World Book Day Competition 🌎📗❤️

It is just over a week till World Book Day (Thursday 7th March) and what better way to get into the mood than a fun, arty competition!

Think about your favourite book and then represent it with arts and crafts in a box – yes, A BOOK IN A BOX!

You can be as creative and imaginative as you like!

Bring your entries into school on World Book Day – can’t wait to see your creations!

Mrs Graves

#LovePlover

Super Scientists in 3SG

We have been investigating forces in 3SG this is week, to find out if the surface an object travels on changes how it moves.

We conducted a ‘fair test’ and had some interesting results. Overall, we decided that a flat smooth object moves further when travelling on a smooth flat surface. We found out that this is because when there is more friction, the object cannot travel as far.

Mrs Graves

#LovePlover

Run, run as fast as you can!

During outdoor play, the children read clues to find the Gingerbread Man. They used their phonics skills to sound out words. They read the clues and were successful in finding the Gingerbread Man. He will be hiding again tomorrow and there will be more clues to find!

Mrs Price and Mrs Bubb

#LovePlover

We are investigating magnets

We have had great fun investigating magnets and finding polar north by hanging a magnet from a piece of string. The initial speed of the magnet spinning in both directions convinced the children that it was just ‘going cray-cray’ (their words NOT mine) and not actually working. They were amazed when it finally settled, pointing in the direction we had previously confirmed as being north with a compass!

Ellis took his learning a step further and investigated how closely he could push two magnets together before the magnetic force took over! Well done Ellis, extra special scientist shout out for you young man!

Well done everyone!

Mrs Haycock

#LovePlover

Sharing our Stories: 01/03/2024

Beautiful Work This Week

Expedition Stories: LKS2 @ Plover

This week we’re proud to share the beautiful story LKS2s Expedition from last term ‘Coming to Doncaster: why then and why now?’. The incredible work from the students is on display outside the school for the community to see – make sure you go and check it out!

Being Human: Beautiful work in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead

This week beautiful work created by students at XP Gateshead was curated and unveiled at the QE Hospital!

What does it mean to be human?’

As part of their learning the students considered what makes a human both in a scientific way, through study of the gas exchange, circulatory and reproductive systems, and with regard to culture and religious beliefs when studying the Abrahamic faiths and the sanctity of human life. 

Students then began the analysis of the tone and structure of successful speeches, and used this learning to write persuasive speeches on the topic of organ donation. 

The theme of how humans and their societies and cultures grow and develop was then explored. Studying the development of humans from a single cell, through childhood, and puberty and onwards to adulthood. Adding to this theme we also considered our evolutionary past. 

Students also worked with an expert to explore innovations and advancements that are being made around the world to help and support the development of humans. Alongside this students met with experts in organ donation, Dharmic faiths and Humanist beliefs  in order to reflect upon who we want to be and how we can be the best version of ourselves. 

The students were then challenged to create artwork to promote organ donation, and reflect upon what it means to be Human. Students also gave a speech expressing what they think it means to be human to parents and experts. 

This work displayed at the QE hospital is the result of XPG’s community collaboration and celebrates what it means to be human and how together we are stronger.

The work has been well received already and Gateshead NHS have shared this post about working with the students at XPG!

XP on the TV!

We’re on TV next week!

XP Doncaster will be featured in a BBC Two documentary to be aired on the 7th March.

Multi award winning TV company Tern TV, spent several days filming with us last summer, with the presenter Darren McGarvey, who won the Orwell prize for his book ‘Poverty Safari’.

The filming was for the second of three documentaries, which in order focus on Justice, Education and Health, titled: Darren McGarvey: The State We’re In.

Claira Salter, our Principal of XP Doncaster said:

“We love to share what we do across the XP Trust, welcoming over a thousand visitors and delegates from all over the world in the last year alone. So, when we were approached by Tern TV to take part in the education documentary presented by Darren, it was a real opportunity to engage with an even wider audience here and for our students to participate in the process of interviewing and film making.”

“We are looking forward to seeing all three programmes and are delighted that the spotlight will also be on Doncaster and the communities and partners we are proud to work with.”

All episodes are available on BBC iPlayer now and the Education documentary will be broadcast on Thursday 7th March at 9pm on BBC Two. 

Top of the Blogs

Weekly update for parents @ XP Gateshead

Kindness changes everything @ Norton Infants

Family Learning Y3/4 @ Green Top

Fantastic artwork in Year 9 @ XP

Fieldwork Fun at Yorkshire Wildlife Park @ Plover

C26 Celebrations @ XP East

Science Experiment @ Carcroft School

Year 3 are Magnetic! @ Norton Juniors

We’re looking for an awesome Learning Coach at Plover School!

Find out more about the role and apply here to #JoinOurCrew

Share your stories with us!

We now have a new dedicated news email so that you can send your stories, updates or ideas about potential news articles directly to us in Comms.

It might be something you or your students have achieved, a charity you’re supporting or anything at all that deserves a wider audience.

Write to us at [email protected] –  we want to hear about it, write about it and celebrate it!

Fieldwork fun at Yorkshire Wildlife Park…

Approximately 17,595 steps or 13.12km of walking should mean your child will sleep well tonight. What a wonderful (but tiring) day! The polar bears were so active and our workshop helped us to better understand how enormous these fabulous creatures are. The photos really don’t do the day justice – you need to see them to believe them!

Your behaviour around the park was was fabulous 4H and shout out to everyone in the red crews for excellent behaviour whilst we were on the coach! I am so proud of you all.

Special shout out to Caleb who spent the day making as many notes as he could about polar bears!

Mrs Haycock

#LovePlover