Spotting Greatness in X32 Skipper: Working Hard, Getting Smart, and Being Kind

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It is always a privilege to step into different classrooms across our school, and today, I had the absolute pleasure of covering a session with our fantastic Year 7 maths group, X32 Skipper.

The lesson visit was doubly special because Mrs Tatum is currently completing the final stretch of her full-year induction into How we XP?—our model of teaching, learning, expeditions and crew culture. It was a wonderful opportunity for me to engage, observe, and see exactly how our Year 7s are thriving in their maths lessons.

I walked away from the lesson incredibly proud of the group. Throughout the session, the students beautifully modelled our core HoWLs (Habits of Work and Learning). Here is a snapshot of what I saw:

  • Working Hard: The focus in the room was brilliant. Every student was determined, tackling challenging mathematical concepts without hesitation, using our teaching and learning protocols to collaborate on their beautiful work.
  • Getting Smart: The academic progress today was awesome. Students showed a really strong understanding of square numbers and cube numbers. They then took it a step further, sharpening their calculator skills to accurately identify square roots and cube roots. Watching them connect these concepts so confidently was fantastic.
  • Being Kind: True to the XP spirit, the peer support in the room was wonderful. Students were naturally encouraging one another, sharing ideas, and ensuring that no one in Skipper was left behind.

It’s clear that X32 Skipper are setting a brilliant standard for what it means to be an XP student. A huge well done to the whole class, and thank you to X32 Skipper and Mrs Tatum for setting the conditions for me to engage into such a purposeful, positive learning environment!

If you want to continue to look at this work at home Skipper – please engage with the further challenges below at home.

🚀 Extend Your Learning at Home

For any students who want to keep pushing themselves and stretch their skills further, here are two excellent Corbettmaths resources to practice at home:

Keep up the incredible work, Skipper!

Enrichment at XP Doncaster

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Join us this summer and get involved in our exciting enrichment activities! The PE department has plenty to offer, with a wide range of sports and activities for everyone to enjoy.

Why not take the opportunity to try a new sport, develop your skills, and have some fun after school? We also have a variety of events and competitions coming up, giving you the chance to challenge yourself and represent the school.

Whether you’re looking to compete, learn something new, or simply come along and enjoy playing with friends, there’s something for everyone. We look forward to seeing you there!

Year 10 (C29) TSLCs!

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We would like to invite parents and carers to Y10’s first Teacher-Student Led conferences on Monday, 8th June 2026.

These conferences will provide parents with an opportunity to meet with subject-specific teachers, allow students to discuss and reflect on their progress in different subjects following their upcoming mock exams and look at their own areas for development as they move towards Y11.

Students will be given a booking form which will allow them to book a time between 14:30 and 17:00. These will be booked on a first come first served basis so please ask your child to see their booking form and suggest a time to meet teaching staff.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

The Y10 Team

Crew Brunel: A Meaningful End To The Half Term

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This week in Crew Brunel has been full of preparation, reflection, and celebration. From getting ready for presentations to coming together for our final whole-school community meeting with Year 11, every day brought something meaningful.

We started the week with our usual weekend check-in, giving everyone the opportunity to share how they were feeling and reconnect as a crew after the weekend. These conversations continue to help strengthen our relationships and create a supportive start to the week. Alongside our check-ins, we spent time making final preparations for our Wise Wednesday presentations. Everyone worked hard to make sure they were organised, confident, and ready to present their ideas and learning.

On Tuesday, we focused on sorting through lost property. Students worked together to organise and display lost personal belongings in order to take photographs for the Lost Property blog post. It was a simple but important reminder about responsibility and supporting each other as a community. The activity also linked closely to the values of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme, particularly teamwork, service, and taking responsibility for helping others.

Wednesday gave students the opportunity to explore future pathways by looking at GCSE options, particularly Creative and Global subjects. Students discussed the courses available, thought about their interests and ambitions, and asked thoughtful questions about what their next steps could look like. It was great to see students engaging positively with conversations about their futures and beginning to think carefully about the opportunities ahead of them.

On Thursday, we were joined by Crew Sinfield and Crew Peake. Together, we reflected on the week by looking at praises and conducts. This was a valuable opportunity to celebrate successes, recognise positive contributions, and discuss how we can continue to improve as individuals and as crews. The collaborative atmosphere helped encourage honesty, reflection, and encouragement between students.

Friday’s whole-school community meeting was packed with highlights and celebrations from across the school. One of the standout moments was seeing the Year 8 final product work focused on migration. Students showcased an impressive wall painting project using stencils and spray paint to creatively express themes connected to migration. The artwork demonstrated both creativity and teamwork. We also heard from a water safety awareness expert who visited Year 7 students to raise awareness about staying safe around water. The session was informative, engaging, and incredibly important as we move towards the summer months. Another exciting update came from Year 10 students who recently completed their DofE Silver practice expedition. It was fantastic to hear about their resilience, teamwork, and determination throughout the experience.

As always, the meeting included appreciations, apologies, and stands, giving students and staff the chance to recognise one another, reflect honestly, and celebrate positive actions across the school. There was also an important stand made around following the XP character traits. It was recognised that there have been a few incidents recently where students have not demonstrated these values as positively as they could. This was an opportunity to remind everyone of the importance of showing respect, compassion, courage, and integrity, and to encourage students to put things right moving forward.

Finally, this community meeting marked the last one with our Year 11 students before they move on to their next steps. It was a special moment to recognise their journey, contributions, and the impact they have had on the school community.

This week showed the importance of preparation, teamwork, reflection, and celebration within Crew Brunel and the wider school community. We are proud of the positive attitude and effort shown by everyone throughout the week.

As we head into a week off, we hope everyone has the chance to rest, recharge, and enjoy the sunshine. We look forward to welcoming everyone back for the final half term of the academic year and to another successful few weeks ahead.

Miss Mitchell

Something Better Change – A visit from KAS

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Following last week’s trip to London, we welcomed the Year 9 Crew from King Alfred School to XP Doncaster this week. The students immediately dived back into their collaborative Learning Expedition, ‘Something Better Change’, starting the day with a Crew Circle to reconnect and refocus their work. Our students then led authentic ambassador tours, showing our guests exactly how we build community, develop character, and craft beautiful work across our schools.

The combined Crew spent the rest of their time tackling our central Guiding Question: ‘What sort of education would we design for our own children?’ Working with great compassion and respect, the students analysed their notes from last week and began the messy, exciting process of drafting their initial ideas – proving what happens when young people are empowered to get smart to do good in the world.

The day finished on a high with students ready and resolute to continue this important collaboration. They decided that they wanted to share their thoughts more widely and engage with a wider range of stakeholders. A film of the initial stages of the Expedition will help to spread their message and we can use this as a springboard for further work next term.

We think this is the beginning of a beautiful, and agency filled, friendship.