A Message from the Principal Friday 10th September 2021 In the middle of the Season of Creaon, it was wonderful to celebrate Mass on site yesterday and to listen to Fr Tom link the 1st reading from Colossians and the Gospel reading from Luke to our values and encouraging the students to be creave at the beginning of this new year. Today’s Sociees Fayre gave the students another opportunity to show their talents and develop new interests beyond the classroom, again, doing so with a creave spirit. We’ll be focusing more on this Season of Creaon unl it ends in early October, linking to Pope Francis’ Laudato Si encyclical. We are delighted at how everyone has seled back in. There has been immeasurable enthusiasm and a real buzz around the building and that has been reflected in some of parental correspondence received this week as well. It was parcularly pleasing to receive posive feedback on Wednesday’s House Assemblies led by the 6th Form House Captains. Not only are the students showing pride in their house but there was certainly evidence of them being proud of the school overall at last week’s Masses in Holy Angels and St Vincent’s. I aended the St Vincent’s Mass and was proud to see some of our students aending in their uniforms. As Educaon Sunday officially falls this weekend, it gives a second opportunity to focus on and pray for all schools and their communies. Focusing on the calendar, we are hopeful of having Thursday’s Year 7 ‘Seling In’ evening on site. This is currently being risk assessed. One angle to be aware of at this stage is that it is likely that only one parent or carer will be able to aend as we aim to limit numbers and use the larger spaces in the building. The Year 11 Informaon Evening on Tuesday will take place remotely. Separate correspondences will be sent. Many thanks to all those who joined the Year 12 Informaon Evening this week. I know there is a lot of informaon to take on board and Sixth Form life is a lile bit of a different experience for the students. They have certainly been enjoying some of the privileges of being a Sixth Former. I’m just relieved they leſt some chips for the rest of us today!
Transcript
A Message from the Principal
Friday 10th September 2021
In the middle of the Season of Creation, it was wonderful to celebrate Mass on site yesterday and to listen to
Fr Tom link the 1st reading from Colossians and the Gospel reading from Luke to our values and encouraging
the students to be creative at the beginning of this new year. Today’s Societies Fayre gave the students
another opportunity to show their talents and develop new interests beyond the classroom, again, doing so
with a creative spirit. We’ll be focusing more on this Season of Creation until it ends in early October, linking
to Pope Francis’ Laudato Si encyclical.
We are delighted at how everyone has settled back in. There has been immeasurable enthusiasm and a real
buzz around the building and that has been reflected in some of parental correspondence received this week
as well. It was particularly pleasing to receive positive feedback on Wednesday’s House Assemblies led by the
6th Form House Captains. Not only are the students showing pride in their house but there was certainly
evidence of them being proud of the school overall at last week’s Masses in Holy Angels and St Vincent’s. I
attended the St Vincent’s Mass and was proud to see some of our students attending in their uniforms. As
Education Sunday officially falls this weekend, it gives a second opportunity to focus on and pray for all
schools and their communities.
Focusing on the calendar, we are hopeful of having Thursday’s Year 7 ‘Settling In’ evening on site. This is
currently being risk assessed. One angle to be aware of at this stage is that it is likely that only one parent or
carer will be able to attend as we aim to limit numbers and use the larger spaces in the building. The Year 11
Information Evening on Tuesday will take place remotely. Separate correspondences will be sent. Many
thanks to all those who joined the Year 12 Information Evening this week. I know there is a lot of information
to take on board and Sixth Form life is a little bit of a different experience for the students. They have
certainly been enjoying some of the privileges of being a Sixth Former. I’m just relieved they left some chips
for the rest of us today!
A Message from the Principal
We have received positive updates from Niall Henderson who has now started at Amherst College USA and we
also became aware that Daniel A in Year 12 became the National Schools’ Triple Jump champion during the
summer. A phenomenal achievement! Please do send in positive stories and achievements for us to celebrate
as a community.
Finally, some more Covid updates following a meeting with Public Health England yesterday. We are aware that
a number of boys are choosing to not wear masks on the buses. The guidance states that wearing the masks is
‘encouraged and expected’ and we’re even preparing posters for the bus drivers to use. Please encourage your
son(s) to wear a mask on the buses if that’s how they get to school. Similarly, with the on-site testing now
finished, we are going to be heavily reliant on the regular home testing to help identify cases. The Government
will review the home testing at the end of the month but we believe that it has been a huge help for us so
please do keep testing every 3-4 days. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all those who
volunteered to assist in the test centre. It was a very efficient and smooth system, not least due to the attitude
and maturity shown by the students. You honestly wouldn’t have known we had the test centre on site.
Enjoy the weekend. Sorry to those who had tickets for the Test match but the NFL has returned so it isn’t all
bad.
Message from our Head Boy
Welcome from Michael N, Head Boy
After a successful inset day for the Year 7s and Year 12s last week, the boys are now beginning
their journeys of settling down to life at St Ambrose. I would like to wish a very warm welcome
to all those who are new to our college, and those who have returned for Sixth Form.
The term has started with many of the old restrictions taken out of place, such as all year
groups sharing the same lunch hour and the return of the glorious water fountains! All these
changes are for the better and looking back on the previous year, it is clear to see the stark
contrast as we gradually return to full normality. This has granted the boys with many more
opportunities to make the most of their time at the college and strive for excellence.
Sports fixtures are now planned to go ahead after a whole school year of no matches, more
clubs and societies are reopening allowing boys to pursue their extracurricular interests, the
Sixth Form mentoring scheme is being reintroduced and Thursday masses are back.
We pray that we keep going in the same direction from now on and that the year will be
successful.
Societies Fayre
The Societies Fayre took place at lunchtime today and it was wonderful to see so many students, with such wide and varied
interests, signing up to make their full and active contribution to college life. Societies are a great way to make new friends,
develop new skills and pursue new hobbies. All students were encouraged to sign up at least two clubs, one physical, one non
-physical, with the opportunity to join more societies if they wish.
A full timetable of societies will be drawn up and circulated in the coming days. If your son is still undecided please don’t
worry, there is still time to join and as you can see from the list below there is something for everyone.
We look forward to sharing news from our societies in future newsletter editions.
Brass Band
Choir
Samba
Music Tech Club
School of Rock
Woodwind Group
Jazz Band
Orchestra
Skills and Scripts
Skills and Improvisation
Theatre Critics Society
Languages Club
Investing and Finance Society
Chaplaincy
Edmund Rice International
Eco Committee
Geography Society
Puzzle Club
Maths Challenge Club
History Society
Biology Society
Creative Writing Society
Reading Society
Philosophy Café
Science KS3 Lunch Club
DT Society
Rugby
Water Polo
Cross Country
Gym
Swimming
Basketball
Circuits
Badminton
U16 Football
Senior Football
Updates
Ski Trip Hoodie/Hat Refunds This is a final reminder for all parents/carers requesting refunds for ski trip hats and hoodies to send their bank details to [email protected] if you have not already done so.
Year 8 Retreat to Castlerigg Manor Please be advised that Year 8 payments for the Castlerigg Manor retreat can now be made via Pay 360. Please refer to the recent email communication for further information. Students will be separated into house groups as follows: AQUINAS Monday 27th—Tuesday 28th September AUGUSTINE Tuesday 28th—Wednesday 29th September IGNATIUS Wednesday 29th—Thursday 30th September NEWMAN Thursday 30th September—Friday 1st October
Year 12 Information Evening If you didn’t manage you catch Mrs Barlow’s presentation you can find it on our Youtube channel. Please see our website for further information Saint Ambrose College - Year 12 Information Evening (st-ambrosecollege.org.uk) .
Year 7 and Year 8 Health Questionnaires
All Year 7 and 8 students have been given a Health Questionnaire to bring home. Please could you complete and return the form to the school office marked for the attention of the Trafford School Nursing Team. We would be grateful if you could return the form by Monday 20th September. Thank you.
Dates for Diary
Don’t forget to check our website calendar for the most up-to-date information regarding upcoming events Saint Ambrose College - Calendar (st-ambrosecollege.org.uk)
Evening events coming up next week: Monday 13th — SAPA Pre-loved uniform sale and SAPA Meeting
Tuesday 14th — Year 11 Information Evening (remote event)
Thursday 16th —Year 7 Meet and Greet (tbc on-site)
Daniel A in Year 12 crowned National Schools Champion
The College is delighted to share the news that
Daniel A from Year 12 has been crowned the
National Schools Champion for Triple Jump!
Daniel spent three days at Loughborough University
last week to compete and was crowned champion
after jumping an impressive 14.43m, competing for
the Beijing all-star team. Daniel said that it was a
great experience competing alongside ten other
sports.
A fantastic achievement we think you’ll agree - we
are so proud of you Daniel.
Congratulations go to Rory D in Year 11 who has been
selected to represent the 18 man squad Pennine Pumas
(North of England) . The squad is selected from the
North region hockey performance centres.
Rory took part in the England Jockey annual Futures Cup
Tournament in St Albans during the summer break,
which is part of the selection process for England U18
and U16 squads.
The Pennine Pumas came 4th in the tournament. Well
done to Rory and his team mates. We look forward to
following your future progress.
Hockey Success for Rory D in Year 11
English Department
15 Books to Read Before You Leave
At Saint Ambrose College we believe that reading encourages students to engage creatively and imaginatively with the world around them, to develop understanding of themselves and empathy for others.
The texts selected on the following reading lists are all classics in their own right and have been hand-picked to challenge our pupils’ preconceptions about reading, change their opinion of what a book can be about and inspire a genuine passion and interest in literature.
Speak to Mr Rushton about joining a Reading Challenge Club and look out for details on all the selected books on the school website.
Geography Department
GCSE students who started their Year 10 course this week are pictured revisiting their river knowledge and applying their map skills to OS maps.
Year 12 students started their A Level Geography studies with a building challenge to withstand a simulated earthquake. Students had to choose their resources carefully and within budget for their assigned countries and regions. Whilst Japan, New Zealand and Italy had superior financial resources, there was a very successful and unique design from the students representing Nepal.
Geography in Action
Drama Department - Extra-curricular
Sports Department
KUKRI rugby shirts and GCSE PE kit
* KUKRI ONLINE SHOP NOW OPEN * The shop has reopened for orders and will close on Sunday 3rd October
Following the visit last week if your son did not attend the fitting OPRO have advised
that a home fitting kit will be posted directly to you. Please contact OPRO if you
have any queries OPRO - Contact Us
Football Kits for Year 11/12/13 teams Boys who have been selected to play for the Year 11/12/13 football teams may purchase the full kit (shirts, shorts and socks). for £30 via Pay 360. Team selections have been communicated to the boys.
Sports Timetable for 2021/22
Please find the sports timetable for this academic year overleaf.
Update for Parents/Carers from Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM):
We hope that you have had a successful beginning to the school year. To assist with public transport information for schools in Greater Manchester we have created a bespoke webpage for every school in Greater Manchester. You will find the link to your school on tfgm.com/schools On this page we have information on public transport services to your school and, where applicable, details of bespoke bus services that operate. Over the coming weeks timings for school bus services may change as we continue to update and iron out any issues. The information on your bespoke school page will be continually updated with this information so that you, and the pupils at your school, are aware of any changes to times. Currently the information for school bus services is linked to a pdf document but, over the coming weeks, live times will be added into the TfGM system and linked to on the page. This will allow students to accurately see in real time at what time services will arrive and depart from their bus stops and the full route mapped out. We will also continue to further develop these pages and add additional information where appropriate and would value your feedback. If there is anything you would like added, for example if there are cycle storage facilities at the school, there is information you want to communicate around parking or driving near the school or if you spot something requiring a change, please do let us know. Finally, as we began last year, we will continue to send through notices of disruption on Metrolink which are likely to impact pupils’ journeys to or from school. We look forward to hearing from you. Events and Customer Information Transport for Greater Manchester 2 Piccadilly Place, Manchester M1 3BG Direct line 0161 244 1347 Extension 701347 www.tfgm.com
Please see below the procedures for reporting absences to school.
Expected levels of attendance
Attending school regularly and on time has a positive impact on learning, progress and therefore the life chances of
students. Research shows that attendance and punctuality are important factors in school success.
At Saint Ambrose College, we expect all children to achieve 100% attendance or attendance that is at least 98%.
Any absence affects the pattern of a child’s schooling and regular absence will seriously affect their learning. Any student’s absence disrupts teaching routines, therefore may also affect the learning of others in the same class. Ensuring regular attendance at school is the parents’ legal responsibility and permitting absence from school without a good reason creates an offence in law and may result in prosecution.
Absence Procedures Parents/Carers - If your son is absent you must: Contact us as soon as possible (eg before 9.30 am) on the first day of absence; and every day thereafter until
they return to school. There is a dedicated absence line: 0161 980 2711 option 2; or email [email protected]
Mark your son’s planner and send a letter to reception on the first day they return with an explanation of the
absence – you must do this even if you have already telephoned the school. If you need to speak to a member of the teaching staff or your son’s form teacher you should contact via
email on [email protected] with details and we will make arrangements for a call or email back to you.
Produce medical evidence of an appointment card or letter if the absence is medical, preferably in advance
of any appointment. This is the procedure for reporting an absence. Please can all parents/carers ensure they have read the Student Attendance Policy in full. A copy can be found on our website by clicking on the following link: St Ambrose College (st-ambrosecollege.org.uk) . Thank you for your continued support. Mrs J Grainger Attendance Officer
There are five local GP practices responsible for he roll-out of the Covid vaccination who will be operating a Covid vaccination 'walk-in' clinic from 9.00am - 12 noon at the Altrincham Health and Wellbeing Centre, 33 Market Street, Altrincham WA14 1RZ for those requiring their first Covid vaccine.
The aim is to further support the uptake of the Covid vaccine especially as young people return to school/college. We would like to highlight the details of the walk-in for this Saturday (no appt. is needed) for first vaccinations.
There are also number of other walk-in services available in Trafford - please see link for list https://www.traffordccg.nhs.uk/Your-Health/Coronavirus/COVID-19-vaccine-walk-in-clinics-in-Trafford.aspx
Those who wish to have a first vaccine may access the services listed above.
COVID-19 vaccine walk-in clinics in Trafford
COVID-19 vaccine walk-in clinics in Trafford. Anyone aged 16 and over can choose to get their vaccination at drop-in vaccination sites without making an appointment – there any many sites in Trafford and Greater Manchester to choose from.
www.traffordccg.nhs.uk
COVID WALK-IN CLINIC FOR FIRST DOSES: SATURDAY 11 SEPTEMBER 9.00AM-12 NOON - Altrincham Healthcare Alliance PCN
To support the roll-out of the Covid vaccination among young people, Altrincham Healthcare Alliance’s five GP Practices (Altrincham Medical Practice, Park Medical Practice, Shay Lane Medical Centre (Drs Kel-man, Cranston, Naylor, Haslam, Connell and Pathak), St Johns Medical Centre and West Timperley Medi-cal Centre) are operating a ‘walk-in’ Covid vaccination clinic for those requiring ...
Please see the Covid guidance below which has been updated for the new academic year.
SAPA
WELCOME
Welcome to new students and parents joining the St Ambrose Community. If you’d like to find our more about the Parents’ Association, our future events, how to contribute or see how donations are used please visit our dedicated website:
SAPA – St Ambrose Parents' Association – Fundraising for St Ambrose College and St Ambrose Prep School
FUTURE EVENTS AND MEETINGS
The next St Ambrose Parents’ Association (SAPA) meeting is scheduled for 7pm on Monday 13th September at the Prep. There will also be a pre-loved uniform sale taking place beforehand outside the College between 6pm - 6.45pm.
A second pre-loved sale will take place during the Year 7 ‘Meet and Greet’ evening at the College on Thursday 16th September.
The next SAPA event will be the Christmas Fayre at the end of November 2021. More information to follow.
Please contact your son’s form tutor in the first instance and they will resolve or pass on as required. For urgent matters relating to safeguarding or pastoral care, please contact Mr Groves, our Designated Safeguarding Lead: [email protected]
Online Safety
Students’ online safety is important to us. We encourage parents to visit our website for advice and guidance Saint Ambrose College - Online Safety (st-ambrosecollege.org.uk)
More general advice and information about the latest apps is available from Net Aware https://www.net-aware.org.uk/
College Office
Please email [email protected] with any queries or call 0161 980 2711. The school office is open between the hours of 08:30 - 16:15 during term-time.
MILK
Teachers may message separately on MILK regarding students work, therefore it is essential that parents have a separate username and password from the students. Please email [email protected] with any queries.
Bus and Travel Information
Please contact TfGM directly for the latest updates on bus routes and services at https://tfgm.com/ or call 0161 244 1000.
Student Achievements
The news bulletin is keen to hear about our students’ achievements both in and out of school so that we can share these success stories with the school community. Please email [email protected] with your story by Wednesday of each week.
