The sisters of Notre Dame set up the school in 1855 in central Sheffield, moving to a site on Cavendish Street in 1862.

In 1919, the Sisters moved their living quarters from Cavendish Street to Oakbrook House, a Victorian mansion in Ranmoor built in 1860 for Mark Firth, a steel manufacturer who became Lord Mayor of Sheffield and Master Cutler.

[3] Oakbrook House is now the school's Sixth Form block and has been a listed building since 1973.

The Leading Edge specialism also includes a sub-specialism on sharing good practice with others around issues of educating able, gifted and talented pupils.

[citation needed] A new environmental learning centre website has been set up and an eco-classroom has been built by the on site Hallam CLC in the school woodland area which makes use of the latest technology to enhance learning and set an example for sustainable buildings as part of the approach to the sustainable schools strategy.

The school contributes mainly to Christian charitable work and the internal charity FOND (Friends of Notre Dame).