Dear Families
Welcome to the final week of this half term. It is hard to believe that we have only been together for 7 weeks having achieved so much!
This half term we have successfully transitioned our G33 cohort into school along with staff and new leadership positions in school (our three new Phase leaders Ms Crowder, Mr Devitt and Ms Tatters, Ms Jones our Leader of Crew and our School Faculty Leaders Ms Simpson and Ms Jamison). Our students have continued to work hard to develop their beautiful work, character and academic success and they, like staff, will be ready for a well deserved rest and our two week half term break when we finish this half term on Friday 16th October.
G29 working hard in their final year
G29 students have started their final year with us at XPG and the majority are stepping up to the challenge!
This week all G29 students completed their Spoken Language Endorsement of their GCSE English Language presenting formal, individual presentations on a topic of their choice, followed by a short question-and-answer session or discussion with their Crew leader and crew.
On Wednesday our G29 RS students visited the Al Azhar Mosque in South Shields to experience first-hand the practices and environment of a place of worship studied in their GCSE course. Authentic encounters like this deepen student understanding of Islam beyond classroom learning, helping to develop respect and cultural awareness, alongside strengthening their GCSE exam preparation.
On Thursday our G29 Geographers completed their second compulsory fieldwork visit in Seaham with the enquiry question: “How is erosion changing the coastline at Seaham?
Last week, five G29 students got the opportunity to work in a local training centre completing a two day ‘Scaffolding in Schools’ course. This was a pilot course designed to give students a meaningful encounter with an aspect of construction and students looked at scaffolding design, manual handling, H&S requirements alongside practical builds.
On Friday, all G29 students took part in a Fine Art and Photography critiques session which involved students laying out their work to an audience of their peers, staff and visitors. Seeing this beautiful work laid out across art classrooms was stunning and students gained a huge amount from both giving and receiving critique on their work. We are looking forward to seeing students act upon feedback and continue to work on their portfolios. Unlike in the majority of schools, every student at XPG studies either Fine Art or Photography as a core subject for G29, so the standard is even more impressive.
G30 and their start to GCSE and Key Stage 4 courses
G30 students have made a good start to their GCSE courses and staff working with this cohort have commented on their mature approach to learning, their resilience and willingness to take risks with their learning and appetite for challenge.
In particular it has been really impressive to see G30’s approach in their LOOL (Leading our own learning) sessions:
- Geography
- Religious Studies
- Health & Social Care
- Sport
Growing maturity of our G31 students
This half term G31 have made a great start to their first expedition with GQ “How are structures important in helping us to explain our world?”. Students will present their learning on structures that impact our world such as the atom, governmental structures and structures of habitation at their PoL at the Farrell Centre in December.
G32 responding to their guiding question
G32’s expedition is a long-standing favourite of ours with the guiding question “What does it mean to be human?”. In support of the artwork that they will produce, students are working with experts from the NHS to discuss the importance of raising awareness around the need for organ donors. G32 have been praised in particular for their writing so far this term, and also their musical responses to stimulus material associated with The Blues.
G33 learning what it means to be Crew whilst studying in learning expeditions
G33 have had a successful start to life at XPG and are studying through learning expeditions. We are proud of the culture in lessons, and students are working hard to produce high quality work. This term their final product will be a book on the local history of Gateshead and its place in the wider history of the UK. We will be able to share the students’ writing and artwork at the presentation of learning in December and their book will be published in time to launch at the end of the academic year. All of our children in Year 7 will be able to say by this time next year that they are published authors and artists. They fully deserve this accolade!
The 2026 Thomas Hepburn Memorial Service
This weekend I attended the annual Thomas Hepburn memorial service at St Mary’s church in Heworth with Mr Said and eight of our choir: Lyra, Olivia, Molly, Evie, Ros, Reuben, Sylvia and Emily. Each year the NUM and Reverend Lucy coordinate a service which pays tribute to Hepburn’s commitment to working people and the trade union movement. Aside from the connections to our character values, local history and students’ first learning expedition in year 7, we continue to keep the connection to our community.
This year our students with accompaniment from Mr Said were included in the service, performing one of G31’s songs “Start a Union Boys” which was written about the life of Thomas “Tommy” Hepburn and invoked a wonderful reception from the attendees. They also accompanied Bill Elliott, a local singer and songwriter, to perform ‘A Miner’s Life’.
Sylvia and Emily laid a wreath to honour Hepburn alongside wreaths from many other dignitaries. Local MPs and former MPs were in attendance alongside local councillors and members of the education community. All were full of praise for XPG’s performance and the quality of the music that G31 had written.
All in all a wonderful way to spend a Saturday morning alongside students, their families and our community and I’d encourage everyone to look out for next year’s Thomas Hepburn memorial service which takes place in October.
Our week ahead
G29 mock speaking exams in Spanish
This week our Y11 students start their mock exams with a focus on Spanish speaking. Students will build their ‘exam muscle’ by once again experiencing the conditions in which they will work when it comes to their final examinations. Spanish speaking trial exams take place over Monday and Tuesday.
Information evening for all G29 families on Thursday 15th October at 6pm
This week we are looking forward to meeting all G29 families for an information evening on Thursday. We will share key dates alongside useful information on how you can support your child through Year 11 examinations, as well as guidance around helping them to make choices for Post-16 pathways. We will also go through the mock exam timetable and final exam timetable so parents can fully support their children in the coming weeks and months.
Extended Study and Clubs
All clubs will run this week along with extended study sessions every day except Friday.
Our before-school G29 fitness and revision clubs on Tuesday and Thursday, with fitness from 7:15am and then revision sessions starting at 7:45am.
PE sessions this week
- G33 students (Year 7) on Wednesday.
- G32 students (Year 8) have PE on Thursday.
- G31 students (Year 9) have PE on Tuesday.
- G30 students (Year 10) have PE on Wednesday.
- G29 students ( Year 11) have PE on Wednesday.
Early closure this Friday 16th October
Don’t forget that school finishes at the earlier time of 1.30pm this Friday. This is to allow us time to “degunge” and set up for the next half term. Please make arrangements to pick up your children at the school gate for 1.30pm this Friday. As always, please be conscientious of our neighbours if parking as it is always very busy when students all leave school at the same time.
We return to school on Monday 2nd November 2026.
Thank you for your continued support through this half term. We hope everyone has a safe and restful holiday. We are looking forward to next half term where we will be continuing to focus on our culture of beautiful work, character and academic success. Students will be adding work to our “beautiful” work portfolios and getting ready for student-led conferences and presentations of learning which will be an opportunity for you to see some of the work your children have been doing – more on this later.
As usual if you have any questions about your son or daughter please get in touch with your child’s Crew Leader in the first instance or email general enquiries to [email protected].