Specialist Statement

At Notre Dame we are proud to be designated as a Humanities Specialist School. This specialism, with its focus on tolerance and diversity, fits perfectly with our mission statement: we aim to educate the whole person, promoting Christian ideals and values, and our slogan - Head, Heart, Hands – reflects this. Central to our vision is our intention to provide all students with the opportunities and skills to maximise their individual learning in the context of a rapidly changing world. Developments are being lead by the English, Religious Studies and Drama departments. Staff and students, along with other members of our school community, are working together to enable everyone to achieve their full potential, in harmony and respect of each other.

Creativity is at the heart of our work as a specialist school. We are developing innovative approaches to teaching and learning to ensure that our classrooms are exciting, engaging places. We are focusing on learning and how we deliver lessons in order to promote the way we learn. As part of this we are recognising success and how we use feedback to enable students to know how best to progress. Drama is being extended as a teaching tool across the curriculum to motivate students, enable active participation and to build self esteem.

Departments are providing a broader range of curriculum experiences including off-site and extra curricular activities. Our continuing involvement in the national Royal Shakespeare Company project, workshops run by the Barbican Theatre and cross curricular work supported by the Cultural Resource Centre are just some of the ways in which the students’ learning is being enriched. The variety of lunchtime and after school activities is increasing, such as reading and writing, Drama and ICT clubs.

The students, too, are actively involved in development work. The student Respect group leads special days to provide other students with experiences that increase and encourage their awareness and appreciation of diversity. Through the Specialist Schools international online website the students participate in debates about educational issues. Drama productions, supported by other subject areas, such as music and PE, challenge the students’ understanding of contemporary and spiritual issues and showcase the excellent work produced by our students at all levels.

We work with a variety of partnerships as a result of specialist status which enriches the learning in the school. The RS department has established links with international schools such as Archbishop Porters School in Ghana. The English and Drama departments are working with local primary schools and St Boniface College to provide supportive and exciting learning experiences for students and staff. As part of our Inclusion Agenda we are also working with the Hospital School. We have groups that work in the community such as a Drama project with the elderly, focussing on developing inter-generational links through Drama.

Funding for specialist status has supported our whole school programme for improvement of the facilities we offer our students. We have refurbished rooms to enable effective use of space for active learning and various types of group work. Teaching spaces have data projectors which enable teachers to access a wide range of interesting and challenging resources. We have made teaching, technician and administrative appointments to support Gifted and Talented, audio visual, media innovation and developments in all areas of the curriculum. Equipment and materials have been provided to enable high quality resources that support and promote learning.

Our Humanities Specialist School is a challenging and exciting community in which to learn!