Dear Parents and Guardians, We were thrilled to be the first high school in the Valley to be inspected under the new rigorous Ofsted Framework. As the school enters its 56th year, it is fitting that we should be judged by Ofsted as a good school. This is recognition of the hard work of all the community. The students “are proud of their school” and live our school motto, “Luceat Lux Vestra”. They know why it is important to use their God given talents to benefit society. It is a privilege to lead a dedicated staff, whose “high morale” is testament to their belief in teaching as a vocation. Our Ofsted report can be distilled into; “The school is improving rapidly due to strong leadership. Pupils’ achievement and progress are good. Our pupils are thriving in a traditional acade mic approach, in a safe environment where teachers have high expectations”. If you would like to read the full report, please visit the school website at www.allsaintshigh.lancs.sch.uk. This comes in the same year that All Saints’ achieved the highest value-added score of all the high schools in Rossendale. We also achieved the highest percentage out of all the high schools in the more academic English Baccalaureate subjects and outstanding English GCSE results which were well above the national average. All the community of students, parents, teachers, support staff, governors, parishes and primary schools should feel a sense of ownership of this judgement and be proud of this achievement. Thank you and be assured that we will continue with our journey to outstanding. Yours sincerely, Brian McNally Headteacher

Yet again All Saints’ pupils and staff showed their generosity of spirit with the annual hamper collection. Throughout December, form classes brought in groceries to make up hampers for those in need in the local community. A total of thirty seven hampers were made for distribution through local parishes. The hampers were decorated with the kind help of Mrs Atherton-Kelly, mother of Harry (11MT), who provided the cellophane and bows for all the hampers. We have received a number of ‘Thank You’ cards from all the recipients. Well done everyone. Paul Symes Lay Chaplain

February 2016

Hampers Galore!

Visit our website: www.allsaintshigh.lancs.sch.uk

On Thursday 14th January pupil chaplains from All Saints', together with the primary feeder schools, came together to receive some training and also for our new pupil chaplains to be commissioned. The afternoon started with a prayer lead by our pupil chaplains. Following this, they made an action plan for the Year of Mercy and facilitated workshops for the primary students in which they shared ideas for activities they could take back to school for use in Lent. The highlight of the afternoon was the Mass of Commissioning. Fr Mackie celebrated Mass and all new pupil chaplains received their certificates. It was a lovely celebration supported by staff and parents and marks the start of a new generation of pupil chaplains in the Rossendale Valley. Paul Symes Lay Chaplain

At the end of the Autumn term the pupil chaplains met to plan their work for the next year. It was a long and detailed meeting with many suggestions from the pupil chaplains. The main focus of the meeting was to plan how the school can join with the rest of the Church in joining in with the celebrations of the Year of Mercy. The following activities are planned for the coming year:

Include common prayers in student planners to help everyone join in prayer time. Write a school prayer. Assembly on prisoner rehabilitation - to raise awareness of the positive support that can be obtained from the

reform system Reconciliation Services – designed by pupil chaplains Sending Easter cards to sick and house bound – cards to be made by the chaplaincy team Tin collection and clothes collection points during Lent. During November – develop a remembrance board so students can pray for deceased relatives and friends Work and support school eco group in caring for God’s world

So there is a lot to do in the coming year and we are looking forward to the challenge!

Paul Symes, Lay Chaplain

Pupil Chaplains

Chaplaincy Action Plan

In January, All Saints’ were very pleased to welcome sixteen Year 5 pupils from primary schools across the Valley to our Food Technology room. For their first activity the pupils learnt how sweet bread dough is made and the function of the ingredients. They went on to experience working with the dough and producing a batch of Chelsea buns. Whilst their bread dough was proving they also learnt the technique of the rubbing in method to produce a batch of totally delicious traditional shortbread biscuits. Everyone went home with professionally presented Chelsea buns and shortbread. Thank you to all our hard working Year 8 helpers for the day, Hannah Audain (8R), Jack Coning (8R), Katie Scholes (8R) and Teigan Woodrup (8R) and not forgetting Mrs Barlow our Food Technician.

The year 5 pupils had a fantastic day and it was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Mrs S Groom Food Technology

Prior to the Christmas holidays, myself, Mrs Lloyd, Mrs Hargreaves and the school choir visited Holme Manor, Highfield Hall, The Orchards and Lacey Court residential homes. The choir performed a Christmas concert for all the residents; they sang a varied collection of Christmas songs from ‘Last Christmas’ to ‘Silent Night’ which were very well received by all the residents. It was a long and hard day for the choir who sang in excess of fifty five songs throughout the day. However, they were rewarded in all the homes with cakes, drinks and sweets a good day was had by all.

Paul Symes Lay Chaplain

Carols in the Community

“All Saints’

is fantastic”.

“I wouldn’t

change a

thing”.

“When are you

having another

cooking day?

Can we come?”

Year 5 Food Technology Day

Two groups of our pupils have been working recently with ‘Newground’. Through this project pupils are given the change to improve their social, communication and sporting skills. The weekly sessions have included meet & greet, icebreakers and completion of teen star as well as sporting sessions with Sweeney multisports in the school’s sports hall. The final session is a rock climbing workout at Haslingden Leisure Centre. From the photographs it is obvious that the rockclimbing was a huge success and in particular, the girls in the second group really excelled. Two of the girls in the group have also displayed a talent for football and are keen to pursue this by joining a girls’ football team in their local community. This is one of the project’s aims - getting young people into projects and activities within the community that maybe they would otherwise not get the chance to try. The next group working with the ‘Newground’ staff begin after February half-term. Mrs J Wallis SENDCO

During adverse weather conditions, school will always attempt to open. If school is closed the website will indicate this and texts will be sent. Likewise, if school should close during the day. Whilst school remains open, should inclement

weather persist, pupils who live further away may have problems getting home. We will only accept telephone calls requesting pupils to return home from parents via the school telephone lines and precedence will be given to those living furthest away. Please be assured that school will regularly monitor the weather and the status of the buses.

Adverse Weather Conditions

Attendance.....Who’s the best??? It’s 11 Romero!!!

Congratulations to 11R who have the highest rate of attendance this year so far with 98.86%. An absolutely fantastic figure - well done!

Mrs L Peters, Attendance Officer

Targeted Youth Project - Newground

AUTUMN TERM 2016 INSET DAYS: Re-open on Monday 5th September Thursday 1st September School closes for October Half-Term Thursday 27th October Friday 2nd September Re-open on Monday 7th November Friday 28th October School closes for Christmas Wednesday 21st December SPRING TERM 2017 PUBLIC HOLIDAYS: Re-open on Thursday 5th January 2017 Good Friday – 14th April School closes for February Half-Term Friday 10th February Easter Monday – 17th April Re-open Monday 20th February May Day – Monday – 1st May School closes for Easter Tuesday 11th April Spring Bank Holiday – 29th May SUMMER TERM 2017 Re-open on Monday 24th April May Day Bank Holiday Monday 1st May May Half-Term Friday 26th May Re-open on Monday 5th June School closes for Summer Friday 14th July

Some of our Year 7 pupils were invited to take part in sessions at the Forest School. These sessions involve exploration, enquiry and problem solving, all undertaken in a stimulating environment led by Mr. White (Olly) at Cribden House School. Activities ranged from team building skills to imaginative play, using simple tools and pupils also got the chance to make a small fire and cook using a Kelly kettle. The pupils involved thoroughly enjoyed the “fantastic” experience. Ms L Weir

School Term and Holiday Pattern 2016/2017

Please return any items of spare school PE kit or uniform

that you have previously borrowed to school.

Thank you.

Keep your contact details up to date by informing the General Office of any

changes. Feel free to email and ask for a new data sheet:-

office@allsaintshigh.lancs.sch.uk

Forest School

It’s been another busy half term for boys’ PE with all five year groups competing in the Rossendale Schools’ seven-a-side competitions. The Year 11 team won the competition - for the first time in their time at All Saints'. The Year 10s finished in a tie for second position and the Year 9 team finished fourth. The Year 8s performed superbly finishing second and the Year 7 competition is next week.

The Under 13s’ cricket team took part in an indoor event where they narrowly lost to Haslingden High and Alder Grange. The team bowled and fielded brilliantly but unfortunately couldn't make enough runs with the bat. Jensen Smith (8R) captained the team and performed extremely well behind the stumps and Ryan Davies (8R) was the star bowler. The Under 16s’ basketball team have been involved in the Lancashire Cup action and have played two of their four group matches. They narrowly lost 38-32 against BRGS before losing 55-29 to a very strong Darwen Vale team. The fact that All Saints' won the last quarter shows the team’s resilience and determination to keep going. Jonathan Fry (10T) and Antonia Fry (10A) have been stand out performers so far. The team have two remaining group matches against Albany and Southlands. The Year 10 football team have unfortunately bowed out of the English Schools’ and Lancashire Cup after great runs in both. The lads lost 5-3 to De La Salle Academy from Liverpool in the last sixteen of the English Schools’ Cup. Following this they had an excellent 4-2 away win at Unity College in the Lancashire Cup, thanks to two goals from Sam Green (10A), before losing 2-0 away at Ashton Community College in Preston, again in the last sixteen.

Mr M Parkes Physical Education

News from the Boys’ PE Department

Year 7 Indoor Athletics The annual Year 7 Indoor Athletics Competition took place at Fearns Sports College on Tuesday 12th January. This year’s team consisted of Olivia Taylor (7R), Saskia Starkie (7R), Eva Gardner (7A), Amelia Potts (7R), Edie Simpson (7R), Holly Pegg (7MT) and Nell Edmondson (7MT). The latter doing extremely well when paired up for the eight lap paarlauf coming in first place and then continuing their great run by both coming first in their individual track event. Holly Pegg took first place in the six lap endurance race and Nell Edmondson took first in the two lap sprinting event. All the girls participated in a range of both field and track events with a mixture of individual results. Overall the girls finished in fourth position just losing out to Alder Grange by seven points.

Year 8 Indoor Athletics The Year 8 Indoor Athletics team followed on from the successes of the Year 7s when they took part in the Indoor Athletics Competition on Thursday 14th January. The squad consisted of Teigan Woodrup (8R), Jay-Leigh Egan (8T), Becky Morris (8T), Alicia Mathews (8MT), Holly Freeman-Shaw (8MT), Hana Riley (8MT), Ruby Cornwall (8MT) and Isabel Robinson (8T). There was mixed success in the events with our best result coming from Holly Freeman-Shaw who came in second place in the six lap endurance event. The girls finished in fourth place overall.

Under 13s’ Indoor Cricket A number of Year 7 and Year 8 girls took part in the Rossendale Schools’ Indoor Cricket competition on Tuesday 19th January. The competition was hosted by Haslingden High School with representatives from Lancashire Cricket Association officiating the games as the winner of the competition would represent Rossendale in the regional finals. All Saints’ started off in winning fashion with Captain Holly Pegg (7MT) winning the toss and electing to field first. Olivia Blomley’s (7MT) bowling was on fine form which lead to two of the Haslingden players being out in the first over. This was quickly ensued by further players being caught out by fielders Teigan Woodrup (8R) and Holly Pegg. However, Haslingden started to battle back and cautiously at first started to add runs to their tally which was then followed by a number of sixes putting Haslingden in the hot seat.

News from the Girls’ PE Department

At the end of the innings, All Saints’ quickly changed their role from fielding into batting and the duo of Olivia Blomley and Holly Pegg took their place between the stumps. The girls were faced by some excelle nt bowling and fielding skills by their Haslingden opposition which meant that All Saints’ were struggling to get their runs in. After some cautious batting, Holly was caught out, allowing Paris Chatburn (7T) to take up her batting role. Paris was able to hit a number of fours before being caught out and Olivia having to retire. Teigan Woodrup and Ruby Cornwall (8MT) took up their batting roles and were able to add to the All Saints’ tally shortly before the innings ended. All Saints’ were confident that they had done enough to secure a place in the finals as they were the better team. Alas, this wasn't to be as when the officials announced the final score the Saints’ girls had been pipped to the post, losing the game to Haslingden by four runs. Overall final position was third place. Well done to the squad, Olivia Blomley, Holly Pegg, Nell Edmondson, Natasha Mcleish (7MT), Sydney Stewart (7A), Paris Chatburn, Teigan Woodrup, Ruby Cornwall and Isobel Robinson.

Under 16s Girls’ Football Team Congratulations to the Under 16s Girls’ Football Team who are now through to the next round of the Lancashire County Cup. The girls will take on Parklands High School from Chorley in the Quarter Final of the competition.

Miss H Laverty CL Physical Education

Congratulations to our Head of English, Mrs. Lord,

Congratulations to Mrs Lord, who despite starting her maternity leave in December, returned to school for a meeting with Inspectors during our recent Ofsted visit. “I left the school about 5.30pm after the meeting with Ofsted inspectors, and my contractions started about an hour later - although I didn’t realise what they were. The contractions continued hourly and at about 1am they started coming every half an hour, so at that point I thought it probably was labour.” Mrs Lord gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Samuel Luke, at 5.42am just 12 hours after the end of the inspection and weighing 6lbs 13oz. Brian McNally said: “All Saints’ is fortunate to have such dedicated staff and we are delighted with the birth of Mrs Lord’s son, Samuel. He now has a school full of

guardians who appreciate the joy he has brought.”

Ofsted Baby!

Visit our website: www.allsaintshigh.lancs.sch.uk

News from the Girls’ PE Department continued…….

In order to further improve the safeguarding of our pupils there will be building works taking place

from half term. Please could parents refrain from driving into

the car park whilst these improvements take place. Your

cooperation is always appreciated.