To encourage and develop relationships between home, parish, school and the wider community in order to prepare our pupils to become responsible, caring citizens.

Communications and Relationships

To develop an effective system of communications and relationships which is based on the Gospel values of mutual respect, tolerance, care and understanding towards all members of the school community. Individual Support and Development

To celebrate the unique nature of each person and to encourage their development as individuals. Curriculum

To introduce all pupils to a broad, balanced, relevant and differentiated curriculum and to equip pupils with the necessary knowledge, skills and Christian values required in a rapidly changing society. To provide a curriculum for our pupils which develops them academically, spiritually, morally, culturally and physically.

Our AimsIn accordance with our Mission Statement the School’s aims are:

Faith and Worship

To help us to grow spiritually as followers of Christ and as members of a Catholic community: to make prayer, worship and liturgy central to school life.

School and Community

To ensure that all pupils receive their entitlement to a first class education our school recognises that additional provision of support and guidance may be required to further enable some pupils who have particular needs. Our Special Educational Needs Policy is designed to precisely identify and match specific individual needs to appropriate help and support.

The school operates a staged approach to special educational needs in accordance with the Code of Practice document on the identification and assessment of Special Educational Needs as outlined by the Department of Education.

St Ambrose Barlow School fully endorses and adheres to the Government’s Inclusion Development Programme which focuses on supporting, training and empowering staff to identify pupils’ specific needs and support those pupils in the most effective ways in the classroom.

Whilst each pupil is at St Ambrose Barlow School, their progress is carefully monitored through our detailed assessment and reporting procedure and use of tests which can identify special abilities or difficulties.

At St Ambrose Barlow School we have a Learning Support Centre in addition to our Special Educational Needs Department, this is to support pupils on a short term basis who may have particular difficulties which prevent them from accessing the curriculum effectively at certain times throughout their school career. We also offer some alternative qualifications in key stage 4 to pupils who may have difficulties with traditional optional subjects.

If a pupil is identified as requiring additional support, an assessment is made in consultation with parents and all those concerned with that particular pupil’s education. An individual education plan is then devised where targets are set and a review date arranged to ensure that progress is being made. We regard the parental partnership as vital in ensuring that pupils are successful in achieving their targets.

In most circumstances our procedures and support occur in the classroom under the direction of the classroom teacher.

We feel that our experience of tactfully and sensitively responding to a wide range of different pupils’ additional educational requirements has contributed to the educational achievement at St Ambrose Barlow School.

Special Educational Needs Statement

St. Ambrose Barlow RC High School

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

JUNE17th 2016 Issue 20

A National Teaching SchoolA National School of Creativity

ST AMBROSE BARLOW RC HIGH SCHOOL

open eveningdepartmental information

IMPORTANT DATES & FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Malham Trip June 20th - 24th

New Intake Parents’ Evening June 22nd

Year 11 Prom July 1st

Y7 Conway trip July 4th - 8th

Full Governing Body July 7th

Art Exhibition July 7th

Year 10 Plas Menai trip July 11th - 15th

Welcome afternoon for new

6th form July 14th

School closes July 15th

Celebrating 60 Years of Outstanding Learning

60

I love coming to work here each day.

Often it doesn’t feel like work. We are a Catholic community of faith where it is a privilege to see our young people flourishing, to speak with them, to learn their ways and watch them grow in confidence. They are an inspiration. Every day, every lesson great adventures and stories unfold born out of curiosity, imagination and creativity. Our equally inspiring staff are dedicated to nurturing every young person in their care. They may get outstanding results, but their commitment brings so much more to the education of our students. We believe in doing things differently so that every child can realise their gifts and talents and celebrate who they are. Doing this means that we are bringing to life the Catholic mission and ethos of the school.

There is great spirit and energy in this school. You can see it in the range of extra-curricular activities, in the array of research projects undertaken by staff and in the creativity that flows through our learning. There is also support and care: no-one is left behind, no-one is left out. Visitors often comment on the quiet sense of purpose they find in the school; this comes from outstanding relationships, particularly those between teachers and pupils.

We thrive on connections: with parents and carers, with parishes, with businesses. We love to look out and have give our pupils a global perspective on learning. By doing this our students can see a higher purpose in their learning. It isn’t just about passing exams, getting a job or going to university. It is about pursuing passions, developing new skills and building character so that life after school can be rich and fulfilling lived in the service of others. Our pupils go out into the world with the capacity to contribute, to lead and to play their part in the community with joy and hope. The greatest measure of our success is seeing students who have the capacity to take charge of their future (at a time when the world is changing faster than ever), to be curious, make change and be comfortable in their own skin. As a parent myself I hope for the same for my own children.

If you like the sound of this, please come and see us. Everyone is welcome here. I look forward to meeting you and saying, ‘This is Ambrose...’

Ben Davis

Headteacher

Celebrating 60 Years of Outstanding Learning

1955 - 2015

Special Event for new Sixth Form

We are expecting close to 100 students in Year 12 in September, one third of whom will be from schools across Salford other than St. Ambrose Barlow. We are holding a special welcome event on July 14th to begin to help them bond as group and make the most of the next two years.

Standing Up for Free Speech Throughout this year a large group of Year 9 pupils has been working on a project entitled Speaking for Ourselves in collaboration with other schools and various artists. This week the group, which is co-ordinated by Miss Wright, worked an artist to design a series of concrete plinths that will create a kind of Speaker’s Corner, symbolising our school’s commitment to free speech and debate. The plinths will form a path and are adorned by various designs and words collated by the pupils. The path will be installed at the back of the school as permanent part of our campus.

Duke of Edinburgh trip The weekend saw an intrepid group of DoE explorers head out for their practice expedition. It was an excellent, if damp, weekend and the pupils were nothing less than enthusiastic in their participation. The greatest challenge? Midges!

Transition Days This week we welcomed some of next year’s Year 7 to the school. They spent a day working in classes, getting to know the way the school works and meeting staff and pupils. Their responses to the school were very enthusiastic and they took part very effectively in all that was offered to them. The days are co-ordinated by Mrs. Tucker and Mr. Gregson, who will be the Head of Year for them when they join us in September. Our thanks to the teachers from our family of primary schools who supported the days. We have one more to go!

Women of Wonder Breakfast A group of keen students attended a morning of talks by female scientists at Manchester University.

Rotary Club Citizenship Day This was a lovely day organised by the Rotary Club of Walkden. The pupils met the Lady Mayor, Deputy Mayoress and Deputy Lord Lieutenant. They were excellent ambassadors for the school, taking part and contributing ideas to the group work and received praise about their attitude and conduct from other teachers. Jordan Perris collected an overall citizenship award for all his efforts and enthusiasm for events in and out of school. He was an integral part of the winning team with Charlotte Kenny who have all been invited to have lunch with the Lady Mayor in September who was so impressed that she has asked to come and visit the school. It is fantastic to see our pupils putting citizenship into action each week.

EU Referendum trip Two Year 9 pupils enjoyed a trip to a debate and presentation on the EU Referendum. Tom Bates and Bethany Fraine were lucky enough to attend the discussion and hear in detail the arguments on both sides.

Sports Presentation Evening Our annual celebration of sporting achievement and skill took place at Swinton Golf Club this Thursday evening. Over 100 pupils gathered to receive their awards, enjoy a meal together and then dance the night away. Great credit must go to the PE department who organised the event, especially Mr. Gregson and Mr. Burns for making the arrangements and Mr. Morrison for acted as the incorrigible Master of Ceremonies, assisted by Connor James and Isobel Carter of Year 11. We were treated to a great speech and interview from guest speaker Jamie Moore, former champion boxer and now Sky Sports commentator. He reflected on his career and shared some insights into a life in sport. He remembered being inspired by Nigel Benn as a young man and finding that boxing gave him confidence and skill when he did not excel at other aspects of school. He also shared simple, but effective philosophy for achievement: ‘work hard and persevere, find something that will let you do what you love and pays the bills.’

Athletics Competition We enjoyed great success at this years Salford Athletics competition with many pupils amongst the honours. Of particular worthy mention is the Year 7 relay team who set a new Salford record and Year 10 pupil Philip Chorlton who left other competitors standing the 100 metres and achieved an outstanding 11 second time.

Money Week Assembly There were some excellent assemblies this week on managing money and personal finances as pupils presented to their peers on the value of goods, the difference between necessities and luxuries and the importance of budgeting.

Tate London Year 8 pupils were the lucky ones who got to visit the Tate Modern in London on the day it opened it’s £200m extension. The pupils toured the building and learnt about the art on display as well as benefiting from an educational day in London.

OUR SCHOOL THIS WEEK above: year 8 at tate modern, london

OUR SCHOOL THIS WEEK above: women of wonder breakfast; below: duke of edinburgh on expedition.

OUR SCHOOL THIS WEEK sports presentation evening: jamie moore with pupils receiving their awards

OUR SCHOOL THIS WEEK year 10 pupils at the rotary club citizenship day.

OUR SCHOOL THIS WEEK Year 8 pupil josh hart rocks g-fest back in may! well done josh..