Groupings
Form Groups
Your child has a Form Tutor, and this member of staff is responsible for their pastoral care and for all matters concerning the welfare and individual needs of all the young people in their tutor group. When dealing or corresponding with school this person will be your main contact, as all general correspondence between home and school is dealt with by them during morning registration to ensure a consistent approach.
Timetable Groups
Your child will work with other staff for certain subject areas within the curriculum such as PE and cooking. These groupings will be dependent upon the individual needs of your child who will work in both small and large groups and at an individual level, where appropriate.
Units of work within each subject area are carefully planned and over a 5-year period, efforts are made to provide a variety of learning experiences and different teaching and learning styles. In addition, there is an intention to ensure continuity and progression.
New Bridge School has several bespoke groups to meet the specific needs of some of our pupils:-
Interactive Base
The Interactive Base (IB) provides an appropriate learning environment for low level and complex learners (year 7-11). The principles of the IB groups are to provide a stimulating, engaging and sensory based curriculum.
The IB groups offer a base for their learners which provides routine, encourages communication, consistent staffing and sensory based learning delivered by specialist staff. Within the IB groups, pupils receive part of the curriculum offer within their base and part of the curriculum offer within the Main body of the school.
Autism Base
New Bridge School’s discrete Autism provision (year 7-11) is a consistent environment for pupils who find it difficult to adapt to change. The curriculum echoes that of the main school and pupils enjoy all subjects and have full access to all the school’s facilities. The pupils’ communication needs are the focus in the Autism Base. These are met through our interactive, total communication approach using symbols, signs and solid objects of reference to enhance learning.
Main body - Pathway One
‘Independence Pathway’ – (formerly known as the ‘Mainbody’) Students in this pathway will join us from various Primary Schools both within Oldham and neighbouring Boroughs. This provision will support them in reaching their destination of ‘being independent’ once they leave the New Bridge Group. They will access a broad and balanced provision, tailored to providing a rounded education in all aspects of the curriculum. They are working on their academic targets, while also engaging and developing in line with their EHCP outcomes.
Main body - Pathway Two
‘Engagement Pathway’ (formerly known as the ‘EHCP Groups’) - Students in this pathway will join us from various Primary Schools both within Oldham and neighbouring Boroughs. This provision will support them in reaching their destination of ‘working with support and/or volunteering in the community’ once they leave the New Bridge Group. They will access a broad and balanced provision, tailored to providing a rounded education in all aspects of the curriculum. Once baselined on academic levels, these children will use their core subjects as a vessel for focused work on their EHCP outcomes.
Mainbody - Pathway Three
‘Exploration Pathway’ (formerly known as the ‘Communication Groups’) – This pathway within Key Stage 3 is designed for students who require a static and nurturing approach to their education. Their main barrier to learning will be around the need for a consistent environment and a bespoke package and curriculum tailored to providing functional skills, while also meeting their bespoke needs around Sensory Integration and Communication. Students who join may have accessed bespoke learning environments before joining New Bridge School and will require more support to engage in their learning activities. Their curriculum will focus on accessing the wider community and developing a functional level of core subjects which will allow them to reach their destinations of ‘Playing a part in my community’ and ‘Taking Control’.
