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OCTOBER 2015
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Our Aim
In accordance with our Mission Statement the School’s aim
60
Faith and Worship
To help us to grow spiritually as followers of Christ and as members of a C community: to make prayer, worship and liturgy central to school life.
School and Community
Celebrating Years of Celebrating 60 Years of60Outstan Outstanding Learning 1955 - 2015
To encourage and develop relationships between home, parish, school and the wider com in order to prepare our pupils to become responsible, I love comingcaring to workcitizens. here each day.
Often it doesn’t feel like work. We are a Catholic co privilege to see our young people flourishing, to sp that it can play a role within our quality assurance and Since we’ve spent the half-term successfully promoting ways and watch grow in confidence. They a consultation processes. anweeffective system of and them relationships which is based our school To as adevelop place where ‘do things differently’ it communications every lesson great adventures and stories unfold bor Gospel respect, tolerance, care and understanding towards all member seemed a good idea values to apply of thatmutual to the termly and creativity. inspiring staff arepupils’ dedica As time goes on itOur will equally focus more on showcasing newsletter.school community. person in their care. They may get outstanding re work and it is hoped that we can develop a quarterly school bringsmagazine. so much more to the education of our studen What you have here, then, is a summary of just some of Individual Support and Development differently so that every child can realise their gifts a the highlights of the last eight weeks in the form of a Meanwhile we are this keenmeans to hear that from we anyone who wouldto they are. Doing are bringing timeline, articles written by pupils and a selection of like to be involved in co-ordinating and developing our photographs. ethos of to theencourage school. To celebrate the unique nature of each person and their development as indi
WELCOME...
Communications and Relationships
plans for the school’s Diamond Jubilee.
You will shortly begin receiving a short weekly newsletter There is great spirit and energy in this school. You c Curriculum We hope you enjoy reading all about the school’s work by email. This will give parents, guardians and friends of curricular activities, in the array of research projec this half-term. the school a sense of daily life at St. Ambrose. The the creativity that flows through our learning. There newsletter To will occasionally be themed A National Teach introduce all pupils and to asometimes broad, balanced, and differentiated curriculum and t onerelevant is left behind, no-one is left out. Visitors often A National School o will includepupils comments from pupils, parents and staff so with the necessary knowledge, skills and Christian values required in a rapidly ch
of purpose they find in the school; this comes fro
+8%
RESULTS BY NUMBERS 2015
GCSE 5 A*-C (inc. English and Maths): 68% (2nd in Salford) average gain across all measures: 3 levels of progress in English: 81% (up 13%) 4 levels of progress in English: 43% (up 16%) Progress 8 score: 0 (indicating that all pupils are on average making expected progress at GCSE) 3+ A*/A grades: 30% (up 3%) Ebacc: 31% (up 5%) Pupils who began in Year 7 at St. George’s HS (5 A*-C inc. English and Maths): 53% (up 7%) Pupils who began in Year 7 at St. Ambrose Barlow HS (5 A*-C inc. English and Maths): 77% (up 4%) and we saw the gap close in performance between Pupil Premium and non-Pupil Premium students.
Year 11 Boys Football Team wins the Plate at Walkden High School and the Year 11 Boys rugby team won the Salford Schools Rugby Sevens Championships competition at Buile Hill for the 3rd Year on the run, Mr. Morrison was very proud.
RUGBY & FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS
We celebrate St. Ambrose Barlow’s Feast Day with Masses and liturgies throughout the day led by priests from the Deanery and Mr. Davies, Head of RE. Pupils particularly enjoy the description of our patron saint’s gory martyrdom and solemnly reflect on his example of service and sacrifice.
ST. AMBROSE BARLOW FEAST DAY
08.09.15
10.09.15
01.09.15
Back to School Over 1000 pupils and staff return to school. In August we celebrated outstanding results with 68% 5 A*-C including English and Maths (in the top two schools in the area), levels of progress increasing significantly, especially in English and departments achieving excellent outcomes across the board. This was the first set of results since the alignment with St. George’s High School and demonstrated that, despite a year of significant change and upheaval, pupils had thrived and achieved very well. We also celebrated our first set of Year 13 leavers 100% of whom went on to positive destinations (60% at university) and our first Design Engineer Construct! level 2 graduates. Once again not one of our leavers, for the third year running, was NEET (not in employment, education or training).
girls uniform years 7-11 14.09.15
MAKE YOUR MARK
We begin a week of assemblies led by the Pupil Leadership Team and the Student Council that focus on the British Youth Parliament Make Your Mark Campaign. All pupils vote to decide on the issues that the Youth Parliament should explore over the coming year. Pupils from all years rise to the challenge of suggesting ways in which the school can respond to the refugee crisis.
We formally welcome our wonderful Year 7s with an evening Mass concelebrated by Canon Macbride and Fr. Williams. There is an excellent attendance by parents and guardians and the pupils take centre stage in their leadership of the liturgy. Over the past two days all of Year 7 have visited Wardley Hall as part of their induction into the school.
YEAR 7 WELCOME MASS & WARDLEY HALL TRIP
24.09.15 23.09.15
TRIP TO DISMALAND
Miss Wright leads a keen group of art students all the way down south to visit Dismaland, the ‘theme’ park of the artist Banksy.
We begin a week of assemblies at local schools to encourage Year 11 pupils to come to our exciting, unique and creative Sixth Form. We hold a special assembly for our own Year 11s.
Over 50 pupils from Year 10 and 11 attend the Open Day at Salford Royal Infirmary, led by Mrs. Grindley, to find out more about career opportunities in the medical and caring professions.
SIXTH FORM PROMOTION
SALFORD ROYAL TRIP
28.09.15
06.10.15
26.09.15
EUROPEAN DAY OF LANGUAGES
It’s European Day of Languages and in form time pupils participate in a themed quiz staff get involved too.
29.09.15
LEARNING ABOUT FAIR TRADE
Mr. Davies’ Year 9 class hold a Fair Trade Coffee event demonstrating their learning about the issue of fair trade.
We hold our first PSHE Super Day of the year. Year 7 get stuck into dealing with international disaster scenarios and Year 11 enjoy creative and helpful presentations from experts on studying, revision and learning skills.
SUPER DAY
12.10.15 08.10.15
6TH FORM OPEN NIGHT
We hold our Sixth Form Open Evening. Over 200 people attend, including significant numbers of pupils from neighbouring schools. Those present talk very positively about our A-level and BTCE offer, the creativity we embody and the excellent programmes of enterprise and enrichment that we have created.
13.10.15
YEAR 11 EVENINGS
Over two nights we hold our first ever Intervention evenings for all of Year 11. Each pupil and their parents or guardians attend a 15 minute interview with a member of staff to discuss their progress, their ambitions for the future and how they can achieve their potential. Attendance is a bumper 84%.
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throughly enjoyed the open evening - thanks for the hospitality - my son can’t wait to start....feeling very positive and excited about transition to high school... we were extremely impressed with the pupils’ presentation skills, confidence and patience PARENTAL COMMENTS FROM OPEN EVENING
We welcome John O’Connor and James Eaton of Laing O’Rourke Engineering and Construction to the school. They work with Year 11 pupils in the Design Engineer Construct! course and are bowled over by our pupils knowledge and skills. They also make a fabulous offer to our Sixth Form that will see us become the only established school-based route into the construction industry in the country.
LAING O’ROURKE VISIT SCHOOL
14.10.15 14.10.15
CAMBRIDGE TRIP
Mr. Davies (Head of RE) leads a trip of Year 11 pupils to Selwyn College, Cambridge University. Pupils enjoy life in the college, eating in Hall, attending lectures, buying books and soaking up the atmosphere.
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In the morning we hold out Staff Macmillan Coffee Morning event, raising £391 for charity. Later in the day we are joined by the company from the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, who perform the play “Britannia Waves the Rules’ to Years 10 and 11. The play deals with the story of a bright young man from Blackpool who joins the British army and serves in Afghanistan. In the evening, the company perform to the local community.
ROYAL EXCHANGE & MACMILLAN COFFEE MORNING
Pupils from Year 10 and 11 present an evening of Monologues and Duologues, led by Miss Tulloch, Head of Drama. The pupils treat the audience to an evening of creativity, entertainment, insight and real talent.
DRAMA EVENING
16.10.15 14.10.15
CREATIVE MEDIA TRIP
Students in Sixth Form from the Creative Media class visit Media City to see programmes being made and experience the real life application of their course skills.
we were all very impressed with THE school and were made very welcome by all of the staff and pupils on the night PARENTAL COMMENTS FROM OPEN EVENING
The school closes for the half-term break. At morning assembly seven new prefects are invested and, early in the morning, we see off the Paris trip.
half-term - off to paris
21.10.15 19.09.15
SIXTH F0RM TASTER DAY
We hold our Sixth FormTaster Day for Year 11. It is a huge success and as a result over 120 applications are received for the Sixth Form for next year. All pupils get to take part in an hour of outdoor activities including team games and marshmallow roasting!
20.10.15
YEAR 7 DRAGONS’ DEN & SALFORD YOUNG CARERS
All of Year 7 are participants in a day of enterprise activities and face the Dragons in their Den when they pitch their business ideas. The Dragons included teaching staff and guests from local business the 16-25 Growth Hub. At night two of our young carers speak at Salford Young Carers event along with Miss Wright - all are very well received and impressive.
23.10.15 22.10.15
OPEN EVENING
As students from the Sixth Form head off to the Lake District on their teambuilding residential, we hold out Open Evening. Over 660 people attend and the school is alive with the buzz of pupils and staff showing off all that is special about the school. Comments from guests are overwhelmingly positive.
TH E H A L F -T ERM I N WO R D S
PRO-LIFE GROUP BEGINS The Pro-Life Group is a group dedicated to assisting young mums who would normally have an abortion due to circumstances like money issues or family problems. The group is working with outside organisations to support the mums through the earlier stages of motherhood; our group in the coming weeks will be hosting fundraisers and collections for baby clothes. We hold meetings on Thursday and Friday lunch times and are happy to accept any students from year 9, year 10 and year 11. Even if you are just curious ask Miss Singleton for a lunch pass to come to a lunch time meeting where we discuss our plans for events, the earlier mentioned collections of baby clothing and also discuss our opinions about abortion (please remember we are a Catholic school and community and we do not judge anyone but instead we show them forgiveness just as the bible teaches).
questioning spectators. Banksy made this piece as a controversial message against paparazzi and their social agenda. ‘The Death of a Princess’ also portrayed the tragedy of Princess Diana. A favourite of mine was a sculpture of an orca being forced to jump through a hula-hoop into a murky and revolting paddling pool. The sculpture was portraying animal cruelty in places such as Sea World, where animals are forced to perform for the enjoyment of the public. Pieces like this set the tone for Banksy’s exhibit; it tackles a serious and overlooked issue in an odd and evocative way. The park was split into two major areas; one being an art gallery which displayed many understated artists’ work which also fit into the major theme of the whole park which was not everything has a happy ending. This included animations, sculptures and paintings. All mediums of art were expressed in this gallery, many depicting serious events with an air of dark humour.
Thomas Gillen 9C
DISMALAND VISIT Banksy’s twist on a happy, fun filled theme park brought thousands of eager fans wanting to see this once in a lifetime exhibit. The strange yet thought provoking artwork distorted the idea of an amusement park being a lively and care free place. Half of it was tackling world issues whilst the other half didn’t take itself too seriously. Take the go-kart disco reaper for instance. This show was filled with comical gags that ripped off the modern world, such as the “selfie” hole; which had no real reason to be there other than making fun of modern society. The entire park was an exhibit, from tents containing odd spectacles to the employees and staff. The atmosphere was overall gloomy but somewhat humorous. Personally, I enjoyed the castle piece which held a deceased Cinderella who had clearly crashed her carriage. The room was filled with paparazzi buzz and the whispers of the
The other major area was the abandoned park itself which was not only filled with ‘fun’ rides but with clever subliminal propaganda portrayed in sculptures and fair ground toys. A great example of this was the boats that customers could control which contained immigrants escaping war corrupted countries. This plays a brilliant part in the exhibit because it allows you to interact with an art piece whilst taking in the deeper message.
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A favourite of mine was a sculpture of an orca being forced to jump through a hula-hoop into a murky and revolting paddling pool - it tackles a serious and overlooked issue in an odd and evocative way
The fairground rides added a gloomy and bemused tone. The Ferris wheel was derelict and screeched with every cycle and the carousel portrayed a dead fairground horse butchered and strung over a box that read
‘lasagne’. This was a creative way to show a scandal that swept the nation not too long ago. Dismaland was by far the most exciting and different school trip that offered student’s fantastic inspiration for their work. This also gave students a new outlook on art and the issues that inspire it. In conclusion, Dismaland’s bemusement was a memorable experience for all who had the honour of going. Annie Brewer & Emily McDonald, Year 10
FORMER PUPIL’S DRAMA SUCCESS Victoria Burrows, who left our school in 2011 with an A in GCSE Drama and a score 180/180 in her practical exam, will be performing in the new theatre space HOME in Manchester within the chorus of their inaugural production of the Oresteia translated by Ted Hughes. Vicky spent two terms with us last year helping to prepare students for their practical exam and helping to direct the Drama Club. She left us to take on this role this term.
CREATIVE MEDIA TRIP The Year 12 & 13 Creative Media students experienced being in the audience for two episodes of the hit Channel 4 daytime TV show Countdown at Media City UK on the 14/10/15. The students met famous celebrities such as Nick Hewer, Richard Madeley and Rachael Riley. Creative Media course leader Mr Adrian Cammann was delighted with the day and the overall experience: "The chance to watch a professional TV production doesn't happen often for students and to see what happens on the other side of the camera was a fantastic
and valuable experience. It gives them opportunity to see what the production team, make-up artists, sound engineers and the presenters have to do as part of their roles". Student Liam Cooke (Year 13) commented: "I really enjoyed the Countdown trip as it was really educational and it gave me an idea about what jobs have to be done to produce a TV show. Meeting a the celebrities was a real bonus!".
ON SHOW AT MEDIA CITY Over the half-term break at Media City we will be showing the video below along with a display of pupil artwork at an event called Science Jam, which is part of the Manchester Science festival. The project was delivered in collaboration with Salford University School of Life Sciences. You will need to view the video on a Mac as it is a Quicktime file. The video link is: http://www.salford.ac.uk/ computing-science-engineering/news/ computing-science-and-engineering-news/ salford-science-jam-part-of-manchesterscience-festival
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY TRIP Even if you don’t have a particular religion you are bound to have a numinous experience at Selwyn College, in Cambridge University. It is, at first sight, an architectural masterpiece and on later exploration a beating lively heart with a passionate community. I’ve never felt anything like it. The two lectures we attended provided me with a taste of the intensive yet diverse teaching and learning programme, igniting a fiery motivation in me to be accepted there for a theology and ethics course. A favourite moment of mine was, as some teachers put it, ‘buying up the whole of Selwyn College library.’ From my perspective I was simply grasping the opportunity to gain more knowledge about the career I wish to pursue in the future. I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to savour such a renowned institution of higher education - thank you. Ola Kozlowska, 11A
T HE HALF -T ER M I N PI C TU RE S
SIXTH FORM TASTER DAY
From top left clockwise: students tackle the enterprise enrichment task that gives them a flavour of the business partnership at the heart of the 6th form; roasting marshmallows during the outdoor learning activities; competitive nail-hammering, part of the outdoor learning enrichment activities for all students in our 6th form; students get used to the atrium cafe area throughout the day.
OCTOBER OPEN EVENING
From top left clockwise: prospective parents and pupils explore changing technology and its impact in History; outstanding leadership from pupils who baking beautiful bread and encouraged guests to try it for themselves; trying on Roman costumes as a way of exploring the past; learning from pupil leaders about different aspects of Science - the place was packed; showing off learning about volcanoes and earth forces in the Geography classrooms, where you could also taste different types of chocolate.