Last reviewed: September 2026 · Rankings and key information above update regularly, however, this review below is refreshed bi-annually and may not reflect recent changes. If you spot anything outdated or inaccurate, please let us know.
"To open hearts, minds and doors" is the vision statement, and it runs through almost every page this Everton academy publishes, from the curriculum to the careers programme. Notre Dame Catholic Academy is a mixed Catholic 11-18 school on Great Homer Street in north Liverpool, led by headteacher Victoria Taylor and part of St Joseph Catholic Multi Academy Trust. It traces its roots to the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, who began working in Liverpool in 1851, and it has taught in a new £15 million building on Great Homer Street since 2013.
The academy opened under its own identity on 1 June 2024 and has not yet been inspected by Ofsted. The roll stands at 991 students against a capacity of 1,050, with 180 places in each year group. Demand is strong: 469 applications were made for 175 Year 7 offers in 2025. Examination outcomes are the weak point, and families should weigh the school's warm Catholic character and tight pastoral structure against results that sit in the lower part of England's tables.
Few Liverpool schools can tell a story this long. In 1851 the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur answered Father Nugent's call to work in the city, and their Everton Valley convent grew into the Notre Dame Collegiate School, whose new building opened in June 1906. The Collegiate School was recognised as an Efficient Secondary School by the Board of Education in 1903. In 1983 it merged with St John's Secondary Modern Girls' School and St Catherine's Secondary Modern Girls' School to form Notre Dame High School, an all-girls comprehensive. Boys were first admitted to Year 7 in 2012, and the school was fully co-educational by September 2018.
The wartime chapter is the most striking. In May 1941 the convent was severely damaged in a bombing raid on Liverpool Docks, and the Sisters were rehoused as far away as Birkdale, Wigan and St Helens; thirty-two of them travelled into Liverpool by trolleybus each day to keep teaching. After the 1944 Education Act, the Collegiate School was confirmed as a direct grant grammar school in 1945. Today the academy works in partnership with the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and the Archdiocese of Liverpool, so the founding order is still part of its governance story.
Since September 2013 the school has occupied its current building on Great Homer Street, next to Everton Park Lifestyles Centre. Willmott Dixon began work in the summer of 2012, using a structure called EdVenture, similar to a modern airport terminal, whose internal layout can be adapted in the future. The site formed part of Project Jennifer, the city council's regeneration of a new district centre around Great Homer Street.
That history is visible in the building itself. The chapel was dedicated by Bishop Tom Williams as the Bishop Tom Williams Chapel on 19 September 2014. The performance area, including the dance studio and drama studio, was named The Dorothy Stang Theatre in March 2016, after the Sister of Notre Dame martyred in Brazil in 2005 for her work on land rights. The library carries the name of Alf Westwell, a long-serving chair of governors. For a family choosing a school, these names say something useful: the Catholic identity here is institutional memory, not a badge.
St Julie Billiart, foundress of the Sisters of Notre Dame, supplies the four school values of Charity, Courtesy, Courage and Confidence, each paired with one of her sayings. Charity, for instance, is paired with her call to do small things with great love, and the values reappear in the transition programme, the sixth-form prospectus and assemblies.
Daily life has a firm structure. The academy has moved to a phone-free day using the Yondr pouch system: students lock phones, smart watches and Airpods in a pouch on arrival, and a phone seen outside a pouch is confiscated with a same-day detention. Uniform is formal, with a navy blazer, and each year group has its own tie colour, which stays with students until the end of Year 11, while sixth formers wear a black and white stripe. The published policies describe a faith-led school with firm expectations of conduct.
Results are the clearest challenge. Notre Dame Catholic Academy is 2,803rd of 3,895 in England for GCSE results (top 72.0%), ranked against all schools in England with published GCSE results, state and independent. This is a proprietary FindMySchool ranking built from official data, and it places the school in the lower half of English secondaries on examination outcomes.
The underlying measures tell the same story. The cohort of 179 students recorded an average Attainment 8 score of 32.1. Progress 8, where 0 is the England average, stood at -1.4, meaning students made well below average progress from their starting points at the end of primary school. That is a substantial gap, and it is the single most important number for parents to understand. Only 7.3% of students achieved grade 5 or above in the English Baccalaureate, with an average EBacc point score of 2.74.
Sixth-form outcomes are weaker still in relative terms. At A-level the school stands 2,386th of 2,562 in England (top 93.1%), again against every school in England with published A-level results, state and independent. No student achieved an A* grade. Around 6% of grades were A and 15% were B, so 21% of entries reached A* to B, against an England average of 47%. The A* to A rate of 6% compares with 24% across England.
There is context to hold alongside these figures. The school serves Everton and north Liverpool, and its mission statement explicitly frames its purpose as accelerating social mobility. Its curriculum overhaul (below) began only in June 2024. But context does not change the numbers, and families prioritising top grades should read them carefully.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
A-Level A*-B
21.28%
% of students achieving grades A*-B
GCSE
2803rd
England rank
Ranking figures update automatically as our data refreshes and are the definitive source. Any rankings quoted in the review text were accurate when it was written and may since have changed.
The curriculum is knowledge-led and has been reshaped recently. In June 2024 the school began implementing the ARK Curriculum for English (KS3), Mathematics (KS3), Science (KS3 and 4) and Geography (KS3), a carefully sequenced, research-informed programme designed to build secure knowledge and strong literacy and numeracy. Because this change is so recent, few examination cohorts have yet been taught under it for long; whether it lifts outcomes is the key question for the next few years.
Structure is deliberate. A two-week timetable allocates time across subjects, Key Stage 3 runs for three full years, and Key Stage 4 takes a full two years with no early entry for final examinations. Students are set by ability and prior attainment. Religious Education, English, Mathematics, Science, PSHE and Physical Education are compulsory for all at GCSE. For Year 9 Guided Choices, students choose three options, the first guided from Computer Science, Geography, History, Separate Science and Spanish, which steers many towards an academic subject. Wider options include Art, Business, DT Hospitality & Catering, Health & Social, Music, Sport Studies and Travel & Tourism, and Art and 3D Design cannot be taken together.
Vocational routes are well developed. Key Stage 4 Sport students follow the Level 1/2 Vocational Award Sport and Coaching Principles (Technical Award), and Performing Arts students specialise in dance or drama through a BTEC Level 1/2 Performing Arts course. GCSE Music follows the AQA specification. Reading intervention runs in Years 7 and 8 for students who need to catch up.
For students with special educational needs and disabilities, the school's SEND information report states that all teachers are trained in Quality First Teaching techniques and that learning support assistants receive regular SEND training. Students with SEND follow the same curriculum as their peers, and every extra-curricular activity is open to them.
The sixth form is open and deliberately supportive. It welcomes students from other schools, including all faiths and backgrounds, alongside its own Year 11. Every applicant, including current students, completes an application and attends an interview, and places are confirmed at an enrolment interview on GCSE results day.
The 2024-25 prospectus mixes A-levels with applied Level 3 courses. A-level options include 3D Design, Art and Design, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, English Literature, Further Mathematics, Mathematics, Physics, Sociology and Spanish. Applied choices include Criminology (WJEC), Cambridge Technicals Level 3 in Information Technology, Applied Psychology and Travel & Tourism. Drama is not currently offered at Key Stage 5, which matters for a school with a performing arts heritage.
Sixth formers have their own Sixth Form Common area, a dedicated study space for A-level and BTEC work away from the main school building, and they may use the amenities of Great Homer Street at break and lunch. Sixth formers can apply to join the 1804 Society, named after the year St Julie Billiart founded the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur. Its members act as academy ambassadors, work with younger students and partner primary schools, and support the chaplain with charity work. A weekly timetabled Enrichment session protects time for work experience without eating into subject lessons.
Wider development is built in. Sixth formers work with the Academy Chaplain on the Faith in Action Awards, supporting charity projects and helping lower-school students complete their own element of the award. Many take part in National Citizen Service or the Duke of Edinburgh Awards. Past non-qualification activities have included a first aid qualification, theatre visits and volunteering to mentor younger students, all intended to strengthen university and job applications.
The school does not publish a Russell Group percentage or a university-by-university breakdown. Its 2024-25 sixth-form prospectus states that 100% of students move on to apprenticeships, employment or higher education, on courses including law, nursing, midwifery, music production, history, politics, sociology, psychology, accounting, finance and economics, and business and marketing. That same prospectus features a Year 13 leaver going on to the University of Oxford, a reminder that ambitious routes are open to students who reach the grades.
Careers guidance is a clear strength on paper. Notre Dame holds the Quality in Careers Standard Award, and students have one-to-one access to a Level 6 qualified careers adviser. A careers programme runs from Year 7 to Year 13 against the Gatsby Benchmarks, with options evenings in Years 9 and 11. Sixth formers hear from visiting speakers from UCAS, universities, employers and apprenticeship providers.
For a student leaving Year 11, entry to the school's own sixth form depends on GCSE grades and subject criteria, so those who fall short will need to look at other post-16 providers. The applied Level 3 menu offers an alternative to a full A-level programme for students who meet the vocational entry requirements.
Competition for places is the limiting factor. In 2025 the school received 469 applications for 175 offers, about 2.7 applications per place, and it is oversubscribed. First preferences also exceeded first-preference offers. With 180 places in each year group, the school fills comfortably.
Applications for Year 7 in September 2027 go through Liverpool City Council, with a closing date of 31 October 2026. Families must also complete the school's supplementary faith form and return it with proof of baptism. The trust, not the council, sets the admissions criteria. National Offer Day is 1 March 2027, and appeals are handled through the Archdiocese of Liverpool, with the secondary deadline to lodge an appeal on 1 April.
When the school is oversubscribed, looked-after and previously looked-after children come first. Next are baptised Catholic children with a sibling in the school, then baptised Catholic children living in the named parishes (Our Lady of Reconciliation, Our Lady Immaculate, St Anthony, St Francis Xavier, St John and St Sylvester, plus several former parishes), then other baptised Catholic children. After that come other children with a sibling at the school, children at the named Catholic feeder primaries (Faith, Holy Cross, Our Lady Immaculate, St John's and The Trinity), children of other Christian denominations, children of other faiths and finally all other children. Within any criterion, straight-line distance to the school breaks ties. For the Catholic criteria, the trust asks for written evidence of Catholic baptism, or a Certificate of Reception for those received into the Church.
The practical upshot is that non-Catholic families can apply and are considered, but the ordering means baptised Catholic children from the local parishes hold a strong advantage. The Open Evening for September 2027 entry is on Thursday 24 September 2026, from 4pm to 6.25pm.
Applications
469
Total received
Places Offered
175
Subscription Rate
2.7x
Applications per place
Pastoral care is organised by year group, with a named Assistant Head of Year for each cohort from Year 7 through to the sixth form. Safeguarding is led by Mrs E Brennan, Senior Assistant Headteacher and Designated Safeguarding Lead, supported by two deputy leads and a named school police officer. The safeguarding page links families to CAMHS and self-harm guidance and to a Whisper Service for reporting concerns.
Transition is unusually thorough. The programme follows the St Joseph's Transition Framework, begins in Year 5 and continues into Year 8. Primary pupils meet the academy through Science Roadshows, Young Mathletes and Reading for Pleasure events. Year 7 then brings CATs testing, wellbeing support, reading intervention and retreats at Formby that build relationships around the school's values. Children joining alone are invited to a coffee morning to meet others before term, and vulnerable pupils receive additional visits and personalised plans through Enhanced Support Pathways, including continued involvement in the SAFE programme. The stated aim is that every child feels known, valued and prepared for secondary school.
The phone-free Yondr policy is also pitched partly as a wellbeing measure, with the school citing improved social connection and mental health. In the sixth form, each student has a form tutor and a daily tutor period, and reports showing target, current and effort grades go home regularly.
Faith and service form the first pillar. The Bishop Tom Williams Chapel is used for prayer, reflection and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, and Mass and liturgies mark the school year. Students go on pilgrimage to Lourdes and to places associated with St Julie. The Faith in Action scheme awards credits for community service, a growing group of students takes a lead in the school's faith journey through the Cafod Young Leaders Scheme, and a Charity Club complements that work. The school supports charities including CAFOD, MIND, Mary's Meals, Nugent and The Whitechapel Centre. Lent and Advent campaigns focus on the environment and on refugees and asylum seekers, and the Eco Club meets weekly for environmental projects. For a Catholic family, this is a school where faith is practised, not just taught.
Performing arts are the second pillar, rooted in history. In 2002 Notre Dame became the first specialist academy for Performing Arts in the city of Liverpool, and The Dorothy Stang Theatre, with its dance and drama studios, remains the school's performance space. The building has hosted Liverpool Philharmonic concerts, Sisters of Notre Dame National Conferences and the Adoremus Youth Congress. Dance and drama continue to GCSE-equivalent level through the BTEC Performing Arts course.
Sport and clubs form the third pillar. The enrichment timetable includes Football, Handball, the Diversity Group, Eco Club, Ideas Club, Chess and Games Club, with after-school activities running until 4.30pm. Students can take the Duke of Edinburgh Award and join National Citizen Service. Sixth formers have access to shared sporting facilities at Everton Park Lifestyles Centre and the academy, including a sports hall, gymnasium, swimming pool, football pitches and basketball courts, and can coach younger students.
Deep Learning Days add a further layer, covering personal development themes alongside a Character Education programme built on the school's Catholic values.
The school day runs Monday to Friday from form time at 8.40am to the end of Lesson 5 at 3.15pm, in five 60-minute lessons with a 15-minute break and a 45-minute lunch. Optional after-school activities run from 3.15pm to 4.30pm. The 2026-27 autumn term began on Thursday 3 September and ends on Friday 18 December. The school runs a three-week lunch menu with a hot main bar, a vegetarian option, grab-and-go items and daily soup.
Branded uniform comes from Trutex on County Road and London Road, and pre-loved uniform is available for families who need help. Sixth formers aged 16 to 19 may be eligible for the 16-19 Bursary Fund towards books, equipment, transport and lunch. As a state school, the academy charges no tuition fees. The school does not publish bus routes, so families should check public transport options to Great Homer Street directly.
Weak examination results. The school sits 2,803rd of 3,895 in England for GCSEs, with a Progress 8 score of -1.4, and A-level outcomes fall well below the England average. Families should ask what the new ARK Curriculum and phone-free policy have changed, and how the school supports students aiming for top grades.
No inspection of its own yet. This academy opened on 1 June 2024 and has no inspection judgement of its own. Before this school opened, the predecessor school (URN 104706) was judged Requires Improvement by Ofsted in May 2022. Parents are relying on the school's own account and on published results, so visiting and asking detailed questions matters more than usual.
Catholic priority in admissions. Baptised Catholic children, especially those in the named local parishes, are ranked well ahead of other applicants. The Catholic character is genuine and pervasive, with Mass, chapel prayer and religious education for all, so families uncomfortable with Mass, prayer and explicit religious teaching should look elsewhere.
Narrow sixth-form arts offer. Drama is not offered in the sixth form, despite the performing arts heritage. Students set on post-16 drama will need to look at other providers.
Notre Dame Catholic Academy offers something many larger schools cannot: a clear Catholic identity, a 175-year story rooted in Everton, careful transition from primary school and a well-organised pastoral structure. The Bishop Tom Williams Chapel, The Dorothy Stang Theatre and the 1804 Society give it a character that feels settled, not assembled. Demand for places is high.
The academy is best suited to Catholic families in north Liverpool who value faith, structure and pastoral care, and to students who will benefit from a supportive setting with applied as well as academic pathways. The main caveat is academic: GCSE and A-level results sit well down England's rankings, and the school has no inspection of its own yet. Families with high-attaining children should examine how the school stretches its most able before committing.
It has strong Catholic character, a structured pastoral system and high demand for places, but its results are weak. It ranks 2,803rd of 3,895 in England for GCSE results and 2,386th of 2,562 for A-level results, with a Progress 8 score of -1.4. The academy opened on 1 June 2024 and has not yet been inspected since opening.
Yes. In 2025 there were 469 applications for 175 Year 7 offers, roughly 2.7 applications per place. With 180 places per year group, baptised Catholic children and those in the named local parishes are most likely to secure a place.
No, but it helps considerably. After looked-after children, baptised Catholic children fill the highest priority groups. Children of other Christian denominations, other faiths and no faith are considered afterwards, and all applicants complete the school's supplementary faith form alongside the Liverpool City Council application.
Below average. The average Attainment 8 score is 32.1 and Progress 8 is -1.4, meaning students make well below average progress compared with similar students in England. Only 7.3% achieved grade 5 or above in the English Baccalaureate. The school began introducing the ARK Curriculum in several subjects in June 2024.
The sixth-form admissions policy asks for at least five GCSEs at grades 5 to 9, rising to six for an A-level programme, plus at least a grade 4 in English or maths. Individual subjects set their own grade requirements. Both current and external students apply and attend an interview, with places confirmed on GCSE results day.
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