To ensure a balanced intake of students across all ability levels, all applicants to an XP secondary school must sit a Fair Banding Assessment.
This multiple-choice test focuses on non-verbal reasoning and helps us place students into one of five ability bands. There is no pass or fail, and results are used solely to support a broad and representative admissions process.
Completing the assessment is a key part of the application and must be done to be considered for a place.
Please ensure your child is registered by 31st October 2025 and prepared to attend the assessment on 22nd November 2025.
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 https://youtu.be/-tcB979lD_g
Apply now, and don’t miss this chance to join a learning community where talent is nurtured and passion takes centre stage!
A few students in Crew Nightingale are in the Higher Maths class; they have been developing their understanding of trigonometry through SOH, CAH, TOA, learning how to calculate missing sides and angles in right-angled triangles. They have also been focusing on changing the subject of a formula, an important algebraic skill that will support their success across many areas of maths and science. These topics encourage careful reasoning and step-by-step working, and it has been fantastic to see students building confidence and accuracy as they tackle increasingly challenging problems.
This morning, Crew Kelly enjoyed a special breakfast together to celebrate Nyler’s final day at school. For over three years, Nyler has been an important and valued member of our crew. Although we will really miss her, we are excited for her to start her new, drama-focused adventure! 🫶🏼
This week in our Wise Wednesday session, we explored the guiding question: “What drives change?”. We were also joined by some members of Crew Lovelace.
We looked at how physical and mental wellbeing are connected, and talked about what we can all do to support someone else’s physical and mental wellbeing.
Below you will see pictures of a 3 minute activity that we did. We had to write down a few ways we could help promote or support someone’s wellbeing. 🧠💪
You can see some of the ideas in the pictures—we had everything from encouraging people to be more active, to just being there for someone when they need to talk.
It showed that even small actions can make a big difference!
Last week, our Year 7 students took on the mighty task of litter picking in and around our school site. Armed with bags, gloves, and plenty of energy, they were eager to collect as much as possible and make a real difference to their environment.
From the very start, their enthusiasm shone through. Students worked together to ensure every corner was covered, leaving our school grounds looking truly impeccable. It was inspiring to see how committed they were to keeping not just our school, but the surrounding community, clean and litter-free.
Well done Year 7, you’ve set a fantastic example for the whole school community, showing that together we can take pride in our environment and play our part in protecting it.
This week in Crew Brunel we kicked things off by checking in after the long weekend. It was great to hear what everyone had been up to and to share our stories. We were joined by members of Crew Attenborough for this session too, which made the conversation even more enjoyable and gave us the chance to connect with others across the year group. It was a positive way to ease into the week and reminded us how important it is to start with connection.
On Wise Wednesday, we continued our focus on developing note-taking skills. We took it in turns to take notes and worked in our small teams to make sure we captured all the information.
Together as a crew, we reviewed our praises and conducts before reflecting on the targets we had set ourselves last week in order to think carefully about our progress. It was a valuable chance to pause, be honest about where we are with our HoWLs, and consider the steps we need to take to push ourselves further.
The week finished with a whole school community meeting, where we came together to share appreciations, apologies, and stands. These meetings are always a highlight because they bring the whole school together to celebrate each other, reflect on mistakes, and show support where it’s needed. It was powerful to hear so many voices and know that everyone has something valuable to contribute.
Finally, a special mention goes to David, who has managed not to receive a single conduct so far this academic year! This is something he has been working on, and his consistent effort is really paying off. We’re really proud of him for showing determination and self-management – keep it up, David!
All in all, it’s been another strong week for Crew Brunel, filled with connection, reflection, and community.
We are absolutely thrilled to celebrate the incredible artistic achievements of one of our own, X30 student Arina Barsukova! Arina recently had the fantastic opportunity to exhibit her artwork at the Barnby Dun Church Art & Craft Festival, and her pieces truly shone among the local talent.
Arina’s commitment and passion for art are truly inspiring. Her painting, which features a dimly lit, narrow street after rain, captured with striking, warm-yellow reflections from the streetlights, is a powerful example of her technical skill in handling light and mood.
Having your artwork framed and presented in a public gallery space like this is a massive achievement for any artist, let alone a student!
Celebrating 30 Years of Local Art
The Barnby Dun Church Art & Craft Festival, which celebrated its 30th year this year, is a cornerstone of the local community art scene. Participating in such a long-standing and respected event gives Arina invaluable experience, from preparing her work for display to sharing her creative vision with a wider audience.
An Inspiration to All
Arina’s exhibition at the festival is a brilliant testament to the talent fostered here at XP. It’s a powerful reminder that our students are not just learning skills, but are actively contributing to the wider community and pursuing their passions at a higher level.
Please join us in giving Arina a huge round of applause for this incredible accomplishment. We can’t wait to see where her artistic journey takes her next!
Have you ever exhibited your artwork or craft? Share your experiences in the comments below!
