Issue 15 – December 2013 Dear Parents & Carers, Thank you for your continued support through this busy term. In partnership with all our parents and governors, we are continuing to build an “outstanding school” that the community can be proud of. The visitation of Ofsted has accelerated the pace of change and we look forward to the upcoming visit from a HMI inspector. I hope all our children can share in the joyous celebrations of this special season. Our Liturgies and Advent concert provide opportunities to prepare for the coming of the Lord. Enclosed in this Newsletter are the times of the local Masses over Christmas. Finally, a message to our Year 11 parents and carers who are contemplating where to send their sons and daughters next year. We are fortunate to be the only school in the district to be a feeder school to two nationally recognised Sixth form Colleges, St Mary’s, Blackburn and Holy Cross College, Bury. I strongly recommend either of these two Colleges. Enjoy Christmas as we “Luceat lux Vestra”. Mr B McNally Headteacher We are absolutely delighted to have taken delivery of a new school minibus. This is a significant purchase which will allow us to be more flexible and inclusive when taking groups of students out on educational visits or to sporting events. The minibus is smart and comfortable and proudly displays the school’s logo and motto. Our special thanks go to Miss Laverty (Curriculum Leader for PE) who led the initiative and who has worked tirelessly for the last few years in pursuit of her goal. It is her temerity and determination which has led to the completion of this project. Thanks also go to the governors, Friends of All Saints’ and the finance team who have once again shown what can be achieved through hard work and cooperation. Mrs L Davis Administrator For further information visit our website: www.allsaintshigh.lancs.sch.uk We are delighted and extremely proud to inform you about our new innovative, engaging and inspiring programme of study at Key Stage 4 for Mathematics. Students in Years 10 and 11 are given the opportunity to study for an extra qualification: the AQA Certificate in Maths Level 2. This qualification is specifically designed for those students who will achieve grades A or A* in GCSE Mathematics, and it provides excellent preparation for the study of Mathematics at A-Level. The course covers the areas of algebra and geometry; it introduces students to calculus and matrices, and further embeds and develops their skills in trigonometry, functions and graphs. As part of their studies, some pupils recently visited Holy Cross Sixth Form College in Bury, where they attended lectures on matrices, and were given the opportunity to experience sixth form lessons and question the staff about both the course and the opportunities it can lead to in the future. Mr Doherty, Head of Mathematics at Holy Cross said: ‘The students were absolutely wonderful and it was a real pleasure teaching them. They were a real credit to themselves and to the school.’ He also went on to state: ‘I think we have made an excellent start to building a strong and hopefully, a long and lasting link between All Saints’ and Holy Cross.’ Mrs Egan, Curriculum Leader of Mathematics at All Saints’ said ‘This is an absolutely fantastic opportunity for both the development of the students from a mathematics point of view, but also to establish firm links with one of the top colleges in the country. The students thoroughly enjoyed the lessons and returned to the classroom enthused and motivated to achieve the highest grades in the subject.’ Mrs K Egan CL – Maths The following table lists the winners of the 200 Club since the start of the academic year 2013-14. To learn more about the FOAS or to download an application form for the 200 Club visit the school website: http://www.allsaintshigh.lancs.sch.uk/index.php?category_id=44 1st Prize (£50) 2nd Prize (£25) 3rd Prize (£10) Month Number Name Number Name Number Name Sep-13 50 John Costello 33 Elaine Makin 60 Chris Rowan Oct-13 91 Claire Carsley 30 Helen Yeomans 49 Chondra Pilling Nov-13 15 Julie Doherty 4 Tim Beesley 70 Abigail McKennell Dec-13 63 Joanne Jeffers 14 Philomena Fry 26 Stephen Davis ur heartfelt thanks go out to all the pupils who were involved in the Deanery Mass which took place on 21st November and also those who took part in the Youth Sunday Mass at St James the Less on the 24th November. You were a credit to your parents and also to the school. Christmas Crib Competition Congratulations to the winners of the inter-form Christmas Crib Competition 2013. The standard of entries was high but the overall winners were Mrs Groom’s form 10 Taizé with their gingerbread stable. Religion and War Recently, Holy Cross Sixth Form College challenged Year 11 pupils to compose an essay discussing the subject of “Religion and War”. The competition was popular with numerous entries from schools in the area. There was stiff competition and adjudicators at the college said that entries were of a very high standard. We are therefore particularly proud of one of our own students, Matthew Braithwaite, who came runner-up. Congratulations Matthew – a great result! Mrs C Atherton CL – Religious Education Advent Service The Rossendale Catholic Community joined together this week to share the Christmas Story through songs, poems and readings at our annual Advent Service. The candlelit procession set the tone for an evening of harmony, celebration and reflection. Over 100 pupils from 5 partner primaries joined us at All Saints’ and the 100 strong choir had everyone attending feeling festive. After the service, Mr Heald entertained the younger pupils with balloon modelling whilst their parents chatted with friends over mulled wine and mince pies which were served by the Friends of All Saints’. Thank you to all those who gave up their free time to help prepare for, support and participate in the service. The pupils were a credit to their schools – Rossendale really does have talent. Seasonal Reflections This week all pupils had a time to reflect on this significant season as they participated in a guided meditation in the chapel. With Advent being the start of the liturgical year we thought about our lives, especially the commerical aspects, and refocused our minds on the true meaning of Christmas. Miss H Beckford Chaplain Reminder There are still a handful of places for the Year 8 Myddleton Grange retreat which takes place in May 2014. Deposits of £50 and letters should be returned to Mr Parkes before Christmas to ensure that your child does not miss out on this wonderful experience. Information with regards to the Year 10 Castlerigg retreat will be coming soon …… For younger children, the Geography department recommends: Google Map’s Santa Tracker. www.google.com/santatracker/ The last half term has been a very busy time for the PE department. Football Earlier in the term the girls entered the Blackburn Rovers 6-a-side tournament and came 3rd in the group, winning 2 games, drawing 1 and losing 2. Well done to the team – Kerry Reeves (Capt) Mia Starkie, Megan Fletcher, Nicole Pusey, Zara Banks, Elle Radcliffe and Thalia Jo Hartley. Success was soon to follow for the under 14 Girls who took part in Rossendale schools 7-a-side tournament and with the last kick of the game Sammi Woodrup scored the final goal to put All Saints’ in the lead on goal difference and leaving us overall winners. The following week it was the turn of the year 7 footballers to show what they were made of as they took part in the Year 7 5-a-side tournament held at All Saints’, the girls put in an excellent performance winning 4 games and drawing 1 making them overall winners again. Congratulations to: Thalia Jo Hartley, Elle Radcliffe, Caitlin Hanson, Bridie Melvin, Courtney Lewis, Lucy Everitt and Zara Banks. On Friday 25th November the Year 8 & 9 girls took part in the 5-a- side tournament at Alder Grange and finished a respectful 3rd place. Badminton Megan Fletcher, Kerry Reeves, Mia Starkie, Lucy Belcher and Leonie Kay participated in the Under 14’s Girls Rossendale Schools Badminton Competition that was held at All Saint’s on Thursday 7th November. The girls had varied success during the tournament and came in 3rd place overall. The following pupils represented the school in the under 16’s Girls Rossendale Schools Badminton Competition on the 14th November, also coming in 3rd place – Kerry Reeves, Lucy Belcher, Rhiannon Hanson and Erin Mather. Well done to all the girls involved in these tournaments. Miss H Laverty CL - PE The under 14s and 15s football teams both tasted success in the English Schools' Small Schools Competition. Firstly the Under 14s team reached the 3rd round after winning difficult away matches at QEGS and Bowland High School. The game at QEGS was extremely close, finishing 3-3 after extra time, with All Saints' winning on penalties thanks to the deciding spot kick from goalkeeper Joseph Partington. The team then travelled to Bowland who knocked All Saints' out of this competition last year. However outstanding defensive performances from Josh Weldon, Tom Chaloner and Logan Clayton, coupled with excellent attacking displays from Jamie Luker, Harrison Astin and Casey McLellan ensured that All Saints' won 4-2. The team were once again looking good to progress when leading Outwood Academy from Ripon 1-0 at half time, until the Yorkshire school mounted a great second half comeback to eventually run out 5-1 winners.