

FAITH IN YOU
LOVE IN LEARNING
HOPE IN BETTER
this week in our school . . .
Volume 4 Issue 6 & 7 November 2nd, 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 is three since ouroflast newsletter. It is weeks about this time year that I meetInwith that time many of us have enjoyed the halfthe term each Head of Department to review break,summer’s although year 11 will have found the exam results. This involves burdenplenty of revision might taken the shine of useful andhave thought-provoking off thediscussion, week. Nevertheless they made an but it is usually have talking about excellent start to the exam season and next numbers and letters. Behind this data are week it is the turn Yeardid, 13. how Mock exams are stories: how of pupils they felt, what challenging, but they are also the ideal forum they liked and what they achieved. We in which always to make the mistakes and tocan learn focus on how things be about the experience of sitting exams, under timewent improved as well as celebrating what pressure. Let’s make sure as a community we are well. As a Catholic school, exam results are supporting all the pupils who are sitting just one way of expressing the unique, Godexamsgiven so that they and can skills attempt to dopupil. their best.
talents of each It is important to look beyond the data so I am All school holidays a little. we delighted thatworry muchme more of myBefore job involves break being up I always feel anxious about pupils and in classes, walking around the school their families whoto might findstudents a week and away from and talking pupils, staff. school stressful, rather than relaxing. Sadly there are some for whom is not If ever youpupils are feeling at allhalf-term despondent or a holiday. This reminds us that we are fellow fatigued I reckon a quick tour of the school travellers with our pupils. Theyspirits. might not would quickly raise your Let me alwaysshow fit our rules and regulations is surely you what I mean. Today(it(Thursday, youngSeptember people’s right to for push the boundaries) 29th) instance, I dropped into but they belong to us. Each encounter with our Year 10 GCSE Music. There, I was pupils,delighted every interaction, is an encounter with to listen to performances of Jesus Beethoven’s Christ. The same for our staff, our Ninth Symphony, Hold Back families theand community. is our Go dutyMarching to sit theand River When theItSaints with them on their journey, even when they have In. I also got to sit with Daniel and Chester lost their way (if they ever knew their way in as they demonstrated their prodigious the DJing first place) andNext, in doing so to reach out, listen, the talents. during lunch, I supervised seek to understand, buildabridges extendthe a canteen and made point ofand watching hand of compassion. There must be nothing interactions that take place daily. Pupils and exclusive ourdoors faith:open we can easily staffabout holding for identify one another, with ‘the other’ if we choose.
offering thanks, little moments of personal appreciation and gratitude. Of course, And it things is this don’t faith that binds always go us, wellthat in abrought school, us but it together in celebration before we broke up forfrom is lovely to witness a voluntary apology the holiday. celebration events, one a Year We 9 toheld one six of the lunch time staff, or for each house. No-one kept a running total, see one pupil help another who is unsure but it looks 60-70% of pupils received a wherelike to go for class. certificate recognising their achievements over the past year. Form, What Iwas wonderful about thiswith In Sixth enjoyed a lengthy chat was that the pupils were being commended Aidan who explained both the theory ofnot simplydifferentiation for doing welland in subjects, butcommercial for their its potential personality, character and wider contribution to application. In English they were studying schoolthe life.play Some pupils left with seven Blood Brothers and talking with certificates, others lit up as they realised that humour and excitement about superstitions; their uniqueness had been marked and in Year 7 RE they were dissecting our new celebrated. one of theand events we were missionAtstatement exploring the fortunate to welcome local MP Rebecca personal meanings within it. SchoolLongis a Baileybusy, who to award humming the certificates bustling, place.and to provide an insightful and inspiring speech to pupils. She encouraged them to get involved, even to get angry about the world around them
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. and to direct that energy to change, to Outside it’s: “Sir, have you seen my tie? addressing issues of social justice. There was Can you open my bottle? What did you nothing party political about this, but it was think of last night’s game? What time is it, entirely in keeping with our ethos and school Sir?” and, at least once a day, “Oh my mission.
days!” It can be noisy at times and in a community this size we can’t expect everyone to get on with each other all the time. But it is our community, and a lively, lovely, positive one at that.
we are fellow travellers with our pupils… Each encounter with our Perhapsevery the single highlight of my pupils, interaction, isweek, an if I had to pick, would be the conversation I had encounter Christ. It is our with Mrs. Faywith who isJesus leading the development of our new library. I am a duty sit withandthem their libraryto enthusiast haveon been ever since I was little. The furthest reach of my journey, when theyspent havein our lost memory iseven back to moments local library entranced by its colour and their bright way possibilities. On Twitter
#RememberingMyLibrary reveals the hold There can be better has: examples of our pupils that such anfew institution ‘A library card putting our mission to be #changemakers into was a free pass to wonderment, words and action than the pupil-led company VLNTR the ability to roam the world’ observes one (comprising Year 11s andthe twowrought staff) who user, whilstsix another quotes iron were awarded a £1000 prize at the gates of Stalybridge library, ‘Read,recent Mark, Digital awards. Their business LearnAdvantage and Inwardly Digest.’ Others talk ofidea isthe simple and inspiring: create a social media escape that a library represented or of platform to match community needs to the the refuge it offered from an unkind world. skills of young volunteers in school. How brilliant arespent our pupils for coming up with this? Mrs. Fay last Saturday peacefully Their passion and commitment is stacking the shelves and we are dazzling.
inching closer to opening. What thrilled me was her Similarly impressive is the waysome in which pupils comment that several boys, of whom have participated in the Rosary Walks and affect a dislike of reading, were electrified the by Allpresence Saints Day haveschool: a school full of of aMass. libraryWe in their ‘You talent, and potential. meanpersonality I can borrow this and, like,Let’s readcelebrate it, that this half-term..
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 Twitter: @BenDavis1972 using its volumes or seeking knowledge, solace, 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
HOUSE POINTS
 
Year 11 Mock Interviews
Year 11 & 13 mocks continue
WED 07
TUE 06
THU 08
This Week
This Year
St Benedict of Nursia
404
2340
St. Bernadette of Lourdes
404
2186
St. Francis of Assisi
409
2322
St. Michael the Archangel
417
2388
Blessed Oscar Romero
508
2460
St. Teresa of Calcutta
443
2432
FRI 09 SAT 10
MON 05
COMING UP THIS WEEK week beginning 05.11.18 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/b October 29th) Attendance continues to rise. As of November 1st whole school attendance is 95.6%!!
Year 7 Year 8 year 9 year 10 year 11 School
97.1% 96.3% 94.6% 95.6% 94.1% 95.6%
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
Monday


Tuesday
8:00-8:40
Break
Lunch
3:05-4:00
Morning Club
KS3 & KS4 Nurture
Miss Collier KS4 Art catch up Mr Waterworth Y11 DT Booster Mr Morrison Basketball all years
Miss Collier KS4 Art catch up Miss Turnbull KS3 Art club Mrs McGowan Y11 Food Mrs Taylor Y11 Year book meetings
Morning Club
KS3 & KS4 Nurture
Wednesday
Morning Club
KS3 & KS4 Nurture
Miss Collier KS4 Art catch up Miss Hughes Y11 Maths Booster
Thursday
Morning Club Mr McDonagh DEC club
KS3 & KS4 Nurture
Miss Collier KS4 Art catch up Mrs Taylor F1 CLUB
extra-curricular
Boys PE After school
Girls PE After school
Mr Clancy KS4 CS and Coding revision Miss Newman Y11 Maths Mrs Tulloch Y11 Drama rehearsals Mr Deay KS4 Spanish Mrs McGowan Y11 Food & Nutrition
KS3 Football Mr Morrison Fitness Miss Harrop
Year 7 Netball Mrs Grundy
Mrs Tulloch Y10 Drama rehearsals Mrs Taylor STEM Enterprise club Y7&8
Football Fixtures
Year 8, 9 and 10 Netball Mrs Grundy
All Years Football Miss Macphail
Football Fixtures
Mrs Tulloch Y10 Drama rehearsals Mrs Robb KS3 Gardening club Mr Lewis KS4 Imedia catch up Mr Deay KS4 Spanish Mr Waterworth KS3 DT club
activities 2018
Fitness Miss Harrop
Football Fixtures
Netball Fixtures
All Years Badminton Miss Rhodes
All Years Trampolining Mrs Grundy
GCSE/ Coursework in the LRC
Miss Macphail
All Years Badminton Miss Rhodes
All Years Trampolining Mrs Grundy
GCSE/ Coursework in the LRC
Miss Macphail
Friday
Morning Club Mr McDonagh DEC club
KS3 & KS4 Nurture
Miss Collier Mrs Tulloch Y11 Year 7 Rugby KS4 Art catch Drama Training up Mr Top: atrehearsals the Siemens Rollercoaster Challenge; WaterworthBelow: Y11 6th formers at the Teenage Cancer4 DT Booster
Trust fundraiser
around the school  
this week Celebration special
Top: at the Siemens Rollercoaster Challenge; Below: 6th formers at the Teenage Cancer5 Trust fundraiser
around the school  
this week Celebration special
Top: at the Siemens Rollercoaster Challenge; Below: 6th formers at the Teenage Cancer6 Trust fundraiser
around the school  
this week Celebration special
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around the school  
this week Celebration special
Top: at the Siemens 8 Rollercoaster
around the school  
this week Celebration special
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around the school  
this week Celebration special
Top: at the Siemens 10 Rollercoaster
around the school  
this week Celebration special
Top: at the Siemens Rollercoaster 11 Challenge; Below:
around the school 

this week
Top: at the12
around the school  
this week
Sporting success: Year 7 rugby are still unbeaten in Salford; Girls’ netball coming 2nd.
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around the school 

this week
From top left: Year 11 in Alton Towers; St. Oscar Romero House Family Fast Day; Hot Chocolate Friday at the St. Oscar of Romero Canonisation Breakfast.
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around the school 

this week
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TWEET OF THE WEek More
St. Ambrose Barlow RE and Chaplaincy @re_ambrose Holy Mass celebrated today for the #FeastofAllSaints @SABSalford A reverent and moving Mass with words from Fr Gavin - JOY: Jesus first, Others second and Yourself last. We are all called to be saints.
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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 18