The Chaplaincy Team
Collective Worship Leaders
The Barlow Collective Worship Leaders are a committed, talented group of pupils from all years who, as a team, lead on the collective worship, spiritual development and prayer life in our community. Pupils volunteer to look after our school Chapel, the Rainbow Garden and the Willow Room, as well as leading assemblies, liturgies and creating and caring for our ‘sacred spaces’. They give their time to support staff in leading prayer, reflection and Family Group assemblies. They are not afraid to let their personal faith and belief show, even though this is not always easy; they wear a different and distinctive school tie so they stand out and are recognisable to all members of our school community. The Barlow Collective Worship Leaders have transformed the ethos and spirituality of the school. They have made our worship pupil-centred and pupil-led and have made prayer and liturgy relevant and meaningful to their peers.
Our Caritas Ambassadors have one of the most significant roles at The Barlow as they lead the school in our charity work, as well as steering campaigns to support members of our local, national and global communities. Trained to be Caritas Ambassadors by the Diocese of Salford, these pupils choose to be part of this team based on a personal faith (although not all of them are Catholic, they come from a variety of faiths and a variety of backgrounds) and wanting to share that; a desire to help those who are less fortunate and a commitment to being a voice for the voiceless and hearing the cry of the poor. Each of these pupils, individually and as a team, are passionate about the needs of others, standing up for what is right, and wanting to share their love of humanity for everyone to see.
The newly formed Eco Warriors Team, inspired by our Christian understanding of stewardship, take a lead in ensuring our community is taking action against climate change by tackling environmental issues in school and the wider community. Whether they are raising awareness of the dangers of single use plastic, promoting recycling or collecting litter around school and in our local community, the Eco Warriors are responding to the call to hear the ‘cry of the earth’ and ensuring that The Barlow community is responding to it too.
As Catholics, we are called to protect the dignity of the human person without exception and we understand that bullying is an attack on our human dignity. Our Anti-Bullying Ambassadors seek to help and support their peers at The Barlow as they actively seek to promote and uphold our school's zero tolerance approach to bullying and continue to celebrate and value our differences. Working across the school, offering workshops, drop ins and raising awareness of our Anti-Bullying policies, this team is inspired by the 1963 encyclical, Pacem in Terris, where Pope John XXIII wrote, "Any human society, if it is to be well-ordered and productive, must lay down as a foundation this principle, namely, that every human being is a person." The Anti-Bullying Ambassadors work hard to ensure the dignity of all pupils in our school.
The Diversity Council
Our Diversity Council is a group of pupils from across the school that meet regularly to discuss and act on issues involving diversity, equality and inclusion. This group of pupils are inspired by Catholic teaching that we are all made in the image and likeness of God and therefore we all believe that everyone should be treated fairly and have the same opportunities. We believe that no person should be discriminated against because of their age, gender, colour of their skin, culture, family background, disability or sexuality – we recognise the importance of human dignity. We want every child in the school to feel welcome and happy here and for everyone to know that they have an equal chance to be the best that they can be. Our Diversity Council work together to plan and deliver a range of activities that celebrate diversity and promote equity and inclusion for all.
Our Prefects are carefully selected to have specific and important leadership roles in and around school. Prefects work hard, in collaboration with the staff, to ensure the school is a safe and happy place. Inspired by the apostles of Jesus, these pupils are chosen for the role because of the unique gifts, talents and characteristics they have and can bring to our leadership team. Prefects are selected for their leadership skills and are expected to lead by example through politeness, kindness, outstanding behaviour and uniform, and by being prepared to take a stand and protect the most vulnerable in our school community.
Responsibilities include lunchtime duties, supporting at school functions and mentoring Year 7 and 8 pupils. Prefects also support with Mathematics Club in the Hive, run the school stationary shop and support with Year 7 Family Time activities. They promote The Barlow Leadership Ladder and are positive role models who are prepared to take on responsibilities across the school life.
The School Council
The selection process for the prestigious role of School Council Representative at The Barlow is a rigorous one. These pupils were nominated, made speeches to harvest votes and then were selected, by their peers, to represent them. This provides all pupils with a say in how the school works and is run. Our School Council Representatives ensure they are the voice for all pupils in the school and, inspired by CST and the call to participate, encourage solidarity which arises when we remember that we belong to each other and need to stand up for each other. They raise their voices in a fair, democratic and respectful way to be ambassadors for change. Our School Council, amongst other things, lead on environmental projects around school.