

FAITH IN YOU
LOVE IN LEARNING
HOPE IN BETTER
this week in our school . . .
Volume 3 Issue 06 October 13th, 2017
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 being the penultimate the half-term It is about this time ofweek year of that I meet with this is each a slightly shorter newsletter than usual Head of Department to review the in order that we canexam saveresults. some articles for a summer’s This involves longerplenty one next week.and However, that does not of useful thought-provoking mean discussion, that we are but short ofusually things to say. about it is talking numbers and letters. Behind this data are howpowerful pupils did, how they what There stories: was a very moment thisfelt, week they liked and what they achieved. We when we came together as a school community alwaysand focus on how pupil thingsand canstudent be to celebrate recognise improved as well as celebrating what leadership. At a liturgy created specially by went Fr. well. As a Catholic school, exam results are Gavin Landers of St.Charles’ we commissioned just one way of expressing the unique, Godformally the talents young people who a given and skills of have each taken pupil. on It is leadership role in the school. This included the important to look beyond the data so I am chaplaincy team, themuch heads of house delighted that more of myand job the involves head boy and girl walking along with their the deputies being in head classes, around school as welland as talking members of the Pupil Council. to pupils, students and staff. youcelebration, are feeling made at all despondent or It was Ifa ever joyous more powerful fatigued I reckon a quick tour of the school by the service of Benediction and the readings. would raise your spirits. Let me Fr. Gavin hadquickly also built-in periods of silence show you what I mean. Today (Thursday, within which we could reflect on leadership and, September 29th) for instance, dropped into in particular, servant leadership. Mr. IHolden did Year 10 GCSE Music. There, I was an excellent job arranging the event and there delighted to listen to performances of were significant contributions from members of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Hold Back the REthe department. River and When the Saints Go Marching In. I also got to sit with Daniel and Chester In advance of demonstrated the event Fr. Gavin asked me to as they their prodigious DJing write atalents. short note of during thanks lunch, in the programme. Next, I supervised the canteen made a point of watching the Here is the textand I provided: interactions that take place daily. Pupils and “Dear staff Pupilholding Leader,doors open for one another, offering thanks, little moments of personal and gratitude. course, Thankappreciation you for answering the call toOftake on a things don’t always go well in a school, but it position of responsibility in our school is lovely to witness a voluntary apology from community. doing are stepping intoora a Year In 9 to one so of you the lunch time staff, role that many others would rather avoid. We see one pupil help another who is unsure are used to hearing about leadership being where to go for class. about strength, heroism and power. If we follow the example Jesus, or the words of Pope In SixthofForm, I enjoyed a lengthy chat with Aidan bothbeing the theory of Francis, it is who muchexplained more about a 'servant differentiation and its potential commercial leader', having the integrity to place the needs of application. In English they were other before our own or remaining in thestudying the play Blood Brothers and talking with background, drawing the best out of others. humour and excitement about superstitions; in Year 7 RE they were dissecting our new I believe that the best leadership is about giving mission statement and exploring the up power, passing it on to within other people andis a personal meanings it. School creating energy around a collective endeavour. busy, bustling, humming place. This asks a great deal of you, but above all it asks that you act out of love for one another and that you deal in hope. I have every faith in you
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. that, with the of you the school community Outside it’s: support “Sir, have seen my tie? and your leadership andyou service Can youfamilies, open myyour bottle? What did will transform the lives and experiences ofit,those think of last night’s game? What time is Sir?” and, least day, “Ohyou myas around you. atWe areonce luckya to have days!” in It can be noisy at times a of leaders our school - thank youand on in behalf community this size we can’t expect the whole community for your commitment.” everyone to get on with each other all the time.these But itwords is ourand community, andseriously. a lively, I take ideas very lovely, positive one at that. The example that is often set by leaders in all walks of life is single a negative one.ofConfidence Perhaps the highlight my week, if I gives way to arrogance; kindness is over-run had to pick, would be the conversation I hadby the need to show strength; personal ambition with Mrs. Fay who is leading the obscures service; leadership is tooI often development of our new library. am a characterised as a male pursuit to the library enthusiast and have been everexclusion since ofI women, and the marginalised. was little.minorities The furthest reach of my memory is backway to moments spent in as ourthe There is another and events such local library entranced by its colour and one we shared on Thursday show this. When, possibilities. On Twitter asbright a school, we say ‘Hope In Better’ we can see #RememberingMyLibrary reveals the hold it there in our young leaders, change makers that such an institution has: ‘A library card who can transform the world. was a free pass to wonderment, words and the ability to roam the world’ observes one user, whilst another quotes the wrought iron gates of Stalybridge library, ‘Read, Mark, Learn and Inwardly Digest.’ Others talk of the escape that a library represented or of the refuge it offered from an unkind world.
The best leadership is about giving up power, passing it on to other people and creating energy around a collective endeavour Mrs. Fay spent last Saturday peacefully
stacking the shelves and we are inching Finally, were two littlethrilled moments that made closer there to opening. What me was her my week. The first was a boy in Year who comment that several boys, some of 8whom came me stampwere and coin collection affecttoashow dislike ofhis reading, electrified by - itpresence was wonderful to see the sheer enthusiasm of a library in their school: ‘You mean I caninborrow and,me like,through read it,the and delight him as this he took Miss?’ was breathless utterance The of one thousands of the items he has collected. pupil. Our library is at the heart of the second was bumping into another pupil who had school: a space for being open to and just collected the pizza he had made in Food sharing ideas and experiences. is openTechnology and was triumphantly It walking home plan and its shelves serve as a reminder with, half-eaten, but a bit saved for his parents. that there should be no barrier to anyone Again, a study in joyful knowledge, learning and the using he its was volumes or seeking sense of a pupil who had experienced solace, entertainment or information. an I can’t inspiring lesson, whotoknew had progressed wait to see it come life inhethe weeks and achieved worthwhile. What ahead thankssomething to Mrs. Fay and her band of a great week. helpers.
God BenBless. Davis, Headteacher Twitter: @BenDavis1972
Twitter: @BenDavis1972
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calendar what’s on
Welcome Mass for Pupils, Parents & Carers of Y7 St. Edmund’s, 7pm Headteacher’s Surgery, 5 pm Monologue & Duologue Evening, 7pm Munich trip returns Y8 HPV injections
TUE 17
WED 18
THU 19
FRI 20
School closes for half-term, 3:15pm
SAT 21
MON 16
COMING UP THIS WEEK week beginning 16.10.17 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 (October 6th):
Year 7 Year 8 year 9 year 10 year 11 School
97.6% 96.6% 96.3% 94.7% 95.7% 96.2%
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
Top: at the Siemens Rollercoaster Challenge; Below: 6th formers at the Teenage Cancer3 Trust fundraiser
 
Students at the Service of Commissioning for our Pupil Leaders on Thursday evening
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Above: pupils attending Drama workshop at Home in Manchester Below: On plane heading to Munich
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Food, glorious food! Above: baking muffins using produce from the school garden Below: showing off what’s left of the pizzas made by Year 8 in Food technology.
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TWEET OF THE WEEK Mr Carroll @DHT_SAB Oct 12
A wonderful spiritual opportunity to celebrate our pupil leaders. Well done to all involved. @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 8