St Ambrose College

Governors Receive National Award

St Ambrose College Governing body were finalists in the National Governance Association, Outstanding Governance Awards, 2023

They were finalists in the category for Single Academy Trust schools and there were more than 60 schools in this category.

The awards ceremony was on 28 Sept 2023 at the Houses of Parliament

“A diverse and efficient board guided by core values: this board has undergone a significant transformation having identified areas of development through effective self-evaluation, the board has undergone substantial changes, including introducing professional clocking recruiting to strengthen the skills of the board, and establishing effective chairing. The board has played an instrumental role in improving the school’s finances – through the board’s strategic resource management and focus on financial leadership; the school has gone from having an in-year deficit to securing future financial stability. The judges were also impressed by the board’s work on staff and pupil well-being, having established a specific committee to monitor this area. The board also demonstrates a keen commitment to stakeholder engagement, which furthers the board’s openness with the community and informs its decision making. The board acts with clear direction, a testament to the school’s strong mission and ethos, ultimately ensuring that providing the best outcomes for pupils is at the fore.”

Benedict, one of our Y13 students, attended World Youth Day in Lisbon during the summer holidays. Here are some of his thoughts on this great experience . . .

Over the summer, I embarked on a 2-week pilgrimage with nearly 300 young people from the Neocatechumenal way to World Youth Day, in Lisbon, Portugal. Beginning with our midnight departure from London on the 28th, we arrived in Lourdes on the 29th of July, which set the tone for the spiritually enriching journey.

As we continued our pilgrimage through Spain, evangelising in the city of Pamplona, visiting St James’ tomb in Santiago de Compostela, each destination offered the fantastic opportunity to connect with hundreds of fellow pilgrims. I was struck by the delicate architecture of Santiago de Compostela, with intricate golden patterns flowing over the ceiling and walls of the Cathedral. On August 5th, we reached the site in Lisbon and were truly overwhelmed by the immense gathering of over 1.5 million pilgrims, all united by the faith and Word of God. Among the pilgrims were from countries such as Spain, India, America, and Italy, which fostered a wonderful cultural exchange. On the 6th, the Pope delivered mass and gave the exciting announcement of the upcoming World Youth Day in South Korea in 2027!

From this experience, I would highly recommend all Ambrosians and teachers to make the most of opportunities like this , as it allowed me to embrace other cultures and learn more about my faith.

Edmund Rice Camp is a project funded by the Christian Brothers and supported by Edmund Rice Schools in England. Each Camp offers children from marginalised communities the chance to enjoy a week of fun, structure, and free activities during their sum mer holidays.

Camps are coordinated by experienced volunteers but rely on the generosity of 6th Form students who are the Leaders for the week. This summer, for the first time, we hosted an ER Camp in school, with 25 volunteers from our school and Loreto taking part. Here are the reflections of some of the participants . . .

When we embarked on our journey on the first day of Edmund Rice Camp – ERC on the 24th of July this year, we had our doubts about how well we would connect with the kids. However, right after the very first day, we had already bonded over chatting, eating, and playing games. Our reflections at the end of the day inspired us to think of new and exciting ways to make the camp even more enjoyable in the coming week for everyone involved.

One of the most rewarding experiences at ERC was simply talk- ing to the kids and seeing their smiles light up the camp. On the second day, we saw how our awesome leaders, Shannon, Rachel, Sally, and Maria were always brimming with enthusiasm, which motivated us to give our all in both the songs and the games. In the experience of having to take care of so many different types of children, from the loud and energetic kids to the quiet and shy, we definitely had our hands full but, it was always worth giving our undivided attention to them. With our combined efforts and unwavering spirit, we made sure that every single person at camp, including ourselves, had an absolutely massive smile by the end of each day.

-Joel

On the third day, the day leaders had planned the multiple activities that the kids were going to part take in. In the morning, we led some welcome games which helped energise the children for the day ahead. Then, in the afternoon the kids did Hammer- beads and played parachute games which were fun. I think the children really enjoyed the hammer beads as it gave them some- thing to take home and remind them of the camp. In the afternoon, we played capture the flag and decorated the Edmund Rice Camp banner which got really messy and there ended up being more paint on the people than on the banner itself. This was a very enjoyable day as the kids started to come out of their shells more and everyone began to gel.

-James

The fourth day of ERC involved a highly anticipated journey to The Crocky Trail. Many of the children had never been there be- fore and were awaiting a day filled with excitement and fun. We sang upbeat songs on the coach, filling it with a joyful atmos- phere and increasing our sense of togetherness as we awaited the thrill of the rides and the trail. The Crocky Trail fulfilled and perhaps exceeded everyone's expectations providing exhilarating slides and a walk with many engaging activities along the path. One highlight of the day would be going on the flusher which was a towering slide evoking a rush of adrenaline in both children and leaders. Overall, The Crocky Trail allowed leaders to grow even closer to the children and gave us an experience that will be cherished for a long time to come.

-Kevin

Friday was the fifth and final day. We did similar activities as Tuesday and Wednesday, but we had to say goodbye to the kids- some of them didn't take part much at the start of the week but wanted to stay for another week at the end! We gave them parting gifts in the form of goody bags and certificates, and all the leaders stood in two lines and formed an archway for the chil- dren to walk through, chanting their names as they did; it was heartwarming for all of us to see them genuinely enjoy them- selves throughout the week and participate more, and this moment was a culmination of all of this. For all our hard work, we, the leaders had a nice pizza party – a fitting end to a tiring but worthwhile camp. P.S A warning, if you want to participate next year, you will get some songs stuck in your head forever.

-Dylan

The students can’t wait to take part again next year!

Before Half Term, Year 7 took part in their Retreat at Castlerigg in the Lake District. As annual visitors to Castlerigg, we always anticipate a great experience for the students during their overnights stay, and this year’s Retreat was no different. Students take part in the Retreat in their Houses, so it’s a great opportunity for them to meet new people and forge friend- ships early in the Ambrosian careers. Whilst the theme of this year’s residential was ‘Growth’, the trip allows all students to explore different aspects of their faith lives and also facilitates teambuilding and positive socialising.

Activities ranged from quizzes and reflective sessions to the ever-popular ‘duck hunt’. Each group attended Adoration on the first evening of their stay and Mass in the morning prior to departure. There was even time for the obligatory ‘Composition of a St Ambrose Rap’ session after breakfast!

Of course, Castlerigg’s location in Keswick lends itself to exploring the Great Outdoors, and the Re- treat Team led the groups on a lovely walk through the woods at Castle Head to the shore of Der- went Water at Friar’s Crag. From there, the students enjoyed some independence exploring Kes- wick’s town centre, which basically means going to the chippy and spending a fortune in the Old Friar’s sweet shop!

Our annual visits to Castlerigg are always a highlight of the school year, and we really appreciate the input of the team. It’s a lovely place for the students