

FAITH IN YOU
LOVE IN LEARNING
HOPE IN BETTER
this week in our school . . .
Volume 3 Issue 26 May 4th, 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.
This week Year 9this gathered the that Assembly It is about time ofinyear I meetHall with for a whole day considering their future. each Head of Department to reviewTothe many summer’s adults thatexam must results. seem like a luxury. As This involves time passes we seem to spend less time plenty of useful and thought-provoking considering the lifebut weit have to come andabout more discussion, is usually talking time lamenting the things we haven’t done orare numbers and letters. Behind this data simplystories: wondering how we will fit our to-do lists how pupils did, how they felt, what into the next 24 hours. Young of course, they liked and what they people, achieved. We can seem oblivious to the realities of the always focus on how things can befuture and why not? Itas is very admirable to be focused improved well as celebrating what went on thewell. here As anda now, appreciating and enjoying Catholic school, exam results are experiences they pass. the unique, Godjust onebefore way of expressing given talents and skills of each pupil. It is The Year 9 day was focused particularly on I am important to look beyond the data so university: what it is, what it looks like, what it delighted that much more of my job involves offers.being It was part of our growing offer of in classes, walking around the school careers and enterprise education. We have and talking to pupils, students and staff. christened this our Horizons programme - a nod to the Ifphrase ‘widest horizons’ on despondent our mission or ever you are feeling at all statement with a pleasingly nautical inflection. T fatigued I reckon a quick tour of the school would quickly raise your spirits. Let me Our pupils are very much charting showand youstudents what I mean. Today (Thursday, a course through school and into the great wideinto September 29th) for instance, I dropped open of life. University is only one of many Year 10 GCSE Music. There, I was possible stopping along the way. I of was delighted to points listen to performances impressed, when I spoke with Year 9, at the Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Hold Back number pupilsand who had a sense of Go where theofRiver When the Saints Marching they would like to go, the course they would In. I also got to sit with Daniel and Chester wish toaschart. Several talkedtheir about they demonstrated prodigious DJing apprenticeships, some werelunch, set onI supervised a specific the talents. Next, during trade or career, others were keen to explore the canteen and made a point of watching university courses, while some could only thinkand interactions that take place daily. Pupils as far staff as the end of Year 11. holding doors open for one another, offering thanks, little moments of personal I thinkappreciation what the dayand reinforced wasOfthe power of gratitude. course, havingthings somedon’t sense of what is possible, an but it always go well in a school, inklingisoflovely the options available and the routes to witness a voluntary apology from that might lead to one them. a Year 9 to of the lunch time staff, or see one pupil help another who is unsure Part ofwhere this connects an assembly I gave to go forto class. recently on ‘finding your why’ - locating a sense of purpose thatForm, goes Ibeyond grades. In Sixth enjoyedexam a lengthy chatOne with of the Aidan innovations we are introducing this who explained both the theoryterm of is a series of recognition and evenings differentiation and its celebration potential commercial for years 7-10. At these events every pupils will application. In English they were studying be celebrated for their achievements and will the play Blood Brothers and talking withbe presented withand a special certificate humour excitement aboutthat superstitions; summarises their progress this year. Part ofnew the in Year 7 RE they were dissecting our process of creating these will be to get the mission statement and exploring the pupils personal to consider their sense of it. purpose: meanings within Schoolhow is a have the choices they have made assisted in busy, bustling, humming place. achieving this goal.
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. It was very enjoyable to talk about these events Outside it’s: “Sir, have you seen my tie? and other innovations with our Parent Council Can you open my bottle? What did you this week. We discussed the planned pastoral think of last night’s game? What time is it, system changes in some detail as well as Sir?” and, at least once a day, “Oh my addressing concerns that some parents and days!” It can be noisy at times and in a carers had raised. It is such a privilege to share community this size we can’t expect a everyone table withto the members of theother Parent get on with each all Council the and work towards a position where the parents time. But it is our community, and a lively, and carers are fully lovely, positive oneinvolved at that. in decision-making and driving change in the school. Perhaps the single highlight of my week, if I had to pick, would be the conversation I had with Mrs. Fay who is leading the development of our new library. I am a library enthusiast and have been ever since I was little. The furthest reach of my memory is back to moments spent in our local library entranced by its colour and bright possibilities. On Twitter #RememberingMyLibrary theahold One of my highlights of the reveals week was that such an institution has: ‘A library cardI had conversation with a group of Year 8 boys. was a free pass to wonderment, words overheard one of them talking about spinand the ability roam the world’ observes one bowling andtocouldn’t resist joining in. We talked user, whilst another quotes the wrought iron about our favourite cricketers, bowling in-swing of Stalybridge ‘Read, Mark,taken togates left-handed batters, library, how many wickets Learn and Inwardly Digest.’ Others talk of and runs scored this early in the season. the escape that a library represented Talking through our shared enthusiasmor forof the refuge it offered from an unkind world. cricket (I think it is safe to say that they could beat me on skills) was a simple moment or Mrs. Fay spent last Saturday peacefully enjoyment that transcended lessons, our roles stacking the shelves and we are inching in the school and our ages. It spoke to me of closer to that opening. What me was the bonds can exist in thrilled our school and her that comment that several boys, some of whom will develop further as we put our planned affect a in dislike of reading, were electrified by changes place. presence of a library in their school: ‘You mean I can like, read it, Soon I will beborrow writing this to alland, parents and carers Miss?’ was the breathless utterance of one outlining the detail of changes to the pastoral pupil. Our library is at the heart of the system. We will also be holding assemblies for a space for being open to and to allschool: year groups affected by the changes sharing ideas and experiences. It is gather their views and involve them in openplanning. plan and its shelves serve as a reminder Until then, I wish you all a sunny and happy May that holiday. there should be no barrier to anyone Bank using its volumes or seeking knowledge, solace, entertainment or information. I can’t God bless, wait to see it come to life in the weeks ahead thanks to Mrs. Fay and her band of Ben Davis helpers. Headteacher Twitter: @BenDavis1972
it is important to consider our sense of purpose: how have the choices we have made assisted us in achieving our goals?
Ben Davis, Headteacher Twitter: @BenDavis1972
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calendar what’s on
Achievement Points this week: St. Benedict St. Francis St. Margaret Clitherow St. Teresa of Calcutta
768 763 775 731
Year 10 Parents’ Evening 5:00pm
School re-opens at 8:40am
TUE 08
WED 09
THU 10
FRI 11 SAT 12
MON 07
COMING UP THIS WEEK week beginning 07.05.18 week B
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 April 27th) Congratulations to 7J who had 100% attendance for the week
Year 7 Year 8 year 9 year 10 year 11 School
95.8% 94.9% 95.3% 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 here:
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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Top: Year 11 hard at work in the English department every morning Bottom: Year 11, Miss Furey and Mr. Waterworth in London to celebrate the Ideas Foundation
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Top: Fr. Gavin and some of the Sixth Form on retreat in Grange-over-Sands Bottom: The Year 10 Rugby Team the victorious Salford Champions
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TWEET OF THE WEek More
Ambrose Barlow Eng @SABEnglish1
Brilliant turn out for Macbeth revision this morning! Come along everyday at 8am for revision and waes! @SABSalford
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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