We use some cookies to make this website work. With your permission we would also like to use cookies that help us understand how the website is used and measure our advertising. You can accept or reject these, or choose which ones to allow.
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 2026 and prepared to attend the assessment on 21st November 2026.
What a busy week it has been for Crew Brunel! We have certainly packed a lot into Crew this week, with plenty of opportunities to learn, reflect, celebrate and work together.
From getting creative with scrapbooking and looking back at our memories and experiences, to learning how to say “hello” in all 19 languages spoken by our students and staff at XP Doncaster, there has been lots going on! We have also been celebrating the success of Year 10 so far as part of our Crew Phase. It is important to take time to recognise the progress we have made, the challenges we have overcome and the hard work that has gone into getting us to where we are now. There is still plenty of hard work ahead, but there is also lots to be proud of! Alongside this, Crew Brunel have been getting stuck into some People’s Health revision this week, working together to revisit key knowledge and test our understanding.
This week’s special shout-out has to go to David!
Last weekend, David joined some of our Year 10 students and staff to complete a 5K run in support of Young Lives vs Cancer. It was fantastic to hear that our students challenged themselves while raising awareness and money for such an important cause. A huge well done to David for getting involved and completing the 5K — you should be incredibly proud! And a massive well done to everyone who took part and helped make the event such a success.
If you are able to donate a few pounds to support the fundraising effort, it would be hugely appreciated. Every donation, big or small, can make a difference.
Students from X32 Admiral, X31 Admiral/ Skipper and C29 KBA maths have been working exceptionally hard since returning this academic year.
It’s been a fast pace start including immersion, skills checks, AQA stride assessments, GCSE questions, learning labs, Sparx, excellent classroom discussions and some year 11 stewardship.
Students in 7 Explorer have been exploring mark making techniques in Art. Kai, Poppy, Elliott, Zach, and Charlie in Crew CST have produced some fantastic work as they refine and perfect their pen techniques.
Crew Peake are absolutely shining at the minute – with a total of 43 praise points awarded between them in the last 7 days!
Some highlights include a total of 28 Work Hard 2 praises – awarded for participating fully & mindfully in sessions!
Take a look at the praise leaderboard here for the last 7 days:
Some great work going on in Crew Peake at the moment in sessions; with examples of stewardship, great work in maths, focus in geography, and even praise points for craftsmanship & quality; taking great pride in books!
This is why, Crew Peake, we think you’re the best ever!!!
If you walked past the Year 11 English classrooms today, it might have been fair to assume that Crew Caldwell had vanished with how quiet they were!
I experienced all of our grade 7+ Year 11s in full “beast mode” – tackling a 25 mark question around the theme of family in Romeo & Juliet in their Literature-focused session – yes, on a Friday morning!
Pens were flying across paper at light speed, quotes were being plucked out of the depths of brains, and essays were being constructed with an intense concentration. It was absolute, uninterrupted focus from start to finish – a real masterclass!
Honestly, I am ridiculously proud of them. Facing down a big assessment isn’t easy, but they treated it like absolute pros.
Day 6 (D6!) will begin this Saturday (October 3rd) for our Y10/Y11 students!
The session will run from 9:30am-12pm – it’s an optional/voluntary session, where students are able to access additional support with learning – or just have a relaxed space for focused self study away from potential distractions away from home.
Students can come and go as they wish, and do not have to stay for the whole session – they’ll just need to sign in and out.
D6 will be supported by Student Coaches – ex-students of XP & XPE – who have returned to provide our current students with peer to peer academic study support. We’re currently in the process of recruiting coaches to support.
Please encourage Y11s to come along to squeeze in some extra revision time. They’ll see the benefits on results day!
In our recent Wise Wednesdays session, students explored what diversity means to them and how understanding our differences brings us together.
Crew reflections were awesome, and students were really engaged in the learning.
Respect & Inclusion: We should celebrate what makes us unique, share our perspectives, and never judge others for being different.
Beyond Culture: Diversity includes our backgrounds, values, and distinct personalities.
Learning from History: Students reflected on historical struggles for equality – researching influential people like Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and Nelson Mandela.
Our students showed amazing empathy and proved that learning about one another is the best way to build a kind, connected community.
