Specialisms
Find out more about our specialisms
Specialist Language College
As a Specialist Language College, Notre Dame is proud of the language opportunities it can offer and we encourage our students to take maximum advantage of them at all levels. Some knowledge of foreign languages is a significant asset in the job market as well as greatly enhancing travel and cultural understanding. Language lessons promote vital communication skills and encourage mental agility. Every pupil studies Spanish in year 7 with either French or German being added in years 8 and 9. At Notre Dame the study of one foreign language to Y11 is compulsory and we hope that many students will take two. In year 10, Russian is added to the choices available and can be taken as the 2nd language. It represents an exciting opportunity and is greatly enjoyed by those who study it. We also encourage as many students as possible to continue their language studies into the Sixth Form, where A Level French, Spanish, German and Russian are available. Italian, Latin, Russian and Spanish are offered as 2 year GCSE courses during the extended school day. Beginners’ Mandarin Chinese is also offered.
Study visits and exchanges are offered in France, Germany and Spain. Recently, visits have also been conducted to Russia and China. Work experience in Europe is also an option.
Specialist Science College
In December 2004, the School was awarded a second specialism in Science. The Department has been updated with state of the art ICT equipment to facilitate better learning to all students and has vastly improved displays and storage facilities. Outreach to partner primary and special schools began in September 2005 with provision of visiting teachers and the loan of tailor-made science kit boxes. Extra tutorials to help those that are underachieving, shared projects with other departments and the hosting of science-based activities have further spread a buzz about science across the school and community.
In 2005 the school was successful in a bid for funding to develop a ‘classroom of the future’. The School worked with Architects LSI to transform a large, Grade II listed room (previously the School Library) into a lecture room capable of holding up to 100 students and which can be easily converted into two classroom-size laboratories. In addition we have an exciting outdoor classroom with biosphere and wind turbine. The area has since been further developed with an outside classroom, seating areas and a stream. The facilities are unique in the UK and will challenge teachers and students alike in developing the teaching of science.
