New free school to pioneer ‘world-class expeditionary learning’

Instead of learning about English, maths, science, geography and history separately, pupils at the planned XP free school, in Doncaster, will study just one topic a term but in a variety of ways.

This vision of teaching through what is called “expeditionary learning” is being led by former teacher Gwyn ap Harri who says he was inspired by this approach after seeing it in action in a charter school in the United States.

He said: “I now work in education software and while doing this I visited High Tech High School in San Diego and I was overwhelmed by what I saw.

“I felt like I either needed to move to San Diego or recreate the same thing in my hometown of Doncaster.

“Children learn through cross-subjects expeditions rather than separate subjects. We will still be sitting GCSEs in all these subjects but pupils will learn them a different way.”

He said that by studying a 
single theme or topic over a 
term a pupil could immerse 
themselves in a subject and become better at learning independently.

“It is the way teachers want to teach and pupils want to learn but, more than that, when I saw this in San Diego I thought to myself ‘If I had gone to a school like this it would have made me a better person’.”

The XP school has been given initial backing to open from September 2014 by the Department for Education. If it gets the final sign off it will be the first free school to open in South Yorkshire.

Free schools are a key part of the coalition Government’s education policy which enables people to set up schools from scratch if they can prove they have the demand.

The XP plan is for for a small secondary school for 11 to 19-year-olds with two classes of 25 in each year group recruited from across Doncaster. A site has not yet been identified.

Mr ap Harri said the school would start with three teachers. There will be a “STEM” teacher focused on science, technology and maths, a humanities teacher who can cover subjects like English, history and sociology and a creative teacher. “You could have more than one teacher working in a single lesson with different pupils working in different projects about the same topic.”

The XP school has announced that Andy Sprakes, headteacher at Campsmount Academy in the town, will be its principal when it opens in September 2014.

Mr ap Harri added: “We’re delighted with the appointment. Andy is clearly the man for the job. He is a Donny lad, just like me, completely passionate about improving the lives of our young learners, and has a proven track record of creating value-driven schools with a strong culture.

“He understands what we are trying to achieve here is world-class, and I know he has the 
energy and skills to implement our plans. He’s the perfect fit for XP.”

Mr Sprakes has been headteacher at Campsmount Academy, in Doncaster for eight years, after spending the four previous years as deputy head, and will leave them with record breaking results at both GCSE and A-level.

The school also made the headlines in 2009 when it was ravaged by a massive fire which destroyed much of the old building. It was then rebuilt as a part of pilot project for the way new schools should be built nationally.

Mr Sprakes said: “It’s sad that I’m leaving such a brilliant school, but I couldn’t miss this opportunity. XP is not about politics or size, it’s about how we fundamentally teach our kids. I have no doubt in my mind that XP will change the face of education in the UK.”