Diary Dates for Autumn 1
Y4: Soldiers Assemble!
This afternoon, we were able to try out our helmets, shields and swords by having a mini battle! We tried out the ‘tortoise’ formation and used the shields to try and protect everyone!
KS1 Superhero Family Learning
This afternoon, we held our first KS1 family learning event of the year. Thank you to all of the parents/carers who were able to join us to take part in some superhero skill based activities – water pistol shoot-out, archery and super strength tyre flipping to name just a few! We look forward to welcoming you into school again soon and hope you enjoyed our fun afternoon.
Crew Spetch – Awesome Immersion 🦜
This morning we completed some crafts to immerse our classroom. It’s now looking very bright and colourful with our rainforest animals!
A huge shout out to Toby too for all of his efforts this week creating lots of artwork and crafts for our classroom, they are fab Toby! A very well deserved learning postcard for you today! 🌟







Y4 finish their shields!











Sharing our Stories: 08/09/2023
Beautiful Work This Week – Double Edition!
#C30Aberdovey – Our Reflections
Last week our new Year 7s were the 9th cohort of students from XP to head off to the Aberdovey Outward Bound centre to answer the guiding question ‘What does it mean to be Crew?’. These are their reflections after just three days of their secondary school journey…
Orchestra in residence at XP
XP is now the official new home of the Doncaster Youth Jazz Association.
Fifty years ago John Ellis MBE created the Doncaster Youth Jazz Association (DYJA).
Over the next half century, with three bands and a fourth ensemble made up of alumni, the organisation was to become internationally renowned.

The Doncaster Youth Jazz Orchestra has played at some of the awesome venues in the world, from the Royal Albert Hall to Buckingham Palace, the United Nations in New York to Ronnie Scott’s in London. Always delighting audiences and showcasing the young people of Doncaster’s talent and virtuosity.
Now, after many years at Beckett Road, DYJA are moving into our XP school, which will become their base. Their office, rehearsal and teaching rooms and music library – as well as full band rehearsal space will be here with us at Middle Bank.
Andy, our Chief Academic officer commented:
“We are absolutely delighted, across the XP Trust, that the Doncaster Youth Jazz Association is now based at our founding school, XP.
To support and be associated with an organisation that has travelled the world, sharing its music and the amazing talent of Doncaster’s young musicians, is very exciting and part of our ongoing commitment to the local community.
As we look forward to celebrating 10 years of XP in 2024, this feels like another landmark moment in our story – and we hope this is so for DYJA too as they continue their decades-long journey.”
Charlotte Arrowsmith, Chair of the Board of Trustees added:
“This feels like a new and exciting chapter for us at DYJA as we enter our 51st year. We’re delighted to have moved into XP School – and we’re looking forward to working and creating here, in such an inspiring place.”
#C30Austerfield
Plover’s Colour Run
Acts of Service: C28’s Sine FM Adverts for Moorends Foodbank
X28, X27 and X26 Building Crew
Top of the Blogs
BBK/Chotting @ Carcroft School
Weekly update for families @ XP Gateshead
Student Ambassadors – First meeting of the year @ Plover
Stay and Challenge @ Norton Infants
Class 12: Crew Reading @ Green Top
Act of Kindness @ Norton Juniors
KS1 Family Learning
Please enter school via the Middlebrook Lane entrance and down the school drive.
Class 12: Crew Reading! 📖
This morning, the children took some time to immerse themselves within the different expedition books we have available.






Making Roman shields and Roman catapults
Year 3 enjoyed painting their Roman shields in the sunshine this morning ☀️



Afterwards, the children worked collaboratively in groups to create their own Onager catapults before going outside to test them out.






They then tested the catapults to see whose went the furthest distance and who could hit the targets.




Well done everyone – you were little superstars!