Notre Dame High School is a fully inclusive secondary school. We aim for every pupil to achieve their potential—personally, socially, emotionally, physically and academically. Guided by our Hallmarks, we honour the dignity and sacredness of each person and work in partnership with families and services so that pupils with SEND access an ambitious curriculum and succeed.
Headteacher: Mrs D Cleary, can be contacted via Miss C Henman (PA to the Headteacher) chenman@notredame-high.co.uk
SENCO: Miss C Bonser, cbonser@notredame-high.co.uk
SEND Governor: Mr K Evans can be contacted via Miss C. Henman (Clerk to the Governors) via chenman@notredame-high.co.uk
General SEND enquiries: send@notredame-high.co.uk
Telephone: 0114 230 2536
Links to the following documents are at the bottom of the page:
- SEND Information Report (PDF) — Updated: Sept 2025 (link)
- SEND Policy (PDF) — Updated: Sept 2025 (link)
Notre Dame High School SEND Policies can be found on our Policies page.
- Sheffield Local Offer (external link)
- Complaints (including SEND) (PDF) (link)
Worried about your child’s progress or support?
- Contact: your child’s tutor/subject teacher or send@notredame-high.co.uk.
- What we do: acknowledge within 2–3 school days, gather teacher input, agree a plan.
- Next steps: if appropriate we start/continue the Assess–Plan–Do–Review cycle and update you on impact.
Our purpose, intent and vision
At Notre Dame, we believe every student is unique, valued, and capable of success, echoing our Hallmark that we honour the dignity and sacredness of each person. Our vision for SEND is built on the belief that diversity is a strength, and that through high-quality, inclusive teaching, every learner can thrive — academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually.
We want every child to believe that they can be successful at Notre Dame, to feel that they are valued, and to know that they matter, make valuable contributions, and have a positive impact on our school community. We are committed to the principle that all students can access the mainstream classroom with the right support, and that every learner can achieve their individual potential. We believe every child should be supported to develop aspirations for their future and to believe that they can succeed and lead a meaningful life beyond school, living out the words of St Julie Billiart: “Teach them what they need to know for life.”
Our goal is to ensure that every student leaves Notre Dame equipped for a fulfilling post-16 pathway, with the confidence, skills, and independence they need. In doing so, we develop holistic learning communities which educate for life. Many of our students with SEND go on to:
- Study A Levels or vocational qualifications in our Sixth Form
- Attend local colleges
- Begin apprenticeships (e.g., childcare, construction, digital media)
- Move into supported employment or training
We aim to ensure every child leaves Notre Dame ready for the next stage of life — confident, skilled, and independent. Many go on to join our Sixth Form, where they continue learning in a familiar and ambitious environment. We start thinking about the future early, including college visits in Year 10, to help students dream big and plan well.
Knowing our students well is at the heart of this vision — it is embedded deeply into the culture of our school. This begins with our SEND transition programme before Year 7 — where students and families visit the school over multiple days, build relationships, and share important information so that support is in place from the start.
How we adapt teaching
Inclusive, ordinary available teaching is the first step in responding to SEND. At Notre Dame, we ensure that every teacher is a teacher of SEND, and that all staff deliver a consistent, inclusive classroom experience.
We embed our SEND 10 Strategies into every lesson:
- Clear routines at the start of the lesson
- Explicit instruction, including clear timings
- Circulating the room and prompting
- Opportunities for structured talk
- Thinking time before student responses
- Scaffolding and task breakdown
- Dual coding (verbal + visual combined)
- Example on the board for reference
- “I do, we do, you do” modelling
- Think, pair, share activities
These strategies create a predictable and supportive environment. Where these are not enough to meet individual needs, we provide targeted support through our Wave 2 interventions.
What support might be available (matched to need)
When Wave 1 support is not sufficient, we offer short-term, structured interventions that directly address identified barriers to learning.
These interventions are:
- Delivered by trained LSAs and specialist staff
- Focused on skill-building, communication, emotional regulation, and access to learning
- Primarily delivered in The Ark, our SEND intervention hub
- Supported through The Lodge during unstructured social times for students requiring additional nurture
Examples of Wave 2 interventions include:
- Fresh Start
- Dyslexia Gold
- Language for Behaviour and Emotions
- Zones of Regulation and 5-Point Scale
- Growth Mindset and Mighty Minds
- Game Changers and Circle of Friends
- Typing Support
- Social Stories
All interventions follow the Assess–Plan–Do–Review cycle to measure impact and inform next steps.
Exams and Access Arrangements
Where appropriate, we apply JCQ-compliant arrangements (e.g., reader, scribe, extra time, laptop). These reflect a pupil’s normal way of working and are based on school evidence. See Access Arrangements: Parent Guide (PDF) (link).
Transitions
We plan transitions carefully—Y6→Y7, KS3→KS4, post-16—so that support is in place from day one. We share information with families and next providers and offer additional visits or adjustments where needed.
Preparing for Adulthood (Careers & next steps)
We provide impartial careers guidance and targeted support for learners with SEND, including pathways into college, apprenticeships and employment, and we work with families and external services to plan next steps. (See Careers and Local Offer links.)
Working with external services
We liaise with: Educational Psychology; Speech & Language Therapy; CAMHS / School Nursing; Occupational Therapy / Physiotherapy; LA SEND services; and other agencies signposted via the Sheffield Local Offer.
How we involve pupils and families
We gather and act on views through: Annual Reviews (EHCPs) and scheduled APDR meetings; parents’ evenings and progress reports; targeted planning meetings and pastoral contact; surveys/feedback to improve our provision.
Evaluating our impact
We monitor pupils’ classroom experience and progress through review meetings and agreed outcomes, learning walks and work sampling, analysis of progress/attendance/participation, and feedback from pupils, parents and staff. (Termly reporting to governors.)
Further information and contacts
Email: send@notredame-high.co.uk (SEND enquiries)
SENCO: Miss C Bonser cbonser@notredame-high.co.uk
Complaints: see our Complaints Policy.
If you require this information in a different format, please let us know.
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