Dear Families
What makes a great education?
You may remember that last term students in G29 were challenged to give a keynote at the MTEM conference on what makes a great education. Over a week they drafted and put together an incredible speech which we have now recorded back in school.
The words of our students are truly beautiful, and this week I have the honour and privilege of sharing their words at international conference in Denmark. As well as meeting colleagues across education with equally innovative learning models, I will also have the opportunity to visit LEAPS schools to see how they are making their buildings work for their models of learning.
On Friday I was able to share my (limited) progress in Danish with the students as we celebrated the European Day of Languages. The day was marked with readings from students, live linkup with The British Council, a themed lunch and El Classico football match and lots of students in red and yellow celebrating other cultures and languages. Thanks to all families that supported this event and a special thanks to Mohammed, Desiree and Chanel and to Miss Fielding for her work coordinating the day.
We also had important fieldwork for LOOL groups, and for G30’s expedition and a student-led piece of fieldwork for Crew Darling, heart dissection in STEAM and our very first Axiom Maths club for Year 7.
We have another important week coming up with our Open Evening on Tuesday after school. Again, thanks to all families that are lending us your children for the evening. The students really do run the show from beginning to end and it is this that families remark upon year after year, the warmth, leadership and pride that students show in their school.
The importance of reading
In recent weeks we have shared details of the Extended Study that is set for each year group. Reading is in many ways the most important part of the week’s extended study.
As you know, reading is a key focus at XPG. It is not only the first building block to allow students to access all areas of the curriculum but reading also plays a significant role in their life chances and their wellbeing. We know that to be good learners, students need to first be good readers. Studies have shown that ‘those who read for pleasure have higher levels of self-esteem and a greater ability to cope with difficult situations. Reading for pleasure is also associated with better sleeping patterns’.
At XPG our students are exposed to many texts – reading in sessions, studying an anchor text in each expedition, a weekly Crew Read during Tranquil Tuesday and the daily 20-30 minutes reading expectation of their accelerated reader book. Over the last few weeks, students who are not currently reading at an age appropriate level have started attending intervention sessions.
Please support us by monitoring your child’s reading, ensuring they are reading their accelerated reader book (which may be on ePlatform or a physical book they have borrowed from our in-school library) and reminding them to complete their daily 20-30 reading minutes.
Clubs
We will trial lunchtime and after clubs for a week, starting on Thursday and Friday of this week and then Monday to Wednesday in the following week. Clubs will then start fully in the week commencing October 13th.
The draft set of clubs can be found below. This may be adapted in light of the trial that starts later this week on Thursday.
Our week ahead
G30 Class 1 – Fieldwork to the Farrell Centre
Students in G30 Class 2 will be travelling to the Farrell Centre on Newcastle University Campus tomorrow morning – Tuesday 30th September – to learn more about their brief for their final project and to see the exhibits at the national centre for architecture. More details here.
Breakfast Club supported by Magic Breakfast
Breakfast club continues each morning from 7.45am.
Extended Study
Our supervised extended study will run again this week after school from 3.30pm until 4.30pm. We will be starting tasters for clubs soon. More info to come in a separate post.
PE sessions this week
Please can parents make sure that their child has a PE kit for PE sessions. We expect students to change into their appropriate PE kit, and not wear the same clothes they wear in school. Similarly, students must change out of PE kit afterwards, into their normal school clothes. For safety, jewellery must be removed and hair must be tied back.
- G32 students (Year 7)
- Class 1 have PE on Monday
- Class 2 have PE on Wednesday
- G31 students (Year 8) have PE on Tuesday.
- G30 students (Year 9) have PE on Thursday.
- G29 and G28 students (Year 10 and Year 11) have PE on Monday
As usual if you have any questions, please get in touch with your child’s Crew Leader in the first instance or email general enquiries to [email protected].
Thank you as always for your ongoing support. Together we are stronger #WeAreCrew.
Julie Mosley