Dear Parents/Carers
It’s been a short but busy week at XPG. Our students have been working hard in sessions this week and have spent time getting themselves organised around the extended study planner we shared with you last week. Crew Leaders will continue to support students with time management, managing workload and meeting deadlines. We know for some, this can be a challenge and it has been great to see so many of our students attending after school extended study sessions.
As a reminder, here is our extended study planner:
This week has seen the first of our staff days for this term. We have two staff days each term at XP so that our teachers can collaborate across the Trust to create and deliver the high quality curriculum that our students study. On Friday we worked as a staff crew focusing on how we build our culture and community at XPG. We carried out some Outdoor Education work which will set us in good stead for future student learning opportunities and Year 9 DofE challenges.
On Monday we will complete the second of our staff days and our whole staff team are heading to Doncaster to take part in a XP Trust wide teaching and learning training event.
On staff days our students do not attend school and there is no expectation that they complete work beyond their regularly set extended study (homework). Students will find this work on Google classroom.
This week:
Monday 26th September – Staff Development Day
Students are not expected to be in school.
Back to school – Tuesday 27th September
Please note PE sessions this week:
G28 students (Y8) will need a PE kit for Tuesday 27th September.
G29 students (Y&) will need a PE kit on Wednesday 28th September.
Students need to have a full change of kit for PE please.
Extended Study
Sessions run until 4:30pm every day except Friday when all students leave the site at 3:15pm.For full details of our rationale for extended study, please click here.
Clubs
This week we will launch our extra-curricular clubs programme (lunchtime and after school) with our students. This will be done on Thursday and forms part of our JASS award. We will publish the full schedule on our website and more details about the JASS award after we have shared it with our students.
Reminders
Daily kit list
As always, students need to bring a school bag with:
- A filled water bottle
- Pencil case including: pens, pencils, ruler, eraser and pencil sharpener
- A fully charged iPad
- Headphones – ideally not expensive ones
- A healthy snack for break (no confectionery (sweets), fizzy drinks or energy drinks, nut products)
- A notebook
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. This includes all other ‘powered transporters’ too such as hoverboards and electric unicycles.
Looking forward, dates for your diary:
XPG Open Evenings for prospective students, 12th and 13th October.
We will be asking for student involvement in these evenings – they are our ambassadors and our best advertisements! More details will follow as we get closer to the events.
Last day of term Friday 14th October
On Friday 14th October students will finish the school day at 1.30pm, this allows staff to de-gunge classrooms and ensure all necessary resources are in place for the start of the new half-term. We return to school at the regular time on Monday 31st October 2022.
This year’s terms dates can be found on XP Trust Calendar 2022/23
On a final note, thank you to G29 parents who have been in touch with us this week with feedback on how their children have settled into XP Gateshead. One parent commented:
“The transition from primary to secondary has been so smooth we have to sometimes remind ourselves that it has taken place at all. My daughter seems to be so happy, has made lots of friends, is enjoying the work, is organising herself (including setting her own alarm in the mornings and packing her own bag!)”
This is great feedback and exactly how we want our students and families to feel. Please do continue to support each other on our Parents’ Facebook group and as always if you do want to get in touch about your child, please contact their Crew Leader in the first instance.
Thank you as always for your ongoing support.
Julie Mosley
Co-Principal