this
s is... our ambrose 2016-2017
and the lessons imparted. They have touched the lives of thousands of young people and I am very grateful for their dedication, care and professionalism. The first three staff in that illustrious list are all retiring after long careers in teaching so it seems only appropriate that we give them special mention. Our Governing Body is changing too. I am delighted to welcome Karen Whitehead as Chair and to recognise the huge contribution of Phillip Royle, who stands down from the Chair after seven years of service. He The Year 7s who joined us last September are now our
assumes the role of Vice-Chair from September. I
Year 8s: a year older, wiser perhaps, certainly more
would like to offer personal tribute to Phillip for the
experienced. The class of 2022 will enter the school
selfless leadership he has shown and the unstinting
gates this September, some will be the class of 2024
support he has given the school.
of they stay until the end of Year 13. This year has seen new GCSE qualifications in English and Maths,
This edition of the quarterly newsletter celebrates
the successful relaunch of our Sixth Form (we are full
the pace of change in the school. The wide variety
in both year groups), the inspection, the development
of activities, the broad range of successes that
of many aspects of our school and much more
the school enjoys and the diverse nature of young
besides. The only certainty is uncertainty; change.
people’s learning all feature prominently. I look at
We all know this, we’re often shocked by the speed at
much of this content and think, ‘Who could possibly
which time passes, by the impermanence of things.
have known that our pupils would do that when
In the end, in a school, it’s all about relationships -
we started the year?’ I hope that you are similarly
the connections between people. That might be why
amazed and inspired, the young people who make
we feel the ticking of the clock so keenly: a school
up our community are a truly wonderful group, they
is in the business of watching people grow up. This
offer so much hope for the future. The embody the
applies as much to our staff as our pupils and, this
vitality and determination of our Catholic mission, a
being the end of term, we celebrate their contribution
rock of stability in changing times.
to our community. They are, of course, a reflection of their families, of the I would like to begin by mentioning those staff who
parents, carers and others who raise them. My thanks
will leave us this July. They are: Mrs. Tucker (who
to you all for the way in which you have supported our
departs after 37 years of service to Salford), Mrs. Fay,
school in what has been a challenging, if rewarding
Mrs. Keane, Mrs. Cunliffe, Miss Higson, Miss Hyland,
year. We end the term with so much to celebrate and
Miss Byrne (who also gets married this summer),
we have tried to capture the essence of that in this
Miss Greenhalgh, Mr. Pemberton and Mr. Connor.
newsletter. As much as I relish the prospect of the
Individually their contribution and commitment is
holiday, I look forward to September, the excitement
significant, collectively it is awesome. Consider the
of starting again and I wish you and your families a
number of pupils they have taught, the trips they led
happy, peaceful and fun-filled summer. God Bless
Ben Davis Headteacher
Having recently been elected as the new Chair of Governors, I wanted to acknowledge the developments made by our school, in the spirit of our Catholic ethos. We have strived to instil the purpose and values that embody “one Ambrose”; an ideology that can be further developed by sharing our values and accomplishments, and ultimately building upon our vision for the school. Post-inspection, it is clear that the preservation of our attainment and unity requires hard work and deeper reflection. We must never forget that our primary purpose is to ensure all students are recognised and celebrated for their skills, individuality, and creativity. If not for them, our ethos of inclusivity and curriculum enrichment could never exist. Jesus said that “anyone who is not against us is with us”. He offered help to anyone who sought it, and never considered anyone unimportant or beneath notice. We must take this message to heart. For us to succeed, everyone in our community must clearly understand our shared values and expectations; be they pupils, parents, carers, or staff members. Following our most recent inspection, significant improvements have already been made; particularly in governance, monitoring and in the overall ambition of our school. The newly constituted parent council will provide a tangible opportunity for parents to make real change, and to have their voices heard by school leaders and the wider community. We also have a vacancy for the role of Parent Governor from September. The student council remains invaluable for offering a student voice. We intend to continue focusing their efforts on community engagement, and the perpetuation of the school culture that we have always been commended for. Finally, I would like to thank all the governors for their continued commitment and support, with particular thanks to Phillip Royle, for the seven years of valued service he has provided as Chair of St. Ambrose’s governing body. I hope the summer break offers rest and relaxation to you all. We start the new academic year with shared ambition and determination to be the best we can be.
Best wishes, Karen Whitehead
We formed a Parent Council earlier on this year, made up of 14 parents who have all volunteered to come together with the aim of improving links between the school, parents and the local community. In a few very short months, we have formed the Council, created its’ constitution, and have held 4 meetings, where we have discussed all sorts of thoughts and ideas, including the setting up of our own webpage, the setting up of our Facebook page (and Twitter next !) and have also held a very successful Cricket/Social event at Swinton Cricket Club at the end of June. On the night itself, over 100 parents, staff members and pupils alike enjoyed the chance to socialise, watch a cricket tournament, enter a raffle and take advantage of the barbecue and tuck shop. A great night was had by all! We’re really proud of what we’ve managed to achieve so far and in such a short space of time. Look out for other communications and events in the coming school year. We’re currently looking at the possibility of a Christmas Fancy Dress Fun Run but will let you know more at the beginning of the September term when we’ve had chance to plan it in more detail. Don’t forget that all parents are welcome to give us your thoughts and ideas, or come along to our meetings any time! Sarah Bell Parent Council
O God of all beginnings and endings, We praise and thank you for the gifts of this school year. It has been a time filled with grace and blessings, With challenges and opportunities, joys and sorrows. The days have passed quickly, O Lord. Whatever has happened, All have come forth from your hand. Our work is never finished It is only a step along the way An opportunity for Your Grace to enter and do the rest While we trust that your purposes have always been at work each day, Sometimes it has seemed difficult to understand and appreciate Just what you have been up to in our school. Give us the rest and refreshment we need this summer. Let our efforts of this past year bear fruit. Bring all of our plans to a joyful conclusion, although we may never see the end results. And bless us, according to your will, With the fulfillment of our summer hopes and dreams. Watch over us in the weeks of rest ahead, And guide each day as you have done this past year. Help us return to school with a new spirit and a new energy. May we continue to grow In age, wisdom, knowledge and grace. Finally Lord we thank you for the gift of one another. It is a richness we often overlook, failing to appreciate the uniqueness of our fellow travellers in this school. This summer watch over those members of our school Who face challenges, guide the lost, help the weak, heal the vulnerable. As we finish today let us leave one another with love: Committed to returning in September as a staff united in the service of our community; Grateful for the blessings of our colleagues, pupils and their families; Amen.
summer term
Chaplaincy Teams Celebration Day On Wednesday 5th July four members of the Chaplaincy Team were invited to the annual diocesan gathering of Salford Chaplaincy Teams, this year hosted by St Gabriel’s Catholic High School. The purpose of the event was to discuss the successes of the year and ideas for improving chaplaincy in the future. The highlight was hearing a talk from the former bodyguard to Nelson Mandela, Chris Lubbe, who spoke about his struggles during the Apartheid in South Africa including terrible memories of how his family were treated from his childhood. After his talk we reflected on some of the challenges involved in being a Christian today and some of our group spoke about our experiences to the large audience. We also heard presentations from other local Catholic schools and from Bishop John Arnold who inspired us to create an action plan for next year. We ended the day by celebrating Mass together as a community and asking God to be with us in our journey as Christ’s ambassadors. Ruth and Priscilla
Our Manchester Prayer Vigil In the wake of the Manchester Arena Attack the Chaplaincy Team arranged prayer services to give our pupils a chance to grieve for those who died and offer our condolences to the injured and the families of those affected. The services included listening to the poem ‘This is The Place’ by Tony Walsh and looking at images of how people from Manchester and around the world reacted to the attacks with kindness. Members of the chaplaincy team then lit candles on behalf of each form and invited every pupil to contribute to our memorial by writing a message, prayer or hashtag in response to the events. These messages were then collected and displayed on a large heart shaped board as a symbol of the solidarity shown by pupils from St Ambrose Barlow. Pupils left the hall to the sound of ‘Don’t Go Away’ by Oasis. Molly
Afternoon Tea with Bishop John On the 29th June 2017 the Chaplaincy Team went to Wardley Hall to visit Bishop John Arnold for Afternoon Tea. The aim was to celebrate everything we have achieved this year as a team, from leading liturgies and assemblies to holding events such as Nightfever. After telling him all about our success this year we quizzed him about his life, asking a variety of questions ranging from How did you know you wanted to become a priest? and What are the challenges of being the Bishop of Salford? To Do you watch Father Ted? Before leaving we presented Bishop John with a gift to thank him for celebrating our leavers mass at St Luke’s Parish Church in May and invited him to work with us again next year. Ellie and Milena
Who Do You Think You Are? On Tuesday 4th June 2017 Steve Murray came to speak to year 9 on the topic of Identity and Self-Esteem. He explained how our identity as teenagers is shaped by what we see online, on TV and in magazines. He highlighted the challenges for young people growing up with social media, peer pressure and a media that tries to sexualise people from a very young age. Using impressions of Miss L’Oreal’s ‘because I’m worth it’, Mr Gillette’s perfect shaving scene and emotive stories about his own experience of being abandoned by his father, he had us laughing and crying all at once. Steve helped us to see that instead of allowing these things to shape who we are, we should instead be looking at ourselves through God’s eyes. By doing this we see that He created us as a masterpiece just as we are. We need to learn to look beyond the image we see in the mirror and look at who we are inside. Tatiana.
Aberdovey Year 8 pupils visited the outward bound centre at Aberdovey on the 19th June. A fantastic opportunity to help pupils build their team building skills and independence. A lot of fun had by both staff and children. 4 pupils offered a scholarship to return in the summer. Congratulations!
Forensics Day Year 7 had the opportunity to work with forensic scientists to explore the role of a real-life crime scene investigator. Upon arrival to school various crime scenes had been created. The pupils had to approach the scenes carefully and methodically (in very fetching crime scene suits!) in order to collect the relevant evidence and avoid contaminating the scene. They then learnt how to analyse fingerprints, footwear, DNA, trace fibres and bite marks (odontology).
MMU -Languages trip We took 15 pupils to Manchester Metropolitan University to particpate in a language enrichment day. Pupils were able to take part in Arabic dancing, Mandarin classes and Salsa! This was a fantastic opportunity for pupils to experience new and exciting languages.
citizenship day On Thursday 15th June 15 year 10 pupils participated
in
a
Citizenship
event
at
Bridgewater School. Pupils had to come together with other students from schools around Salford to create a piece of work about hard hitting topics such as body image and politics. The pupil’s behaviour was exemplary with two members of St Ambrose Barlow in the winning team. The winning pupils will attend lunch hosted by the Mayor of Salford in the new academic year.
Malham Fieldtrip 14th June 2017 Each year the Geography Department takes the year 10 geographers on a fieldtrip to the honeypot site Malham in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, to collect the necessary data for their GCSE coursework. My peers and I had a wonderful time, we got the chance to visit beautiful natural attractions including: Janet’s Foss, Malham Cove, the Limestone Pavement and Gordale Scar. The main objective of this trip was to investigate the following hypothesis: “Visitor pressure has caused damage to the landscape and environment in the National Park, and Malham is in damage of being over used”. So, we carried out different data collection methods such as; pedestrian counts, questionnaires and a bi-polar analysis. A strong sense of togetherness was built as we successfully completed the tasks, whilst communicating and consulting with fellow pupils. Additionally, the bi-polar analysis gave us the opportunity to independently contribute our own insight on what makes Malham a popular tourist attraction. In my opinion, the fieldtrip was truly enjoyable because I loved spending time with my friends in the beautiful village of Malham.
Conway Trip St Ambrose Barlow went to The Conway Centre, I am in Population B so I went from Wednesday until Friday. On Wednesday morning we set off on the coach making it to the centre at 11:30, then we had lunch. In the afternoon we did orienteering, finding our way around with maps which was great, i really enjoyed it. We had dinner that evening which was delicious. On the second day we were woken up early by the teachers at 07:15. We did two outdoor adventure activities, we could choose from kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, bushcraft, mountain biking, high level ropes course, zip lining and sailing. It was really good fun, things I had never done before. After dinner we had a disco which was awesome. By Friday I was tired out but so glad to have had a brilliant trip with my friends. Aaron
CDDiR: ‘Firing to the Extreme’ Yr 9 Digital Ceramics During this year, our form have been involved in the project ‘Firing to the Extreme’ . In this project, we have learnt new skills in ceramics and in Photoshop. As well as this we have found out more about our theme for this project which was Radicalisation and Extremism. We started by having a morning off timetable with Miss Wright where we gathered information and images to use for our Ceramics and learnt about the importance of Prevent. We then attended the People’s History Museum to see where our work would be displayed and to see many other artists work which was related to Radicalisation and Extremism that could give us some inspiration for our final design. We then used our images to make transfers for our design on Photoshop. Then it was making day, where all of our new skills were finally put into practise. We learnt different techniques in ceramics and started to create our final piece. Then we attended Manchester Metropolitan University Art School a few weeks later to glaze our pots. After that, we started to put our transfers onto them. Finally, we were invited to a celebration event that took place at the People’s History Museum where parents, governors and teachers all gathered to view our final piece of ceramics. As a form we were very grateful to be involved in a project where we learnt so much. We would like to thank Miss West and Miss Wright for giving us this opportunity to develop our skills and our knowledge on Radicalisation and Extremism. Lastly, we would like to thank our digital design artist in residence, Charlie Manthorp, who taught us the different techniques in Ceramics. Without him the project wouldn’t have been as successful as it was. In the future, we would love to recommend this to other students as it has shown us a different aspect of Art and taught us more about an issue that is relevant in our world today. Jessica & Emma 9J
Science Club We are a group of 10 year 7’s and 4 year 9’s and in Science club this year we have equired many skills in becoming young gardeners with the help of Mrs Robb, such as preparing raised beds for planting, potting and sowing seeds. We have spent each Wednesday evening caring for these fruits and vegetables. Our potatoes, onions, carrots and courgettes outside are looking really good and will be ready to harvest when we come back in Autumn, with this we are going to cook some fabulous meals. Our tomatoes, peppers and herbs are all ready for selling, We will be having a sale on Thursday 13th July to raise money for our next project. We are looking forward to next year when we will be taking part in the RHS school gardeners competition. We are extremely pleased to announce that we have just received our level 1,2 and 3 RHS school gardeners level, and next year plan on reaching their highest level of 5 and becoming a recognised RHS school. Xenia, Mollie, Ruby & Jessica
spiderman trip On Monday 10th of July a group of 16 of our Nurture Group pupils visited the AMC Cinemas in Manchester to see SpidermanHomecoming.
The
group
successfully
negotiated their way there via public transport and a short trek across town, building all important social skills and confidence. Some pupils had never been on a bus before and found the hustle and bustle of Manchester a bit overpowering. Everyone seemed to really enjoy the film although Mrs Wares struggled a bit, being unfamiliar with the whole Marvel Universe thing. The group were exceptionally well behaved during the whole trip and were an absolute credit to the school. These young people have come a very long way during the past year and we should all be proud of them.
Summer term FUND RAISING TOTALS
Charities Supported
Amount/ Donation
Victims of the Manchester Arena bomb
£328.23
“Chuck it in the bucket”
£53.80
Non-uniform day – Victims of the Grenfell Tower fire
£812.00
Debating Challenge On Thursday, 29th June, four members of Year 10 went to Bury College to participate in a Debating Challenge. With controversial topics like social media, refugees and voting, we fought our way to 4th place out of 15 schools across Manchester. The day was very enjoyable and every member of the team took part with enthusiasm and took something away from this great experience! Natalie, Y10
Embrace Week This
summer
Year
7
completed
their
EMBRACE WEEK: our Embrace week was the climax of our ORACY lessons, where we were improving our classroom discussion skills and our presentation skills. We had one morning to practice the speech we had written with the teachers in the hall; we trained for this in a variety of ways such as an art POP UP lesson where we had to colour our speeches in to know what tone to use on which lines (the colours represented the emotions). When we have rehearsed the teachers gave us time to calm down and we watched their speeches. There were 2 evening presentations. 70% of parents showed up to watch … THAT’S OVER 147 PEOPLE out of the 210 students who did it! Our speeches were about anything we wanted: topics ranged from uniform to football to disability to individuality to sport. Just before our speech we were given a charm key, which represented that this event was giving us ‘the key to our confidence’ in using our voices. After completing our speech, we got a badge to show that we had triumphed through our toil on the speech. Mrs Tulloch, Mrs Chalk and Mrs Norris all said that they felt amazed, inspired and touched by all we achieved in this week. Thank you to all the parents who came and supported us. Written by Remi and Taylor
Financial Literacy Workshop All year 10 pupils took part in a financial literacy workshop led by numerous volunteers from the working world. The purpose of this event was to provide a sense of what the financial responsibilities will be like for us in adulthood. We were given cards outlining a lifestyle we had to individually follow during the workshop. We had to take into consideration important concepts such as current accounts, credit cards, savings and a financial balance. Throughout the workshop we had to purchase all the daily necessities, such as; food, clothing, and transportation, for one month, and total up the amount of money we spent. As we did this we needed to consider the lifestyle that we were living and whether or not the total amount was appropriate to our budget. Personally, taking part in this workshop was a great opportunity to learn key life skills that will benefit me in the future. Olivia 10M
GUEST LECTURERS FROM SALFORD UNIVERSITY VISIT DEC STUDENTS Year 12 DEC! (Design, Engineer, Construct) students at St Ambrose Barlow Sixth Form college were treated to three guest lectures from the School of Built Environment at the University of Salford. Lecturers from the University visited the Sixth Form over three weeks to present the lectures relating to Capital Costing, Operational Costing and Life Cycle Costing. The lectures, arranged as a result of the BIM4Education agenda, provided students with the opportunity to gain in depth knowledge whilst getting a taste of University life and level of work.
Year 12 Film Studies students BAFTA screening at HOME Manchester A-Level Film Studies students took part in a BAFTA anniversary showing of the Oscar winning documentary ‘AMY’ about troubled singer Amy Winehouse. The session had a Q&A with Oscar award winning director Asif Kapadia. Year 12 Film Studis student Hannah Cheetham says “it was a very interesting documentary, learning about Amy and a true insight into her life. HOME in Manchester was very inviting and it was different to a normal ODEON or Cineworld cinema”
Zoo trip A level Biology pupils went on a trip to Chester zoo. They had time to visit all the animals (sloths being a particular favourite!) and hide in giant tortoise shells. Later they took part in a workshop about Biodiversity and Conservation where they learnt how the zoo plays an active role in the conservation of endangered animal habitats across the world. They got handson; examining various customs confiscations of animal artefacts such as pelts and ivory, and discussed why the control of such trade is important. An interesting and insightful day had by all!
STUDENTS HEAD FOR THE HILLS ON SILVER DUKE OF EDINBURGH Sixth Form students at St Ambrose Barlow
face! Their practice for the trip took place in
Sixth Form College endured a typical British
Rivington. Well done to all.
mix of rain and shine as they completed their assessed expedition for their Duke of
The Duke of Edinburgh Award is part of a full
Edinburgh Silver Award.
range of enrichment activities that students can get involved in at the college.
The students headed to Waddington for the expedition, and despite some bad weather every one of them gave 100 percent to complete the task with a smile on their
INDUSTRY EXPERTS AT CREATIVE CAREERS DAY Year 12 students enjoyed a Creative Careers Day held at college, giving them the chance to network with industry professionals and find out more about the roles they do. Representatives from ITV, The White Room, IPA
Advertising
and
Marketing,
PRCA,
Risk Box and UK Fast held sessions for the students, giving them a real insight into what a career in these areas really involves and the opportunities that are available to them. Students from a wide range of subjects including Art, Photography, Business, IMedia, Maths, Film Studies, Psychology, English, PET and Computer Science attended the sessions. The day was part of a varied programme of events for sixth formers to introduce them to the world of work and to careers that they may not have considered.
GOODBYE AND GOOD LUCK TO YEAR 13 LEAVERS Huge congratulations go to our Year 13 students who have all now completed their courses and sadly said goodbye to St Ambrose Barlow Sixth Form. As they move on to university, apprenticeships or full time employment we wish them the very best of luck for the future, safe in the knowledge that the skills and traits instilled in them at the college will see them in good stead. Students marked the event with a celebratory breakfast at the Morning Star. Student John Lloyd said: “Thank you so much for the support I’ve received from you all and thank you for helping me achieve my goals. Best college ever!” It has been a pleasure to have them as part of our sixth form!
STUDENTS ARE THE VERY FIRST LEVEL 3 DEC GRADUATES IN THE COUNTRY! Three students at St Ambrose Barlow Sixth Form College are the very first graduates in the country of the Level 3 Design, Engineer Construct (DEC) course. Design, Engineer, Construct Level 3 is a qualification that enables learners to gain an
academic
and
industry
recognised
Sustainable Built Environment qualification. This offers them the opportunity to develop a range of skills and knowledge fundamental to successful engagement in the professional aspects
of
the
Construction
and
Built
Environment sector of industry. The flexible learning at St Ambrose Barlow Sixth Form means that students at can combine this
AIDEN SET TO COMPETE IN NATIONAL SCHOOLS REGATTA
course with complementary A Levels or BTEC
Year 12 student Aiden from St Ambrose
courses.
Barlow Sixth Form has been selected to take part in the National Schools Regatta in Dorney,
The
qualification
was
developed
in
Windsor on the 26th May.
partnership with the construction industry and encompasses a wide range of general
Aiden is a competitive rower for Trafford
knowledge, understanding and competences.
Rowing Club and trains in the Junior Elite
The use of industry standard software Revit
Scheme. He will represent his club at the
gives students the edge in the employment
regatta which, with over 4000 junior rowers
market, as does a partnership with Laing
taking part, is the biggest in Great Britain for
O’Rourke which provides industry support
young rowers and one of the main events of
and a hands on approach, equipping students
the racing calendar.
with the technical knowledge, understanding and skills to progress to a professional career in the construction sector. “Students enter undergraduate programmes in Architecture from a wide range of backgrounds. However it is rare that they have had experience of the building design process, or that they have an understanding of the range of applied sustainability issues that need to be addressed in contemporary architectural practice. The DEC! curriculum provides a meaningful insight into both of these.”Dr Charlie Smith MA DipArch PhD AdvDip PGCert, Senior Lecturer (Architecture), Liverpool School of Art and Design.
Held annually in May, the regatta offers events for rowers between J14 and J18. It was first raced in 1947, and has since grown to what is a world class event enjoyed by clubs and schools across the United Kingdom. The event will be held at the London 2012 Olympic Rowing Venue, giving Aiden the chance to compete on the big stage!
From September 2017 we are introducing a new boy’s and girl’s PE shirt. This will replace the current polo shirts. It is not compulsory for you to purchase a new shirt unless required/ preferred.
art & design
St Ambrose Barlow RC High School & Sixth Form College A National School of Creativity
37 Ash Drive | Wardley | Swinton | M27 9QP | Tel 0161 921 1570 | www.stambrosebarlowswinton.org | Tweet: @SABSalford