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

NOVEMBER 13TH 2015 Issue 2

A National Teaching SchoolA National School of Creativity

ST AMBROSE BARLOW RC HIGH SCHOOL

open eveningdepartmental information

IMPORTANT DATES & FORTHCOMING EVENTS Year 11 Mocks November 9th - 17th Year 10 Mindfulness weekly sessions

Presentation Evening (school closes at 2.00 pm) November 19th 7.00 pm Year 11 Retreats November 24th School Remembrance Service November 27th Careers Focus Week November 23 - 27th 6th Form Open Morning November 28th 10.00am Year 9 reports to parents & guardians December 11th Barcelona Trip December 12th - 13th

Advent Liturgy December 15th

School closes for Christmas December 18th 12.00 pm School reopens January 4th 2016 8.45 am

NEW WEBSITE LAUNCHES In collaboration with Hive, a local company, we have developed our new website with an improved look, greater clarity and more features. The website address has not changed. What you will see when you visit the site is the first phase. There is more to come and the final site will go live on December 7th. All feedback is welcome.

6th form open morning (november 28th) Don’t miss the additional open morning for the 6th form. We currently have over 130 applicants for places.

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

REMEMBRANCE week We were very impressed with pupils from form 8B who led the week of Remembrance Assemblies. Miss West’s form spoke of the history of remembrance, the lessons we can learn from the past and show respect for memory of the victims of war whilst at the same time honour the sacrifice of the fallen. The school observed a two minute silence at 11am on Wednesday.

On Monday night the Royal Exchange Theatre in city centre Manchester, buzzed with ideas and creativity from over 40 young people from across the area. Each one was talking about an issue of interest or concern to them and trying to persuade the audience of the value of their perspective and insight. This was part of an event called TaY Talks or Truth about Youth. The English department had entered several pupils to speak and Dan Sellwood-Blythe was chosen. He chose to talk about his experiences as a transgender person in school and his reflections were articulate, moving and insightful. A number of staff attended along with pupils. It was without doubt a very successful evening. TaY talks @ the royal exchange

ZUMBATHON Led by Miss Cunningham a group of Year 7 pupils raised money for charity with a sponsored Zumbathon. The pupils raised the impressive sum of £172.30. Miss Cunningham said: ‘I organised the Zumbathon as an extra-curricular activity for a number of reasons; to raise money for charity, to educate the students on how fundraising can be enjoyable, and to inspire them to help others. A number of Year 7 girls took part and all did extremely well - I was very impressed with their efforts. The Zumbathon was held in aid of Variety, the Children's Charity (North West Branch), meaning that all money raised will stay and help youngsters right here in our area.’ We are a charitable school and there are many more opportunities for fundraising before Christmas.

This week we hosted over 15 representatives from local business and industry in the school at an event designed to develop our engagement with business people. The Business Breakfast was organised by Miss Cheshire. The Year 10 pupils who make up the school’s Yung Enterprise group welcomed the guests and worked with them to discuss the essential skills and qualities that employers are seeking in all school leavers. These were then distilled into lists and the employers and pupils examined them in more depth. business breakfast

This week marked the start of a year-long project in collaboration with an organisation called Commando Joe. This is a company of former military personnel who work with young people in over 350 schools on issues of leadership, self-esteem and confidence. Over the next few months a member of staff from Commando Joe will be in school one day each week working with individual pupils and groups as well as being around the school to support learning and achievement. You can find out more at http://www.commandojoes.co.uk

commando joe

former pupil speaks at conference On Wednesday former pupil Daniel Bateson spoke at the Education Estates Conference at Manchester Central (GMEX). The conference is a national event for the construction industry focussing on the way it works to build and maintain education buildings and property. Daniel was speaking to representatives from top firms, universities and schools describing the impact of the Design Engineer Construct course on his learning and progress and arguing for more of these experiences for other pupils in all schools. Also speaking as teacher Mr. McDonagh, Headteacher Mr. Davis, Alison Watson from Class of Your Own and Caroline Blackman, director at Laing O’Rourke

T H I S W E E K I N P I C T U R E S

year 11 hockey; Commando joe; business breakfast

From left: our talented Year 11 Hockey squad last week fresh from their Salford win; Bryn, joining us next week from Commando Joe; the businesses and pupils put their heads together to come up with essential employability skills earlier in the week.

“

zumba; tay talks; badminton

FROM TOP: the brilliant Year 7 Zumba artistes; Dan at the TaY Talks at the Royal Exchange; the Year 10 Salford Badminton champions.