Dear Parents/Carers

Without a doubt, last week has seen our G30 students step up to the challenge as they get ready for their Passage Presentations taking place this coming week. Students have been working hard writing with deep reflection about their progress since joining us and their readiness for GCSEs. 

The presentations we saw today were strong and our students spoke with such integrity and authenticity. We are delighted today that all students have either passed their passage presentations, or passed with conditions that need to be met over the coming weeks. Multiple expert panelists today talked about the high quality passages and the quality of reflection our students show about their learning.

In preparing for passage, Year 9 really are demonstrating their readiness for the next stage in their education and their potential for greatness in the years to come. What a joy and honour it is to sit alongside families watching their children shine and talk so beautifully about themselves with such honesty.

The week ahead

G30 Passage Presentations

Presentations continue on Tuesday during the school day and on Wednesday and Thursday afternoon. A huge appreciation to our panellists for helping to make this a rigorous process and for their kind, specific and helpful feedback to our students. And of course thanks to you, our families for supporting your children in this important work.

Year 9 Families: If you have not already done so, please make sure that you have let us know about arrangements for tomorrow and whether your child will be attending school or working from home using the form linked here.

G31 fieldwork – “What is Power?”

On Thursday this week, year 8 students will be carrying out fieldwork at The Discover Museum in the morning – this will involve looking at sources associated with suffrage in Newcastle. This will take place during the regular school day – we expect to be back in school at around 3.30pm.

They will then step back one hundred years to explore the stories of the decades-long campaign for the women’s vote as they walk through the heart of the city centre and learn more about the remarkable local women who contributed to the movement. 

The forecast at the moment is cool and dry.

Students will need:

• Their regular school kit
• A packed lunch
• A coat
• Comfortable walking shoes or trainers (not crocs)

G32 Commonwealth War Graves Commission Fieldwork – “‘Why do we need to honour all those who made sacrifices during WWI?”

Year 7 students will be carrying out fieldwork this Friday at St Mary’s Church in Heworth with an expert from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. This fieldwork will help students to uncover some of the stories of local people who served for our country during The Great War, ultimately leading to their burial in our local church.

This fieldwork will take place in the morning before lunchtime so there is no impact on lunch.

The forecast at the moment is cool and dry.

Students will need:

• Their regular school kit
• A coat
• Comfortable walking shoes or trainers (not crocs), the church graveyard is likely to be muddy.

PE this week

• G32 (Year 7)
  • Class 1 have PE on Thursday this week
  • Class 2 have PE on Wednesday this week
• G31 (Year 8) have PE on Tuesday this week
• G30 (Year 9)
  • Class 1 have PE on Wednesday.
  • Class 2 have PE on Friday
• G29 (Year 10) have PE on Thursday.
• Core PE returns next Monday for Year 11.

Extended Study and Clubs

Due to passage presentations some clubs are not running this week. Please ask your child to check student notices and our timetable for more details.

As usual if you have any questions please contact your child’s crew leader in the first instance. 

Thank you as always for your ongoing support.

Julie Mosley

Dear Parents/Carers

It was great to see our students make a strong start back to school last week after their half term break. Students were back to working hard, getting smart and being kind, stepping up to our high expectations in and outside of sessions. 

On Friday, we said farewell to Mr Watson. I want to take the opportunity to thank Mr Watson for his work with our students as a Crew Leader, Human teacher and in the clubs that he ran too. We wish Mr Watson every success in the future. 

Secondary School National Offers

Parents of Year 6 students received notification of secondary school places last week. As in previous years, we received more applications than we can offer places and our admissions were determined by a random lottery overseen by the Local Authority.

I’d like to thank all families who expressed an interest in our school and the work we do here. An appreciation too for our existing families and students for showing our school for the really special place that it is. Again we are massively oversubscribed with around six applicants for every place at the school.

For our new families, welcome to XP Gateshead and congratulations! We are delighted to have you and your children join our school. See our welcome post for more details. 

Experts in school last week

Suffragette expert working with Year 8

Pat Stevens is a Newcastle City Guide, retired teacher, and author who has specialized in researching and sharing the history of the suffragette movement in the North East of England. Pat’s work with our students helped them to consider their guiding question “What is power?” as a historian.

Siemens Careers session with our engineers 

Students in Year 9 and those in Year 10 with an interest in engineering had a session with a representative from Siemens. The focus of the session was careers in engineering, but also keeping an open mind about pathways and ensuring the development of skills, knowledge character is something that is a consistent aim.

Lego team work with the talented Dr Steve Bunce 

Our Digital Leaders’ LEGO robotics team had the opportunity to work at Royal Grammar School on Monday and then again with Dr Bunce on Tuesday afternoon. This is in preparation for a regional inter-school tournament on Friday 27th March.

 

Keeping children safe is our number one priority and this permeates all of the work we do at XP Gateshead. It is the responsibility of us all to work in a way that will safeguard and promote the welfare of all of the students at our school and provide a safe environment in which all can learn and where all students and staff are respected and valued. Our students are taught how to identify risks and stay safe, including online, through various teaching and learning opportunities and we are committed to this throughout the delivery of our curriculum.

We have the highest expectations of our students for their character growth, beautiful work and academic performance at school. When pupils do display poor behaviours, there are clear restorative practices and sanctions that are shared and owned by the community at XPG. 

Our behaviour policy and protocols detail how we collectively support and challenge each other to put things right when we do things wrong to maintain the high expectations of XP school culture.

G28 Final GCSE Exam date

Parents of G28 please note the final GCSE date is officially the 24th June 2026 which is the contingency day. The JCQ state “Students must remain available until this date, as it would be used for exams rescheduled due to national or local disruption.” Please bear in mind that when booking holidays. https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/JCQ-Preparing-to-sit-your-exams_-2025_2026.pdf 

At XPG, G28 students will be presenting their Final Words across the week beginning Monday 22nd June and we will hold our final community meeting on Friday 26th June 2026.

Last week our G28 crews worked on a revision planner for their final months leading to the exam period. Please talk to your son or daughter about this and what support they might need from you. Here is the final Summer exam timetable.

 

The week ahead

G31 Fieldwork – Music Studio Recording – Tuesday 10th March

On Tuesday this week members of our Year 8 Rock Bands will visit Blank Studios in Newcastle. For our students this will be an experience of working in an industry-standard environment to record Patti Smith’s Power to The People. Students in Year 8 have already recorded backing vocals in school and now our rock bands will add lead vocals, guitars, drums and keyboards.

We can’t wait to share this with you at their Presentation of Learning.

This fieldwork is entirely during the school day, however students will need a packed lunch. See Mr Allan’s post for more details.

Iftar Dinner at XP Gateshead – Wednesday 11th March

We are delighted to invite our whole school community to a special Family Iftar Dinner in celebration of Ramadan. This event is an opportunity for families, staff and friends of the school to come together, share a complementary meal and learn more about the spirit of Ramadan — a month centred on reflection, gratitude, charity and community. 

We warmly welcome families of all faiths and backgrounds to attend from across our school community. We would like to particularly encourage families of G31 students (year 8) to attend, as celebrating diversity, building compassion and learning more about Islam links directly to the expedition they will embark on in term 3. 

If you would like to attend and haven’t already done so, please complete the google form. 

G29 Medical Ethics workshop

As part of their expedition with the Guiding Question: “How can we continue to make progress on public health?”, students in G29 will this week carry out workshops with experts from Newcastle University who. Students will gain an insight into cutting-edge research which considers important questions of ethics around developments in medicine such as testing of drugs, autonomy in clinical care, genomics, end-of-life decisions, and the ethics of technological advances such as AI.

G30 Fieldwork – Thursday 12th March

On Thursday 12th March, students will be conducting fieldwork to explore the question: Why are there variations in life expectancy in Gateshead? 

To prepare for this investigation, students will analyse secondary data from the national census in school and now they need to enhance their understanding by gathering primary data through firsthand observations. Students will spend the full day on foot, walking between XPGateshead, Felling Square, and Durham Road (Low Fell High Street) to examine inequalities in the local area. The data they collect will contribute directly to their Presentation of Learning.

Please see the website post for more details.

SPLIT DECISIONS Theatre Performance – Thursday 12th March

“Split Decisions” is an emotive 60-minute performance and workshop taking place with our Year 7 and 8 students. The performance promotes key messages surrounding pedestrian safety, including on public transport, whilst raising awareness of pedestrian dangers such as distractions (phones, music and friends) and risk-taking behaviour. It will also help our students to identify, challenge and cope with peer pressure and influence by highlighting the severe and far reaching consequences of unsafe behaviour.  

PE this week

From this week there is a change to the regular days for PE. Mrs Cadenas continues to work with our Year 7 students on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Mr Devitt and Miss Tatters lead the sessions with Year 8 on Tuesdays.

• For G32 students (Y7)
  • G32 Class 1 students have PE on Thursday
  • G32 Class 2 students have PE on Wednesday
• G31 students (Y8) have PE on Tuesday

 

In line with our dress code, we expect students to arrive at PE lessons with a change of kit which is appropriate for the activity and all accessories removed. This includes sports trainers with non slip soles e.g. running shoes/astro turf (not plimsolls). 

• Year 9 will now typically have PE on Mondays, as will Year 10 and Year 11.

For Years 9-11 this week, they will meet our new member of staff Kelsey Cairns – this provision is the start of what we know will be a great working relationship with Gateshead College Sports. This week Mr Devitt will introduce our students to Miss Cairns and remind students of norms and expectations – as such PE kit is not needed for Years 9-11 this week.

Extended Study and Clubs

Clubs will all run this week along with extended study sessions every day except Friday. 

Staff Days – Friday 13th and Monday 16th March

Friday is the first of our staff days this half term, the second is on Monday 16th March. Our staff team will be planning for next term’s expeditions. Students will not be expected to be in school on Friday or Monday unless they are G30 students who have a Passage presentation on Monday. If G30 students want to come to school on Friday to prepare for their passage, they must organise this through their Crew Leader.

Looking Ahead:

IMPORTANT – Passage Presentations next week

G30 are working hard on preparing for their passage presentation next week. They will be using Crew time and additional time in sessions to get ready for this important moment in their time at XP Gateshead.

 

Passage presentations are hugely important benchmark demonstrations of learning over multiple years that mark this pivotal transition from Key Stage 3 into Key Stage 4 and GCSEs. During the presentations, students will use their portfolios as a guide to articulate their progress and growth. These presentations are another means by which we help students to develop their character and hone their public speaking. The rubrics that will be used during the presentations can be found here.

Monday 16th March is a staff day.

Students will be welcome to arrive at school earlier than their passage presentation slot to do final preparations, and then should return home after their presentation. If students do not have a passage presentation, there is not a need for them to be in school on Monday 16th March.

Tuesday 17th March

This is not a staff day, however Year 9 teachers will be involved in passage presentations throughout the day so we will not be running a regular timetable for this day for Year 9 students. There are three options for Year 9 students and this day:

• Come into school for the full school day (including staying in school after a Passage Presentation).
• Come into school for a Passage Presentation and then leave with their family.
• Work on extended study from home.

Please can all G30 families use this Google Form to let us know what your child will be doing, and whether they will need a school lunch

 

As usual if you have any questions please contact your child’s crew leader in the first instance. 

Thank you as always for your ongoing support.

Julie Mosley

Dear Parents/Carers

Welcome back! We hope you have had a restful half term break and we look forward to welcoming our students back tomorrow.

Please note that this half term is shorter at 4 weeks. We break up for our Easter Holiday on Friday 27th March and return to school on Monday 13th April. 

Our usual reminders for a good start back…

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. 

Daily kit list

As always, students need to bring a school bag with:

• A filled water bottle
• Pencil case including: pens, pencils, ruler, eraser, pencil sharpener, purple pen and glue stick
• A fully charged iPad 
• 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)
• Headphones 
• A healthy snack for break (no confectionery (sweets), fizzy drinks or energy drinks, nut products)
• A notebook

Mobile phones and tech in school

As has always been the case, mobile phones are not allowed to be used in school. Mobile phones should be switched off and in students’ bag all day (not on silent, not in a pocket). Mobile phones can only be used in exceptional circumstances, agreed by a member of staff. Phones will be confiscated from students if they are used during the school day. 

For the few students who bring their own device (home iPad or laptop), this must be done through our school network, not using a hotspot phone connection. 

Here is the link to our acceptable use of ICT policy which all families and students have signed.

Wider tech-use

Personal devices are powerful tools that empower our students to be creative and professional, they also require constant stewardship and clear boundaries to ensure they remain a force for good.

We ask that you remain ever-vigilant regarding your child’s tech use at home not just in terms of e-safety and knowing who they are communicating with and how, but also in fostering healthy habits that prioritise sleep, face-to-face connection, and “switching off”. 

To support these conversations at home, here are some organisations providing expert advice:

• Internet Matters: Provides comprehensive, age-specific guides to help parents keep children safe online, including advice on setting parental controls and managing screen time.
• NSPCC – Online Safety: Offers practical tips on everything from social media and gaming to dealing with online bullying and mental health.
• UK Safer Internet Centre: Offers a wealth of resources including tips, advice, and educational films to help you stay safe online.

Dress code

A reminder that we ask students and staff to dress appropriately and modestly. Please note that for a normal day within school, we do not think it appropriate that students wear:

• Hats, hoods & coats inside school
• Revealing clothing, i.e. revealing the midriff, chest or upper thigh
• Noticeable make-up, including false eyelashes
• Valuable, sentimental or impractical accessories / jewellery. For example heavy chains, thick sovereign rings, or false nails
• Impractical footwear

As is always the case, we ask for your support in upholding our dress code. See link here to full details on our website.

The week ahead

National Careers Week

Students will be taking part in activities connected to careers in Crew this week, including a virtual careers fair. For G30 this will form an important part of their Passage Presentations which includes a section on their future self.

G30 also has expert input from Siemens this week around engineering and G31 and G32 will be looking at roles in the NHS.

You can access a careers guide for families from the organisation behind National Careers Week, which has some really useful information on pathways after students leave XP.

PE this week

• G32 (Year 7) have PE on Monday and Wednesday this week
• G31 (Year 8) have PE on Tuesday this week
• G30 (Year 9) have PE on Thursday.
• G29 (Year 10) have PE on Thursday.
• Due to mocks in Spanish speaking and Art this week, there is no core PE for Year 11.

In line with our dress code, we expect students to arrive at PE lessons with a change of kit which is appropriate for the activity and all accessories removed. This includes sports trainers with non slip soles e.g. running shoes/astro turf (not plimsolls). 

Extended Study and Clubs

Clubs will all run this week along with extended study sessions every day except Friday. As usual, if a student attends an after school club or extended study session they must attend the full sessions until 4:30pm.

Looking Ahead:

Staff Development Days

A reminder that we have two staff development days this half term; Friday 13th and Monday 16th March. 

G30 Passage Presentations

The slots for passage presentations will be shared with families tomorrow morning. Year 9 students will continue to work hard on their passage presentations this week and next. Please talk to your children at home about how their preparation is going and how they are demonstrating their readiness for GCSEs in sessions too: remember there will be feedback given on quality of reflection, quality of writing, integrity of reflection and organisation of the portfolio of evidence.

• Monday 16th March is a staff day

Year 9 students will be welcome to arrive at school earlier than their passage presentation slot to do final preparations, and then should return home after their presentation. If students do not have a passage presentation on this day, there is no need for them to be in school on Monday 16th March.

• Tuesday 17th March is not a staff day

Year 9 teachers will be involved in passage presentations throughout the day so we will not be running a regular timetable for this day for Year 9 students

 Students can come into school for the regular school hours or work from home where families give permission; we will be setting additional extended study to support students in their expeditions which students can access independently. 

Likewise, if students have a passage presentation on this day, and families give permission, then students can go home following their presentation.

A form will be shared with you this week to complete once you know your child’s Passage slot.

Please note that Tuesday 17th March will be a regular timetable day for all of Year 7, 8 , 10 and Year 11.

Presentations of Learning

Below are the dates for our PoLs (Presentations of Learning) which will all take place before the end of this term (except Year 9 and 10). It is important to note that we expect for every child to have a family member there to support them.

Year 7 HUMAN – Why is it important to honour all those who sacrificed in WWI?

Due to our theatre space being out of use, Year 7’s HUMAN PoL will be streamed live on Wednesday 25th March at 4.30pm. Students will present in school and you will be able to watch them at home. Look out for more details and the link to join the live stream.

Year 7 STEAM – Is survival sufficient?

Year 7 will also present to experts from Edberts House in the week commencing 23rd March. This is not an event that families attend, students will present their food packages to the workers at Edberts House.

Year 8 – What is Power?

This presentation of learning takes place on Tuesday 24th March at Caedmon Hall, above Gateshead Central Library at 5pm.

Year 9 – How can we continue to make progress on public health?

This is on Wednesday 15th April in school from 2pm. The Presentation of Learning is in the form of a Public Health Conference, hosted by our students. Please note the earlier time for this – this supports professionals from local government, the charitable sector and public health to attend the event.

Year 10 – Are we really free to choose?

PoL takes place next term on Friday 17th April, at Newcastle Sixth Form College, time to be confirmed.

G28 Teacher Student Learning Conferences (TSLCs)

Our final G28 TSLCs will take place on Wednesday 25th March for class 1 and Thursday 26th March for class 2 students. This will give students  a final opportunity to reflect with their teachers on their latest mocks and readiness for final examinations.

As usual if you have any questions please contact your child’s crew leader in the first instance. 

Thank you as always for your ongoing support.

Julie Mosley

Dear Families

Looking back on last week and across this half term, I am incredibly proud of the curriculum we offer our students and the purposeful learning experiences, fieldwork and experts they engage with. This  only happens on the back of the hard work, craftsmanship and quality of the staff who work here. Starting a school, building as we go demands a staff crew who are fully committed to the XP Curriculum and every week go to great lengths to plan purposeful experiences for our children. The breadth of activities that we post in these weekly updates is testament to the hard work of our Staff Crew and their commitment to our approach. 

This week, Andy Sprakes, our Chief Academic Officer, talked to our Key Stage 3 students about the origins of XP and how it all began.

I think we all feel lucky to be part of a founding team at XPG, but recognise what really makes our school so special are the people and the strength of relationships we build. A school is not a building, a school is a community of children, families and staff. Every week we are thankful for the trust placed in us by you, our families, and for the beautiful work that happens week in – week out:

    “To start a school is to proclaim what it means to be human”

Tom James – EL Education

G32 Gurdwara Fieldwork 

On Thursday 12th February, our Year 7 students visited the  Gurdwara Siri Guru Singh Sabha in Newcastle to find out more about Sikhi and how temples operate as part of their expedition ‘Do your bit’. Our students had a fantastic experience which included an Indian classical music lesson, learning about Langar and working in the kitchen to prepare Langar for lunch and a meditation session. We are extremely grateful to our friends at the Gurdwara for giving their time and allowing our students the opportunity to learn more about Sikhi. Our Year 7 students were described as phenomenal, and showed great respect throughout the day.

G31 Fieldwork to The Great North Museum

On Wednesday 11th February, Year 8 students have the opportunity to visit The Great North Museum for a series of talks and workshops to learn about careers and opportunities in Geography and Science. 

Our students participated in an engaging environmental science investigation, working alongside University PhD students and the ‘Time for Geography‘ initiative.

The investigation was structured around three key areas:

1. Natural Hazards and Earth Science: Students used a VR headset to visit Eyifajjolokull in Iceland, allowing them to study natural hazards. They also analyzed rock samples, attempted to construct earthquake-proof infrastructure, and explored the science behind ocean currents and weather patterns.
2. Sustainable City Planning: Working in teams, students were tasked with designing and creating a sustainable city using materials like clay and cardboard. This practical challenge required them to tackle real-world problems, with some teams focusing on mitigating the risk of flooding, while others concentrated on increasing green space within their urban model.
3. Ecology and Biodiversity: The final activity took place in the Great North Museum, where students completed a scavenger hunt among the animal displays to learn more about ecology.

Miss Jamison, Mr Azam, Mrs Evans and Miss Jones were incredibly impressed with G31’s engagement and attitude during the fieldwork despite the horrible weather that dampened our journey to and from the museum! I think G31 is a year group of environmental scientists!

G29 Work with an Expert

On Monday, our Year 10 students met Beverley Smith who talked to them about public debate in advance of their final product and presentation of learning: a set of debates at Newcastle Sixth Form College.  Beyond this expedition we intend to initiate a debate club – a huge appreciation to Eliza in G29 who has been instrumental in getting the ball rolling here.

G28 mock exams 

On Friday our Year 11 students completed their final mock exam. A huge well done to G28 for their approach to mock exams and the commitment and care they show to their work and the work of others. It was great to spend time with them in this week’s community meeting hearing their appreciation for each other. 

The week ahead

G29 Teacher Student Learning Conferences (TSLCs) Tuesday 17th February, 4 -7pm

On Tuesday our Year 10 students will sit alongside their subject teachers to present their learning and share their revision plans and readiness for KS4 exams with families. Last week students made 5 minute appointments with staff to take place across the evening. Please check with you child for the appointments which have been made and the time set for these. We look forward to seeing all G29 families in school on Tuesday.

Experts in school

This week we welcome two experts in school

• On Tuesday, G32 will be working with an expert from the National Museum of the Royal Navy Hartlepool who will support students learning of the dazzle camouflage used during wartime, which was also influenced by the futurist art movement.
• On Friday, G29 will be working with Professor Mark Shipley to discuss his work on medical ethics connected to their guiding question “How can we continue to make progress in public health?” With the advent of genetics, artificial intelligence and future bio-robotics , now more than ever it’s important that students consider what progress in public health actually means – in respect to questions not only around “can we do this” to also include “should we do this?”Given the rapid advancements in genetics, artificial intelligence, and future bio-robotics, it is now more crucial than ever for students to critically examine the true meaning of progress in public health. This requires them to consider not only the question of “can we do this,” but equally the question of “should we do this?”

Crew Day – Thursday 19th February

This week we have a Crew Day for all students from Year 7 to Year 11. Each cohort will have a different focus, ranging from .

• G32: How can we strengthen our crew by supporting one another, reflecting on our shared experiences, and working collaboratively to grow as a community? – including further work with Nourish in our kitchen
• G31: How can we combine our individual strengths to create a powerful Crew, ready to influence others and make a difference? – including practical music making together in support of their current expedition and presentation of learning.
• G30 – How can we find the calm within the climb? – Including additional preparation for passage and DofE s that students are well-prepared and able to tackle these challenges in the knowledge that they are ready.
• G29 – How can we, as Crew, make a lasting impact on our community? – Including working to a brief from local partners Great Run focussed on increasing participation from young people.
• G28 – How do we maintain Crew beyond XP Gateshead? – including work with Post-16 partners around healthy prep for GCSEs and readiness for the next steps in their education and training..

We use Crew Days as an opportunity to tend to, challenge and build 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. As we say, If we get crew right, we get everything right’

G29 Into University 

On Thursday, a selection of our students will be visiting the Leonardo Hotel on the Quayside for a Business in Focus session. This event is being run in partnership with Robertson’s, an engineering and construction company. Students will participate in business simulations, taking on various roles such as CEO, Finance Officer, Marketing Manager, and Social Media Manager. This will be a great opportunity for students to have deeper insight into their possible next steps and hopefully make some work experience connections! 

Parents of G29 students who are unsure about their child’s participation should check their inbox for an email from Miss Jones regarding the outstanding consent form.

Students will leave school at 09.30 and return at 15.30.

PE this week

• For G32 students (Y7)
  • G32 Class 1 students have PE on Monday
  • G32 Class 2 students have PE on Wednesday
• G31 students (Y8) have PE on Tuesday
• G30 students (Y9) do not have PE due to Thursday’s Crew Day
• G29 students (Y10) and G28 students (Y11) have PE on Monday

Clubs and Extended Study

We will be running after school clubs and extended study this week on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday this week only. No after school clubs or extended study will happen on Tuesday due to G29 TSLCs.

Spring Half Term Break 

Spring half term break starts Friday 20th February. Students will finish school at 3:15pm on Friday not the usual earlier time, this is due to the earlier finish in advance of the recent Staff Day 

We return to school on Monday 2nd March 2026. Please see our 2025/26 Calendar for all holiday dates. 

As usual if you have any questions please contact your child’s crew leader in the first instance. Thank you as always for your ongoing support.

Julie Mosley

Principal

Dear Families

“There is more in us than we know if we could be made to see it; for the rest of our lives we will be unwilling to settle for less.”

On Monday our year 7 students worked in the kitchen with experts from Nourish as part of their current STEAM expedition exploring the guiding question: ‘Is survival sufficient?’ 

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Our year 7 students have had the privilege of working online with expert Rav Singh, the founder of ‘A little History of the Sikhs’ in their Human session this week. Rav worked with our students on their current HUMAN expedition exploring the guiding question: ‘Why do we need to honour all those who made sacrifices during WWI?’, helping students to understand the experience of Sikhi soldiers and their contribution during WW1. 

G32 SLCs continued last week and our Year 7 Crew Leaders have been full of praise for the courage students have shown in their first SLC and the high quality of their work and presentation. Our students have definitely set the bar high.

G31 SLCs also continued last week and it was great to hear from both parents and students about the step up made in SLCs since Year 7 and the growing confidence and maturity shown in presentations.

This week G29 students spent time with experts from Northumbria University who discussed the Business School and routes into that pathway. Our Year 10 students are also reflecting on their progress and targets in each subject area in readiness for their Teacher Students Learning Conference (TSLC) which takes place Tuesday 17th February. Students will sit alongside their subject teachers to present their learning and share their revision plans and readiness for KS4 exams. Students have been making 5 minute appointments with staff. Please check that your child now has appointments with teachers for all subjects.

Mock exams have continued for our Year 11 students and G28 have continued with their great attitude in terms of maturity, resilience, determination and support for each other. We are really proud of the way G28 lead the way in school and are great role models for our younger students.

G30 Passage Presentation Slots

Work on passage preparation is well underway for G30 students and they are really starting to step up to this challenge. It has been great to read many early drafts of scripts and already, the integrity of reflection and the care they are giving to this work is impressive. Having considered metaphors for their time at XPG, students are currently reflecting on their progress as writers, mathematicians and artists using evidence from their portfolios across Year 7 and Year 8. Students have also been considering the learning journey they have been on at XPG their character development.

There will be slots during the day on Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th March and some limited slots after school on Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th March. Can all G30 families please complete this form to indicate your preference for a slot. We will do our best to accommodate as many first preferences as possible.

The week ahead

National Apprenticeship Week

This week is National Apprenticeship Week. Over the week we will provide students with more information about possible routes into careers through apprenticeships at a range of levels, from intermediate through to degree level. This will include testimony from existing apprentices.

Children’s Mental Health Week 

This week is also Children’s Mental Health Week with the official theme ‘This is My Place’. We know that our sense of belonging as individuals, in our friendships, in school, and in communities plays a vital role in our mental health and wellbeing. To know our place and really feel part of our environment is a basic human need. It can have powerful and long-lasting impacts in lots of areas of our lives, including our physical and mental health, education, employment and relationships. When we feel that we belong, it empowers us to contribute to the world and make a real difference

This week, in crew sessions, we will look at how peers, families, schools and communities can create inclusive and nurturing environments, where children and young people feel they belong and can say “This is My Place”.

Safer Internet Day

It is Safer Internet Day on Tuesday this week. The focus for this year is ‘Smart tech, safe choices – Exploring the safe and responsible use of AI’. We will be exploring this issue with students across sessions on Tuesday.

Here are some useful Top Tips for Parents and Carers and Top Tips for Young People (across three age ranges) from the UK Safer Internet Centre.

G31 Fieldwork – Wednesday 11th February 

On Wednesday 11th February, Year 8 students are visiting The Great North Museum for a series of talks and workshops to learn about careers and opportunities in Geography and Science. This event is for all of Year 8. Please see the website post for more details.

G32 Fieldwork – Thursday 12th February 

On Thursday 12th February our Year 7 students will visit the  Gurdwara Siri Guru Singh Sabha in Newcastle to find out more about Sikhi and how temples operate as part of their expedition ‘Do your bit’. Please see the website post for more detailed arrangements.

PE this week

• For G32 students (Y7)
  • G32 Class 1 students have PE on Monday
  • G32 Class 2 students have PE on Wednesday
• G31 students (Y8) have PE on Tuesday
• G30 students (Y9) have PE on Thursday
• G29 students (Y10) and G28 students (Y11) have PE on Monday

In line with our dress code, we expect students to arrive at PE lessons with a change of kit which is appropriate for the activity and all accessories removed. This includes sports trainers with non slip soles e.g. running shoes/astro turf (not plimsolls). Please ensure that your child has a full PE kit. 

Dates to note – holiday dates

Please check dates carefully as they do not always fully align to other Gateshead schools. 

We do not authorise students to take holidays during our school term times. 

Spring half term break starts Friday 20th February. We return to school on Monday 2nd March 2026. Easter Holidays. We break up for Easter holidays on Friday 27th March and return to school on Monday 13th April 2026.  See 2025/26 Calendar.

As usual if you have any questions please contact your child’s crew leader in the first instance. Thank you as always for your ongoing support.

Julie Mosley

Principal

Dear Families

Every week before I start a weekly update, I look back on the week before reflecting on our progress, student and staff achievements, our culture and our crew. Like every week, there is a feeling of pride about the work that happens at XPG and pleasure in the work we do daily alongside our students, who, like staff, are producing beautiful work, developing character and achieving academic success. We have had several visitors in school this week and they have all commented on the strength of our school culture and how it manifests in the way all students and staff behave and the work that is produced. 

Students as ‘Leaders of their Own Learning’

It has been great to see so many of you in person this week attending G32 and G31 Student Led Conferences (SLC). Our students have shown real courage this week presenting their learning, especially G32 students where this has been their first time presenting a SLC. Feedback from parents and carers has been full of praise and this will feed into their SLC debrief where they will reflect on this experience against the rubric and set themselves targets for their next SLC.

Thank you to all G30 families who attended last week’s Information Evening which included details about Passage Presentations which will take place during the 16th and 17th March.  Crew leaders have been really impressed with the maturity and commitment G30 are showing to their work and the process of passage which is a step up from SLC’s. In a Passage Presentation students present their learning journey from Year 7 to a panel which includes their Crew Leader, a Staff Panelist, a Guest Panelist and their Parents/Carers. We will soon send out the system to book a passage presentation slot. Details from the Information Evening are posted on our website here.

This half term, we will be running our first Teacher Student Learning Conferences (TSLCs) with G29.  Our Y10 students have started working hard to bring together their work in each subject area so they can sit alongside their subject teacher to present their progress to parents. G29 TSLCs will take place on Tuesday 17th February and we will be sharing booking information with Y10 this week.

Magic Breakfast

At XPG we run a Breakfast Club every morning from 8:00–8:25am every day.  One of the best things about Breakfast Club is that it’s run by our brilliant G30 students, with support from staff. They do a fantastic job welcoming students, helping things run smoothly, and creating a positive and friendly atmosphere.

On Friday our breakfast club was visited by Lyndsey Appleby from Magic Breakfast who shared her thoughts and feedback with us and G32 and G31 students 

“It was lovely to see the breakfast provision and run the assemblies. The students were fantastic and, during my tour, I was blown away by the work and effort the students had put in. Amazing!”

We would like to see more students and families taking advantage of our free breakfast offer. Eating breakfast can really help with focus, energy, and concentration, but it’s also about more than food. It’s a chance to relax, feel settled, and start the day on a positive note! Students don’t have to come every day either — popping in once or twice a week is absolutely fine.

G32 Student leaders working with Edberts House 

Last week student leaders from Year 7 visited Edberts House to take part in their community “Burns Breakfast”. They supported with preparation and cooking of the food for the event and spent time with users of the provision. We are so grateful for out continued partnership with Edberts House and are delighted to be able to continue to support their great work.

G31 Students leaders at the RVI Hospital

Student leaders from G31 visited the RVI Hospital in Newcastle to build knowledge around the impact and work that occurs in a hospital setting. Students have presented their findings back to their class around the importance of the NHS within the context of their guiding question “What does it meant to be human?”.

The week ahead

G28 mock exams

Our mock exams continue this week for Year 11 who, as always, are impressing us with their maturity, determination and efforts.

Working with Experts: Activism in Action

At XP, all learning expeditions include working with experts or fieldwork. This links directly to our Design Principle of ‘Activism’, providing students with authentic opportunities to engage with professionals. By working alongside experts, students gain “Powerful Knowledge” that brings integrity and accuracy to their work, helping them see how their learning connects to the wider world.

This week we welcome the following experts to our school:

• G29 (Year 10): On Monday, students will work with experts from Northumbria University. 
• G32 (Year 7): Our Year 7 students have a busy week of expert input.
  • On Monday, they will be starting their work with our partners Nourish to develop practical skills and understanding of a range of preparation techniques and recipes in our students kitchen. This connects to their guiding question “Is survival sufficient?”.
  • On Wednesday, they will be joined by expert Rav Singh. This session will help students to further understand the importance of Sikhi soldiers during WWI who travelled half way across the globe to sacrifice for all of us.

PE sessions this week

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

• Both G32 (Year 7) classes have PE sessions on Monday and Wednesday this week.
• G31 (Year 8)  students have PE on Tuesday of this week
• G30 (Year 9)  students have PE on Thursday of this week.
• G29 and G28 (Year 10 and 11) students have PE on Monday of this week

As always, if you have any questions, please contact your child’s crew leader in the first instance. Thank you for your ongoing support as we work together to help our students become the best versions of themselves.

Julie Mosley

Principal

Dear Families

These last two staff days have been a great success, with a teaching a learning conference on Friday in Doncaster, and today colleagues across secondary school were working from our building in subject crews – further strengthening our curriculum. Crew is as important to staff as it is to students at XPG and taking time to work in our wider teams across Trust has allowed us to strengthen our relationships, develop our understanding of teaching and learning and collaboratively plan high quality work. It was also  a chance to see how our work is part of something bigger and everyone I spoke to after the event had a real sense of pride in what they do and the Trust they work for – I certainly did and also enjoyed our time away as a staff crew.

On Friday, all staff received their copy of XP Trust Core Practices, a resource for guidance, reflection and touchstone where we reference all aspects of our model.

“Crew challenges and supports all of us to be ethical human beings who recognise their own value and the value of community.”

Crew is the cultural heart of XP Trust, built on the foundational principle that, “We are crew, not passengers, strengthened by acts of consequential service to others.” This principle permeates every aspect of our community, starting with our staff. The ethos of mutual support and shared challenge is modelled first and foremost in Staff Crew, ensuring that adults live the same values we expect of our students.

We also got a chance to try out our new XP transport and are looking forward to housing one of the minibuses here in the North East. This will allow us more flexibility and cost effective travel especially around sporting events.

The week ahead

As is always the case, it is a packed week for students with experiences that enrich their learning:

DT Workshop installation

Work is ongoing around installation of high-spec kit for our DT workshop. This is scheduled to be completed on Wednesday of this week. It does mean some changes for students for e.g. the dining tables will be in a slightly different place to usual tomorrow morning to allow for equipment to be delivered safely. THere are also some room changes  so please do encourage your child to look at their timetable carefully.

G30 Into University Session – Tuesday 27th January 2026

Our cohort of G30 students working with Into University will have a further session with our partners in school on Tuesday morning. Into University provides learning experiences designed to inspire young people to consider university, especially when they are from backgrounds that are underrepresented in the wider university population.

G30 Diptheria / Tetanus / Polio Immunisations – Wednesday 28th January in school

These will be taking place during the school day on Wednesday morning.

G31 RVI Hospital Student leadership Group – Wednesday 28th January

A small group of G31 students will be visiting the RVI Children’s Hospital on Wednesday during the school day. Students will build knowledge around the impact and work that occurs in a hospital setting, aligned to their interest in health careers, and also to support expedition aims and further develop partnerships with the NHS for future expeditions in Year 8.

G30 Family Information Evening – Wednesday 28th January at 5.30pm

For more details of this event click here.

G28 Mocks start this Thursday

For more details, including the exam timetable please click here.

G31 Theatre Royal Fieldwork – Friday 30th January

For more details please see Miss Tatters post: click here.

Student-Led Conferences for G31 and G30

SLCs continue for G31 and G30. Families of Crew Windsor should now have an email from Mr Said to book a telephone conversation with him.

PE this week

• G32 Class 2 have PE on Wednesday of this week
  • Due to the staff day today, Class 1 do not have PE this week. We will seek to make this up in a future week if possible.
• G31 have PE on Tuesday of this week
• G30 have PE on Thursday of this week.
• Due to the staff day today G28 and G29 do not have their core PE session this week. We will seek to make this up in a future week if possible.

As usual if you have any questions please contact your child’s crew leader in the first instance. Thank you as always for your ongoing support.

Julie Mosley

Principal

Dear Families

This week we have revealed the full details of our new expeditions for all cohorts.

This terms’ Expeditions, Guiding Questions and Presentation of Learning dates

You can see more detailed information on each of the new expeditions by clicking here.

• Year 7 HUMAN – Why do we need to honour all those who sacrificed in WWI?
  • The PoL for this expedition will be streamed online on Wednesday 25th March at 6pm. We will post details of how to join the Youtube stream closer to the time of the PoL.
• Year 7 STEAM – Is survival sufficient?
  • This expedition involves some service learning with our partners Edberts House. The PoL for this takes place in the school day with experts from the charity. Families do not need to attend this PoL.
• Year 8 – What is Power?
  • PoL on Tuesday 24th March at Caedmon Hall, above Gateshead Central Library at 5pm.
• Year 9 – How can we continue to make progress on public health?
  • This PoL will take place shortly after we return from the Easter break on Wednesday 15th April in school from 2pm. This Presentation of Learning is in the form of a Public Health Conference, hosted by our students.
• Year 10 – Are we really free to choose?
  • The provisional date for this is the evening of Thursday 26th March at Newcastle Sixth Form College.  We will post an update as soon as we have this confirmed.

Working with experts in school

This week our G30 students worked with Neil Metcalf from Positive Futures. Neil is an early intervention coordinator for the Young Persons Drug & Alcohol Service in Gateshead which is part of the Change Grow Live Charity. 

His session provided an overview of the risks and impacts of drugs and alcohol, shared insights into his career pathway, and explained what services are available in Gateshead for young people and families. Neil has also challenged G30 students to design informative leaflets that may be used within the positive futures service across Gateshead. He will also be attending G30’s upcoming public Conference, where students will showcase their work and and continue discussions around public health and wellbeing. 

Positive Futures offers vital support to children, young people, and families affected by drug and alcohol dependency, including:

• Advice, information, and support around drugs and alcohol for young people up to the age of 25
  
• One-to-one specialist support sessions for young people up to 25
  
• Support to stop smoking or vaping
  
• Specialist support for children aged 5–18 who are impacted by parental substance or alcohol use

If you feel this service could be beneficial to you or your family, please follow the link for more information. We look forward to continuing our work with Positive Futures and exploring further ways they can support the wellbeing of our school community.

IntoUniversity 

This week Into University continued to work with us to support your child’s aspirations, helping them achieve their goals and think ambitiously about their future.

IntoUniversity provides long-term academic support, mentoring, and programmes that develop key skills and confidence in young people aged 7 to 18. Their aim is to empower students to realise their potential and make informed decisions about their education and future careers.

One of the ways they are supporting students at XP Gateshead is through their Secondary FOCUS Programme. These are engaging workshops and trips that take place throughout the school year, designed to help students:

• Explore different career paths and higher education options
• Develop key skills like teamwork, problem-solving and public speaking
• Build motivation and confidence
• Understand what university is really like, and that it could be for them

These sessions are delivered by IntoUniversity and take place both in school and on educational trips. 

All students involved have met their coordinators and will engage with 2 workshops over the course of the academic year. This programme is part of our targeted support provision and is currently delivered to a selected group of students to ensure resources are used where they have the greatest impact.

Into University also provides after school support to the students involved. 

They run free Academic Support sessions at IntoUniversity Gateshead centre (near Felling Metro, NE10 0JP). These sessions take place after school, twice a week (Monday and Thursday) and are open to eligible secondary students.

At Academic Support, students can:

• Get help with homework or revision
• Work in a quiet, focused environment
• Access books, computers and resources
• Receive one-to-one support from staff and trained volunteers

It’s a great opportunity to stay on top of schoolwork and build positive study habits – all in a friendly and supportive space. They also run half-term holiday programmes that aim to expand student’s horizons and involve creative activities and fun trips!

For any enquiries or to register for AS, please get in touch using the contact details below.

Telephone: 0191 500 4821

Email: [email protected]

The week ahead

PE sessions this week

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

• For G32 students (Y7)
  • G32 Class 2 students have PE on Monday
  • G32 Class 1 students have PE on Wednesday
• G31 students (Y8) have PE on Tuesday
• G30 students (Y9) have PE on Thursday
• G29 students (Y10) have PE on Monday
• G28 students (Y11) have PE on Monday

SLC Preparation G32 and G31

SLCs for G32 and G31 will take place this term in the two weeks commencing 27th January 2026. It is an expectation that all families attend SLCs to fully support their child’s progress. You should receive a link to book an appointment soon if you have not already had this . Our students continue with their preparations this week.

For Crew Windsor, Mr Said will be in contact next week with updates for families, please look out for an email from Mr Said.

Passage Preparation G30

Our year 9 students continue with preparation for their Passage Presentations which will take place during the 16th and 17th March and slots will be available during the days. We will soon send out the system to book a passage presentation slot.

TSLC Preparation G29

G29 students had a short community meeting on Friday where we outlined the process for Teacher Student Led Conferences. These are taking place on the evening of Tuesday 17th February and give Year 10 families the opportunity to hear from their child and each of their subject teachers about their progress so far in Year 10 and their readiness for mocks which start after the Easter break. Students will receive a document this week with details on how to make bookings of your slots with each teacher.

Staff Days on Friday 23rd  and Monday 26th January

Please note that our whole staff will be travelling to Doncaster on Thursday 22nd January for a twilight CPD session which will launch an XP Trust Teaching and Learning conference on Friday so school will end at the slightly earlier time of 1.30pm on Thursday 22nd January to allow for this.

As always, students are not expected to be in school on staff days Friday 23rd and Monday 26th January.

G30 Family Information Evening – Wednesday 28th January at 5.30pm

For more details of this event click here.

G28 February Mocks

For more details, including the exam timetable please click here.

 

As usual if you have any questions please contact your child’s crew leader in the first instance. Thank you as always for your ongoing support.

Julie Mosley

Principal

Dear Families

Students have settled back into school and routines well and it has been great to hear staff and students recognising this in themselves and each other during briefings, crew sessions and community meetings. 

Immersion

Last week we launched our new learning expeditions across all years. As is always the case, expeditions start with a week of immersion which is an opportunity for students to dip their toe into the content of the learning expeditions, to build background knowledge and generate curiosity about the GQ (guiding question) for the expedition. 

G32 Immersion

Year 7 students have two new learning expeditions in STEAM and HUMAN. Their STEAM immersion has involved reading extracts from a dystopian novel called Station 11 and preparing to carry out food tests, making connections back to their study of elements, compounds and mixtures from term 1.

In HUMAN and ARTS year 7 have been building background knowledge about World War I, and beginning to read a play called White Poppies as well as revisiting skills from term 1 to represent medals in graphite pencil drawings.

G31 Immersion

Year 8 have carried out a gallery walk in HUMAN, making connections between stimulus images on natural hazards and Shakespeare’s Macbeth. They have also started to read an abridged Modern English version of The Scottish Play to put together a storyboard of its key moments, before grappling with the full text. Connected to this in STEAM students have grappled with an excerpt from A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson about the genius of Sir Isaac Newton. 

G30 Immersion

Year 9’s immersion has involved building background knowledge about health around the world and in our own country as well as trying to unravel a mysterious connection from these ideas to a 17th century poem by John Dryden. In STEAM students have been building viral, fungal and bacterial cells from scrap materials as part of their immersion. 

G29 immersion

This term Year 10 have an expedition that combines HUMAN and STEAM. The week of immersion has involved studying Nazi ideology and how pseudoscientific arguments were used to promote fear and division, as well as a study of The Weimar Republic of Germany between wars, and the impact that The Treaty of Versailles had on living conditions and society pre-WWII. Connected to this students have made connections from this and their wider studies from previous expeditions about the class system in Britain, that of today and of the past.

As you can see, these immersive and intensive experiences at the beginning of a learning expedition help to generate curiosity and excitement about the topic, build background knowledge and provide students a solid starting point to launch into and tackle their guiding questions for the rest of their learning expedition.

Guiding Questions

This week will see all of the GQs (guiding questions) revealed for our new expedition. GQs are a crucial part of the anatomy of an expedition and are revealed at the end of immersion.

GQs influence, shape and act as a reference point for student learning. GQs provoke thinking and deepen learning throughout the 12 week expedition and allow students to be engaged in authentic and purposeful work which makes connections between different subject areas and disciplines. During the course of a learning expedition, our children experience a range of case studies, with challenging texts which deepen their understanding and help them to develop an answer to the rich GQ for the expedition.

G28 

Our Y11 students have made a strong start to their final Spring Term at XPG. As subjects move towards course completion, more time will be dedicated to revisiting and securing prior knowledge with revision and exam preparation becoming more prevalent this term. G28 students continue to show high levels of maturity and commitment which will serve them well in the coming months.

This week we started our Tuesday and Thursday Academic Crew sessions which have allowed us to run more targeted intervention sessions across Science, Maths, English, Art, Photography. This intervention block will run until February half term and we will look at new intervention groups and subjects next half term. 

At the end of this month we will start our final mock session which will run across 3 weeks. We will be publishing our mock exam timetable later this week and continuing to work with students to support their preparation and revision. Please look out for the upcoming website post from Mr Mead.

XPG students are once again published

Last term, as part of celebrating National Poetry Day; 21 of our students entered the Young Writers’ poetry competition ‘I have a Dream’. This week we found out that every single entry from XPG had been selected to be published which is a phenomenal achievement and we are delighted. Look out for the post from Ms Tatters this week where she will share more details – our poets and some sneak peeks of their beautiful work due to be published. Huge congratulations to all of our poets for their beautiful work and courage in sharing with a wider audience.

Staffing update

On Friday we said farewell to Miss Blain. Again I want to take the opportunity to thank Miss Blain for her work with our students as a Phase and Crew Leader, Learning Coach and member of our SEND team. We have advertisements in place for posts of both a Phase Leader and a Learning Coach/Crew Leader and will look to make quality appointments as soon as possible.

The week ahead

PE sessions this week

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

• For G32 students (Y7)
  • G32 Class 2 students have PE on Monday
  • G32 Class 1 students have PE on Wednesday
• G31 students (Y8) have PE on Tuesday
• G30 students (Y9) have PE on Thursday
• G29 students (Y10) have PE on Monday
• G28 students (Y11) have PE on Monday

SLC Preparation G32 and G31

SLCs for G32 and G31 will take place this term in the two weeks commencing 26th January 2026. You will soon receive an email from your child’s Crew Leader asking you to make an appointment through Google Calendar.

Crew Windsor’s SLCs will take place later in the term although they will still start preparation for that. Mr Said will be in touch with Crew Windsor families starting next week to give updates around HoWLs and academic progress.

We invest a lot of time in giving students opportunities to reflect upon their learning and growth. A significant amount of Crew time is devoted to this in the run-up to SLCs.  Please do also ask your child about how their preparation is going

Clubs and Extended Study

Lunchtime and after school Clubs and supervised Extended Study sessions after school return this week.

Upcoming Events

Passage Presentations for G30 and Pathways into KS4

This half-term we will host an information evening for G30 families to discuss the rest of the year ahead including Passage Presentations and pathways into GCSEs. Look out for a separate post this week with more information.

Teacher / Student Led Conferences for G29 – Tuesday 17th February

G29 will have their first TSLCs (Teacher / Students Led Conferences) on the evening of Tuesday 17th February. During a TSLC your child will sit alongside their teacher to update you on the progress they are making in their GCSE and Level 2 courses.

Each conference will be strictly five minutes, with a few minutes of input from your child which our staff will support, and then there will be an opportunity for you to ask any questions of your child or their teacher.

Following these events next week, we will post some further guidance about revision and Year 10 study habits in the run up to mock examinations which will take place early in the Summer Term after the Easter holidays.

We will share information on how to book slots closer to the time.

Upcoming Staff Days on Friday 23rd and Monday 26th January

Please note that our whole staff will be travelling to Doncaster on Thursday 23rd January for a twilight CPD session which will launch an XP Trust Teaching and Learning conference on Friday so school will end at the slightly earlier time of 1.30pm on Thursday 22nd January to allow for this.

As usual if you have any questions please contact your child’s crew leader in the first instance. Thank you as always for your ongoing support.

Julie Mosley

Principal

W/C Monday 5th January 2026 

Dear Families

Happy 2026! We hope you have had a great Christmas and a safe and restful New Year. 

We are really looking forward to welcoming students back tomorrow to the start of our new term at XP Gateshead. 

There is a lot of information in this start of term update. Please read all of the following information carefully as there are important notes for all families and children. 

 

Important reminders for a good start back to school…

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 code

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 term 

For a normal day within school, it is not appropriate that students wear:

• Hats, hoods & coats inside school
• Revealing clothing, i.e. revealing the midriff, chest or upper thigh
• Noticeable make-up, including false eyelashes
• Valuable, sentimental or impractical accessories / jewellery
  • For example heavy chains, thick sovereign rings, or false nails
• Impractical footwear:
  • For example sliders, flip-flops or high heels

 

Daily kit list

As always, students need to bring a school bag with:

• A filled water bottle
• Pencil case including: pens, pencils, ruler, eraser, pencil sharpener, glue stick and purple biro pen. 
• A fully charged iPad.
• 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)
• Headphones 
• A healthy snack for break (no confectionery (sweets), fizzy drinks or energy drinks, nut products)
• A notebook

Last term we continued to have issues with individuals arriving at school without a charged iPad. Please ensure your child has a charger at home so that charging issues can be avoided this term. We do not provide replacement chargers. 

 

PE sessions this week

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

• For G32 students (Y7)
  • G32 Class 1 students have PE on Monday.
  • G32 Class 2 students have PE on Wednesday.
• G31 students (Y8) have PE on Tuesday.
• G30 students (Y9) have PE on Thursday.
• G29 students (Y10) have PE on Monday.
• G28 students (Y11) have PE on Monday.

 

Extended Study and Clubs

There will be no extended study or school clubs running this week. After school and lunch sessions will all start again next week.

 

New Term – New Expeditions

A new term means new and exciting expeditions for our students. Immersion takes 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. 

 

Staffing Changes for the New Year

As detailed last term, there is one staffing change for the Spring term. Miss Blaine will be leaving us on Friday 9th January. We will be contacting families of Crew Windsor later this week with crew plans for this term.

 

Dates to note this term 

Here’s our 2025/26 Calendar again for you to see our term dates this year. 

 

Student-Led Conferences G32 and G31

SLCs (Student-Led Conferences) replace the conventional parents’ evenings at XP Gateshead. During an SLC, your son or daughter will share their learning with you and their crew leader. You will have an opportunity to look at work from their portfolio and ask questions about their HoWLs (Habits of Work and Learning) and AP grades (Academic Progress). They will also share their progress around pledges set last term with you during the SLC and you will be able to ask questions around these. 

SLCs for G32 and G31 will take place this term in the two weeks commencing 27th January 2026. In the coming weeks you will receive an SLC invite from your son or daughter’s crew leader. It is an expectation that all families attend SLCs to fully support their child’s progress. 

 

Passage Presentations G30 

Our Y9 students will give passage presentations in March.  Passage presentations are an opportunity for students to reflect on their learning and their readiness to move on to the next phase of their education. G30 students will provide evidence to an audience of family, their Crew Leader and an XPG invited guest to demonstrate that they are ready to start their GCSE journey. 

In the coming weeks you will hear more about passage presentations from your son or daughter as they start preparing for this key passage at XPG. Passage presentations will take place during the 16th and 17th March and slots will be available throughout the days. There will be a booking system in place and shared with families in coming weeks.

We will be able to share more information about these important rites of passage, as well as our Key Stage 4 offer of GCSEs and other courses as part of an information evening for all Year 9 families which will take place on Wednesday 29th January at 5:30pm.

 

G28 mock exams: Thursday 29th January to Friday 13th February

Our Y11 students will sit their final set of mock exams this half term in the week and we are planning for them to complete full sets of papers across subjects. We will be publishing a provisional mock timetable in the coming weeks. 

 

Staff Days

A reminder that we have two staff development days each half term; 

Friday 23rd and Monday 26th January. Our whole staff will be travelling to Doncaster on Thursday 22nd January for a twilight CPD session which will launch our XPTrust Teaching and Learning conference on Friday so school will end at the slightly earlier time of 1:30pm on Thursday 22nd January to allow for this.

Our second set of staff days this term are on Friday 13th and Monday 16th March.

As normal, students are not expected to be in school on staff days.

 

Holiday dates

Please note that our dates do not always fully align to other Gateshead schools.

Spring half term break starts Friday 20th February. We return to school on Monday 2nd March 2026. 

 

Easter Holidays

We break up for Easter holidays Friday 27th March and return to school on Monday 13th April 2026. Please note that the bank holiday weekend of Good Friday 3rd April and Easter Monday 6th April fall within our two week break this year. See our 2025/26 Calendar.

As usual if you have any questions please contact your child’s crew leader in the first instance. Thank you as always for your ongoing support.

 

Julie Mosley

Principal