Nursery this week have continued to study the traditional tale of The Gingerbread Man. We have been investigating “How can we help the Gingerbread Man to cross the River?” We noticed the point in the story, in which the Gingerbread Man runs into trouble; having to cross the water whilst everyone is chasing him. Some of the suggestions given by the children were; “A boat”, “An aeroplane”, “A bridge”, “Another animal”, “A frog” and “A submarine”.
The children used photos of various types of bridges from around the world as inspiration and material to create the water. They then constructed their bridges either alone or in small groups working collaboratively and added their own details. Just look at our beautiful work! The story language which the children used as they tested out the bridge with a Gingerbread Man, was amazing!
In Crew Goodyer this week, Class 6 brought their Somebody Swallowed Stanley work in to share with Class 5. Class 6 were so proud to share their character plans, story maps and read their alternative stories aloud confidently. Class 5 offered some great critique, praising their crew mates and sharing ideas for how to make their work better.
The children in Class 6 are incredibly proud of their animal fact files and the art work they have produced for our final product. I was so impressed with their focus, enthusiasm, positive attitudes and the progress everyone is making.
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.”
This morning in crew we discussed what being kind looks like. We each thought of something that we had done this week that showed kindness to someone else. We wrote down our acts of kindness onto leaves and put them onto our crew kindness trees. I think we may need to make bigger trees because of all the kind hearts we have in Class 1!
We made a Leap Day time capsule in class today not to be opened until February 29th 2028 – when we are in year six!
We included notes to our future selves. pictures and photographs – and made Mrs Parsons add it to her calendar so she doesn’t forget to give them to us!
