Dear Parents/Carers
It was great to see our students make a strong start back to school last week after their half term break. Students were back to working hard, getting smart and being kind, stepping up to our high expectations in and outside of sessions.
On Friday, we said farewell to Mr Watson. I want to take the opportunity to thank Mr Watson for his work with our students as a Crew Leader, Human teacher and in the clubs that he ran too. We wish Mr Watson every success in the future.
Secondary School National Offers
Parents of Year 6 students received notification of secondary school places last week. As in previous years, we received more applications than we can offer places and our admissions were determined by a random lottery overseen by the Local Authority.
I’d like to thank all families who expressed an interest in our school and the work we do here. An appreciation too for our existing families and students for showing our school for the really special place that it is. Again we are massively oversubscribed with around six applicants for every place at the school.
For our new families, welcome to XP Gateshead and congratulations! We are delighted to have you and your children join our school. See our welcome post for more details.
Experts in school last week
Suffragette expert working with Year 8
Pat Stevens is a Newcastle City Guide, retired teacher, and author who has specialized in researching and sharing the history of the suffragette movement in the North East of England. Pat’s work with our students helped them to consider their guiding question “What is power?” as a historian.
Siemens Careers session with our engineers
Students in Year 9 and those in Year 10 with an interest in engineering had a session with a representative from Siemens. The focus of the session was careers in engineering, but also keeping an open mind about pathways and ensuring the development of skills, knowledge character is something that is a consistent aim.
Lego team work with the talented Dr Steve Bunce
Our Digital Leaders’ LEGO robotics team had the opportunity to work at Royal Grammar School on Monday and then again with Dr Bunce on Tuesday afternoon. This is in preparation for a regional inter-school tournament on Friday 27th March.
Keeping children safe is our number one priority and this permeates all of the work we do at XP Gateshead. It is the responsibility of us all to work in a way that will safeguard and promote the welfare of all of the students at our school and provide a safe environment in which all can learn and where all students and staff are respected and valued. Our students are taught how to identify risks and stay safe, including online, through various teaching and learning opportunities and we are committed to this throughout the delivery of our curriculum.
We have the highest expectations of our students for their character growth, beautiful work and academic performance at school. When pupils do display poor behaviours, there are clear restorative practices and sanctions that are shared and owned by the community at XPG.
Our behaviour policy and protocols detail how we collectively support and challenge each other to put things right when we do things wrong to maintain the high expectations of XP school culture.
G28 Final GCSE Exam date
Parents of G28 please note the final GCSE date is officially the 24th June 2026 which is the contingency day. The JCQ state “Students must remain available until this date, as it would be used for exams rescheduled due to national or local disruption.” Please bear in mind that when booking holidays. https://www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/09/JCQ-Preparing-to-sit-your-exams_-2025_2026.pdf
At XPG, G28 students will be presenting their Final Words across the week beginning Monday 22nd June and we will hold our final community meeting on Friday 26th June 2026.
Last week our G28 crews worked on a revision planner for their final months leading to the exam period. Please talk to your son or daughter about this and what support they might need from you. Here is the final Summer exam timetable.
The week ahead
G31 Fieldwork – Music Studio Recording – Tuesday 10th March
On Tuesday this week members of our Year 8 Rock Bands will visit Blank Studios in Newcastle. For our students this will be an experience of working in an industry-standard environment to record Patti Smith’s Power to The People. Students in Year 8 have already recorded backing vocals in school and now our rock bands will add lead vocals, guitars, drums and keyboards.
We can’t wait to share this with you at their Presentation of Learning.
This fieldwork is entirely during the school day, however students will need a packed lunch. See Mr Allan’s post for more details.
Iftar Dinner at XP Gateshead – Wednesday 11th March
We are delighted to invite our whole school community to a special Family Iftar Dinner in celebration of Ramadan. This event is an opportunity for families, staff and friends of the school to come together, share a complementary meal and learn more about the spirit of Ramadan — a month centred on reflection, gratitude, charity and community.
We warmly welcome families of all faiths and backgrounds to attend from across our school community. We would like to particularly encourage families of G31 students (year 8) to attend, as celebrating diversity, building compassion and learning more about Islam links directly to the expedition they will embark on in term 3.
If you would like to attend and haven’t already done so, please complete the google form.
G29 Medical Ethics workshop
As part of their expedition with the Guiding Question: “How can we continue to make progress on public health?”, students in G29 will this week carry out workshops with experts from Newcastle University who. Students will gain an insight into cutting-edge research which considers important questions of ethics around developments in medicine such as testing of drugs, autonomy in clinical care, genomics, end-of-life decisions, and the ethics of technological advances such as AI.
G30 Fieldwork – Thursday 12th March
On Thursday 12th March, students will be conducting fieldwork to explore the question: Why are there variations in life expectancy in Gateshead?
To prepare for this investigation, students will analyse secondary data from the national census in school and now they need to enhance their understanding by gathering primary data through firsthand observations. Students will spend the full day on foot, walking between XPGateshead, Felling Square, and Durham Road (Low Fell High Street) to examine inequalities in the local area. The data they collect will contribute directly to their Presentation of Learning.
Please see the website post for more details.
SPLIT DECISIONS Theatre Performance – Thursday 12th March
“Split Decisions” is an emotive 60-minute performance and workshop taking place with our Year 7 and 8 students. The performance promotes key messages surrounding pedestrian safety, including on public transport, whilst raising awareness of pedestrian dangers such as distractions (phones, music and friends) and risk-taking behaviour. It will also help our students to identify, challenge and cope with peer pressure and influence by highlighting the severe and far reaching consequences of unsafe behaviour.
PE this week
From this week there is a change to the regular days for PE. Mrs Cadenas continues to work with our Year 7 students on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Mr Devitt and Miss Tatters lead the sessions with Year 8 on Tuesdays.
- For G32 students (Y7)
- G32 Class 1 students have PE on Thursday
- G32 Class 2 students have PE on Wednesday
- G31 students (Y8) have PE on Tuesday
In line with our dress code, we expect students to arrive at PE lessons with a change of kit which is appropriate for the activity and all accessories removed. This includes sports trainers with non slip soles e.g. running shoes/astro turf (not plimsolls).
- Year 9 will now typically have PE on Mondays, as will Year 10 and Year 11.
For Years 9-11 this week, they will meet our new member of staff Kelsey Cairns – this provision is the start of what we know will be a great working relationship with Gateshead College Sports. This week Mr Devitt will introduce our students to Miss Cairns and remind students of norms and expectations – as such PE kit is not needed for Years 9-11 this week.
Extended Study and Clubs
Clubs will all run this week along with extended study sessions every day except Friday.
Staff Days – Friday 13th and Monday 16th March
Friday is the first of our staff days this half term, the second is on Monday 16th March. Our staff team will be planning for next term’s expeditions. Students will not be expected to be in school on Friday or Monday unless they are G30 students who have a Passage presentation on Monday. If G30 students want to come to school on Friday to prepare for their passage, they must organise this through their Crew Leader.
Looking Ahead:
IMPORTANT – Passage Presentations next week
G30 are working hard on preparing for their passage presentation next week. They will be using Crew time and additional time in sessions to get ready for this important moment in their time at XP Gateshead.
Passage presentations are hugely important benchmark demonstrations of learning over multiple years that mark this pivotal transition from Key Stage 3 into Key Stage 4 and GCSEs. During the presentations, students will use their portfolios as a guide to articulate their progress and growth. These presentations are another means by which we help students to develop their character and hone their public speaking. The rubrics that will be used during the presentations can be found here.
Monday 16th March is a staff day.
Students will be welcome to arrive at school earlier than their passage presentation slot to do final preparations, and then should return home after their presentation. If students do not have a passage presentation, there is not a need for them to be in school on Monday 16th March.
Tuesday 17th March
This is not a staff day, however Year 9 teachers will be involved in passage presentations throughout the day so we will not be running a regular timetable for this day for Year 9 students. There are three options for Year 9 students and this day:
- Come into school for the full school day (including staying in school after a Passage Presentation).
- Come into school for a Passage Presentation and then leave with their family.
- Work on extended study from home.
Please can all G30 families use this Google Form to let us know what your child will be doing, and whether they will need a school lunch
As usual if you have any questions please contact your child’s crew leader in the first instance.
Thank you as always for your ongoing support.
Julie Mosley