SEND

There are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” Nor can the head say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, we cannot do without the parts of the body that seem to be weaker; and those parts that we think aren’t worth very much are the ones which we treat with greater care; while the parts of the body which don’t look very nice are treated with special modesty, which the more beautiful parts do not need. God himself has put the body together in such a way as to give greater honour to those parts that need it. And so, there is no division in the body, but all its different parts have the same concern for one another. If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer with it; if one part is praised, all the other parts share in its happiness. All of you are Christ’s body, and each one is a part of it.

— 1 Corinthians 12:20–27

Holy Cross is a Catholic community where every person is valued. We recognise each pupil as made in the image of God, all with different gifts and qualities. Christ is at the heart of our school, and we promote a community where all pupils can be safe, be themselves, be proud of who they are, be happy and make our community a better place.

Holy Cross is committed to ensuring pupils with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities achieve strong outcomes from their starting points, in a nurturing and happy environment, to develop strong foundational knowledge and skills in reading, writing, maths, handwriting and oracy. We pride ourselves in knowing that all pupils access a broad and balanced curriculum. Our high-quality, ambitious and inclusive curriculum is accessible for all pupils through targeted, quality-first teaching and focused provision. This enables our pupils to build confidence, develop their self-esteem and be secure in their sense of belonging. Barriers are removed through strong evidence informed practice and adaptive teaching. We promote independence, participation and engagement so that our pupils know more, remember more and can do more.

Meet the Team

he SEND Department is led by Mrs E Dempsey (SENDCO). Holy Cross is fortunate enough to have a strong team of Teaching Assistants who support pupils in all areas of the curriculum. Your child’s Form Tutor will be your initial contact. They can be reached via Synergy. For SEND related issues, please email

Mrs E Dempsey – SENDCO
Mrs L Davda – Assistant SENDCO and Designated Teacher for CLA
Miss A Conway – Teaching Assistant
Mrs L Crompton – Teaching Assistant
Mrs S Fairhurst – Teaching Assistant
Mrs J Farrell – Teaching Assistant
Mr O Goodier – Teaching Assistant
Mrs J Hoyte – Teaching Assistant
Mrs J King – Teaching Assistant/ELSA
Mrs C Ogden – Teaching Assistant
Mr J Parker – Teaching Assistant
Mrs G White – Teaching Assistant
Mrs G Whittle – Teaching Assistant
Miss K Williamson – Teaching Assistant
Miss S Williams – Teaching Assistant
Mr T Wilkinson – Teaching Assistant

Holy Cross takes pride in working in collaboration with external agencies to ensure provision is accurate, targeted and purposeful. We have regular partnerships with: