St Ambrose Barlow Weekly Newsletter Issue 7

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JANUARY 15TH 2016 Issue 7

Our Aim

In accordance with our Mission Statement the School’s aim

Faith and Worship

60

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

School and Community

Celebrating Years of Celebrating 60 Years of60Outstan Outstanding Learning 1955 - 2015

To encourage and develop relationships between home, parish, school and the wider com in order to prepare our pupils to become responsible, I love comingcaring to workcitizens. here each day.

Often it doesn’t feel like work. We are a Catholic co privilege to see our young people flourishing, to sp HT Surgery January 25th ways and watch them grow in confidence.

They a To develop an effective system of communications and relationships which is based Year 11 GCSE Drama PSHE January 11th unfold bor every Super lessonDay great adventures and stories Gospel values of mutual respect, tolerance, care and understanding towards all member Practical (this week) January 18th Burns Supper Our equallyJanuary pm dedica and creativity. inspiring29th staff7 are school community. person in their care.

They may get outstanding re Year 11 Meningitis Year 11 Parents’ Evening February 4th brings so much more to the education of our studen Immunisations January 20th 8 Reviews February 8th - 10th Individual Support and Development Year differently so that every child can realise their gifts a Year 9 Parents’ Evening January 20th Ash theyWednesday are. Doing this meansFebruary that we 10th are bringing to 6th Form Parents’ Evening January 20th ethos theencourage school.

To celebrate the unique nature of each person and to their development as indi YEAR 9ofPARENTS’ EVENING

Communications and Relationships IMPORTANT DATES & FORTHCOMING EVENTS

English GCSE resit results

January 20th

Year 11 reports published Curriculum

January 22nd

Year 11 GCSE Drama

Toweek) introduce Written (this

We are pleased to announce that the evening sees the

There is great spirit and energy in this school. You c

launch of our 6th form cafe partnership Grindsmith curricular activities, in the array of with research projec

the creativity flows through our learning.the There Coffee who will that be serving beverages throughout

A National Teach allJanuary pupils 25th to a broad, balanced, and differentiated curriculum and t onerelevant is left behind, no-one is left out.

Visitors A National often School o evening. pupils with the necessary knowledge, skillsofand Christian values required a rapidly ch purpose they find in the school; in this comes fro

Form time is the ideal point in the school day for all students to focus on developing their literacy skills. By doing this we are reminded that literacy does not belong only to the English department, but is the responsibility of all staff and students. to support this Mrs Chalk in the English department has devised a series of literacy challenges for students that will run each week in form time. This week we have focused on homophones: words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings such as: stationery and stationary and wear, where, we're and were. Students have also looked at the difference between affect and effect. Each week the challenges will result in students producing posters or similar products.

Whole School Literacy in form time

Many of our talented staff are this year undertaking research projects as part of their professional development. As teachers it is vital that we remain learners so these projects keep us curious and engaged in our own development.

Miss Wright is leading a research project on debate, freedom of speech, citizenship and British values. This work involves the student council and this week saw them collaborate with two other schools: Abraham Moss High and Failinge High. Students worked together at the Hopwood Theatre in Middleton to explore some of the big ideas in the project that they will investigate later in the year in more detail at subsequent gatherings.

speaking for ourselves

Prior to Christmas we launched our BBC School Report group led by Miss Haselden and Mr Lewis. The lucky budding journalists had a day of filming and reporting in Manchester city centre this week based at the RISE enterprise hub on Deansgate.

They ventured out to interview members of the public about everything from the junior doctors’ strike to the recent flooding and found out a great deal about the realities of life as a jobbing reporter. The project received a further boost when professional journalist and explorer Georgina Kiedrowski offered to lend her services. She will be joining our team in school this Wednesday.

BBC SCHOOL REPORT

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.

Ben Davis, Headteacher

OUR SCHOOL THIS WEEK STUDENTS FROM OUR STUDENT COUNCIL WORKING ON THE SPEAKING FOR OURSELVES COLLABORATIVE PROJECT WITH ABRAHAM MOSS AND FAILINGE SCHOOLS AT THE HOPWOOD THEATRE

OUR SCHOOL THIS WEEK

THIS IS WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE. OUR NETBALL TEAMS WHO BEAT ST. PATRICK’S IN THREE MATCHES.

OUR SCHOOL THIS WEEK STUDENTS FROM YEAR 7 AT THE 100 WORD CHALLENGE BUZZING WITH IDEAS AND ENERGY ABOUT CREATIVE WRITING.

OUR SCHOOL THIS WEEK

OUR FABULOUS BBC SCHOOL REPORTERS OUT AND ABOUT IN THE CITY GATHERING NEWS AND (BELOW) AT RISE ENJOYING THE FACILITIES.

YEAR 10/11 EXAMS 2016 Monday 22.02.16 to Friday 26.02.16 YEAR 10/11 EXAMS 2016

all other subject areas NOT22.02.16 MENTIONEDtoHERE will26.02.16 run their year 10 exams in Monday Friday the classroom during normal lesson time.

STUDENT TIMETABLE DAY

DATE

9.00AM START

Duration

10.45 START P3,4&part5E

Duration 2.00PM START

Duration

MON

22.02.16

YR11 Add Science 1h 30m YR11 Triple Bly 1h 30m 6th Form Maths P1 1h 45m

10.45am YR11 Maths 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 English 6th Form English

1h 30m 1h 30m

5L start: YR10 Maths P2 Calc 1h 45m YR11 Triple Chy 1h 30m 6th Form Maths P2 1h 45m

THUR

25.02.16

YR11 Maths P2 Calc

1h 45m

5L start: YR10 Science

FRI

26.02.16

YR11 RE

1h 10m

10.45am YR11 Triple Phy

1h 30m

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 esson 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: Timing SPaG Analysis Reading (all of these skills can BOOST your grades in EVERY subject too!)

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