

FAITH IN YOU
LOVE IN LEARNING
HOPE IN BETTER
this week in our school . . .
Volume 3 Issue 27 May 12th, 2018
getting it right ready respectful safe
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ST AMBROSE BARLOW RC HIGH SCHOOL & SIXTH FORM
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Head’s start .
Mr. Davis, Headteacher, reflects on the Mr. Davis, Headteacher, reflects on the week. week.
It mayIthave beenthis a short to thewith is about time week, of yearthanks that I meet glorious and sunny Bank Holiday weekend, but each Head of Department to review the it has summer’s been a busy one. exam results. This involves
plenty of useful and thought-provoking Fridaydiscussion, saw us saybut goodbye to ourtalking Year 13s as it is usually about they headed out on study leave. They are a numbers and letters. Behind this data are landmark yearhow group in the history of the school. stories: pupils did, how they felt, what As thethey first liked groupand to take A level subjects what they achieved. and We the first to be focus in a capacity always on howSixth thingsForm. can be improved as well as celebrating what went Prior to theirAs arrival the theschool, Sixth Form well. a Catholic examwas results are close to closure, with a very small uptake for a just one way of expressing the unique, Godlimitedgiven number of vocational and BTEC courses. talents and skills of each pupil. It is The Year 13s who are just leaving brought important to look beyond theus data so I am over 80 students sitting courses from a choice of delighted that much more of my job involves 21 A level, vocational and BTEC courses. being in classes, walking around the school and talking to pupils, students and staff. We have learnt a great deal from them and have used their feedback improve ourdespondent provision. or If ever you areto feeling at all They have brought optimism, excitement fatigued I reckon a quick tour of theand school possibility to quickly our 6th raise form.your We spirits. are veryLet sorry would me to see them go, but delighted by the dazzling show you what I mean. Today (Thursday, range September of destinations in for work and higher 29th) instance, I dropped into education that they are likely to achieve. Year 10 GCSE Music. There, I was delighted to listen to performances of AugustBeethoven’s 16th (A levelNinth results day) is the next ‘first’ Symphony, Hold Back for them and us and we wish them very well. the River and When the Saints Go Marching Already havegot reported some excellent Level In.we I also to sit with Daniel and Chester 3 Design Engineer Construct results the first as they demonstrated their prodigious DJing large scale presentation at that level in the UK. the talents. Next, during lunch, I supervised canteen and made a point of watching the As oneinteractions year groupthat leaves changes takeso place daily.take Pupils and place staff across the school. This week was the holding doors open for one another, time when our planned changes for the school offering thanks, little moments of personal took aappreciation leap forward.and Mr.gratitude. Carroll and met with Of Icourse, Years things 7 - 10 don’t to hold special assemblies on but it always go well in a school, alterations that are being made to the pastoral is lovely to witness a voluntary apology from system the9school. The oftime these is the a in Year to one of themain lunch staff, or move see to vertical tutoring and the establishing of one pupil help another who is unsure the house system. where to go for class.
It was In a real present our ideas andwith Sixthprivilege Form, I to enjoyed a lengthy chat hear the response of concern, worry and hope Aidan who explained both the theory of that the young people expressed. Allcommercial parents differentiation and its potential and carers should by now have received the application. In English they were studying letter detailing the changes and inviting them the play Blood Brothers and talking withto attendhumour a consultation evening on Maysuperstitions; 24th. and excitement about in Year 7 RE they were dissecting our new On Friday I was lucky to be in the the mission statement andinvolved exploring appointments process for our new Heads personal meanings within it. Schoolofis a House. We have nowhumming appointed six staff to lead busy, bustling, place.
I get to Maths to find all of Year 9 embroiled in a task that is so challenging and exciting that I want to stay and have a go myself. the houses. Our next task is to finalise the Outside it’s: “Sir, have you seen my tie? house names and launch the whole system. Can you open my bottle? What did you Key to the process of appointment was an think of last night’s game? What time is it, interview by a panel of pupils and a member of Sir?” and, at least once a day, “Oh my Parent Council. I was so impressed (but not days!” It can be noisy at times and in a unsurprised) by the insightful questioning of the community this size we can’t expect young people andon their evidence commitment to everyone to get with each other all the testing the candidates. I am certain that we time. But it is our community, and a lively, have made excellent appointments as a result. lovely, positive one at that. Perhaps theone single of my received week, if I this week ofhighlight our pupils had to pick, would be the conversation I had Mrs. Fay whoshould is leadingremind the anwithaward that us all development of our new library. I am a ever oflibrary the enthusiast capacityand of have our been pupils tosince put I was little. The furthest reach of my memoryfirst… is back to spent in our others tomoments be #Changemakers
local library entranced by its colour and bright possibilities. On Twitter quality, but I Gratitude is an often overlooked #RememberingMyLibrary reveals the hold experienced it in the most extraordinary way this that such an institution has: ‘A library card week. One of our Year 11 pupils arrived at my was early a freeinpass to wonderment, words and office the morning with a hamper of the ability world’ observes goodies for to theroam staff the so that they stayed one user, whilst anotherand quotes the wrought refreshed, hydrated motivated during iron exam gates of Stalybridge library, ‘Read, season. More generous still was theMark, letter that Learn and Inwardly Others talk of accompanied this gift:Digest.’ a letter of genuine the escape that a library represented of it affection and thanks to all the staff. Weorread the refuge it offered from an unkind world. out at our weekly CPD afternoon and many staff were deeply touched. Mrs. Fay spent last Saturday peacefully stacking the shelves we as areone inching We also celebrated thisand week of our Y7 closer to opening. What thrilled me wasRight her pupils, Sol Momoh, received his Do The comment that several boys, some of whom Thing award from Salford’s Ceremonial Mayor, affectConnor. a dislikeSol’s of reading, electrified Peter picture were adorns our frontby presence of a library in their school: cover this week. Sol’s award is given ‘You by the mean I canSociety borrow in this and, like, read it, local Rotary recognition of young Miss?’ was the breathless utterance of one of people of have consistently shown an attitude pupil. Our library is at the heart of the service to their community or, as we put it, for school: a space for being openan to award and that being a #Changemaker. It was sharing ideas and experiences. It should remind us all of the capacity is of openour pupils plan and its shelves serve as a reminder to put others first. that there should be no barrier to anyone using its volumes or seeking knowledge, God bless, solace, entertainment or information. I can’t waitDavis to see it come to life in the weeks Ben ahead thanks to Mrs. Fay and her band of Headteacher helpers. Twitter: @BenDavis1972
Ben Davis, Headteacher Twitter: @BenDavis1972 2
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calendar what’s on
Achievement Points this week: St. Benedict St. Francis St. Margaret Clitherow St. Teresa of Calcutta
 
Governors: Welfare Committee 5pm
Exam season begins!
TUE 15
WED 16
THU 17
438 456 426 484
FRI 18 SAT 19
MON 14
COMING UP THIS WEEK week beginning 14.05.18 week A
attendance We aim for 100% attendance for all of our students and have set 96% as satisfactory attendance for this year. Attendance is monitored period-by-period and statistics are published each week. Excellent attendance guarantees excellent learning. Attendance by year (w/e May 12th)
Year 7 Year 8 year 9 year 10 year 11 School
95.7% 94.9% 95.2% 93.1% 93.5% 94.5%
Attendance and its impact on learning 10 days absence means 95% attendance 19 days absence means 90% attendance 29 days absence means 85% attendance 38 days absence means 80% attendance 47 days absence means 75% attendance Please note: If your child is off school you need to contact student services the same day on 0161 921 1589/1551. If the school has not been contacted within five days, the absences will automatically be unauthorised. Ten Challenge; Top: at the Siemens Rollercoaster unauthorised marks may lead to a fixed penalty Below: 6th formers at the Teenage Cancer3 notice being served.
Trust fundraiser
INFORMATION ABOUT PLANNED CHANGES TO THE SCHOOL
After our Ofsted monitoring visit in December we put in place a detailed and substantial plan to improve our system of pastoral care. This week we advanced that plan considerably by taking our first steps towards changing to what is called a vertical form system.
This will see each form composed of pupils from Years 7 to Year 11 and each form part of one of six houses. This represents a very significant change to the way we organise and run our school. It brings with it a number of opportunities too.
Each form will be like a family, containing a cross-section of pupils from all year groups (with the exception of Years 12 and 13). Within this family there will be roles for older pupils to mentor those younger than them, for pupils to work together across year groups, strengthening our community and culture. We have begun the process of involving staff and pupils in leading this change.
Today the Pupil Council were at work considering a new design for our ties, one for each house. This is the only change we plan to make to the uniform and it will be fully funded by the school, ensuring no family faces an additional outlay as a result of our decisions.
This week also saw the launch of our new strategy to promote and improve homework: Show My Homework. Having listened to the concerns of parents and carers we have taken action to improve homework. The web-based service allows pupils and parents or carers to view all homework online, arrange to-do lists, organise their time and have their work marked and monitored. Show My Homework makes setting homework easier and, more importantly, helps pupils and parents to see exactly what homework has been set.
The introduction of the initiative is being led by Mr. Lawford who led assemblies about Show My Homework this week.
So, in summary…
Pastoral Changes From September 2018 and possibly earlier, all forms in years 7 - 11 will be arranged vertically. This means that they will contain a small number of pupils from each year group. Heads of Year are being replaced by Heads of House. The uniform will be adjusted so that each house has a different tie - this will be undertaken at no cost to parents.
Show My Homework With immediate effect we have put in place an online system for logging, monitoring and tracking homework. This can be accessed by searching for Show My Homework online or by using the link at the very bottom of the home page of the school’s website (RM Unify).
School Name We are consulting on changing the school’s name to St. Ambrose Barlow Catholic College with effect from September 2018. This is in recognition of us now being an established 11-18 school. You can comment online via the survey link sent two weeks ago by email.
ScoPay There is a new facility within SCOPAY to enable parents / carers to set up an ALERT if the cafeteria account falls below a certain amount set by the account holder eg: £2.50.
An email is sent to the registered account holder advising the account in low and the balance needs topping up. This will remove the need to contact parents during the working day to top up.
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it’s your time to shine
FRIDAY 22ND JUNE 7:00pm St Ambrose Barlow RC High School & sixth form
TALENT Showcase Supported by the Parent Council
£2
Entry
Refreshments & snacks on sale Raffle
Pay on door
ST AMBROSE BARLOW RC HIGH SCHOOL & SIXTH FORM - FRIDAY 22ND JUNE 2018 - TIME 7PM £2 ENTRY PAY ON DOOR - FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT THE PARENT COUNCIL 5
 
Top: Year 8 pupils Hannah and Laura sharing their excellent poetry. Bottom: Year 10 helpers at the Parents’ Evening; Year 11 revision in action
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Top: Mentoring for our students as part of the Girls’ Network involves getting out to some pretty inspiring places. Bottom: Surveying firm TopCon joined us last week to show pupils the amazing work they do. They were full of praise for our pupils and their hospitality.
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TWEET OF THE WEek More
Fred Mills @Fred Mills May 10
Great fun filming with @DECinSchools @TopconGB_IRE @bigandyclifton and @SeymourCEC at @SABSalford near Manchester today! Video coming soon to @TheB1M! #construction
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FAITH IN YOU
LOVE IN LEARNING
HOPE IN BETTER
ST AMBROSE BARLOW RC HIGH SCHOOL & SIXTH FORM www.stambrosebarlowswinton.org 37 Ash Drive Swinton Salford M27 9QP 0161 921 1570 @SABSalford Headteacher: Ben Davis 9