Find out more and apply to #JoinOurCrew here:
Category : Front Page News
Post inside this category will show up on the front page
As part of our Immersion G29, students will be watching the film I, Daniel Blake. We believe this film is important for our students as it is set within our local community and provides valuable insight into the lives of people who may live in our neighbourhoods. The film addresses several mature themes, including strong language, sex references (including references to prostitution) prescription drug use, criminal behavior, and some unintentional racism. The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has rated this film as suitable for viewers aged 15 and above.
I, Daniel Blake tells the story of a 59-year-old carpenter from Newcastle named Daniel Blake. After losing his wife and suffering a heart attack, Daniel’s doctor advises him to rest and avoid working. However, the benefits system declares him ‘fit for work,’ preventing him from claiming unemployment benefits. The film follows Daniel’s challenging journey through the British benefits system as he appeals the decision. Along the way, he befriends a single mother of two who is also struggling with the system.
Class 1 will watch the film on Thursday, and Class 2 will watch it on Friday.
If you have any concerns about your child watching this film, please feel free to contact your crew leader or myself at [email protected].
Thank you for your understanding and support.
After school your child’s iPad behaves exactly like any other iPad. During the day we manage the iPads so that only certain apps are available.
In order to download apps at home that you have agreed your child can have, you will need an Apple ID. If you do not have one, you can find instructions on how to set one up here.
If you have separate Apple ID’s – for example if your child already has an apple device – you can link Apple ID’s in a family sharing group. More info on that can be found here.
Screen time and other parental controls are also available. You can find guides to these here.
For additional protection we recommend that you filter what your children can access at home using your own Wifi. Most hubs for your Wifi at home will have settings that will also restrict content. Log in to your broadband provider account and search for parental controls.
iPad required set up
Screen protector
The screen protector must be installed to keep the Applecare warranty on the iPad valid, please do this first to ensure the most successful installation.
You can follow the written guide below or use our instructional video here. Please note the password for this year is not enrolment as stated in the video, it is summer2024
Don’t unbox the iPad until you are ready to install the screen protector.
Make sure you have lots of space and a clean dust free flat surface before you start.
- Remove the screen protector from its case and the iPad from the box.
- Take care not to touch the iPad screen before installing the screen protector.
- If any dust particles fall on the screen you can remove them with the stickers in the toolkit.
- Very carefully remove the protective film from the screen protector, take care as the screen protector is made of glass.
- Using the paper tab on the protector, remove the plastic protective film protection.
- Align the cutout for the home button and applying a small amount of pressure to the middle of the protector touch it down to the middle of the screen.
- If there are any air bubbles under the protector you can push these to the side using the polishing cloth.
Installing the iPad in the logitech keyboard case
This is really nice and easy, open the case from the box, align the camera on the rear to the top right of the case and clip it in.
First time login
- Select English as your language
- United Kingdom as your region (this is really important)
- Select “Set up Manually” from the bottom of the page
- Select your Wi-Fi
- Enter the password and tap “join” and then “next”
- Wait while the iPad activates (this may take a few minutes)
- A screen with the title “Apps & Data” will appear – select “Don’t Transfer Apps & Data”
- A new screen will appear with the title “Remote Management” – click “Next”
- A page with a login box will appear
- Add your username. This is the start of your school email address. Eg. if your email address is [email protected]
Then then username would be firstname.surname31
(We apologise if the surname is not the preferred surname – these were set up using the information provided from your application to the school during Year 6. These usernames will only need to be used once.)
- The default password this year is “summer2024”
- The next page will ask you to click to “Enroll this device” tap the blue button
- The next screen will ask you to “Enable Location Services” please make sure this option is selected.
- Your enrolment is now complete and default applications will now start to download.
G28 kicked off the new academic year with an impressive first week. The students were guided by the question: “How can we ensure that our future selves will thank us for the next two years?” This question set the tone for a week filled with exploration, reflection, and growth.
Throughout the week, students explored various future career paths, gaining valuable insights into what lies ahead. To help them reflect on how aspirations evolve over time, they watched clips from The Up Series, a documentary that follows a group of children from ages 7 to 21. This series provided a unique perspective on how early dreams can align—or diverge—from reality as life unfolds.
On Tuesday, the students took a trip to Gateshead Career Centre, where they participated in workshops focused on different post-16 options. This experience broadened their understanding of the diverse opportunities available to them. A special congratulations to Lily and Anya, who excelled in the apprenticeship quiz competition, and to Crew Frank, who worked collaboratively to construct a bridge closely resembling the iconic Tyne Bridge
After their insightful morning at Gateshead Career Centre, students were well-prepared to start crafting their CVs. They teamed up with their critical friends to exchange constructive feedback, fine-tuning their CVs to ensure they were polished and professional. These revised CVs were then sent off to their interviewers, ready for the big day on Friday.
When the day of interviews arrived, G28 students stepped up, taking on various roles with enthusiasm and professionalism. They meticulously prepared the interview rooms, arranged refreshments, and provided ambassador tours of the school.
Each student then participated in a 20-minute interview, during which they showcased their skills, experiences, and aspirations. The interviewers provided valuable feedback, giving students practical insights to help them refine their approach and boost their confidence as they continue their journey towards their future careers.
Well Done G28 and thank you to all our expert interviewers it was a brilliant experience for our students!
Dear Families
What a first week back we have had! As I said last week, our first week back is fundamental to us in terms of tending to and building crew as well as setting the scene for students of their year to come.
We really believe that, ‘If we get Crew right, we get everything right’ and I think of the many photographs took last week, this one embodies the meaning of crew:
Year 7 (G31) first week back
Our G31 students have had a fantastic week at Ullswater finding out what crew means. I hope they returned to you full of tales of their outward bound adventures and new friendships. Across the week, students began to form strong bonds with their crew and crew leaders, supporting each other to rise to every challenge set. We could not have been more impressed by our new year 7 students. The level of challenge meant that all Crews had to support and challenge each other to do more than they thought possible. They were compassionate, courageous, respectful and showed integrity in equal measure across the week.
We will post a further update with more images from the week.
Year 8 (G30) first week back
Our G30 students returned to school strong and spent their first week considering the question ‘How can we lead and support the learning of our new friends in G31?. Y8 Crew Leaders have been blown away by the quality of student work, depth of thinking, collaboration and leadership shown by G30 this week. There is no doubt that Y8 students will work with us to ensure that our new students are welcomed into XPGateshead and are quickly part of our school community.
The week ended with a fantastic day of fieldwork planned by Year 8 ready for our new Year 7 expeditions to come. This work is a fantastic example of student leadership with students co-constructing learning with their peers and adults in school. The G31 teaching team are delighted with the fieldwork planning and the resources that have been made which are indistinguishable from that of adults. G30 conduct on fieldwork was exceptional too. Please see the website update for more details.
Year 9 (G29) first week back
Our G29 students had a strong return to school, working in Crews to answer the guiding question ‘How do we form great habits to tackle initiatives as a Crew with increasing agency, independence and resilience?’ They displayed greater maturity and had a clear sense of purpose as they were challenged to rethink how they best work as crews and the norms they use, strategically planned crew charity events for this year and prepared for fieldwork reconnecting with the Outdoors. This fieldwork was also an introduction to the types of challenges that they will face as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award this academic year
Thursday’s hike in Northumberland around Wylam tested students’ new knowledge and map skills as they navigated together as a Crew. Students travelled by metro and train to get to Wylam (train travel a first for XPG!) and carried out a 6km hike without a moan and smiles all round. Student conduct on fieldwork was exceptional.
Year 10 (G28) first week back
Our G28 students worked together in Crews last week on their guiding question: ‘How can we ensure that our future selves will thank us for the next two years?’ They really stepped up to the challenge, considering how they will support and challenge each other to be successful over the next two years of GCSE. The week also provided lots of opportunities to continue their thinking about careers and pathways, beyond Key Stage 4 to Post-16.
Our students had a great morning with the Learning and Skills team at Gateshead Local Authority who put together a carousel of careers sessions led by experts and employers on pathways available and what employers and education providers are looking for in candidates.
Our students also worked on a first CV based on their ambitions, strengths and skills to date, and on Friday they had a mock interview with an external professional who gave them feedback on how they presented themselves, articulated their ambitions and responded to questions asked during the interview. Again, we raised the bar on our expectations and our students stepped up!
Our week ahead
Change of Classes
Unlike many other secondary schools, we do not group our children based on their ability into sets or streams. However like most schools, we do change the make-up of our classes and move students between classes at the start of an academic year. In Year 10, this has been done to accommodate the pathways that students have chosen for Key Stage 4.
For Years 8 and 9, we have done a wholesale adjustment of classes, as we did at the start of last academic year. There are many factors that we consider when making changes to the classes, and of course we get to know our students better and better each year. The aim is still, and will always be to make classes as heterogeneous as possible with a representative mix of genders, attainment, backgrounds etc. We appreciate that change can cause some level of anxiety or even upset for some students, and we will work to ensure that this is minimised with an orderly and purposeful start to the year in our new academic classes with new learning expeditions.
G31 students (Year 7)
Students will be working in their Crews on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning reflecting on their Outward Bound experience and thinking about what Crew looks like in the classroom and around our school, and how learning will work at their new school – especially learning through expeditions.
They will get tours of the school on Monday and our new spaces as well as an introduction to PE (students do not need their PE kits this week).
We will hand out iPads to G30 students on Monday at the end of the day. These will come with instructions on how to set these up on the school management system which is a fairly straightforward process. Students will need to set these up at home on Monday evening ready for a first training session on Tuesday. It is really important that the screen protector is applied as soon as you take the iPad out of the box, without this any insurance claims will not be valid.
We will post a separate update for families explaining how to set up the iPads on our website on Monday.
On Wednesday, students will find out their new classes and Immersion for their new learning expedition will start.
G30 students (Year 8)
After a morning in Crew on Monday, students will begin a week-long immersion for their new learning expedition this week.
They will have their first PE session on Monday and the second on Tuesday so will need PE kit on both days please.
On Monday, students will find out their new classes and their seating plans.
G29 students (Year 9)
After morning Crew sessions, students will begin immersion for their new learning expedition this week.
G29 PE sessions take place on Thursday so students will need their PE kit.
On Monday, students will find out their new classes and their seating plans.
G28 students (Year 10)
After morning Crew sessions, students will begin immersion for their new learning expeditions this week.
G28 PE sessions take place on Thursday so students will need their PE kit.
On Monday, students will find out their new classes and their seating plans.
Making the right start
All students need to be in school for an 8.30am start so they must arrive by 8.25am at the latest. There will be staff in school supervising so students can arrive from 8.00 am.
We will finish formal sessions at 3.15pm and there will be no extended study or activities after school this week.
Kit List
As always, students need to bring a school bag with the following kit :
- A filled water bottle
- Pencil case including: pens, pencils, ruler, eraser and pencil sharpener
- A fully charged iPad (G28, G29, G30 from Monday, G30 from Tuesday) and headphones (ideally not expensive ones, for example here)
- A notebook
- A reading book
Students also need to bring a healthy snack for break time – no confectionery (sweets), fizzy drinks or energy drinks please as we do not allow these in school. Please note there are to be no nut products in snacks or packed lunches – this is especially important as we have students in this cohort who are highly allergic to nut products.
Mobile phones should be switched off and in school bags each morning. Students should not be using mobile phones during the day without permission from a member of staff. If you need to contact your son or daughter please do so via the school office at [email protected] or on 0191 4814360.
Safe arrivals and exit from site
Cars and parking outside of school
The start of a new academic year is always busier at pick up and drop off, with new Year 7 students getting used to making their way to and from a new school, and all students finishing at 3.15pm until extended study and clubs are up and running.
Please can you ensure that you consider our neighbours when parking and do not block any pathways or drives onto their properties. Of even more importance is the safety of our students when crossing the road outside of school. Please leave space by the barriers outside of the main gates, as we have staff here who can ensure that children are crossing the road safely. With a clear road here we will more easily be able to see any approaching traffic.
Cycling to school
We are really pleased to see so many of our students cycling or scooting to school. Can I remind parents that if students are to bring bikes or scooters to school then they must have a bike lock. In terms of safety, students should also have a bike helmet. Please check that your child’s bike is in good condition frequently.
Please note that electric scooters (e–scooters) are not allowed in school or as a means of getting to school. This includes all other ‘powered transporters’ too such as hoverboards and electric unicycles.
Lunches
We are a no nut school. This is very important as we do have children with severe allergies.
Students can choose to bring in a healthy packed lunch (no nut products, confectionary, fizzy or energy drinks) or have a school meal with us.
Our school dinners are very popular with our students, thanks to our wonderful kitchen crew. Students make a daily food choice in crew each morning and we have a three week menu. Here’s this year’s menu – this week we start on week 1.
If your child receives a free school meal, we will provide lunch. Please contact the school office at [email protected] if you have any questions around school meals or paying for meals via ParentPay.
We are really looking forward to welcoming all of our students back tomorrow. 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 for your ongoing support and a special thanks again to those parents who have been supporting our new G31 parents with their XPG knowledge and expertise.
Julie Mosley
Principal
We are delighted to share that Year 8 students (G30) have had an exceptional first week back at school. Not only have they settled in brilliantly, but they have also shown remarkable leadership skills as they worked collaboratively in their Crews to plan and execute fieldwork activities for the new Year 7 students (G31), who will be joining us next week.
Our G30 students demonstrated true craftsmanship and quality in their planning. They meticulously worked out routes, conducted extensive risk assessments, and created a range of resources for the fieldwork. Their attention to detail was evident as they planned carefully to ensure that the timings and costs of public transport would allow the fieldwork to be completed within the time allotted.
On Friday, the Crews put their plans into action, testing the effectiveness of their fieldwork activities. This hands-on approach not only allowed them to evaluate their own work but also provided a practical learning experience that will be invaluable when they complete their debrief and evaluation on Monday.
Crew Earhart and Crew Kahlo took on the challenge of enhancing both geographical enquiry and the study of beliefs and worldviews different from our own. Their fieldwork included a walk through Bill Quay Farm and along the Tyne River Trail to Hebburn Riverside Park, where they consolidated their learning on river processes and land use. After lunch, they visited the Dhamakaya Buddhist Centre in Hebburn, where they had the unique opportunity to learn about Buddhism and even participate in a meditation session with their teachers.
Crew Darling and Crew Einstein focused on a historical enquiry into Anglo-Saxon and monastic life in the Northeast. Their fieldwork took them to Jarrow Hall, where they explored farm and village life in Anglo-Saxon Jarrow and learned about the monastic life of St Bede. They also visited St Paul’s Church, walking in the footsteps of St Bede himself as they re-enacted a monk’s liturgical service in the Anglo-Saxon part of the church.
We are incredibly proud of the students for their excellent attitude towards learning and the true spirit of Crew they demonstrated throughout this first week back. Their hard work and dedication will set a wonderful example, and we are confident that their efforts will make a positive impact on the incoming Year 7 students.
G30’s Crew Leaders want to thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to another fantastic term ahead.
We have been delayed again unfortunately due to an accident on the A66. We are through the congestion now and the latest estimated arrival time is 16.20pm.
Dear Families
Welcome back!
Next week we return to school for our first week back which is fundamental to us as an XP School. We will spend time introducing or reaffirming the importance of Crew which is the foundation of our culture at XPG, and take the time to build and tend to positive relationships in Crew through shared experiences and challenges.
‘If we get Crew right, we get everything right’.
The activities in the first week back are carefully planned and bespoke to each year group.
We will be running a staggered start to school for students on Tuesday to ensure a smooth start back. Our theatre space continues to be out of use whilst ongoing repair work is underway so we are unable to collectively meet more than one year at a time.
- G31 (Year 7) students will start at normal time, 8:25am and can arrive from 8am on Tuesday.
- G30 (Year 8) students will start at 10:45am on Tuesday.
- G29 (Year 9) students will start at 11:15am on Tuesday.
- G28 (Year 10) students will start at 11:45am on Tuesday.
IMPORTANT: Due to the staggered start school lunches for G30/G29/G28 students need to be pre ordered for Tuesday, please complete your choice on the google form here.
First week back guiding questions and fieldwork next week
Each cohort has a different guiding question for the week with purposeful activities which help them to answer this question. As such there is no PE this coming week, but there is physical activity for all year groups as you will see below.
G31 (Year 7) students – Outward Bound Expedition
G31 students head off to Howtown, Ullswater for their Outward Bound Expedition and their guiding question for the week which is:
“What does it mean to be crew?”
Importantly, students will need a packed lunch and a £10 deposit with them when they arrive at school on Tuesday. See the detailed website post which has full information on travel, kit, medical requirements, communication and return time back to school.
G30 (Year 8) students – Fieldwork on Friday 30th August
As part of their first week back in school, Year 8 students will be planning fieldwork in our local area which will involve them retrieving and consolidating their learning from Year 7 expeditions as well as evaluating the effectiveness of new fieldwork activities for supporting the learning of our new cohort. To do this the students will carry out their planned fieldwork on Friday 30th August. Students will be using this fieldwork to answer the question linked to theme of student leadership for the week:
“How can we lead and support the learning of our new friends in G31?”
Students will complete the fieldwork during the school day and will be back in school for around 3.30pm.
Each Crew will put together a ‘Crew picnic’. Your child will be able to give you more details on how they plan to contribute towards this picnic.
G30 students should also be prepared for the weather conditions, so they must have their regular kit and in addition:
- Waterproof jacket
- Appropriate clothing for the weather
- Suitable footwear for a day’s walking in urban area
- Water bottle
- Suncream
- A cap or hat
G29 (Year 9) students – Fieldwork on Thursday 29th August
As part of their first week back in school, Year 9 students will be carrying out a hike in Northumberland around Wylam on Thursday during the school day. As this is a hike, a consent form will go home to students on Tuesday.
Students will be learning how to navigate together as a Crew and will be planning a Crew picnic. This serves as an introduction to the types of challenges that they will face as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award this academic year, and also connects the guiding question for the week which is:
“How do we form great habits to tackle initiatives as a Crew with increasing agency, independence and resilience?”
Each Crew will put together a ‘Crew picnic’. Your child will be able to give you more details on how they plan to contribute towards this picnic.
Students will be travelling by metro and train during the regular school day and will return back to school for around 3:30pm. We will keep you updated on the school website of our expected arrival time.
G29 students will need the following kit for the day. The current forecast is showers and sunny intervals.
- Waterproof jacket
- Appropriate clothing for the weather
- Hiking boots or footwear that is suitable for a rural hike.
- Water bottle
- Suncream
- A cap or hat
G28 (Year 10) students – Fieldwork on Wednesday 28th and Expert sessions on Friday 30th August
Students will be working together in Crews on their guiding question:
‘How can we ensure that our future selves will thank us for the next two years?’
There are two foci for the week. The first of which is focussing on the step up to Key Stage 4 and how they need to adapt their Crew norms to ensure that they are supporting and challenging each other to be successful.
Secondly students will continue their thinking about careers and pathways, beyond Key Stage 4 to Post-16. As part of the week students will travel to Gateshead Careers Centre to hear from experts and employers about what pathways are available to them and what employers and education providers are looking for in candidates.
For the fieldwork on Wednesday we will be travelling to Gateshead Careers Centre by foot and metro, so students will need:
- Their regular school kit including a water bottle and fully charged iPad
- Comfortable walking shoes or trainers
- Clothing that is suitable for the weather – the forecast is currently sunny with showery spells.
During the week, students will also put together a CV based on their ambitions, strengths and skills to date, and on Friday they will have a mock interview with a professional who will give them feedback on how they present themselves, how they articulate their ambitions and reflect on themselves and how they respond to questions. Students should wear more formal dress on Friday for their mock interviews.
Regular Kit and dress code for this week
Students will need their regular kit and be in regular dress code for the start of school this week on Tuesday, just as in any other week. See our website post for a reminder on our dress code expectations.
A reminder that for day to day kit we expect students a school bag with the following:
- A water bottle
- A fully charged iPad
- Headphones – ideally not expensive ones, for example here
- Pencil case including: pens, pencils, ruler, eraser and pencil sharpener
- Notebook
School Lunches
Students can choose to bring in a healthy packed lunch (no confectionery, fizzy or energy drinks) or have a school meal with us. Please note there must be no nut products in snacks or packed lunches – this is especially important as we have students in this cohort who are highly allergic to nut products.
Our school dinners are very popular with our students, thanks to our wonderful kitchen crew. Students make a daily food choice in crew each morning and we have a three week menu. Here’s this year’s menu – we start on week 3 this wek.
If your child receives a free school meal, we will provide lunch. Please contact the school office if you have any questions around school meals.
As mentioned above, please pre-order lunch for Tuesday 27th August here.
Staffing Update and Crew Leaders
Kati Donlan accepted a new job at the start of the school holidays so, due to notice periods, will not return to XPG in the new term. I’m sure that you will join me in thanking Kati for all of her high quality work at XP Gateshead as a Learning Coach and a Crew Leader. She has had a huge impact on staff, students and families with the work she has done supporting young people to access all areas of our curriculum.
We have three new Learning Coaches/Crew Leaders joining our team this term – Nicky Evans, Nelly Mosley, and Charlie Parry. As you know we also have Mohammed Azam and Hannah Simpson joining our teaching team too this year, both of whom have been working with us since June.
A reminder that our Crew Leaders for this academic year are:
G31 (Year 7) – Mr Azam, Mrs Diamond, Miss Jamison, Mr Parry / Mr Said
G30 Crew Earhart: Mrs Evans / Miss Mosley
G30 Crew Kahlo: Ms Macphail
G30 Crew Darling: Mrs Ross
G30 Crew Einstein: Miss Simpson
G29 Crew Attenborough: Miss Blain
G29 Crew Watson: Mrs Horne / Mrs Downes
G29 Crew King: Señorita Quested
G29 Crew Nightingale: Miss Marshall
G28 Crew Parks: Mr Devitt
G28 Crew Frank: Miss Jones
G28 Crew Angelou: Mr Mead
G28 Crew Stanton: Miss Tatters
Regular timetabled sessions
Regular timetabled lessons will start for G28, G29 and G30 in the week commencing Monday 2nd September. As you know, we are reviewing our classes and changes will be made to the makeup of both class 1 and class 2 in both cohorts.
There will be no clubs or extended study for the first two weeks of term.
We are really looking forward to welcoming all of our students back on Tuesday. 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 for your ongoing support and a special thanks to G28, G29 and G30 parents who have been sharing their XPG knowledge and expertise with our new G31 parents. Together we are definitely stronger #WeAreCrew.
Julie Mosley
Principal
Students can be dropped off at XP Gateshead school from 8am on Tuesday 27th August 2024.
We will be leaving school at around 10.am to travel to Outward Bound, Howtown Centre, Penrith CA10 2ND on Ullswater.
The journey to Howtown will take approximately 2.5 hours by coach and we do not intend to stop at a service station.
Students must bring a packed lunch in a plastic bag and this will be eaten on arrival at the centre. Meals will then be provided from that evening onwards.
All students need to bring their belongings in a suitable bag (e.g. a holdall or small suitcase) with their names displayed on a tag or written on the bag. Students may want to bring a small bag, wallet or purse to bring smaller personal items with them on the coach.
We expect to be back at school around 3.30pm on Friday, but will update the school website if there any delays.
Personal Kit List:
- 1 large bag or suitcase to take kit on the coach
- 2 bin bags – to store wet and dirty clothes
- 1 pair of trainers for getting wet – these trainers will definitely get wet so it is important that you have a second pair.
- A second pair of trainers to stay dry for day to day wear – these are likely to get muddy so preferably not new.
- 3 sweatshirts, jumpers, hoodies or fleeces – Fleeces are ideal as they dry quickly but any of the other items are a good substitute. You should include at least one warmer fleece for your expedition.
- 3 pairs of trousers – Lightweight trousers (not denim) such as walking trousers, leggings or tracksuit bottoms.
- 3 T-shirts – Aim for tops that cover shoulders from the sun.
- 1 long-sleeved base layer/top
- 1 pair of shorts – Not denim
- 1 pair of nightwear/pyjamas
- 1 set of casual clothes for around the centre
- 7 sets of underwear including socks – This is a minimum number. Trainer socks aren’t recommended as they may cause blisters.
- At least 2 pairs of thick walking socks
- Sunhat, sunglasses, suncream – don’t bring expensive sunglasses, suncream needs to be at least factor 30.
- 1 set of warm hat and gloves
- At least 1 towel – Quick drying microfibre towels are great. You will need a towel for showering and on activities, so bring at least one.
- Watch with alarm if possible
- 1 set of swimwear plus t-shirt and shorts for use in water
- Toiletries – including soap, toothbrush and toothpaste, blister kit, plasters, insect repellent, lip salve, hand sanitiser, wet wipes. Please note that aerosols are prohibited on the Outward Bound site.
- 1 pair of flip slops or sandals – optional
- £10 deposit
Some of the activities will involve getting wet at some point, so please make sure your son/daughter has plenty of spare dry clothes to change into.
XP School Trust and Outward Bound encourage students to bring magazines and/or books for them to read in their dormitories at night before lights out. Each bed has a light allowing students to read whilst not disturbing other students in the room.
Medicine
If your son/daughter needs travel sickness tablets please ensure they take them before we depart school.
If your son/daughter needs to take medication during the course of the trip, or has travel sickness tablets for the return journey, please ensure the medication comes in its original packaging along with instructions for when the medicine needs to be taken and your son’s/daughter’s name written clearly on it. All medication except inhalers must be handed to your crew leader before departing from school.
All medication must have been documented on the medical consent form and signed.
Money
A refundable £10 deposit is required for each student for the use of the Outward Bound’s specialist activity/safety equipment. This must be handed to crew leaders before departure in a sealed envelope with your son’s/daughter’s name on it.
Communication
The signal for mobile phones can be unreliable. Students will not be allowed to take their phones with them on their daily activities. They will be handed into crew leaders and left securely on site. The students will have access to their mobile phones at a specified point in the evening. If you need to get hold of a member of staff and/or get a message to your son/daughter please telephone the appropriate Outward Bound centre:
Howtown Centre Phone: 017684 86272
Please contact myself or your crew leader if you have any further questions.
Martin Said