires iOS version 15.0 or newer and the Android version requires 8.1 or newer.
After the issuing process, pupils will have their education information on their phones. They can then use the app to share this information digitally with sixth forms or colleges when they enrol.
Please contact us if you have any questions.
Best Wishes,
Darren Mead
Exams Officer
Good morning
We’ve been made aware that some families and children have had problems with their school iPads and online access at home outside of school hours.
Our iPad internet filtering and the management system that controls app access during the day are controlled by separate companies, so we have raised the issue with them this morning.
Please be assured that if you have encountered any issues last night this is almost certainly not your home network.
Dear G30 families,
The final Presentation of Learning by G30 of Year 9 will take place on Thursday 9th July, beginning at 4pm, with an estimated finish time of 5.30pm. Families can arrive from 3.45 onwards. It is essential that all students have at least one supportive guest in attendance. I know you will all be keen to see what students have achieved this term!
Part of this event will be held outside on our school site, so please come prepared for the weather (hopefully bright and sunny)!
Students will share with you their final product as well as their learning from their current expedition: What a Wonderful World, with the guiding question: “What is our relationship with the natural world?”.
We cannot wait for you to see what students have achieved in their final term of Year 9 before progressing onwards to Year 10 and the start of their GCSEs.
See you soon!
The weather forecast for Wednesday is currently showing an Amber Weather Warning for hot conditions. To ensure all students remain safe and comfortable throughout the day, it is essential that they come prepared for the weather. See original post here.
All students MUST bring:
- Sunscreen (applied before arriving at school and brought with them for reapplication)
- A hat or cap
- An additional bottle of water
Students who normally take hay fever medication should take it as usual before attending school and bring it with them if required.
As students will be travelling by Metro and on foot and spending extended periods outdoors collecting fieldwork data, staying protected from the sun and hydrated is extremely important.
Staff will monitor students closely throughout the day, encourage regular water breaks, and seek shaded areas whenever possible during activities and rest periods.
Please ensure students have all other required equipment, including comfortable walking footwear, a packed lunch (or pre-ordered school lunch), a backpack, writing equipment, and their iPad.
Thank you for your support in helping us ensure a safe and successful fieldwork experience.