Dear Families
What a first week back we have had! As I said last week, our first week back is fundamental to us in terms of tending to and building crew as well as setting the scene for students of their year to come.
We really believe that, ‘If we get Crew right, we get everything right’ and I think of the many photographs took last week, this one embodies the meaning of crew:
Year 7 (G31) first week back
Our G31 students have had a fantastic week at Ullswater finding out what crew means. I hope they returned to you full of tales of their outward bound adventures and new friendships. Across the week, students began to form strong bonds with their crew and crew leaders, supporting each other to rise to every challenge set. We could not have been more impressed by our new year 7 students. The level of challenge meant that all Crews had to support and challenge each other to do more than they thought possible. They were compassionate, courageous, respectful and showed integrity in equal measure across the week.
We will post a further update with more images from the week.
Year 8 (G30) first week back
Our G30 students returned to school strong and spent their first week considering the question ‘How can we lead and support the learning of our new friends in G31?. Y8 Crew Leaders have been blown away by the quality of student work, depth of thinking, collaboration and leadership shown by G30 this week. There is no doubt that Y8 students will work with us to ensure that our new students are welcomed into XPGateshead and are quickly part of our school community.
The week ended with a fantastic day of fieldwork planned by Year 8 ready for our new Year 7 expeditions to come. This work is a fantastic example of student leadership with students co-constructing learning with their peers and adults in school. The G31 teaching team are delighted with the fieldwork planning and the resources that have been made which are indistinguishable from that of adults. G30 conduct on fieldwork was exceptional too. Please see the website update for more details.
Year 9 (G29) first week back
Our G29 students had a strong return to school, working in Crews to answer the guiding question ‘How do we form great habits to tackle initiatives as a Crew with increasing agency, independence and resilience?’ They displayed greater maturity and had a clear sense of purpose as they were challenged to rethink how they best work as crews and the norms they use, strategically planned crew charity events for this year and prepared for fieldwork reconnecting with the Outdoors. This fieldwork was also an introduction to the types of challenges that they will face as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award this academic year
Thursday’s hike in Northumberland around Wylam tested students’ new knowledge and map skills as they navigated together as a Crew. Students travelled by metro and train to get to Wylam (train travel a first for XPG!) and carried out a 6km hike without a moan and smiles all round. Student conduct on fieldwork was exceptional.
Year 10 (G28) first week back
Our G28 students worked together in Crews last week on their guiding question: ‘How can we ensure that our future selves will thank us for the next two years?’ They really stepped up to the challenge, considering how they will support and challenge each other to be successful over the next two years of GCSE. The week also provided lots of opportunities to continue their thinking about careers and pathways, beyond Key Stage 4 to Post-16.
Our students had a great morning with the Learning and Skills team at Gateshead Local Authority who put together a carousel of careers sessions led by experts and employers on pathways available and what employers and education providers are looking for in candidates.
Our students also worked on a first CV based on their ambitions, strengths and skills to date, and on Friday they had a mock interview with an external professional who gave them feedback on how they presented themselves, articulated their ambitions and responded to questions asked during the interview. Again, we raised the bar on our expectations and our students stepped up!
Our week ahead
Change of Classes
Unlike many other secondary schools, we do not group our children based on their ability into sets or streams. However like most schools, we do change the make-up of our classes and move students between classes at the start of an academic year. In Year 10, this has been done to accommodate the pathways that students have chosen for Key Stage 4.
For Years 8 and 9, we have done a wholesale adjustment of classes, as we did at the start of last academic year. There are many factors that we consider when making changes to the classes, and of course we get to know our students better and better each year. The aim is still, and will always be to make classes as heterogeneous as possible with a representative mix of genders, attainment, backgrounds etc. We appreciate that change can cause some level of anxiety or even upset for some students, and we will work to ensure that this is minimised with an orderly and purposeful start to the year in our new academic classes with new learning expeditions.
G31 students (Year 7)
Students will be working in their Crews on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning reflecting on their Outward Bound experience and thinking about what Crew looks like in the classroom and around our school, and how learning will work at their new school – especially learning through expeditions.
They will get tours of the school on Monday and our new spaces as well as an introduction to PE (students do not need their PE kits this week).
We will hand out iPads to G30 students on Monday at the end of the day. These will come with instructions on how to set these up on the school management system which is a fairly straightforward process. Students will need to set these up at home on Monday evening ready for a first training session on Tuesday. It is really important that the screen protector is applied as soon as you take the iPad out of the box, without this any insurance claims will not be valid.
We will post a separate update for families explaining how to set up the iPads on our website on Monday.
On Wednesday, students will find out their new classes and Immersion for their new learning expedition will start.
G30 students (Year 8)
After a morning in Crew on Monday, students will begin a week-long immersion for their new learning expedition this week.
They will have their first PE session on Monday and the second on Tuesday so will need PE kit on both days please.
On Monday, students will find out their new classes and their seating plans.
G29 students (Year 9)
After morning Crew sessions, students will begin immersion for their new learning expedition this week.
G29 PE sessions take place on Thursday so students will need their PE kit.
On Monday, students will find out their new classes and their seating plans.
G28 students (Year 10)
After morning Crew sessions, students will begin immersion for their new learning expeditions this week.
G28 PE sessions take place on Thursday so students will need their PE kit.
On Monday, students will find out their new classes and their seating plans.
Making the right start
All students need to be in school for an 8.30am start so they must arrive by 8.25am at the latest. There will be staff in school supervising so students can arrive from 8.00 am.
We will finish formal sessions at 3.15pm and there will be no extended study or activities after school this week.
Kit List
As always, students need to bring a school bag with the following kit :
- A filled water bottle
- Pencil case including: pens, pencils, ruler, eraser and pencil sharpener
- A fully charged iPad (G28, G29, G30 from Monday, G30 from Tuesday) and headphones (ideally not expensive ones, for example here)
- A notebook
- A reading book
Students also need to bring a healthy snack for break time – no confectionery (sweets), fizzy drinks or energy drinks please as we do not allow these in school. Please note there are to be no nut products in snacks or packed lunches – this is especially important as we have students in this cohort who are highly allergic to nut products.
Mobile phones should be switched off and in school bags each morning. Students should not be using mobile phones during the day without permission from a member of staff. If you need to contact your son or daughter please do so via the school office at [email protected] or on 0191 4814360.
Safe arrivals and exit from site
Cars and parking outside of school
The start of a new academic year is always busier at pick up and drop off, with new Year 7 students getting used to making their way to and from a new school, and all students finishing at 3.15pm until extended study and clubs are up and running.
Please can you ensure that you consider our neighbours when parking and do not block any pathways or drives onto their properties. Of even more importance is the safety of our students when crossing the road outside of school. Please leave space by the barriers outside of the main gates, as we have staff here who can ensure that children are crossing the road safely. With a clear road here we will more easily be able to see any approaching traffic.
Cycling to school
We are really pleased to see so many of our students cycling or scooting to school. Can I remind parents that if students are to bring bikes or scooters to school then they must have a bike lock. In terms of safety, students should also have a bike helmet. Please check that your child’s bike is in good condition frequently.
Please note that electric scooters (e–scooters) are not allowed in school or as a means of getting to school. This includes all other ‘powered transporters’ too such as hoverboards and electric unicycles.
Lunches
We are a no nut school. This is very important as we do have children with severe allergies.
Students can choose to bring in a healthy packed lunch (no nut products, confectionary, fizzy or energy drinks) or have a school meal with us.
Our school dinners are very popular with our students, thanks to our wonderful kitchen crew. Students make a daily food choice in crew each morning and we have a three week menu. Here’s this year’s menu – this week we start on week 1.
If your child receives a free school meal, we will provide lunch. Please contact the school office at [email protected] if you have any questions around school meals or paying for meals via ParentPay.
We are really looking forward to welcoming all of our students back tomorrow. 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].
Thank you for your ongoing support and a special thanks again to those parents who have been supporting our new G31 parents with their XPG knowledge and expertise.
Julie Mosley
Principal