The Bridge School

Overview

The Bridge School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection. The report describes a school where staff know every pupil very well, creating an environment that helps pupils feel "happy, safe and secure." Leaders are clear-sighted about the school’s strengths and areas for development following a period of significant change.

Strengths

• Staff strive to give all pupils a voice, including those who do not communicate verbally, using personalised approaches to promote communication skills.
• The school works closely with therapists, ensuring a "clear line of sight" between pupils’ education, health and care plans and classroom activities.
• Pupils enjoy lessons across various subjects, with staff providing regular movement breaks and sensory-rich environments to support concentration and engagement.
• The school successfully promotes independence and choices, offering meaningful workplace experiences and opportunities for community engagement.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with leaders creating an open culture that puts pupils’ interests first.

Areas to improve

• Routine communication with parents is variable in frequency and content; the school should ensure it is more consistent and effective to rebuild confidence.
• Lesson tasks do not consistently support pupils to build knowledge and skills, as activities are sometimes too easy or hard; tasks must be better pitched to account for prior learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.