The Bridge School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 12 July 2023

Warm and nurturing relationships exist between pupils and staff at The Bridge School. Pupils join this school because they have experienced difficulties in the past. They settle in quickly and soon start to do well. Pupils say that the school is welcoming, and that staff understand them well. Pupils know that leaders and other staff expect them to do their best and to uphold the school's high expectations of behaviour. This helps pupils feel secure and safe in school. On the rare occasion that bullying occurs, leaders are thorough in their response. Staff support those involved to reduce the likelihood of it happening again. Leaders are ambitious for pupils' learning. They want pupils in the school to achieve well. A variety of accredited courses are offered. Consequently, most pupils succeed in gaining useful qualifications, or rejoin mainstream schools to continue their education. Pupils speak positively about activities such as visits to the theatre, outdoor learning and trips to museums. The curriculum teaches pupils how to keep safe, for example near water and when using the internet. Overwhelmingly, parents and carers speak highly about the support provided by all staff. Parents commented on the positive changes that they have seen in their children since starting at the school.

What the school should improve

• In a small number of subjects in key stage 3, leaders have not thought about the small building blocks of knowledge that are essential for pupils to understand in order to learn the curriculum well. This means that pupils do not make as much progress as they should. Leaders should ensure that, in all subjects, teachers are clear about the knowledge that pupils need to learn and the order in which it should be taught.
• Leaders have not provided staff with enough information about the specific knowledge that pupils need to learn during the personal development sessions. This hinders how well some pupils learn and remember important topics in depth. Leaders should ensure that teachers receive appropriate and detailed information about what should be taught about these important topics so that teachers are equipped to deliver pupils' personal development consistently well.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)