Happy Vaisakhiâ to our Sikh friends at Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha and Rav Singh from Little History of the Sikhs.
Happy Vaisakhi
Category : Front Page News
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Dear Families
Welcome back, we hope you have enjoyed your Easter break. We are really looking forward to welcoming our students back tomorrow for the start of our Summer term at XP Gateshead.
Passage feedback from G29 familiesÂ
We would also like to gather feedback from G29 families following last termâs Passage Presentations so would appreciate your time in completing the following form.
You can give us your feedback by clicking here.
Our usual reminders for a good start backâŚ
Attendance
Over the Easter break you may have seen the news article which listed XP Gateshead in the 15 best state secondary schools for attendance in the North East. This was based on attendance figures for the full academic year 2023/24.Â
You can read the article by clicking here.
We were really pleased to see our school named in this list but we still have work to do and continue to work hard XPG around attendance this year as it is vital to the life chances of our young people and their success.Â
We will continue to look closely at attendance and the ways we celebrate attendance and support those students and families who need to improve their attendance. We expect every student to be in school and want every young person to hit our 97%+ attendance target.Â
Attendance is an area we all work hard on together – students, parents/carers, Crew Leaders and our inclusion team. We appreciate your full support with this. Â
If, for any reason, your child is unable to attend school you must contact the school office before 8:25 am by telephone. This is a safeguarding procedure which has to happen on every day of absence.
Punctuality
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.
Dress codeÂ
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 in to a new Summer term and the weather is becoming warmer.
For a normal day within school, we do not think it appropriate that students wear:
- Hats, hoods & coats inside school
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- Revealing clothing, i.e. revealing the midriff, chest or upper thigh
- Noticeable make-up, including false eyelashes
- Valuable, sentimental or impractical accessories / jewellery
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- For example heavy chains, thick sovereign rings, or false nails
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- Impractical footwear:
- For example sliders, flip-flops or high heels.
Daily kit list
As always, all students need to be fully equipped for school and bring a school bag with:
- A filled water bottle
- Pencil case including: pens, pencils, ruler, eraser and pencil sharpener
- A fully charged iPadÂ
- Their AR reading book (please remember that as part of our reading strategy, we expect all students to read between 20-30 mins. each day)
- HeadphonesÂ
- A healthy snack for break (no confectionery (sweets), fizzy drinks or energy drinks, nut products)
- A notebook
This week
New Term â New Expeditions for G31, G30 and G28
A new term means new and exciting expeditions for our Y7, Y8 and Y10 students. Immersion will take place this week and our students will be working hard to find out what their new guiding questions are and the challenges and new learning their expeditions will bring.
G31, G29 and G28 Presentations of Learning to come
G31 Year 7 HUMAN â Why is it important to honour all those who sacrificed in WWI?
The recorded PoL for this exhibition will be broadcast on Youtube this Thursday 17th April at 6pm to allow families to watch with their children at home.
You will be able to watch the presentation online as a family by clicking on this link on Thursday.
The final product for this exhibition is a radio podcast and we are delighted that yet again, year 7âs work will be part of the Remembrance programming on the radio in November. More details to follow.Â
G28 â Are we really free to choose?
A reminder that students need to bring back their HUMAN books that were being used for revision over the break.
G28âs PoL will take the form of a debate on Wednesday 16th April at Newcastle Sixth Form College at 4:30pm.Â
Alongside the Presentation of Learning which is in the form of a debate, we will also be sharing important information with parents regarding work experience at this event as well as taking the opportunity to celebrate and award our studentsâ DofE success too.Â
Students will be using the campus earlier as part of the preparation for the PoL and also as part of their continued preparation for Post-16.
G29 Expedition âYou Give Me FeverâÂ
G29âs bumper 16-week long new expedition âYou Give Me Feverââ continues this term. Our students continue to look at public health over time and investigate health inequalities in Gateshead today, looking at the correlation between disease and deprivation. Â
G29âs Presentation of Learning will be a Public Health Conference, hosted by our students in school on Friday 10th May, 2pm.
This will be another step up for our students, hosting a conference , delivering keynote speeches with an audience including families and more. We appreciate this is an earlier than normal start, however this has been carefully considered and will allow us to make use of professionals as part of the process and end the week and expedition with a bang!
PE sessions this week
There will be changes to PE this week as unfortunately Mr Devitt has broken his ankle this weekend. We will put a plan in place and communicate that with families tomorrow. There is no PE tomorrow.
Extended Study and Clubs
As is usually the case at the start of a new term there will be no extended study or after school clubs running this week. After school sessions will all start again next week.
Easter Bank Holiday Weekend
Students will finish school at 3:15pm on Thursday 17th April and return to school on Tuesday 22nd April at the normal time.Â
If you have any questions please contact your childâs crew leader in the first instance.Â
Thank you as always for your ongoing support.
Julie Mosley
G28 Families: The next half-term
Thanks once again to G28 families for your support this term in our first Teacher/Student-Led Conferences and your ongoing support for your children’s studies and growth.
Students must continue to work on revision over the two-week break in readiness for their mocks as will be the case in Year 11. It is important to build these habits now,
Fine Art mock examination – Tuesday 22nd April
Students in Fine Art will have a mock of the practical art exam during the whole day on Tuesday 22nd April The mock for Photography will take place in the final half-term. Students have been preparing for this in their art sessions.
If you have not already ordered an art pack for your child to use at home, and wish to do so you can still order (more information here) link although we would not then be able to start the fulfilment process for these orders until our first week back.
Revision and Mock examinations – from Monday 28th April
Mock GCSE examinations will be taking place in the two weeks commencing Monday 28th April. Students have been given guidance in Crew and in their subjects on how to revise and what content will be on the mocks.
The rest of the mock timetable is below:
Staff have put together this revision website as a guide for families which has a wealth of information to help you to support your child right the way through to the final assessments in Year 11 next year.
You can access this any time by going to the XP Gateshead website and clicking on Parents – GCSE Revision on the menus.
Students have been given four exercise books to use as part of their HUMAN revision over the break. These books will need to cared for and brought back to school when students return after the break.
Work Experience – Week commencing 30th June
This week students have been briefed on the arrangements for their Work Experience, which will take place in the week commencing 30th June. Students will be asked to make contact with potential employers and then we will get assurance that suitable arrangements are in place for the placement. We will give families fuller information at the upcoming Presentation of Learning on Wednesday 16th April.
Eid Mubarak to our Muslim students, families and friends of XPG.
Dear Families
Here we are at the end of another fantastic term at XP Gateshead and what a term it has been!
G30 Presentation of Learning
Year 8 students presented their âWhat is Power?â expedition at Caedmon Hall, Gateshead Central Library on Thursday. We were all blown away by the quality and depth of their understanding – performances of Macbeth intertwined with insights into the meaning of the word power in society, science, history, geography and art.Â
This PoL is a real challenge for our students and they showed great courage in terms of presenting to an audience and being part of a drama performance. The high quality of their work and performance was down to the commitment they have shown and the support they have given each other. It has been wonderful to see the pride in our students today reflecting on the mountain they climbed this week, especially those who thought they couldnât (and there were many). Students are definitely starting to see that there is more in them than they know!
Can I thank G30 families for their attendance and support at last nightâs PoL.Â
G31, G29 and G28 Presentations of Learning to come
Iâm really looking forward to seeing G28 and G29 families at our upcoming PoLs at the start of the Summer Term and enjoying the online G31 PoL too. See below for details:
Year 7 HUMAN â Why is it important to honour all those who sacrificed in WWI?
PoL will be recorded in school and steamed for families to watch with their children at home via Youtube. This will be broadcast in the first week back after the Easter Break on Thursday 17th April at 6pm.Â
Year 10 â Are we really free to choose?
PoL on Wednesday 16th April at Newcastle Sixth Form College at 4:30pm.Â
Alongside the Presentation of Learning which is in the form of a debate, we will also be sharing important information with parents regarding work experience at this event as well as taking the opportunity to celebrate and award our studentsâ DofE success too.Â
Students will be using the campus earlier as part of the preparation for the PoL and also as part of their continued preparation for Post-16.
Mr Said will be putting out a further post for G28 families with reminders and information about mocks, revision and art packs.
Year 9 â How can we continue to make progress on public health?
PoL on Friday 9th May in school from 2pm. This Presentation of Learning is in the form of a Public Health Conference, hosted by our students. Please note the earlier time for this.
I am sure that you will all agree that our students have continued to rise to the challenge – they continue to work hard, get smart and be kind on a daily basis producing beautiful work, developing their character to achieve academic success.
Thank you so much for your continued support.Â
We look forward to seeing you after the holiday on Monday 14th April at the usual time where we will be starting on our next exciting expeditionary adventures.
Happy Easter from all the staff crew at XP Gateshead.
Julie Mosley
This week, G29 had the pleasure of attending two expert sessions as part of their current expedition ‘How can we continue to make progress in public health’
We were joined by Daisy, Rhiannon, and Kaatâthree Doctors and Specialty Registrars in Public Health who work on reports that directly influence policy in Gateshead. Daisy and Rhiannon posed a thought-provoking question to the students: “Should women who smoke receive fertility treatment?” This sparked insightful discussions and encouraged students to think like decision-makers, weighing up the pros and cons of providing IVF on the NHS to people who smoke. The session inspired thoughtful, mature conversation and strengthened studentsâ ability to approach public health issues critically.
Kaat supported students in developing strategies to make their reports more engaging. She reminded them that it’s not just about accurate research and dataâeffective communication matters too. Students were encouraged to use linguistic devices to capture readers’ attention and make their reports as persuasive and accessible as possible.
All students have now begun writing their reports. Iâve recommended that each student spend at least one hour during the Easter holidays working on their section of the report. This will ensure we have ample time for critique and redrafting ahead of our Presentation of Learning (PoL) on 9th May.
Each student is taking the lead on a section of their groupâs report, meaning they can make progress independently during the break without needing to meet with their group.
Below is an extract from the first draft of Brodie, Dakota, Hallie, and Leoâs report, entitled:
Lights, camera , smoke: How media fuels smoking?Â
âEight of the ten films nominated for Best Picture at the 2025 Oscars contained tobacco imageryâ (Truth Initiative, 2025). Timothee Chalamet, who was a fan favourite to win the oscars earlier this year, smokes in his movie âA complete Unknownâ. Chalamet plays a 1960âs Bob Dylan from New York City, where The Daily Mail states, âTimothee Chalamet wears a suede jacket and smokes a cigaretteâ ( Kayhart, 2024).
Similarly to Chalamet, Cillian Murphy has smoked â3,000 herbal cigarettes per season as Tommy Shelby, despite not being a smoker himselfâ ( Barker, 2024). This is important as it shows the effects that films can have on the public, and how despite Murphy not smoking himself, his character is stated to be ârarely seen without a cigarette dangling from his lipsâ ( Barker, 2024). Thomas Shelby is an important character in many people’s lives, his smoking habits could lead people to joining him.
Lily has also written a strong introduction for her group: Accessing the impact of public health reform
It’s no secret that smoking has been a common problem across the world for decades, centuries even. King James I of England was the first to publish his concern about smoking. Jamesâs Counterblaste to Tobacco published in 1604 described smoking as âa custom loathsome to the eye, hateful to the nose, harmful to the brain, dangerous to the lungsâ (James I 1604).Â
Students also have their guiding question to complete if they find themselves at a loss for activities this early Easter break.
Beautiful Work This Week: 28/03/2025
Beautiful Work This Week
Here’s a selection of beautiful work from across the XP Trust from this week. To read about other stories from across the XP Trust, visit xptrust.org.
Top of the Blogs
What a week in PE @ XP Doncaster
G31 STEAM Presentation of Learning @ XP Gateshead
World Maths Day 2025 @ Norton Infants
Inspirational Portraits @ Norton Juniors
Share your stories with us!
On Tuesday, G31 students presented their learning for their “Staying Alive” STEAM Expedition which had the guiding question “Is Survival Sufficient?”.
Students worked extremely hard throughout the expedition, considering the importance of food, water and warmth, and the challenges many face in accessing these resources. Students combined their knowledge from across their STEAM subjects to put together recipes that are both healthy and delicious, donating ingredients and designing recipe cards for each meal to display nutritional information and instructions on how to prepare the meals.
The students presented their work to staff from Edberts House which will be shared with members of our community. Absolutely stunning work, G31!
Thank you so much to all families who have supported this expedition by supporting students to try out recipes, and for making such kind donations that will make a difference to our community.
Dear Families,
We are pleased to offer your child the opportunity to purchase a Classic Art pack, an excellent resource to support their studies at GCSE Fine Art. We highly recommend this excellent resource as a valuable tool to support students to access the course, complete high quality extended study and make great academic progress
Pricing:
By purchasing through school you will be able to buy these packs at a discounted price of ÂŁ12.99.
To buy this, please use the XP Trust Shop using the link below.
If required, could you please order before Friday 28th March – we will then place the order for delivery the first week back after our two week holiday.
Within the pack are:
⢠Watercolour Tablet Tin Set of 14 Assorted
⢠Synthetic Round Short Handled Brush Size 4
⢠Spectrum Graphites HB Pencil
⢠Spectrum Graphites 2B Pencil
⢠Spectrum Colour Pencils Set of 12 Assorted
⢠Spectrum Synthetic Eraser
⢠Pencil Sharpener Single Hole
⢠Shatterproof Plastic Ruler 30cm
⢠Specialist Crafts Scissors 152mm/6″
⢠Specialist Crafts Glue Stick 40g
⢠Premium Stapled Sketchbook 150gsm 20 Sheets A4
Brooke was very very proud of herself she got the highest score she has ever achieved whilst competing! (27.000 out of a possible 30.000)
Brooke and her partner placed 2nd in grade 2 women’s pairs in all of the North East region!
They will now move up to compete at the next grade (grade 3) in the new competition season. What a way to finish grade 2, 2nd place and a personal best!