G29 Duke of Edinburgh Update

By Rebecca Marshall25th April 2025

Duke of Edinburgh Award Update – G29 Summer Term

This term, G29 will be embarking on their Duke of Edinburgh expedition. Today in school, students received an update on what’s coming up as part of their DofE Award this summer, and we’d like to share the key information with parents and carers too.

Key Information for Parents and Carers

Key Dates

Monday 12th May – Crew Day

During this Crew Day, G29 will be developing essential expedition skills. This includes learning how to pitch and dismantle a tent, cook on a camp stove, and pack a rucksack effectively. Students are encouraged to bring their kit so they can pack their bags exactly as they would for the final expedition (see below).

Friday 16th May – Practice Expedition (location TBC)

Students will travel by Metro with their packed rucksacks and complete a 10km walk while carrying their gear. Upon returning to school, they will use their skills from Crew Day to cook a meal, pitch a tent, and repack their bags independently.

It is essential that all students complete this successfully before leaving the site to ensure they are fully prepared for the final expedition.

G29 will finish at the later time of 4:30pm on this day to allow time for these tasks. However, students are expected to stay beyond 4:30pm if necessary to complete all activities. The spirit of Crew will be vital—students will be encouraged to support one another to ensure everyone finishes on time.

Friday 13th June – Kit Deadline

While we recommend students have their kit ready for the 12th May bag-packing activity, we understand this may be short notice. All students must have their full kit—or a clear plan for acquiring it (e.g. borrowing from school)—by Friday 13th June. This allows time to resolve any outstanding issues.

Friday 4th & Saturday 5th July – Final Expedition (near Hexham)

Students should arrive at school as normal on Friday 4th July. They will travel by coach to the expedition starting point and complete a 10km walk, before camping overnight at Greencarts Campsite.

On Saturday, they will complete another 10km walk and return to school by coach. Parents should expect an arrival time of approximately 4:00pm, though this may vary depending on how quickly groups complete the route.

Friday 11th July – eDofE Evidence Deadline

All evidence for Volunteering, Physical, and Skills sections must be uploaded to eDofE by this date. Crew leaders will support students, but they already have access and are encouraged to upload evidence as they go.

Evidence can be flexible—photos are helpful, but written reflections are also valid. If your child is using an external activity (e.g. football training), a brief note from a coach (typed or handwritten and photographed) is sufficient. Students have full control over their eDofE accounts and can access them at any time.

Kit

Students should now begin preparing their expedition kit. Ideally, this should be complete by 12th May for the bag-packing activity. Where possible, we ask for your support in helping students gather their kit.

While items can be purchased new, borrowing from friends or family is a great way to reduce costs. The school also has a small selection of kit available to borrow for families facing financial difficulty.

Please see the Bronze DofE Kit List and guidance on Choosing Kit and Suppliers. It’s important to read this carefully before buying anything to avoid spending money on inappropriate gear.

Boots

Footwear is the most important piece of kit. Students must have waterproof walking boots with good ankle support.

It is highly recommended that these boots are worn during the practice expedition on 16th May to ensure they are comfortable and suitable for the final two-day expedition.

Trainers are not appropriate—the route includes soft, rocky, and muddy terrain. Proper boots help keep feet dry, prevent injuries, and make the experience far more manageable. Walking and camping for two days is challenging enough without soggy socks, blisters or twisted ankles!

Further updates will follow as we approach key dates. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact Ms R Marshall via email.

G28 and G29 GCSE Science Revision Guides

By Darren Mead13th February 2025

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.
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): £7.50 (RRP £11.99)
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 20th 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..
https://shop.xptrust.org/collections/xp-gateshead-revision-guides
Many thanks.
The Science Crew.

G29 Fieldwork on Monday

By Rebecca Jones10th October 2024

On Monday, 11th October, G29 students will participate in local fieldwork. Class Two will head out in the morning to visit the site of the Owen Luder car park, using the space as inspiration for designing their own structure that could be built on the Trinity Square site, along with sounds to accompany their personal oral histories. Additionally, students will spend an hour building on the virtual fieldwork they’ve completed in school, collecting primary data to answer the enquiry question: “Are there inequalities on Gateshead High Street?” They will return for an early lunch at 12:00.

Class One will follow the same schedule after their early lunch at 12:00, completing the same fieldwork and returning to school by 15:15.

Following Monday’s fieldwork, students will have an expert session on Tuesday with University lecturer Michael Jefferies, where he will explore mapping techniques and discuss how these could be used to improve Gateshead.

The weather is currently forecast to be cloudy with sunny spells. Students should bring their usual kit, including a waterproof jacket, comfortable shoes, and their normal school kit!

G29 Science Checkpoint assessment

By Darren Mead9th October 2024

G29  have a checkpoint assessment in Science next week  on Monday . Students have been directed to help via their Google classrooms.

Students should focus upon the following targets:

I can describe the structure of an atom of an element

  • I can identify the different parts of an atom and state their charges and masses.
  • I can use the atomic number and mass number of an element to identify the number of protons, electrons and neutrons it has.
  • I can state the maximum number of electrons found in each of the first three energy levels.
  • I can write and draw electron configurations for the atoms of the first 20 elements.

I can describe the structure of the modern periodic table

  • I can describe how the modern periodic table is arranged by atomic number and that the elements in each group have the same number of  electrons on the outer shell of their atoms.
  • I can explain why elements have similar properties because of their electronic structure
  • I can use data from the periodic table to draw the electronic structure of the first 20 elements of the periodic table

I can explain how the atomic model changed over time

  • I can explain how the discovery of the electron changed Dalton’s model of the atom
  • I can explain how Rutherford’s Gold Leaf experiment change Thomson’s plum pudding model of the atom
  • I can describe Bohr’s contribution to the atomic model
  • I can describe Chadwicks contribution to the atomic model
  • I can explain the importance of evidence in changing scientific models.

G29 Fieldwork Tuesday 4th June

By Darren Mead20th May 2024

On Tuesday 4th June, G29 students will undertake a day of Fieldwork at the Gateshead Energy Centre to look at their methods of energy and heat  production and Gateshead Councils Carbon Zero approach. 

  • Students need to bring their regular kit for the day in a bag as there are exhibits in the site where students can take photographs and make notes using iPads for example.
  • Class 1 are visiting in the morning and will finish school  at their normal time. We are leaving school at 8.30 so class 1 students need to be in school for 8.25am to register. 
  • Class 2 are expected to to return to school at 3.30pm (please check the website for updates)
  • The visit will be outdoors, so students need layers to keep warm. Depending upon the weather we may need a waterproof outdoor coat. Sun cream and sun hats will be needed too. 

Students will be walking so comfortable shoes will be needed.