G31 Fieldwork Next Week: Wednesday 11th February, Photo Permissions Required

4th February 2026Stephanie Jamison

Next week 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. This event is for all of Year 8.

The event facilitators have requested photo and evaluation permissions from families of students attending. Please can families complete the two forms linked below to make your permissions on this clear:

  1. Child Photo & Video Consent Form (Under 18s) – Fill in form
  2. Environmental Careers Day, information and consent – Fill in form

Students will travel on foot to Heworth Station then via Metro to The Great North Museum. We anticipate that we will arrive back to school close to the usual end of the school day at 3.15pm, but we will update families via the website if there are any changes or delays.

Usual fieldwork kit is required for this visit, including full school stationery and iPad, as well as: A waterproof coat, sensible walking shoes (no crocs) ,and a filled water bottle. Lunch is provided for free at this event, however if students are more comfortable with a packed lunch from home this is okay.

 

G28 Celebration Event

3rd February 2026XP Gateshead Office

We’re looking forward to celebrating the end of a fantastic five years with our G28 Celebration at Beamish Park Hotel. The evening will include a buffet and a disco, giving students a chance to enjoy a fun and memorable night with their friends and staff.

Coach transport will be provided, with students travelling together from school to the venue and back again.

Timings: Thursday 25th June 

  • Depart XPG: 6:30pm
  • Depart venue: 10:30pm
  • Arrive back at XPG: 11:00pm

The overall cost per student is £45, which covers transport, food, and entertainment. To help ensure the event is accessible to all, we are asking for a minimum contribution of £30.

We believe that all students should have the opportunity to attend this celebration. If you have any concerns about the cost or accessing Parentpay, please contact your child’s crew leader, who will be happy to offer support where possible.

A Parentpay item will be added this week.

Our students will be fundraising to cover the additional costs so look out for events! 

We’re really looking forward to celebrating with our pioneering G28 students and marking the end of their time at XPG together. 

G28 February Mocks

14th January 2026Darren Mead

Dear Parents and Carers, G28 will start their mocks on Thursday 29th of January and will last for two weeks. These will give them a new experience of revising over an extended exam period, and another chance to hone exam skills. Most importantly they can get the ball rolling on revision for the Summer GCSE exams.

XPG G28 February Mock Exams 25_26 – February (1)Download

As in the previous Mocks in Year 11 we will run these as we will the Summer GCSE exams so that students develop ther exam skills and learn the rules and protocols of public examinations.

This very useful video from The Exam Office that remind students of these rules that will make their exam experience as smooth as possible.

If you have any questions or queries, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Mr Mead and The G28 Team.

G30 GCSE Science Revision Guides.

7th January 2026Darren Mead

We are pleased to offer your child the opportunity to purchase the CGP GCSE Combined Science AQA Revision Guide, an excellent resource to support their studies.
We highly recommend this revision guide as a valuable tool to support your child’s preparation for their GCSE Combined Science examinations.

Parents of G28 and G29 if you have not bought this already, this is suitable for years 10 and 11 too.

Pricing:
By purchasing these through school you will be able to buy at a discounted price.

Foundation or  Higher Level Revision Guides: £6.75 (RRP £11.99)
Exam Practice Workbook – Higher or Foundation (includes answers): £7.75 (RRP £12.50)

To buy these please use the XP Trust Shop. We would recommend buying the Higher editions as they contain all of the information for both foundation and higher entry. We can direct students at a later date to content that is relevant to their GCSE entry in year 11. Please select the ‘pick up’ option at checkout.

In the first instance could you please order before the 5th of February, so we can place the order. If you miss the deadline we will be organising a second order later in the next half term.

XP Gateshead Resources
XP Gateshead Resources

Many thanks.
The Science Crew

Lunchtime Wellbeing Drop-In Sessions (Years 7–11)

5th January 2026Saoirse Blain

Starting 22nd January

We are pleased to offer lunchtime wellbeing drop-in sessions for students in Years 7–11, beginning on 22nd January.

These sessions will be led by two qualified wellbeing practitioners from The Children’s Society and will provide a safe, calm, and supportive space where young people can drop in during lunchtime. Students can choose to chat, listen, or simply spend time in a relaxed environment.

The sessions are informal and student-led, and may include conversations around topics such as:

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Stress and worry
  • Self-esteem
  • Identity
  • LGBTQ+ topics
  • Global Majority experiences

There is no expectation for students to attend these sessions. Participation is entirely optional, and students are encouraged to engage in a way that feels comfortable for them.

If you do not wish your child to attend, please contact the school by emailing
[email protected] – please include their full name and year group.

We hope these sessions provide a positive and inclusive opportunity for students to feel heard, valued, and supported.

Bagels Sent Home Today

19th December 2025Rebecca Jones

Students were sent home this afternoon with bagels that have a best before date of 16/12/12. A best before date is an advisory date, indicating when a food is at its best quality, not when it becomes unsafe to eat.

Please check the label and do not consume the bagel if you feel it is not suitable (for example, if there is an unusual smell, appearance, or taste).

Noughts and Crosses at Northern Stage

17th December 2025Emmy Tatters

This term, G31 students have been reading the play adaptations of Malorie Blackman’s book, Noughts and Crosses.

A professional performance of the play is coming to Newcastle’s Northern Stage from 27th February to 7th March 2026.

I know that lots of students would love to see this, it is unfortunate that the dates have not aligned to the expedition.

Here is the link to book tickets as a family if you are still looking for a last minute Christmas present that is a little different!

G30 also studied this last year so would also enjoy!

G32, G31, G30 and G29: End of Term Maths Assessments

11th December 2025Rebecca Marshall

Next week, students in Years 7 to 10 will complete their end-of-term Maths assessments. Each class will sit two papers: one non-calculator paper and one calculator paper. To support students with their preparation, this week’s Sparx extended study is optional so they can focus on revision.

All students have access to the relevant Sparx codes for the Autumn term on Google Classroom in their Get Smart Guides. They can also make use of the KS3 and GCSE Resources Padlet, available through Google Classroom. If you have any questions about these resources, please contact Rebecca Marshall.

Assessment Dates

G32 Class 1 (Year 7)
Monday 15th December: Non-calculator (45 minutes)
Wednesday 17th December: Calculator (45 minutes)

G32 Class 2 (Year 7)
Monday 15th December: Non-calculator (45 minutes)
Thursday 18th December: Calculator (45 minutes)

G31 Class 1 (Year 8)
Monday 15th December: Non-calculator (45 minutes)
Tuesday 16th December: Calculator (45 minutes)

G31 Class 2 (Year 8)
Monday 15th December: Non-calculator (45 minutes)
Wednesday 17th December: Calculator (45 minutes)

G30 Class 1 (Year 9)
Monday 15th December: Non-calculator (45 minutes)
Wednesday 17th December: Calculator (45 minutes)

G30 Class 2 (Year 9)
Monday 15th December: Non-calculator (45 minutes)
Tuesday 16th December: Calculator (45 minutes)

G29 Class 1 and 2 (Year 10)
Monday 15th December: Non-calculator (45 minutes)
Tuesday 16th December: Calculator (45 minutes)

G28 Fishing success!

By Emmy Tatters24th November 2025

Congratulations to Katie and Mason who competed in a night fishing challenge to raise money for South Shields Volunteer Life Brigade. As a group, the event raised £1,212.20!

Mason came 1st and Katie came 3rd – well done to you both!