SEND Support

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 Deidre Cleary
SENCO: Mr Michael Owczarek — mowczarek@notredame-high.co.uk
SEND Governor: Mrs Hannah Ronaldson (via Clerk to Governors)

General SEND enquiries: send@notredame-high.co.uk
Telephone: 0114 230 2536

Quick links

  • SEND Information Report (PDF) — Updated: Sept 2025 (link)
  • SEND Policy (PDF) — Updated: Sept 2025 (link)

Notre Dame High School SEND Pol…

  • Accessibility Plan 2025–28 (PDF) — Updated: Sept 2025 (link)

Accessibility Plan 2025 1.1

  • Accessibility Statement (HTML) (link)
  • 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

  • Purpose: equip students for life through high expectations, rich curriculum access and supportive relationships.
  • Intent for pupils with SEND:
    • think flexibly, learn independently and communicate effectively;
    • build confidence through success and high self-esteem;
    • experience teaching that adapts to need and promotes continued learning;
    • benefit from strong parent partnerships and appropriate use of technology.
  • Vision: a community that nurtures curiosity and creativity, celebrates achievement, and identifies and maximises the potential of all.

Identifying need & supporting progress (Graduated Approach)

Assess – early identification via teacher observation, screening and assessment.
Plan – clear classroom strategies and outcomes agreed with pupil/parents.
Do – high-quality adaptive teaching; targeted, time-bound interventions where needed.
Review – impact reviewed routinely; support refined or escalated.
Where needs go beyond SEN Support, we may liaise with the Local Authority about an EHCP.

How we adapt teaching

Teachers routinely use: clear routines and explicit instruction; chunked tasks and scaffolding; modelling and worked examples; vocabulary/reading/writing support across subjects; frequent checks for understanding; appropriate assistive technology to reduce barriers. (See Quality First Teaching / Core 10 in our SEND Information Report.)

What support might be available (matched to need)

  • In-class targeted support that promotes progress and independence
  • Small-group interventions (literacy, numeracy, language, study skills, social communication, regulation)
  • Reasonable adjustments and access to calm workspaces where appropriate
  • Assistive technology and adapted resources
  • Pastoral and wellbeing support through our inclusion hubs and teams

Support is organised on a needs basis. Some pupils may require short-term 1:1; most support is delivered in class to build independence.

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.)

Notre Dame High School SEND Pol…

Further information and contacts

Email: send@notredame-high.co.uk (SEND enquiries)
SENCO: mowczarek@notredame-high.co.uk
Complaints: see our Complaints Policy (link).
If you require this information in a different format, please let us know.

Page last updated: 11 September 2025

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