At XP, our first week back looks a little bit different. Across our Trust, students and staff have been working hard to build and reestablish the most important part of our culture – Crew.
At XP School, we believe music has the power to inspire and shape young minds. Each year, we offer a unique opportunity for children with a natural flair for music to gain a place in Year 7 through our dedicated Musical Aptitude route.
Whether your child already sings or plays an instrument, or simply has a keen ear for rhythm, melody, and pitch, this pathway recognises raw musical potential.
With access to expert tuition, vibrant performance opportunities, and a culture that celebrates creativity, XP School is the perfect stage for your child to flourish musically and academically. Click here to see highlights from our recent annual XP Festival of Arts and Culture
Apply now, and don’t miss this chance to join a learning community where talent is nurtured and passion takes centre stage! Find out more about this here: https://xptrust.info/XPMA
Sharing our Stories: 04/09/2026
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
Focus and Deep Thinking in Year 8 this week @ XP
Hook week day two @ Norton Infants
Crew week = complete! @ Norton Juniors
G29 first week back! @ XP Gateshead
Share your stories with us!
Write to us at comms@xptrust.org – we want to hear about it, write about it and celebrate it!
Year 11’s Learn2Earn scheme!
From today, Y11’s Learn 2 Earn rewards scheme is back!
Students have the opportunity to collect stamps on ‘loyalty cards’ for outstanding contributions in Learning labs and at D6 [when it’s up and running] – this year, staff are able to award stamps to class superstars – if students are going above and beyond to contribute in sessions/work hard, staff will award extra stamps!
When their cards are complete (after 10 sessions), students need to hand them back in; there’ll be a half termly draw for a gift card for those attending the most sessions!
Please encourage students to get these filled in to claim those prizes (take a look at a small selection below!)
Miss Cocliff x
E29 Beautiful English Work
The Year 11 students at XPE have demonstrated exceptional Habits of Work and Learning (HoWLs) as they diligently prepare for their upcoming English Spoken Language assessments. Across both Miss Buckley’s and Mrs Desborough’s classes, lessons have been driven by outstanding focus, active engagement, and dedicated craftsmanship and quality, ensuring students refine their delivery, structure, and techniques to present with confidence. This commitment is clearly reflected in the exciting and diverse range of topics chosen by the students, spanning pressing social issues, personal passions and curiosities. Their hard work, positive attitude, and thorough preparation promise a brilliant and engaging set of spoken presentations.
Focus and Deep Thinking in Year 8 this week
Walking down the corridors at XP this week, it has been impossible not to notice the atmosphere of working hard and getting smart across Year 8. Everywhere I visited I saw our students demonstrating incredible learning behaviours—locked in, on task, and pushing themselves to be the best version of themselves.
Here is a glimpse inside two of the fantastic classrooms where our students have been shining this week.
Making Connections in Spanish with Señorita Warwick
In Señorita Warwick’s Spanish classroom, X31 Admiral were put to the test with a high-level inference challenge. Rather than simply memorising vocabulary, students were asked to act as linguistic detectives.
Drawing on their background knowledge and applying their understanding of cognates—words that share similar roots across languages—students worked together to connect visual pictures directly to Spanish terms. The level of critical thinking in the room was superb: students were justifying their choices, testing ideas, and making sophisticated language connections with confidence.
High Expectations in Miss Wilkinson’s Room
Just a few steps down the corridor in Miss Wilkinson’s classroom, the exact same high standard of engagement was on display.
Working with X31 Skipper, students were hooked into the immersion phase of their new expedition by responding to a series of powerful provocations. The depth of discussion and the quality of their written responses reflected the high expectations that make the XP so special.
What stands out most across Year 8 this week isn’t just what the students are learning, but how they are learning it. To see two classrooms maintaining such focus, high energy, and mutual support shows just how much our Year 8s care about their craftsmanship and quality.
A massive well done to Year 8, Señorita Warwick, and Miss Wilkinson for setting such a powerful standard for the term ahead!
E33 Crew CST – Outward Bound
What a fantastic start to the year!
Last week, my crew and I took on the great outdoors! Every single student played an integral part in our fieldwork at Outward Bound in Ullswater. From gorge walking and wild camping to taking the leap with cliff jumping, the students showed incredible courage and compassion toward one another. They quickly recognised that everyone brought unique strengths to the table, whether physical, mental, or emotional and used them to support each other throughout the week.
I am so proud of how they tackled every challenge and built truly strong, lasting relationships along the way.
We’ve kicked off this week with a positive buzz and memories we’ll hold onto for a long time to come.
Let’s go, Crew CST!
C33 Return from Kynren
After an incredibly immersive day, C33 are making their return journey to XP & XP East.
We will arrive slightly later than anticipated- 6pm.
Please collect your child from Car Park 3 where they will be dismissed by their fieldwork lead, unless school have been informed otherwise. This is the normal drop off and pick up area, not that used last week.
Thanks.
X32 Fieldwork Immersion
Yesterday marked an exciting milestone for our Year 8 students as we officially launched the immersion phase for our upcoming expedition. Trading the classroom for the chalk-lined coastline of Danes Dyke, the trip set the stage for a day filled with hands-on discovery, scientific curiosity, and outdoor exploration. Students were tasked with scouring the shoreline for open fossils, observing signs of active marine life, and examining the vast array of shells washed ashore by the tide.
Throughout the day, our students consistently demonstrated our core character traits of compassion and respect for the natural world. Mindful of their footprint on the delicate coastal ecosystem, everyone embraced Leave No Trace principles. They handled their surroundings with care, ensured marine habitats remained undisturbed, and left the shoreline just as pristine as they found it. Their environmental stewardship showed a mature understanding that true scientific inquiry goes hand in hand with protecting the places we study.
That same dedication was on full display through the incredible craftsmanship of their field sketches. Pausing along the beach, students poured real focus and precision into capturing the detailed textures of ancient rock layers, coastal erosion patterns, and native shoreline features. The care put into every line and shading detail reflected a high standard of work and a sharp eye for scientific observation.
The absolute highlight of the afternoon came when patient searching paid off—several students managed to find real fossils embedded directly in the chalk rocks! Holding pieces of ancient history brought the day’s learning to life in a memorable way. With their impressive environmental mindfulness, scientific curiosity, and artistic quality, our Year 8s have set a fantastic foundation for the rest of this expedition. A huge well done to all our students!
C33 Fieldwork
Our Year 7’s have arrived at their fieldwork and are enjoying the first show!
