PE update
Winning Streaks and Leadership Peaks! It has been another standout week for our PE department. On Wednesday, our Year 7 and 8 Girls Footballers dominated the pitch at Hayfield. They secured a massive 9-0 victory against Don Valley, followed by a gritty 0-0 draw against the hosts. It was a masterclass in both clinical finishing and rock-solid defending!
On Thursday, our Year 9 Sports Leaders took charge, mentoring younger students during a primary school basketball event. Their leadership and maturity were a credit to the school—we can’t wait to see them in action again soon.
The Week Ahead:
- Monday: Badminton Practice.
- Wednesday: Year 7/8 Netball (Home).(5:00 pm pickup).
- Thursday: A double-header away! KS3 Badminton Finals and Boys Football. (5:30 pm pickup).
- Thursday: Cheerleading Practice!
Sharing our Stories: 16/01/2026
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
An awesome first week back! @ XP
G32 Expedition Reveal @ XP Gateshead
The Bus was for Us! @ 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!
Netball match cancelled
The netball match on Wednesday 14th Jan has been cancelled and re arranged. There will be no netball practice this week.
Thanks Team PE
X32: An Awesome First Week Back!
X32 have had an excellent first week back, throwing themselves into immersion with curiosity and purpose. Students worked hard to uncover what their new expedition will be about, following clues, asking questions, and heading out on fieldwork to support their enquiry.
This expedition focuses on World War One. From that point on, learning quickly moved from discovery to action!!
Students began crafting formal letters to the government, taking on the role of active citizens by lobbying MPs to support a project creating boards of commemoration for Hyde Park Cemetery. These boards aim to honour and remember those connected to the cemetery and ensure their stories are not forgotten.
In just one week, X32 have shown focus, maturity, and a strong sense of responsibility. A brilliant start to an expedition that is already shaping up to be meaningful and impactful. We are now starting our first case study: A Call to Arms! Take a look at the awesome work so far this term…
X29 Crew Kelly: A great start to 2026!
Crew Kelly had an EPIC first week back, earning a total of 64 praises! A massive shout out to Corah, Harry and Connor who received over 10 praises each! It is great to see that you are working hard and getting smart, which is super important in KS4.
I’m really excited to see where this term takes us!
Miss Warwick
Crew Sinfield- 2026!!
It has been a fantastic week back with crew after a brilliant Christmas holidays!!
Crew have been working so hard this week receiving 75 praises, which is amazing!!!! A special mention to Lena, Pixie, Elliott and Bradlie who have all received 10+ praises this week which shows the hard work they have put in this week, contributing in lessons and having super focus!
Crew have also worked hard over the last few moths getting ready for their passage presentations. They have worked on their scripts and will soon be in a position to start sending invites to experts and parents. I’m really proud of the hard work students are putting into their script.
I’m really excited for this term!
Mrs Burnitt
Traffic Alert: Delays Around Middle Bank & Stadium Way
Please be aware that there is currently significant disruption on Middlebank and Stadium Way due to a number of lorry trailers parked along both roads.
The lorries on Middlebank are backing up through the roundabout on White Rose Way, which is making the area particularly congested. Traffic is moving slowly, with vehicles trying to pass each other on only one side of the road, so conditions are quite chaotic.
This situation is due to a strike at the Tesco warehouse and may continue for some time.
We strongly recommend allowing extra time for drop-off and pick-up, driving with caution, and considering alternative routes where possible.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Crew Brunel: A Fresh Start to the New Year
This week marked our first week back after the Christmas break, and Crew Brunel returned with a real sense of fresh beginnings and renewed focus. While it’s always an adjustment coming back after the holidays, it’s been a positive and productive start to the new year.
We kicked off the week with a whole school community meeting, giving everyone the opportunity to reset expectations. This session focused on revisiting our shared norms and non-negotiables, helping to re-establish routines and remind us of the standards we hold ourselves to as a school community.
Back in crew time, we continued our Passage work. Students spent time thinking carefully about who they would like to be present at their Passage presentations and why. This encouraged reflection and helped students consider the importance of audience and support as they prepare to showcase their learning and growth.
Midweek, we started our new Wise Wednesday case study work. Students were placed into new groups, giving them the opportunity to work with different peers, share ideas, and build new collaborative skills. The fresh groups brought new energy and perspectives to the case study discussions.
We also spent time looking through portfolios, focusing on selecting pieces of work to highlight in Passage presentations. Students checked that their work was in the correct order and reflected on which pieces best represented their progress and achievements so far.
To finish the week, we came together once again for a whole school community meeting. This final gathering was a chance to celebrate successes, including reviewing the praise leaderboard and the attendance league. Crew Brunel had a particular reason to celebrate, finishing top for Year 9 attendance with an impressive 97%.
Overall, it’s been a strong first week back. Everyone is understandably tired, but it’s the result of a week filled with focus, reflection, and a positive start to the term ahead.
Miss Mitchell
Sharing our Stories: 09/01/2026
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
Ethics in Action: X30 Admiral take the floor @ XP
An exciting visit from a Game Expert @ 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!
