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

FEBRUARY 12TH 2016 Issue 10

A National Teaching SchoolA National School of Creativity

ST AMBROSE BARLOW RC HIGH SCHOOL

open eveningdepartmental information

IMPORTANT DATES & FORTHCOMING EVENTS

New York trip February 12th

School closes for half-term February 12th

School reopens 8:45 am February 22nd

Year 8 reports to parents February 26th

Easter Liturgy March 14th/15th

Year 10 Parents' Evening March 16th

School Closes for Easter March 18th

WE KNOW SOME AMAZING PRIMARY SCHOOLS!

Over the past few weeks Mr. Davis (HT) and Mr. Holden (AHT) have been visiting the family of primary schools that we are part of across Salford speaking to pupils at assembly, being inspired by the amazing work in classes and getting to know the staff.

Our thanks to everyone who has made us very welcome - we’ll be back soon and have really enjoyed our visits and the warm welcome we have received. We are also pleased to announce that some of our Year 10s will shortly be spending their lunch times at primary schools as Playground Leaders.

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

Form 10C were given the opportunity to plan and conduct an assembly inform of their year group, and were given the topic of poetry. Several members of the form went around the school to ask people’s opinions on it. The results they found were very interesting ranging from ‘boring and confusing’ to ‘artistic and meaningful’. 10C then wanted to share with their year group that poetry can be found in many forms by reading some of King David of Israel’s psalms along with a poem picked by the class: "In Flanders Field". They felt that both of these had a lot of meaning. The students commented: "It’s important that we don’t spend our lives comparing ourselves with other people who are seemingly ‘more creative’ than we are – we all have a different type of creativity that can be shared in many ways."

Well done to: Byron Ismail, Holly Billingham, John-Paul Fletcher, Chole Latham, Ellie Williamson, Mason Mannion and Max Riley

POETRY ASSEMBLY

ART & SCIENCE A group of Year 10 students has been working with students and staff from Manchester University on an Art in Research project that brings together arts and science to explore possibilities and ideas. This week they visited Salford Royal Hospital to explore cancer cells and produce art work inspired by cutting edge medical research.

ST JOSEPH’S PENNY The start of Lent sees us launch our annual charitable drive for St. Joseph’s Penny. Last year we raised over £2000 for this charity. This week all forms have been issued with collection boxes and we are aiming to beat last year’s total. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Well done to Leah Thompson (Year 10) for her excellent performance in the regional finals. Her outstanding dishes earned widespread praise from the judges.

FUTURE CHEF REGIONAL FINALS

A number of students led Ash Wednesday lunchtime liturgies for all year groups this week and staff. After attending the Parish Mass at St Charles Borromeo Church, Swinton, students returned to school to lead a liturgy of the Imposition of ashes.

Despite the liturgies being voluntary, we quickly had to transfer from the Chapel to the Main Hall because the attendance was so high! Students were reminded about the call from Pope Francis to show love and mercy this Lent.

Thank you to everyone involved and particularly Brendan (Year 10) who took on the role of minister.

ASH WEDNESDAY

time to talk

Last week we enjoyed a full week of focusing on challenging the stigma around mental health and wellbeing. Assemblies were led by the Year 11 leadership team who presented short films, performed dramas and talked about the impact of mental ill-health. An extended form time on Thursday saw every pupil in school participate in a range of activities designed to provoke discussion and challenge stereotypes. As a school we are completed committed to eradicating the stigma around mental health; to creating a safe environment in which no-one is scared or ashamed to talk about it; and to ensuring that wellbeing is our first priority. You can find out more about the campaign of which we are part at: http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/about-us/about-our-campaign/time-to-talk

YEAR 11 PARENTS’ EVENING Attendance at last week’s Year 11 Parents’ Evening was 74%. Thank you to all parents and guardians who attended. If you were unable to attend and would like to discuss the progress of your child please contact us.

GOODBYE MISS CUNNINGHAM We were very sad to say farewell to Miss Cunningham who has been with us for the past few months as a student teacher. We wish her the very best for the future.

NETBALL SUCCESS This week we took on Walkden High School winning 11-9 against Year 7s and drawing 5-5 against Year 9. Well done to all the competitors. We beat Moorside Year 10s 13-2 and lost 6-0 to their Year 8 team.

YEAR 7 DANCERS We are thrilled to report that a group of our Year 7 dancers took to the stage this week to showcase their skills at the Lowry centre. Top marks for creativity and commitment.

FLIPPING BRILLIANT! On Shrove Tuesday our wonderful 6th Formers provided a little feast when they produced amazing pancakes for staff and students. They made a modest amount of money for charity and kept us well-fed before Lent started. They also roped in Year 9 pupils to serve.

OUR SCHOOL THIS WEEK Form 10c after leading their poetry assembly; year 9 serve up the pancakes on shrove tuesday.

OUR SCHOOL THIS WEEK leah thompson’s dishes await judgement at the futurechef final; leah lines up with the competitors; all the dishes vying for first place

OUR SCHOOL THIS WEEK turing medicine into art at salford royal hospital with the art in research project.

OUR SCHOOL THIS WEEK goodbye miss cunningham; the year 7 dancers prepare backstage at the lowry.

OUR SCHOOL THIS WEEK exploring mental health and challenging the stigma #timetotalk