Head’s Welcome

Welcome to Undershaw, and thank you for taking the time to learn more about our remarkable school. It is a privilege to lead such a vibrant, dynamic, and nurturing community — a true ‘home from home’ where every child is valued, supported, and inspired to thrive.

At Undershaw, our values of Respect, Kindness, and Resilience are at the heart of everything we do. They shape the way we learn, the way we treat one another, and the way we prepare our students for life beyond school. Our aim is simple but ambitious: to ensure that every young person who joins us can go on to live an independent, fulfilling life — socially engaged, economically active, and confident in their place in the world.

Our strapline, “Eliminating the Impossible,” reflects our determination to challenge expectations and break down barriers. One of the ways we live this out is by addressing the statistic that only 4.8% of adults with SEND are in full-time paid employment. We believe this is not acceptable — and at Undershaw, we work tirelessly to ensure our students are equipped with the skills, confidence, and opportunities to defy it.

From an early stage, we embed employability and essential life skills across our learning journey — from workplace exposure visits in Key Stage 2, such as trips to local farms, to immersive work experience and industry placements in Post-16, where students spend up to three days a week in real-world environments.

Our bespoke ‘Undershaw Diploma’, which runs alongside our formal academic curriculum, gives employability equal importance to the GCSEs or BTEC qualifications our young people achieve. It develops communication, teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving — the skills employers value most. In doing so, it ensures that our young people leave Undershaw ready not just for college, University or the world of work, but to be active citizens and contributors to their communities and the wider economy.

At Undershaw, we know that relationships are key to success. Every student needs to feel seen, heard, and safe, and our school is committed to creating an environment where this is always the case. Every child’s wellbeing is central, every member of staff is valued, and every educational experience is carefully crafted to remove barriers and enable growth, confidence, and independence.

I warmly invite you to join us at one of our Open Morning events to experience the Undershaw difference for yourself.

Thanks,