I am delighted to have the opportunity to introduce you to our school and to give you a glimpse of all the extraordinary things that happen here each and every day. We are proud to be a Catholic Salesian School and our mission and ethos permeates every aspect of our community. We are a school where we ‘grow together, rooted in faith’. We aim to provide every member of our school with an outstanding education where every child is valued, respected and cherished. We have high expectations in terms of achievement, behaviour and attitudes so that everyone can become the very best they can be. We endeavour to match those expectations with high levels of support for learning and wellbeing. We provide students with a wide range of opportunities so that they can grow into young adults who are fully prepared for the world. We look forward to welcoming you to our school. Mrs Andrea O’Callaghan Headteacher A warm welcome to Thornleigh Salesian College Thornleigh Salesian College Prospectus Mission Statement Thornleigh Salesian College is a community rooted in faith in Jesus, where all are valued, loved and cherished so they can aspire for academic excellence in an atmosphere of compassion and forgiveness which seeks to reach out in service and gratitude.
Thornleigh Salesian College is a Roman Catholic school, as such we have a commitment to ensure that our faith underpins all that we do in school. We aim to provide an environment which is secure, stable and orderly, based on Gospel values of love, peace, justice and personal responsibility. St. John Bosco, or Don Bosco, was a Catholic priest from northern Italy. He dedicated his life in the service of young people, especially those who were poor. He wanted every young person to know that they were loved; he did this by enabling them to have the best start in life - doing the ordinary thing, extraordinarily well. He told his students that a life with a good home, strong schooling, excellent friends and the love of God is the ultimate aim. This later became known as his oratory model - home, school, church and playground. Don Bosco’s inspiration touched the hearts of many so much so he set up a family of people to continue his work. We are Salesian educators who are dedicated and strive to promote the holistic development of all of our students. The Salesian ethos - ‘the preventive system’ is one of presence, we are present with our students as we put Don Bosco’s word ‘they must know that they are loved’ in to action each and every day. At Thornleigh Salesian College, we strive to create a sense of belonging by creating a family atmosphere – where everyone is welcomed, loved and forgiven. We root our relationships and policies on the Salesian principles of respect, understanding, affection and humour. Prayer and Liturgy All of our students are encouraged to put their faith into actions through personal reflection, prayer and through the way they respond to needs in their community and the wider world. All students are taught to take personal responsibility for the environment and to care for our common home. We challenge students to address a wide range of moral issues and to respond to these within the context of the teaching of the Catholic Church. Throughout the liturgical year students are involved in preparing and participating in liturgies, mass, assemblies and prayer services. Every year the theme for our Mission Week encourages the whole school community to engage in a variety of activities and workshops which aim to extend their knowledge, understanding and experience of the spiritual, moral, social and cultural needs of the local and wider community. Our Chaplaincy base and chapel provide focal points for the spiritual life of our school. A Catholic, Salesian Community Thornleigh Salesian College Prospectus Please scan the QR Code for further information.
Thornleigh Salesian College Prospectus A Learning Community Every child deserves the very best opportunities to learn and develop. At Thornleigh Salesian College we provide all students with a curriculum that will be enjoyable, challenging and offer a range of different experiences. The curriculum is broad and has been designed to be accessible for all learners. We are confident that our curriculum offers the best springboard to future success especially when taught alongside our core values of respect, understanding. affection and humour. We want our students to be lifelong learners who have the building blocks of knowledge needed to progress in any future pathway they choose. In order to do this all staff are given the time to be reflective practitioners, developing and refining their teaching so that they can inspire our students to be the very best that they can be. More detailed information on our curriculum at Key Stages 3, 4 and 5 can be found on our school website. Staff Development We pride ourselves on the high-quality specialist staff that we have to lead learning in our school. All staff engage in continuing professional development programmes which allow them to deliver innovative and creative lessons to inspire our students. Attitude to Learning At Thornleigh Salesian College, student’s attitude to learning is defined by four Salesian principles: • Respect - Students are guided to value themselves, others, the environment and learning resources • Understanding - Students are educated to have an awareness and tolerance of others and forgive mistakes • Affection - Students are encouraged to care for, appreciate and be kind towards others • Humour - Students are shown the value of smiling, being cheerful and celebrating their own and others achievements We expect those four principles to be demonstrated in student’s attitude to learning within classroom settings, through their character and in and around the school community. Please scan the QR Code for further information.
Thornleigh Salesian College Prospectus We work closely with our partner primary schools, including our network of seven Catholic partner schools. Therefore, when students enter our community in Year 7, they are well positioned to build on their knowledge and skills from primary school, they are “secondary ready” and they continue to make personal and academic progress from their individual starting points. Our transition programme is active for the duration of each school year and it typically involves our Open Evening, cross phase development meetings between primary and secondary colleagues, sport and performing arts experiences, English, Maths and Science curriculum projects, a STEAM award, Welcome Evening, Induction Days and individual parent and student meetings. We believe that Year 6 students feel a sense of belonging to a home, school, church and playground as they receive a very warm welcome to our extraordinary school. Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 Transition Pupils feel safe and like coming to school. “ Ofsted 2019 Please scan the QR Code for further information.
Thornleigh Salesian College Prospectus Thornleigh Salesian College places great emphasis on students developing the skills, qualities and attributes that allow them to take a full and active role in their communities and also to be successful in their adult lives. We also know that students who engage fully in activities beyond the classroom are happier and more successful in school. Throughout their school lives students have countless opportunities to take part in a wide range of sporting, musical, dramatic, leadership and social skills. Students are supported through a ‘Curriculum for Life’ programme that seeks to ensure all students are fully equipped for life in the world beyond school. Our Careers, Education, Information Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) Programme meets all the Gatsby Benchmarks and students are provided with impartial careers advice along with other opportunities to ensure they can make informed and ambitious decisions about their futures. Cultural Experiences, Trips and Educational Visits We have a proud tradition of offering a wide range of international opportunities to our students throughout their educational journey. There are trips to Germany, Spain, France and New York along with ski holidays and others. Trips and the opportunity to engage in a variety of cultural experiences that include visits to art galleries, museums, design challenges and STEAM projects enhance student’s cultural capital. Personal Development I’ve grown in confidence since working on the STEAM project and found I’m actually good at designing things. “ Year 8 Student Please scan the QR Code for further information.
“ I love being on stage. I have found that I am quite a shy person in life, but when I am given the chance to perform or express my talents, I become a new person. Performing Arts is where I am meant to be. Year 10 Student
Thornleigh Salesian College Prospectus Teachers have high expectations of pupils and pupils behave very well in lessons. “ Ofsted 2019 Leaders have created a caring ethos where pupils enjoy learning and achieve well. “ Ofsted 2019 For students to be successful they need to be safe, happy and well supported. We promote positive mental health and wellbeing throughout the support mechanisms of the Care Guidance and Support Teams and our Chaplaincy Provision. Each year group is divided into ten form groups and the form tutor is the first point of contact for all students. These form groups are led by a team of year leaders who co-ordinate their work. Our school chaplain guides students through their spiritual journey in school, celebrating and educating them about our Catholic Salesian ethos. Our Safeguarding Team ensure that all students feel safe and supported whilst promoting their resilience. Students with SEND are supported through our Learning Support and Inclusion Team. We have a team of Higher-Level Teaching Assistants who support the learning of students by ensuring they can have a full and equitable access to the curriculum. Student Support
“ There is so much sport to get involved with… you can do something every day! Year 7 Student
Thornleigh Salesian College Prospectus Thornleigh Sixth Form We are proud to offer the only Catholic provision for post-16 learning in Bolton and we encourage all of our students to remain in our Sixth Form for their further education. Continuing with high standards of both academic and vocational learning in a bespoke centre allows students to settle quickly and to pursue aspirational goals for their future. Although we do have entry requirements for Thornleigh Sixth Form, our curriculum offer is flexible enough to offer students routes to top universities, higher apprenticeships and employment opportunities. We understand that students may have alternative ambitions but we provide every student at Thornleigh Salesian College the opportunity to aspire to join our Sixth Form community where we continue to offer an inclusive level of personalised teaching and learning, an ethos of encouragement and challenge, a supercurricular offer that will allow students to be ready for the next phase of their education or employment and a community that strives to keep the individual needs of all students at the heart of our mission. Our students typically progress to a university of their choice and they keep in touch with us at every opportunity. An increasing number of students have found apprenticeship opportunities where the world of industry is mixed with an opportunity to receive a funded degree level training package. We set ambitious targets for all students and support them on their journey to continued excellence. We look forward to working with your child for the next seven years.
Sharples Park, Bolton BL1 6PQ t: 01204 301 351 e: contact@thornleigh.bolton.sch.uk w: www.thornleigh.bolton.sch.uk
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