Notre Dame School has a long history
and tradition. It is one of the many schools in the
country which were founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame.
The Sisters came to Southwark in 1855 and opened a school
on the present site. The School has developed and thrived
over the years and has always been known as a centre
of excellence in the local community.
The Congregation of the Sisters of Notre
Dame has always placed a high priority on the education
of women, particularly of those in inner-city areas.
It strives to educate women to reach their full potential,
to be confident, to be successful and to become mature
and responsible Christians. The present headteacher
follows a long line of Sisters of Notre Dame who have
led the School since its foundation and Notre Dame is
now one of the few schools in London, and indeed, in
the whole of the country, which has a headteacher who
is a religious sister.
Over the years Notre Dame has seen many
changes in its character. It has been both a day and
boarding school and after the Second World War it became
a voluntary aided grammar school. In 1977 it expanded
to become an 11-18 comprehensive school and in 1985,
in response to wishes of the diocese, it became an 11-16
school with its pupils being given priority of place,
after the age of 16, at the Catholic sixth form college
in Clapham, St. Francis Xavier.
In September 1993 Notre Dame School
became a grant maintained school and continued to thrive.
It used its new resources to provide more teachers for
its pupils and, as a consequence, to reduce class sizes.
In September 1999, following new government
legislation, Notre Dame School reverted to being a voluntary-aided
11-16 comprehensive school. In January 2000 it was awarded
Beacon status and received several School Achievement
Awards.
In September 2003 the school was awarded
the specialist status of Language College enabling students
to study more languages and to develop even greater
global awareness. In September 2004 the school became
the Lead School in a Leading Edge Partnership.
Notre Dame School is committed to maintaining
and improving further its long tradition of excellence
in the local community.
