Dear Parents/Carers

Welcome to the final week of our Spring Term.

As always, the hard work continues here at XP Gateshead and we couldn’t be prouder of our students as they continue to strive for high standards and support those around them to do the same. Students have been working hard on termly assessments, completing their final products for expedition and getting ready for presentations of learning. It has been great to see them step up to all challenges set with real courage and determination.

Here are just some of last week’s highlights:

Macbeth preparations

Our Year 8 students have been working hard on their Macbeth performances as part of the ‘What is Power’ expedition. Each group of students spent time working alongside our expert: professional actor and director Christina Dawson, who shared her experience of performing Macbeth to students and coached them in theirs. Our directors worked closely with Christina to understand their role in guiding their actors and critiquing performances. It was great to hear so many appreciations for the work of the directors in our Friday community meeting. 

Preparations for Crew Day

Every term, we look to run a crew day which is an opportunity to ‘tend’ to crew and culture. At these times students will work with their crew and Crew Leader for the day developing their team work, crew identity and wellbeing. There will be a Crew day in the first week back after the Easter holidays on Friday 21st April. Last week our crews started work on planning this next crew day which will focus on charitable work for both Year 7 and Year 8. More on our Crew Days in a separate post later this week.

Football Fixture

On Wednesday, XP Gateshead took to the football field again and our team competed at Cardinal Hume. Again students showed great courage, respect and above all compassion. Whilst both games ended in defeat, Mr Devitt has told us that the team are developing all of the time and the first point is not far away.

Our footballers conducted themselves extremely well again and were great representatives of XPG. It was great to hear in our community meeting the praise and appreciation being given to students for their resilience, commitment, support and care for each other. A special mention to last week’s team captain Corbyn who did a great job leading his team and organising kit clean after the match.

Heworth Fieldwork

Georgia and Connor from G29 carried out some important fieldwork to honour our commitment to visit Heworth cemetery after the original fieldwork for the whole year grioup was postponed due to the snow. Georgia and Connor visited the graves of men and women who died in The Great War and whose stories they had learned about as part of our work with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. They also laid the poppy pebbles at those graves and many more as a mark of respect.

G29 Presentation of Learning

In terms of highlights, Friday night was a very special occasion and saw our G29 students present their learning for the HUMAN expedition ‘Do Your Bit’. The opportunity to present in the beautiful and historic King’s Hall at Newcastle University was amazing and we thank Professor David Leat and his colleagues at the University for allowing our students to have such an honour. It is an important point of equity that already all of our students have visited a university campus and we hope that many more may return to this same room to receive their degrees in the years to come.

Our students showed real courage in presenting to an audience of over 200 and we could not be prouder of them. Thank you to all of the staff that have worked with students across this expedition and to all the families that attended.

This week

G28 PoL

G28 presentation of learning for ‘What is Power?’ will take place on  Thursday 30th March starting at 5.30pm. The venue for the presentation of learning is Caedmon Hall in Gateshead which is part of the Central Library. 

More details will follow about how to let us know who is attending this event. However it is important to note that whilst we will transport students to the Central Library on Thursday, transport is not provided at the end of the event. 

Extended Study and Clubs

Our usual programme of Extended Study and clubs are running this week on Monday and Wednesday.

Extended study and Hula/Fitness will not run after school on Tuesday. This is to allow staff to attend an after school Grief training session with St Oswalds Hospice.

Extended study and clubs will not run after school on Thursday. This is to allow staff to support Year 8 in preparing for their presentation of learning on this evening.

PE sessions

As usual G28 students (Y8) will need a PE kit for Tuesday, G29 students (Y7) will need a PE kit on Wednesday.

We break up for Easter holidays this Friday 31st March

We return to school 17th April. Please remember that, as always, our students finish at 1:30pm on Friday  to allow staff to de-gunge and replenish rooms and teaching spaces ready for the Summer Term.

 

Thank you for your ongoing support. What a term it has been! We hope you enjoy a wonderful and well-earned break with your children.

Julie Mosley

Co-Principal

Dear Parents/Carers

Even though last week was a shorter week for our students, they really packed in lots of learning. Students are challenged in every session and are expected to work hard, get smart and be kind. In every lesson I visit, students rise to this challenge and are pushing themselves and their peers to meet the high standards set. We continue to be really proud of our crew.

Here’s are just some of last week’s activities:

A group of our Year 7 students visited  our local partners Edberts House on Tuesday to find out about the work that they do in our community. This is part of their learning expedition Staying Alive with the guiding question ‘Is Survival Sufficient?’.

They shared their learning with the rest of Year 7 in Friday’s Community Meeting and were joined by Mark Harrison from Edberts House. Together they were able to remind G29 why their work on the food boxes is so important and discuss the brilliant work that is done by Edberts House.

Students in G29 continue to work hard on their scripts ready for their presentation of learning this week. As always, every student will take part in this presentation and craftsmanship and quality will be high on the agenda. I’m sure, like us, you can’t wait to see your child present their work on Friday 24th March at the King’s Hall in Newcastle University. 

We were delighted this week to receive an incredibly generous drum kit donation from the Scott Johnson Foundation. This foundation was set up in memory and honour of Scott, who tragically lost his life whilst working with Radiohead in Toronto in 2012. 

Scott’s wonderful parents, Sue and Ken Johnson travelled from Doncaster to deliver the kit then spent time with some of Y8 drummers talking music and setting up the kit. We are all extremely grateful to Ken and Sue and the Scott Johnson Foundation. We now have a drum kit which will beat for the lifetime of XP Gateshead.

This week:

Young Carers

On Monday we welcome Charlotte Osgerby from Carers Trust, Tyne and Wear. Charlotte will speak to both of our year groups about the work she does with Young Carers in Gateshead.

Final products and PoLs this week

We are now moving into our final weeks of this term and working hard on final products and getting ready for PoLs (presentation of learning). 

G28 Spanish final products are being filmed on Tuesday 21st March.

You can support your child over the next few days by getting them to practise their scripted question responses.

G29 HUMAN presentation of learning

The presentation of learning for ‘Do Your Bit’ takes place at 6pm on Friday 24th March at King’s Hall, Newcastle University.

More details will follow about how to let us know who is attending this event. However it is important to note that whilst we will transport students to the University on Friday afternoon, transport is not provided at the end of the event. We suggest using public transport to attend the event if this is possible for your family. Haymarket Metro station is just a short walk away from the University.

Like Student-Led Conferences, these events are important rites of passage for our students, and are part of a planned approach to develop character through public exhibition of learning. As is detailed in our home-school agreement, it is an expectation that at least one family member attends events like these for every child. Please speak to your child’s Crew Leader if you have any issues.

Extended Study and clubs

Our usual programme of Extended Study and clubs are running this week.

PE sessions

As usual G28 students (Y8) will need a PE kit for Tuesday, G29 students (Y7) will need a PE kit on Wednesday.

Looking Ahead:

G28 presentation of learning for ‘What is Power?’ will take place on  Thursday 30th March starting at 5.30pm. The venue for the presentation of learning will be Caedmon Hall in Gateshead which is part of the Central Library. 

Last day of term Friday 31st March – Easter Holidays with return to school 17th April. Please remember that, as always, our students finish at 1:30pm to allow staff to de-gunge and replenish rooms and teaching spaces ready for the Summer Term.

 

As always if you have any queries please get in contact with your child’s Crew Leader.

 

Julie Mosley

Co-Principal