

FAITH IN YOU
LOVE IN LEARNING
HOPE IN BETTER
this week in our school . . .
Volume 2 Issue 18 May 5th, 2017
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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 week.Headteacher, reflects on the week. Mr. Davis, is about time of year I meet with It mayItonly have this been a four day that week, but we each of A Department review packed a lotHead into it. significant to event wasthe the summer’s exam inaugural meeting and results. election This of theinvolves Parent plenty of useful and thought-provoking Council. discussion, but it is usually talking about numbers andParent letters.Council Behind this data are Introducing Your stories: how pupils did, how they felt, what they what they met achieved. On May 3rdliked the and Parent Forum to electWe a focus things can be Parentalways Council whoon willhow represent all parents improved as well celebrating what went and carers for one year.asThey are currently well. a Catholic results are planning anAs evening socialschool, event exam (provisionally just way of expressing the unique, booked forone June 30th) and they have set up aGodgivenpage. talents and skills of each pupil. It is Facebook important to look beyond the data so I am delighted that Office much more of my The Parent Council Bearers are:job involves being in classes, walking around the school talking Chair:and Sarah Bell to pupils, students and staff. Vice-chair: Jane Bowmer If ever youParkes are feeling at all despondent or Secretary: Kate fatigued I reckon a quick tour of the school Treasurer: Jeanette Pickup would quickly raise your spirits. Let me show youpage whatfor I mean. Today (Thursday, The Facebook the Parent Council is ‘St September 29th) for instance, I dropped into Ambrose Barlow parent (official group)’. Year 10 GCSE Music. There, I was to listen of As hasdelighted been made cleartoinperformances previous Beethoven’s Symphony, Hold Back communications theNinth Parent Council exists to the River and of When the Saints Go Marching represent the voice parents and carers, to In. stronger I also gotlinks to sit with Daniel and Chester promote between home and astothey demonstrated prodigious DJing school, provide a forum fortheir social events and talents. duringthe lunch, I supervised fundraising andNext, to support school and its the made pupils canteen and staffand in any waya itpoint can.of watching the interactions that take place daily. Pupils and staffmeeting holdingof doors open for one another, The next the Parent Council takes thanks, little in moments place offering on May 17th at 7pm school. of personal appreciation and gratitude. Of course, things don’t go well a school, I am delighted thatalways there has beeninsuch an but it is in lovely to witness voluntary apology interest developing the aParent Council as I from a Year 9 to one of the lunch time staff, or feel that we cannot truly make St. Ambrose pupil help another who unsure Barlowsee theone community school it can beiswithout where toparents go for class. fully involving and carers. I am looking forward to attending the meetings and have Sixth Form, I enjoyed a lengthy chat with really In enjoyed working with a very committed Aidan who team explained both the and enthusiastic of parents andtheory carersofto differentiation its potential establish the Parent and Council. The PCcommercial will English they were studying shortlyapplication. have a pageInon the school’s website as thewe play and about talkingits with well and willBlood shareBrothers information work humour and excitement about superstitions; regularly. in Year 7 RE they were dissecting our new missionknows statement exploring the As everyone Year and 11 are currently personal meanings within School is a gearing up for their exams. The it. GCSE drama busy,tobustling, humming place. class took the stage this week to perform their examination pieces in a dress rehearsal for the final exam. They presented extracts from ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time’
I get to Maths to find all of Year 9 embroiled in a task original that is so challenging andThe exciting alongside devised pieces. standard I want to stay myself. ofthat performance wasand veryhave high aasgowas the Outside skill it’s: “Sir, have you tie? technical on display withseen lightsmy and sound. Can youthem openallmy you We wish thebottle? best forWhat theirdid final think of last night’s game? What time is it, performances. Sir?” and, at least once a day, “Oh my days!” It can noisy times and in a This week alsobe saw the at Year 8 Parents’ community thisoccurred size we on can’t expect evening Evening. This Thursday everyone get on with each other all the and we sawto69% of parents and carers, many of time. were But itvery is our community, lively, whom positive about and theiraexperience lovely, positive one at that. and the comments from the staff. A survey has been sent home for you to complete if you are a Perhaps the single highlight of my week, if I Year 8 Parent or Carer. had to pick, would be the conversation I had with Mrs. Faycontinued who is leading the with the Science club this week development of our new library. I am a green-fingered pupils growing some lovely librarycrops enthusiast and so have been ever since edible and doing whilst learning some I was science! little. The furthest reach of my proper memory is back to moments spent in our local library entranced by of its Work colourevent and this We held our Year 9 World bright possibilities. On Twitterof brilliant and week and welcomed a number #RememberingMyLibrary reveals the hold inspiring speakers into school to discuss careers thatthe such anplace institution has: ‘A The library card and work with pupils. speakers wasvery a free pass to wonderment, words and were well received and were similarly the ability to roam thethe world’ observes one they complementary about pupils with whom user, whilst another quotes the wrought iron worked. gates of Stalybridge library, ‘Read, Mark, Learn and Inwardly Digest.’ Others talktheir of Our wonderful Year 10 team completed the escape thatvalues a library represented or of work on British with Frantic Assembly the refuge it offered an on unkind world. theatre company and from now go to train staff at other schools. The work they have undertaken Fayphenomenal: spent last Saturday peacefully isMrs. simply challenging and inspiring. stacking the shelves and we are inching closer to opening. meofwas her The Nurture GroupsWhat also thrilled were out school comment that several boys, some of whomand this week visiting the Imperial War Museum affect aabout dislikethe of impact reading,ofwere electrified by learning war on the locality presence of a library in their school: ‘You and the country. mean I can borrow this and, like, read it, Miss?’ was the breathless utterance of one pupil. Our library is at the heart of the God Bless. school: a space for being open to and sharing ideas and experiences. It is openBen planDavis and its shelves serve as a reminder Headteacher that there should be no barrier to anyone using its volumes or seeking knowledge, Twitter: solace,@BenDavis1972 entertainment or information. I can’t wait to see it come to life in the weeks ahead thanks to Mrs. Fay and her band of helpers.
Ben Davis, Headteacher Twitter: @BenDavis1972 2
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calendar what’s on
Parent Forum 7 pm
Governors Management Committee, 5pm
Headteacher’s Surgery 5pm
WED 10
TUE 09
THU 11
FRI 12 SAT 13
MON 08
COMING UP THIS WEEK
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. Best Attendance by form (week ending May 5th):
Year 7 Year 8 year 9 year 10 year 11 overall
7B (100%)
95.8% 98.2% 95.1% 96.7% 95.2% 96.1%
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 unauthorised marks may lead to a fixed penalty notice being served.
Top: at the Siemens Rollercoaster Challenge; Below: 6th formers at the Teenage Cancer3 Trust fundraiser
 
Top: Year 9 triumphant after climbing Helvelyn; Bottom: the World of Work day. 4
 
Year 11 after their GCSE Drama performances
Learning from the art at Manchester Art Gallery
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Learning from the art at Manchester Art Gallery
Poetry from Year 8
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TWEET OF THE WEEK Bec Tulloch @Bectully May 2
.@SABSalford super proud of the year 11 GCSE Drama groups tonight. You were awesome! Lovely to see so many of the old gang too.
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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 8