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To continue Hook Week, we focused on the artist Frank Bowling and took part in a gallery walk in which we looked at examples of his work to critique. Following this, we began looking at his medium of choice – oil pastels – and investigated how we can use these with different techniques to produce different effects.
Crew Rankin have had their team working skills put to the test with two separate challenges.
They had to work in teams of 4 to see who would be most successful in building a bridge that was sturdy enough to hold a pile of school books and a tower that would stand freely and still be tall. It definitely tested their perseverance but it was lovely to see how well they communicated with each other and took turns to ensure everyone had a job role or contribution to the overall product.
This week, in crew, we have have been busy exploring our HoWLs (Habits of Work and Learning). Together, we thought carefully about different scenarios and discussed whether they showed Working Hard, Getting Smart or Being Kind. It was fantastic to see the children reflecting on their choices, sharing ideas with one another, and recognising how our HoWLs help us to grow not just as learners, but as kind and responsible members of our Crew.
UKS2 all came together in the hall to take part in some across-phase learning to kick start Hook Week. We began by spending some time watching a video that allowed us to immerse ourselves into the rainforest, learning about the different animals and layers of the rainforest. Following this, we became rainforest explorers and worked in mini crews of 4, each investigating one of the four layers of the Amazon rainforest. We used information from around the room and took notes that we then shared on our class Padlet (you can see this if you follow the QR code). Finally, we took part in a Kahoot quiz to test our knowledge and see who had learned the most during the session.
During this lesson, Crew Rankin began looking at animal classification. We began by taking part in a Kahoot quiz to test the knowledge we already had, seeing what we could already answer about the different classifications. Following this, we spent some time taking part in a carousel activity in which we read brief fact sheets about each animal group and answered comprehension style questions about what we had read. Once we had built up our knowledge on each group, we then worked in mini crews to create a class set of google slides that detailed as much information about our given classification as we could. You can see our work following the QR code.
From Friday 22nd August you can start pre-ordering your child’s lunches using Relish’s Parent Portal. You can also view menus and download recipes!
Please find below instructions on how to do this.
Here’s a selection of beautiful work from across the XP Trust from the last two weeks of term! It’s been filled with all kinds of wonderful things from all of our schools. To read about other stories from across the XP Trust, visit xptrust.org.
Why the Arts Matter at XP – Our Festival Highlights @ XP Trust
At the Coalface: POL @ Norton Juniors
Climate Change Through Data @ XP
G29 What a Wonderful World POL @ XP Gateshead
At XP, we believe education should help young people discover who they are, what they stand for, and how they can make a difference. The arts are at the heart of this.
Through music, dance, drama, and visual art, our students learn to collaborate, express themselves, and craft work of real depth and beauty. These aren’t “extras” to the curriculum – they are essential experiences that develop the character traits we value above anything else: courage, craftsmanship, respect, and compassion.
Last Friday, we celebrated these values at our second XP Festival of Arts & Culture – a day filled with music, dance, and art from across all the schools in our Trust. Every primary school showcased their dancing skills in collaboration with Phoenix Dance Company, alongside cheerleaders and singers from across the Trust.
The afternoon culminated in a show-stopping parade led by the New York Brass Band, bringing everyone together for an unforgettable rendition of Kool and the Gang’s “Celebration”. The evening carried the energy forward with live music from XP Doncaster and XP Gateshead students, alongside local bands and professional artists.
Our students were phenomenal – both on stage and in the audience – showing once again the power of Crew in action.
A huge thank you goes to the XP Doncaster and Plover staff who stewarded and supported the event. It was a powerful example of what’s possible when we create spaces for young people to thrive.
Here’s to next year!!!
In Crew,
Andy Sprakes
The children have been doing lots of learning using our bear counters. We’ve been following patterns and created our own in our maths learning.
