Elements of the XP Diploma
Qualifications
The academic qualification programme will be bespoke for each student, drawing on available and appropriate qualifications, such as A Levels and BTEC Nationals.
Students are expected to continue their studies in the Sciences, Humanities and Arts in some form as well as working on their personal development. For instance, they may choose to do an Arts Award Gold, or an Extended Project Qualification, or an agreed personal project that impacts positively on the community. Other students may want to improve their GCSE grade in English or Maths, or take another Level 2 qualification such as an additional GCSE or V Cert.
Students can continue their Duke of Edinburgh Award through to Gold.
Students can engage in an extended professional internship while studying at XP.
This allows for breadth of study, offering a more rounded education, as well as allowing students to focus deeply on their chosen area of study if they have one.
Careers education, information, advice and guidance
XP works in partnership with Doncaster Skills Academy to provide the best independent advice and guidance and local knowledge.
Building on the work shadowing placement in Year 11, our students will have the opportunity to engage in a purposeful internship in Year 12. This will involve students working with an organisation of their choice on an authentic project.
Through subject expeditions, students will continue to engage with organisations related to their career through fieldwork and experts.
Personal Development
A comprehensive personal development programme will be delivered alongside the continuation of Crew, our pastoral system of 12 or 13 students to each staff Crew Leader.
The programme will focus on:
- Looking after yourself - cooking, cleaning, personal finance, legal rights and duties, careers and pathways
- Working with others - complementing our existing ways of working through individual and team work, with academic and pastoral support to ensure this.
- Presenting yourself - preparing portfolios, CVs, UCAS forms, and further building of relationships with potential universities, employers or apprenticeships.
Portfolio
A student’s physical portfolio will contain work they are most proud of such as: reflective pieces, qualifications, references and links to digital work contained in their digital portfolio. Their portfolios will be of high quality and present each student in their best light. They will have full access to their digital portfolio after they leave school.
Environment
Post 16 students will have their own base in our new school, XP East, which allows them to have a sense of independence while still enjoying the resources of both XP and XP East, acting as stewards and role models to our younger students.
Post 16 sessions will start at 9:15am, with crew at 8:30-9:15am
Students can work flexibly at the school from 8:30am until 4:30pm
Curriculum
Each student will have a structured timetable with teacher-led sessions and guided study.
- At least 5 hours a week ‘per Subject / A Level equivalent’ contact time with subject specialist.
- Guided study time will also give access to at least two teachers.
As well as conventional instruction, students will experience seminars, tutorials, workshops and lectures across both XP and XP East schools, working in subject-themed study groups.
Most of the curriculum will be delivered through subject-deep expeditions with authentic products i.e. students are still learning things to create things.
Coverage will be completed through discrete lessons, high quality texts and digital resources.
During Guided Study, as well as work on qualifications, students can:
- Work on wider XP Diploma elements (Portfolio, Internship, Personal projects)
- DofE - Activity / Skill / Volunteering
- Crew (Pastoral / Academic)
At all times, students will know where they are, where they need to get to, and the steps they need to take to get there.
Partners
Brokered by Doncaster Skills Academy, students will be able to undertake a purposeful internship with a partner organisation operating in the career they are interested in pursuing.
Our Internship Academy allows students to access specific career-focused programmes that can be expertly delivered through our partners, such as Doncaster College and Higher Rhythm, while being supported as an XP student.
We will also broker relationships with the right universities, colleges and other FE institutes for all our students wanting to continue their studies through to the next stage.