Dear Families

“There is more in us than we know. If we can be made to see it, perhaps for the rest of our lives, we will be unwilling to settle for less” 

Every week we ask students to push themselves and step out of their comfort zones, as part of our relentless focus on the development of character alongside beautiful work and academic success. With this in mind, G28 have stepped up again in terms of their attitude and approach to their latest round of mocks, supported by Years 7 – 10 in their calm movement around the school to ensure that G28 could focus on the task at hand.

At XP we work to ensure that our students grow their character, create beautiful work and achieve academic success. We develop our curriculum so that learning is relevant, purposeful and authentic and we encourage our students to be compassionate citizens, expanding opportunity so that they can impact positively on others both in the school and in the wider community. We work hard to nurture and develop an understanding of how kindness, empathy and concern for others must define us, as both individuals and also as part of society, if we are to create a more just and compassionate world. Students work hard, so that they can get smart, so that they can go out into the world and be kind.

Here are some of the highlights from this last week:

G32 Fieldwork at Beamish Museum

G32 have this week completed fieldwork which supported their guiding question of “What’s the story of our community?” and their’ studies of the Industrial Revolution and the importance of coal in shaping life in the Northeast. The workshops encouraged speaking, listening, and historical investigation, helping students make meaningful connections between their Human studies and their work in STEAM where students have been building on their understanding of state changes and how George Stephenson applied these principles to experiment with the development of steam engines and machinery that powered the Industrial Revolution.

G31 Expert Session – Live from Kathmandu

Students in G31 this week met with Mr Sadan Dhodari, Vice Principal of Nagarjuna Academy in Kathmandu. This expert session was focussed on Hindu beliefs and teaching about the value of life, what it means to live a good life and the afterlife in support of their guiding question: “What does it mean to be Human?”.

Excitingly, we have also discussed with Sadan. and the Principal Mr Sunil Sijipati, future partnerships, especially around our curricular seam of Protecting the Planet, which is a major focus of the curriculum at Nagarjuna, Nepal being particularly exposed to the consequences of climate change.

NHS Careers Webinar

A group of students this week met with Ålliance Healthcare workers from the NHS this week to learn more about some of the roles in the NHS that are typically less well-known but just as integral to supporting us all to live healthy lives. Expert speakers included physiotherapists, podiatrists and a dietetic assistant.

G29 Geography GCSE fieldwork

Students in G29 braved the weather to complete fieldwork in the Ouseburn. They collected data to investigate the regeneration of the Ouseburn area in Newcastle. Students were joined by Northumbria University geographer Michael Jeffries, who provided valuable insight 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?”

G28 Post-16 provider carousel

Following their mocks, G28 had a range of speakers in school on Friday morning from local Post-16 providers: Cardinal Hume Sixth Form, Gateshead College, Newcastle College and Newcastle Sixth Form College.  These sessions prompted further thought and discussion from our students about next steps. More on this below, as G28 prepare for their 1:1 careers guidance interviews starting this week.

Our week ahead 

G28 1:1 Careers guidance meetings

Over the next two weeks, all students in G28 will have a 1:1 meeting with Kathryn Burns, our Trust Careers Lead for impartial advice on their next steps at Post-16 and beyond into their career.

To support students in preparing for this, please continue to have conversations at home around your child’s next steps; you can use our Careers Website to start conversations. It is important at this stage in the academic year for all students in Year 11 to start preparing for and putting together applications. The message from all providers  that spoke to students on Friday was to keep options open and put in multiple applications to a range of providers. We will reinforce this message and continue to support students through Crew.

Post-16 Open Evenings this week for G28

• Thursday 20th November 5.00pm – 7.00pm at Lord Lawson Sixth Form
• Thursday 20th November  5.00pm – 7.30pm at Cardinal Hume Sixth Form
• Wednesday 19th November 2025: 5:00pm – 7:00pm at Energy Academy Wallsend (for courses related to sustainable energy and associated engineering)

G30 Byker Wall Fieldwork – Tuesday 18th November 

G30 students will be carrying out fieldwork to support their guiding question “How can structures help us to explain our world?” Please Miss Jones’ post for further details.

G31 Expert session – Tuesday 18th November 

G31 will this week have another expert session where they will have the opportunity to talk to individuals whose lives have been impacted by organ donation. This has been a wonderful session in previous years and really propels students to invest in the quality of their work to promote organ donation through their artistic final product.

Crew Day – Friday 21st November

This Friday will be a Crew Day for all cohorts from Year 7 to Year 11. Each cohort will have a different focus, ranging from supporting charities and local partners, to crew identity.

Each Crew Day is an opportunity to tend to Crew and return to the principle that: We are crew not passengers, strengthened by acts of consequential service to others.

This time invested reaps dividends not just in terms of strengthening Crews, but also in our wider Culture of Crew which is evident in classrooms on a day to day basis.

PE sessions this week

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

• G32 students
  • Class 1 have PE on Monday
  • Class 2 have PE on Wednesday
• All G31 students have PE on Tuesday.
• All G30 students have PE on Thursday 
• All G29 students have PE on Monday.
• All G28 students have PE on Monday.

Looking ahead – important dates

G30 SLCs

Year 9 will be carrying out SLCs in the fortnight commencing Monday 24th November. If you have not already done so, you should receive an invitation to book a slot from your child’s Crew Leader.

Staff Days – Friday 28th November and Monday 1st December

We have staff days each term at XP so that our teachers can collaborate across the Trust to create and deliver the high quality curriculum that our students study. These are shown in blue on our calendar. On staff days our students do not attend school and there is no expectation that they complete work beyond their regularly set extended study (homework). Students will find this work on Google classroom.

POLs (Presentations of Learning) this term

• G32’s PoL will be on the evening of Tuesday 16th December 2025 at St. Mary’s church in Heworth from 4:30pm until 5:45pm. 
• G31’s PoL will be on Thursday 11th December in school at 4.30pm.
• G30’s PoL will be on the evening of Wednesday 10th December at the Farrell Centre in Newcastle University Campus. Start time is to be confirmed.
• G28’s PoL will be on Wednesday 17th December in school at 4.30pm.

As usual if you have any questions about your child please get in touch with your child’s Crew Leader in the first instance.

Julie Mosley