Today Nursery had a visit from an expert visitor of an unusual kind….. a therapy dog named Ralph! The children were so excited to meet Ralph and his carer Sarah, who came from the charity Pets are therapy, who kindly agreed to spare what little spare time they have to visit us, as part of our case study “How do people show they care?” Sarah explained about the important work that the pair do in the community and the important job Ralph has to make friends and bring people happiness.
The children looked at photos of different therapy dogs and the kinds of people that they help, including the elderly, children in schools, people in hospital and hospices, as well as adults with learning difficulties and even people in prison. The dogs bring healing to those who are feeling very low, poorly or suffer with anxiety or worry.
The children were so excited to stroke Ralph and ask questions about his job and about what he needs, to care for him, after looking after so many others…. “He likes sausages and cheese best”. They thought he was “very kind”.
Thank you for coming to visit Ralph and Sarah – we very much appreciate your time and kindness.
In P.E this week the children enjoyed playing a balancing game. The children helped one another by holding onto each other. We all found that balancing on one foot was the most challenging. Great team work and impressive balancing skills class 1!
This week in phonics the children have learnt a new strategy to help them spell words. We use our segmenting fingers to help us break down the word before we write it. I have been blown away by their attempts! Keep it up Class 1!
Last week Nursery and EYFS celebrated a Christian tradition, Harvest Festival by being thankful for the food we eat, grown by farmers from all around the world. Nursery children were excited to join in a whole school assembly hosted by an expert visitor, our local pastor and volunteer/coordinator at Askern Food Bank, Mr West. Some of our children were even brave enough to stand at the front of the assembly and participate in the activities!
In Nursery we explored a little further about what Harvest actually is, by watching a short video about the celebration. The children learned that Harvest is when crops and vegetables are collected and sold to supermarkets. They also learned that a christian tradition is to gather food and donate it to others that maybe in need, through their local church. This fits in perfectly with our case study, “How do people show they care?” We were very grateful to all of our families who donated food, as the children collected the food and have made care packages to send to the local food bank with Mr West.
Another part of our beautiful work last week was also to create a “Corn Dolly”.
The children learned that the Corn Dollies are made from the strands of corn left over in the fields after the Farmers have collected their corn with their combine harvesters. They are made into dollies and then taken to the local church to wish farmers good luck for the year ahead’s crop! Just look at how amazing our corn dollies are!
As always there’s been so many moments of children working hard, getting smart and being kind. Here’s our stars from this week receiving their certificates and prizes…
Celebrating XP Doncaster’s Duke of Edinburgh 2024 Expedition
Check out these beautiful highlights from C28s DofE Expedition last academic year! They had an awesome POL to celebrate their success this week.
Working with the National Gallery
On Monday, our dedicated Art Staff at XP Doncaster had the incredible opportunity to attend an enriching workshop organised in collaboration with The National Gallery, made possible through the support of Right Up Our Street. This was part of a larger initiative, as The National Gallery prepares for their upcoming visit to Doncaster on 19th October, which is an exciting stop on their nationwide Art Road Trip. In the lead-up to this highly anticipated visit, the Gallery has been offering a series of free CPD sessions aimed specifically at art teachers. These sessions are designed to enhance teaching practices, and we were fortunate enough that our staff could participate in one of these invaluable opportunities.
“It was really amazing to work with the National Gallery on the Staff Day at XP. They will be coming in to launch the Articulation prize for XP C28 students. Staff had the opportunity to take part in the workshop as a sneak peek before the kids get a chance!”
Kat Taylor – Art @ XP Doncaster
The focus of the workshop was particularly inspiring, centring on the importance of art commentary and how educators can empower students to express their own unique interpretations of artworks. It delved deeply into the ways students can be encouraged to find and use their own voices, providing them with the tools to articulate personal responses to visual art. The session explored various strategies for prompting thoughtful engagement with art, ensuring that students feel confident in offering their perspectives, regardless of the artwork’s complexity or the student’s prior experience. By fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment, the workshop aimed to inspire both teachers and students to approach art not just as observers but as active commentators, enriching their understanding and appreciation of visual culture. This experience was invaluable for our staff, equipping them with fresh insights and methods that will undoubtedly benefit our students in the classroom.
Building Crew at Green Top
On our most recent Staff Day, Green Top School staff completed an awesome scavenger hunt around Snaith! Crews had to complete various challenges throughout the day and they built Crew and formed stronger relationships as a result! Go #CrewGreenTop!
Wood Foundation Visitors!
We love welcoming visitors from all over the world to our Trust and this week it was a delight to work with our friends from the Wood Foundation with teachers from more than a dozen schools in Aberdeenshire. Our work with the Wood Foundation and the many schools they support, began in 2019 and has enabled us to share our story and how we work. We also travelled to Aberdeen this year to deliver CPD – including how we crew!
This week the focus was on creating and delivering expeditions and our visitors created some amazing food from our Plover Pantry recipe leaflets; originally created by the students. Part of this expedition was designed to bring the leaflets to life with a step by step video and photography guide.
The children in class 1 have been getting creative with fruit and vegetables this week. We have been learning all about the Harvest Festival and have been thinking about where our food comes from. We then created a piece of art work using a selection of fruit and vegetables. Take a look at our impressive creations…
We have also been thinking of everything we have and what we are thankful for. The children warmed my heart with the things they said.
