Find out more and apply here to #JoinOurCrew
https://xptrust.org/were-looking-for-a-primary-teacher-at-xp-trust/
Inside Out with RUOS – Behind the Scenes
Right Up Our Street recently visited us at XP School to photograph our students and invite them to participate in the Inside Out Project — a global art movement created by artist JR uniting over 600,000 people across 154 countries through large-scale black and white portraiture.
Our students’ portraits will be showcased at a secret location as part of We Are Donny. Watch this space!
Sharing our Stories: 24/04/2026
Beautiful work this week
Here’s a selection of beautiful work from across the XP Trust!
To read about other stories from across the XP Trust, visit xptrust.org.
Top of the Blogs
Turning XP School Inside Out: A Global Art Project @ XP School
Third Annual Public Health Conference @ XP Gateshead
Earth Day Crew @ Norton Infants
Share your stories with us!
Write to us at comms@xptrust.org – we want to hear about it, write about it and celebrate it!
Turning XP School Inside Out: A Global Art Project Comes to Doncaster
Something exciting is developing behind the lens at XP School! We recently had the pleasure of welcoming the team from Right Up Our Street for a very special photography session that links our students to a massive global movement.
What is the Inside Out Project?
Our students are becoming the latest faces of the Inside Out Project, a global art project founded by the world-renowned artist JR. The project has united over 600,000 people across 154 countries through the power of large-scale, black-and-white portraiture.
The project’s mission is simple yet profound:
“I wish for you to stand up for what you care about by participating in a global art project, and together we’ll turn the world…INSIDE OUT.” — JR, TED 2011
Behind the Scenes at XP School
The atmosphere in the room was electric as students stepped up to the camera. From serious poses to playful expressions, each portrait captures the unique personality and spirit of our school community.
After the shutter clicked, students gathered around the monitors to review their shots, participating in the creative process of selecting the images that will represent them to the wider world.
Where Can You See the Final Result?
This isn’t just a school gallery project. These portraits are set to be part of something much bigger. Our students’ faces will be showcased at a secret location as part of the We Are Donny celebration.
We can’t reveal the location just yet, but we promise it will be worth the wait. Keep a close eye on this space for updates on when and where you can see XP School turning Doncaster inside out!
To participate, please ensure the consent forms, which were distributed on Monday, are completed.
If you have any technical issues with the QR code please contact ahudson@xpschool and I will be happy to help.
We’re looking for a Learning Coach (TA) at Plover!
Find out more here and apply to #JoinOurCrew – https://xptrust.org/plover-learning-coach-teaching-assistant/
Crew White
Crew White have been busy making the most of their crew sessions recently, diving into revision as they prepare for their very first round of mock exams.
There’s been a great buzz in the room—lots of conversations about what to expect, from how the exam hall will be set out to swapping revision tips and strategies. We’ve also made plenty of space to talk about worries (because there are always a few!), and importantly, to remind each other that feeling nervous is completely normal. If anything, it shows they care.
What’s been brilliant to see is how maturely everyone has approached it. There’s been real support for one another, honest reflections, and a growing confidence in how to tackle revision without panic-setting in the night before!
That said… I’m not entirely convinced this is real life. How are they old enough to be sitting mocks already?! Surely they’re still Year 7, wobbling under rucksacks twice their size and trekking up a mountain in Wales?!
Time has clearly sped up without warning, and I’m just going to take a moment (or several) to sit quietly in the corner and process this minor emotional crisis…
In all seriousness, we’re incredibly proud of them. They’ve come such a long way, and I’ll be right behind them as they take on this next challenge.
Mrs Fowler
Creative Expression and Expert Collaboration: This Week in Art at XP
It’s been an incredibly vibrant and busy week across the XP Arts From our youngest learners exploring the basics of texture to our KS4 students mastering observational detail, the studios have been buzzing with activity.
Here is a look at what our students have been up to:
Immersion week working with Experts: Graffiti Art with Phillip Padfield
Our C31 cohort has officially kicked off their new Expedition with a bang! To immerse them in their new project, we welcomed professional graffiti artist Phillip Padfield, better known as Affix.
Students had the unique opportunity to work alongside an industry expert, learning about the techniques and history of street art. We are all excited to see how this professional insight will shape their creative work as the expedition continues.
Exploring Rhythm: Mark Making with C32
The C32 students have been turning into investigators this week. Their focus has been on mark making, specifically looking for ways to capture the “rhythm and movement of water.”
Using a limited blue palette, students experimented with:
- Fluid brush strokes to mimic waves.
- Stippling and splatting to represent spray.
- Layering different depths of ink to show transparency.
- Working with unconventional tools.
Celebration of Learning: C31 Presented Their Learning
X31 students have reached a major milestone, presenting their learning through a stunning gallery display. Their work featured “Powerful Art” portraits and mixed-media pieces that honoured historical figures and civil rights movements.
The exhibition showcased portraits of iconic figures like Ruby Bridges and Malcolm X, combined with bold typography and symbolic imagery. It was a proud moment for the students to see their hard work curated and displayed for a wider audience.
Artist of the Week: Yasmin R (X28/ACD)
A huge congratulations to our KS4 Artist of the Week, Yasmin R!
Yasmin has produced some truly beautiful observational studies recently. Her work on animal textures—specifically a stunning, high-contrast study of a tiger—and her intricate eye studies show a remarkable level of skill in blending and detail.
Stay Tuned: We have a lot of exciting projects coming up, including the start of a Global Project with Right Up Our Street and even more guest workshops. Keep an eye on the blog for our next creative update!
#XPArt #CreativeLearning #ExpeditionaryLearning
X32 – Immersion Week (written by skipper students!)
This week, all of X32 have worked extremely hard to explore our guiding question and begin to understand what our new expedition is about!
Yesterday, we visited Endcliffe Park, where we learned how to measure the depth, width and velocity at different points of the Porter Brook. This built on our learning in Maths, where we have been studying time, distance and velocity.
In Science, we have been learning about the water cycle. On Monday, we even acted this out by becoming water droplets, moving through the different stages of the cycle.
In Art, we have focused on using ink to show the movement of waves and water. We also experimented with creating different styles of water marks using ink.
We have also been thinking about how to stay safe around different bodies of water. We identified hidden dangers and discussed ways to reduce risks. We then applied this learning during our visit to Lakeside, where we spotted potential hazards.
Sharing our Stories: 17/04/2026
Beautiful work this week
Here’s a selection of beautiful work from across the XP Trust!
To read about other stories from across the XP Trust, visit xptrust.org.
Top of the Blogs
Weekly Update for Families @ XP Gateshead
Finding our happy @ Norton Infants
Year 11 Rise to the challenge! @ XP East
Litter picking legends @ Norton Juniors
Share your stories with us!
Write to us at comms@xptrust.org – we want to hear about it, write about it and celebrate it!
Crew Brunel: New Term, New Focus
This week marked Crew Brunel’s first week back after the Easter holidays, and it was all about resetting, reconnecting, and refocusing for the term ahead.
We began the week with a whole school community meeting, bringing everyone together to revisit our non-negotiables and set the tone for the term. It was an important opportunity to reflect on expectations and to look ahead at what’s coming up over the next few weeks.
Tuesday was all about preparation and accountability. We revisited our crew fundamentals, including our new timetable and equipment checks, ensuring everyone is ready to learn. Crew members also used this time productively to catch up on Sparx and Tassomai tasks, building positive habits early in the term.
On Wednesday, we were joined by Crew Attenborough for our weekly Wise Wednesday session. It was fantastic to see everyone engaged, contributing thoughtfully, and taking notes using their note catchers. The session encouraged reflection and meaningful discussion across crews.
Thursday gave us time to look closely at praise points and conduct. As a crew, we had honest discussions about what is going well and what we need to improve moving into next week. We also reviewed attendance, which has been a concern this week, and agreed that this is a key area we must all take responsibility for improving. We finished the session with a period of silent reading, accompanied by calm, relaxing music, helping everyone to reset and end the crew session on a focused and positive note.
We ended the week with another whole school community meeting. This was a chance to celebrate those who have achieved their goals, while also holding each other accountable where expectations have not been met. Appreciations and apologies were shared across all year groups, reinforcing our strong sense of community.
Overall, it has been a purposeful first week back. Crew Brunel is ready to build on this momentum and continue striving for excellence in the weeks ahead. Our main focus moving forward is improving our attendance.
Miss Mitchell
