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

JANUARY 22nd 2016 Issue 8

A National Teaching SchoolA National School of Creativity

ST AMBROSE BARLOW RC HIGH SCHOOL

open eveningdepartmental information

IMPORTANT DATES & FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Year 11 GCSE Drama Written (this week) January 25th

HT Surgery January 25th PSHE Super Day January 11th Burns Supper January 29th 7 pm Year 11 Parents’ Evening February 4th Year 8 Reviews February 8th - 10th Ash Wednesday February 10th

New York trip February 13th

School closes for half-term February 13th

60th Anniversary School Review

Over the next few weeks we will be reviewing closely a

number of aspects of school life and consulting on some

changes to the school badge; in the introduction of a

motto and our school vision and values. Contributions to

this process from parents, guardians and members of

our community are gratefully received. More details to

follow.

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

On Wednesday we welcomed Grindsmith Coffee Company from Deansgate into the school with their mobile coffee cart. Pete and Natasha from the company gave up their time free of charge to teach Year 10 students about producing, making and creating great coffee. This included teaching them to use the professional machines and discussing the ethics of coffee and the challenges of being an entrepreneur. They also opened a pop-up coffee shop that saw staff, students and members of the local community come in for pastries and various beverages. Sixth Former Toni Eckersley, said that she had learnt a great deal about how to make a cappuccino and was impressed by how difficult the process was, but wanted to show off her perfect milk foam. The coffee shop also opened for the Year 9 parents evening. We look forward to our partnership with Grindsmith continuing as we explore the possibilities of opening a permanent student-led venture in the now-over-subscribed 6th form for next year.

COFFEE ENTERPRISE LAUNCHED

The newly formed Profile Group is leading assemblies all next week to raise awareness of the cause that they are supporting. The group, led by Miss Singleton, has over 20 members who are co-ordinating various activities. They have an excellent logo (seen here) designed by Autumn Coomber in Year 9 and they are now collecting donations of baby clothing and equipment to give to new mothers highlighting the positive alternative to abortion. All donations are gratefully accepted.

PRO-LIFE GROUP

We hosted the second of our Business Breakfasts this week, welcoming yet more enterprising thinkers and doers to the school. The Year 10 Young Enterprise group were able to network with our business partners and learn more about the skills needed for life and work by listening to conversations between the business people, Mrs. Cheshire and Mr. Davis. Thanks to Anita from our good friends the 16-25 Growth Hub for yet again helping to facilitate the meeting.

This week we took the first tentative steps towards creating a whole school library. English teacher Mrs. Fay is leading the work and we are seeking donations of books from parents, guardians and local people. You can sponsor a new book and your name will be recorded in the frontispiece of the volume. Please contact us for more details.

BUSINESS BREAKFAST & LIBRARY DEVELOPMENT

The BBC School report group just goes from strength to strength. They were out in force this week reporting on school events and have now had their work published on the BBC blog. They were especially lucky to be visited by professional journalist, camerawoman and producer Georgina Kiedrowski who has worked with Bear Grylls and was planning her next trip to cover the refugee crisis in Jordan. She participated in a morning workshop and fielded questions about her work from the students.

BBC SCHOOL REPORT UPDATE

Year 8, 10 and 11 Spanish students were treated to an enjoyable and creative performance by the Flying Theatre Company who performed their piece Viva Espana to the students. Thank you to Miss Higson for arranging this.

SPANISH THEATRE PERFORMANCE

Year 11 students had the privilege of listening to speaker John Pridmore on Thursday. John is a regular visitor to the school and spoke with the entire year group about his life in organised crime, his upbringing and the transformation that occurred when he opened his heart to God. His positive message and honest reflections were an inspiration to many in the room and we were honoured to spend time with him praying. John gave each student a business card encouraging them to contact him and also took part in the Sacrament of Reconcilation with all the year group. Over the course of two days over 200 students went to confession, many of them did so directly after hearing John speak. Head of RE Mr. Davies commented: ‘Over 200 pupils and staff took the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation over the past couple of days; a most significant number and testament to the spirituality we all help instil in our community. This engagement in the Faith is uncommon and should not be taken for granted. Our school has been recognised as a beacon of good practice. Our visitors congratulated us on the work we do and recognised, from the moment they entered the building, a warmth of welcome from us all.’

VISIT BY JOHN PRIDMORE & SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION

Congratulations to Year 10 student Holly Grimes who was selected this week for the RFU Under-15 North Junior Academy for the women’s rugby team - a fantastic achievement. Congratulations also go to Charlotte Bradley (Year 9) whose writing appears in a newly published Young Writers’ anthology.

CONGRATULATIONS TO HOLLY AND CHARLOTTE

REMINDER - TOOTOOT: IMPROVING COMMUNICATION & TACKLING BULLYING I am pleased to announce that we have now launched a new online system for reporting incidents of bullying or any other concerns that our young people may have. It is called Tootoot and can be found via the link on our website (on the top bar of the home page) or accessed by following this link: http://www.tootoot.co.uk

The site is completed secure and allows students to report bullying, harassment, racism, mental health concerns, abuse or any other issue directly to the school at any time of day or night. The information is then picked up immediately by the appropriate member of staff and dealt with swiftly. Our students are already excellent at speaking to staff about these issues, especially when they have concerns or anxieties, so Tootoot does not replace face-to-face communication. It is simply an extra way of telling us when students have concerns.

Every student has been given a Username and Password. These can be changed if necessary- any issues with the administration of Tootoot are dealt with by the school. You might find it useful to view the following online films which tell you more about Tootoot. You can also download a free Tootoot app to your phone or to your child's phone.

https://tootoot.co.uk/how-it-works https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTOFOb9-CZM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FuB4q_biyI

As with any online platform we ask parents and guardians to monitor children's usage and to ensure that Tootoot is used responsibly to report genuine incidents and concerns.

The start of the new year may well be a good time for parents and guardians to review the way their children are using the internet. We have become aware of a number of apps that are being used to hide photos and texts from on phones, often behind a calculator. Sometimes these photos and texts are being used inappropriately to embarrass or bully others. All students, particularly younger ones, would benefit from being spoken to by parents and guardians about safe and responsible internet use, security settings on social media profiles and the risks of sharing photos and personal information online. We can help with this - just get in touch.

our commitment to the local community: expectations of students and parents/ guardians This week I was very privileged to meet with local residents. I had invited them into the school to get to know our community and to develop our links with it. I think it is vital that we are an outward-looking school who are very much part of the community. Many of the residents were positive about our young people, particularly those who on the night stayed behind to help serve tea, coffee and biscuits. The residents raised a number of issues with me that I think merit being brought to the attention of parents and guardians. I ask that you give due consideration to these and, where they apply to you or your child, consider acting on them to improve relationships for the benefit of everyone.

• Please observe the 20 mph speed limit on the roads surrounding the school where it applies.

• As far as it is possible parents, staff and visitors are asked not to park on Ash Drive. Double-parking especially is dangerous and inconsiderate. When picking up children from school you are asked to park with consideration for local residents and, if possible, park a distance from the school to allow students to walk safely to buses and cars. If you find yourself in a discussion with a local resident regarding this matter please speak with respect at all times.

• If your son or daughter cycles to school they must wear a helmet and ensure that they are displaying working lights. In addition, they must cycle on the road and not on pavements. If staff see these guidelines being infringed we will contact parents and guardians to discuss and will ask that the young person concerned does not cycle to school unless the matters are addressed.

• All litter is unacceptable. Parents and guardians are asked to remind their children of this and are asked to reinforce to students the need to use the litter bins provided. Students caught littering are always asked to take responsibility for their actions. Student-led litter patrols in the local area will begin soon.

• The safety of our students is our priority on the roads around the school. This comes before the convenience of parents and guardians

Thank you in advance for your support in these matters. Ben Davis, Headteacher

OUR SCHOOL THIS WEEK internationally reknowned speaker john pridmore meets the year 11 student leadership team (above) and talks to all of year 11 (below).

OUR SCHOOL THIS WEEK GRINDSMITH WORKING IN THE 6TH FORM WITH YEAR 10; THE BBC SCHOOL REPORT GROUP HEARING FROM JOURNALIST GEORGINA KIEDROWSKI

YEAR 9 PARENTS’ EVENING (JANUARY 20TH) PARENT FEEDBACK SUMMARY

THE OVERALL ATTENDANCE WAS 65%. THIS IS BELOW EXPECTATIONS AND A 2% REDUCTION ON LAST YEAR.

WE ARE KEEN TO WORK WITH PARENTS AND GUARDIANS TO IMPROVE ATTENDANCE AT THIS PARENTS’ EVENING.

Form Parental Attendance %

9A 69

9B 78

9C 67

9F 60

9J 41

9L 69

9M 70

Overall parent attendance 65

2015 Year 9 Parent Attendance 67

Agree/ strongly

agree

Disagree/ Strongly disagree

Don’t know

My child is happy at this school 99 1

My child feels safe at this school 95 5

My child makes good progress at this school 100

My child is well looked after at this school 96 4

My child is taught well at this school 96 4

My child receives appropriate homework at this school 84 12 4

This school makes sure its pupils are well behaved 99 1

This school deals effectively with bullying 66 4 30

This school is well led and managed 93 7

This school responds to any concerns I raise 82 5 13

I receive valuable information from the school about my child’s progress

93 7

I would recommend this school to another parent 99 1

PARENT SATISFACTION SURVEYS We issued parent surveys to all those who attended. 56 surveys were completed and returned. The collated results are below. All numbers are percentages.

YEAR 10/11 EXAMS 2016

Monday 22.02.16 to Friday 26.02.16

all other subject areas NOT MENTIONED HERE will run their year 10 exams in the classroom during normal lesson time.

YEAR 10/11 EXAMS 2016Monday 22.02.16 to Friday 26.02.16

STUDENT TIMETABLEDAY DATE 9.00AM START Duration 10.45 START

P3,4&part5E Duration 2.00PM START Duration

MON 22.02.16 YR11 Add ScienceYR11 Triple Bly6th Form Maths P1

1h 30m1h 30m1h 45m

10.45am YR11Maths P1 Non Calc

1h 45m YR11 RE 1h 30m

TUES 23.02.16 YR10 English 1h 45m 5L start:YR10 Maths P1 Non Calc

1h 45m

WED 24.02.16 YR11 English6th Form English

1h 30m1h 30m

5L start:YR10 Maths P2 CalcYR11 Triple Chy6th Form Maths P2

1h 45m1h 30m1h 45m

THUR 25.02.16 YR11Maths P2 Calc

1h 45m 5L start:YR10 Science

1h 30m

FRI 26.02.16 YR11 RE 1h 10m 10.45am YR11 Triple Phy

1h 30m

Dear all: It has been agreed by Ben, that all other subject areas will run their year 10 exams in the classroom during normal lesson time.

A schedule will be produced for this, which will show the timeline in which to complete them.

PLEASE NOTICE THAT THE DATES HAVE CHANGED FROM THOSE PUBLISHED IN THE CALENDAR: THEREFORE, W/C 04.04.16 AND 11.04.16 WILL BECOME NORMAL TEACHING WEEKS.

Do you want to feel really prepared for your English exams?

Improve your:TimingSPaG AnalysisReading(all of these skills can BOOST your grades in EVERY subject too!)

Mrs O’Connor – 2E1 – 8am - Mondays and Wednesdays