Christmas Newsletter 2020

ST AMBROSE BARLOW RC HIGH SCHOOL & SIXTH FORM

FAITH IN YOU

LOVE IN LEARNING

HOPE IN BETTER

Christmas 2020

this term in our school . . .

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Head’s start .

Mr. Davis, Headteacher, reflects on the Mr. Davis, Headteacher, reflects on the term. week.

Our pupils are our priority. That might seem like It isofabout this timebut of year that I meet a statement the obvious, it is given extra with each Head of Department to review weight and significance when we are living the exam results. This involves through asummer’s pandemic.

plenty of useful and thought-provoking it is usually Our pupilsdiscussion, have beenbut amazing.

Theytalking have about numbers and letters.

Behind this data are consistently responded to all that has been asked stories: how pupils did, how they felt, what of them around the school with positivity and coliked and what of they achieved.

We operation.they Their experience school has, for always focus on how things can be the past several months been very different from as Their well as celebrating what went that whichimproved is normal. resilience in the face well.

As a Catholic school, exam results of this and their commitment to making it all work are one way expressing the unique, Godis a great just testament toof their character. given talents and skills of each pupil. It is important to look beyond thethe data so I am It would be all too easy to talk about isolation, delighted that much more of my job the illness and the absence, but instead let’s involves just beinghas in classes, walking and around the school consider what been achieved notice what has and gonetalking well. to pupils, students and staff.

If ever you are like feeling at all despondent or Our school has worked never before.

It is fatigued I reckon a quick tour of the school always a calm, happy place - in many ways you’d would quickly raise your spirits.

Let me never know anything had changed in the world show you what I mean.

Today (Thursday, outside.

September 29th) for instance, I dropped into 10been GCSE Music.hard, There, was 11 Our pupilsYear have working ourI Year delighted to listen to performances of especially so and they dealt brilliantly with the Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Hold mock exams. We have seen them undertake Back the River and When the Saints Gowe Marching mock interviews and work experience and In. I also got to sit with Daniel and even managed to appoint the basis of a YearChester 11 they demonstrated their prodigious DJing leadershipasteam, with more exciting talents.

Next, during I supervised the developments to follow in due lunch, course.

canteen and made a point of watching the that take placewider daily.issues, Pupils and In Years 7interactions - 9 pupils have explored staff holding doors open for one another, and built on the independent learning that many offering thanks, little moments of personal of them did in lockdown, through the Ambrose appreciation and gratitude.

Of Project lessons. We have featured somecourse, of this things don’t work in the pages thatalways follow.go well in a school, but it is lovely to witness a voluntary apology from a Year 9 to the oneprojects, of the lunch timeclasses, staff, or In addition, through literacy see one pupil help another who is form and PSHCE they have explored some unsure of the where tosocial go forissues class. of our time, not more challenging least racism. Let us not forget that COVID has In Sixth I enjoyed a lengthy chat with not obscured fromForm, the news the many terrible Aidan who explained both the theory things human beings do to one another, racismof and its potential especially.differentiation Our pupils have spoken out commercial and application.

In English they discussed their identities, respondingwere to thestudying the play Blood Brothers and talking with world around them as future, potential leaders.

humour and excitement about superstitions; in Year 7 RE they weremoney dissecting our new More recently they have raised for charity, mission statement and exploring the funding local food banks and supporting those in personal within it. School is a our immediate andmeanings wider communities who are busy, bustling, humming place. especially in need at this time of year.

I get to Maths to find all of Year 9 embroiled in have a taskalso thatdesigned is so challenging and exciting They our Christmas card - a that I want to stay and have a go myself. brilliant collaborative effort by 16 pupils from Outside it’s:groups “Sir, have youas seen my tie? different year as well sending cards Can you open my bottle?

What did you for abroad as part of their work in French and, think of last to night’s What time is it, Year 7, writing their game? former primary schools.

Sir?” and, at least once a day, “Oh my Communication has been high on the agenda.

days!” It can be noisy at times and in a this size we Andcommunity what of the adults, thecan’t staff expect who serve our everyone to get on with each other all the school? They too have been exceptional in their time. But it islast our few community, lively,that approach to the months and a I know lovely, positive that.because you have many of you shareone thatatview written to me to say so. I am in awe of both our Perhaps single highlight my week, staff and ourthe pupils and extend of a deep debtifofI had to pick, would be the conversation I hada gratitude to them all for making this term such with Mrs. Fay who is leading the success insect challenging circumstances.

development of our new library. I am a library enthusiast and been ever since I am also very grateful to have you, our parents and I was little.

The furthest reach of my carers, for the level of support and understanding is backWe to all moments spent oureasy youmemory have shown. know that lifeinisn’t local library entranced by its colour and at present, especially for some families, but your bright appreciation possibilities. of Onwhat Twitter constant we are trying to do #RememberingMyLibrary reveals continuity the hold of to keep everyone safe and maintain that such an institution has: ‘A library education. Your feedback has helped uscard to was aour freeonline pass learning to wonderment, words and improve offer and support the ability to roam the world’ observes one pupils in a more effective way when they are user, at whilst another quotes the wrought iron learning home.

gates of Stalybridge library, ‘Read, Mark, Learn and Inwardly Digest.’

Others There is, more than ever, a strong sensetalk of of the escape that a library represented or community in our school, a feeling of beingof the refuge it offered from an unkind world. and bound together by circumstance, in adversity by faith. You can see that in the nearly 200 Mrs. Fay spent last Saturday nominations there have been as peacefully we celebrate our stacking the shelves and the we final are inching school values. As we enter stages of closer opening.

What me was Advent wetomust continue tothrilled draw hope fromher our comment that several boys, some of whom community’s response to this crisis, be nourished affect a dislikeand of reading, electrified by by the kindness care thatwere has been presence of a library in their school: unleashed and be inspired by the young‘You people this and, it, words we mean serve.I can All ofborrow this reminds uslike, that,read in the Miss?’ was the breathless utterance of one of St. John Henry Newman, we are all ‘links in a pupil.

Our library is at the heart of the chain, a bond of connections between between school:and a space for being open Look to andat the persons’ we ‘shall do good’. sharing ideas and experiences.

It ismaking.

openwonderful difference your children are plan and its shelves serve as a reminder thatyou there should be no barrier to anyone I wish and your families a happy, Holy and using its volumes or seeking knowledge, peaceful Christmas - we are here if you need us.

solace, entertainment or information. I can’t wait to see it come to life in the weeks God bless,

ahead thanks to Mrs. Fay and her band of Benhelpers.

Davis, Headteacher

Front cover image: Orla Cahill, Year 7

Ben Davis, Headteacher Twitter: @BenDavis1972 2

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Exceptional graphic work from Venice Sison as part of her project exploring issues of race in Year 7 project class.

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Top: our new Y11 Pupil Leadership team Below: The Year 7 Christmas Card design team

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Top: The Year 8 Christmas Card design team Below: The Year 9 Christmas Card design team

Our official school Christmas Card designs, work from a collaborative of 16 pupils 7

Our official school Christmas Card designs, work from a collaborative of 16 pupils

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