Curriculum
& Provisions
Curriculum & Provisions
Key Stage 3
At Key Stage 3, our main aim is to develop students’ resilience. We aim to do this by identifying and introducing strategies to overcome individual barriers to learning. We try to reignite a love of learning through a safe, structured and child centred nurturing environment.
We aim to work with the learners to help them acquire and develop skills and understand their own barriers to learning to best equip them for the future.
Our curriculum seeks to offer flexibility to young people, allowing them to develop at a pace consistent with their abilities. Our aim is to help students to fulfil their potential and to support them to prepare for the next steps in their education.
Lessons with more academic challenge are delivered in the mornings, wherever possible. This is generally when students are more energised and receptive. Afternoons will be used for the more creative sessions such as Art and Food Technology.
The curriculum offered within Key Stage 3 intends to support learners to successfully transition back to mainstream education or specialist provision. Our practice is underpinned by the 6 principles of nurture and encourages students to become increasingly self reflective, engaged in their own learning and have the skills to effectively manage their emotions, behaviour and communication.
Key Stage 4
Key Stage 4 learners, whilst on site at The Bridge School, engage in a mixture of core subjects and vocational accreditation. Learners have the opportunity to access a minimum of three English, maths and science lessons per week, which are delivered by specialist teachers.
The aim is that all learners will achieve accreditation in core subjects (GCSE and/or entry level). Centre 37 is The Bridge School’s own vocational centre and is managed by the school SLT team. Centre 37 delivers a range of vocational qualifications, including mechanics, construction and hair and beauty. Each Key Stage 4 learner can access up to five full days of education within The Bridge School, Centre 37, Alternative Provision and 1:1 tuition. Each external provider is Quality Assured by the Associate Assistant Head in charge Centre 37 and Alternative Provision.
When arranging Alternative Provision careful attention is given to each provider and how they will support each individual learner, allowing them to develop their competencies within SEMH and make progress toward accreditation. All learners follow a totally bespoke timetable that is tailored to their needs and interests. The aim of each bespoke timetable is to allow all learners to gain opportunities to either improve outcomes within core subjects or to gain additional qualifications.
Each learner is supported throughout Key Stage 4 with CEIAG which promotes learners to become engaged with their choices at Post 16, our CEIAG package includes 1:1 sessions, extended or block work experience and career/college events.
When appropriate every effort is made to reintegrate learners back into mainstream education, however when this is not a suitable option, school staff work closely with parents, carers and post 16 providers to ensure that all learners have the opportunity to engage in a challenging and needs led post 16 pathway.
KS4 English Language
At KS4, pupils are prepared for the Eduqas English Language GCSE, and in some cases, OCR English Entry level too. Both courses are skills based and give pupils the opportunity to develop their reading and writing, regardless of their starting point. We read a variety of stimulating short texts over the course of the two year GCSE qualification, and pupils are also encouraged to refine their writing skills by attempting different genres when producing their own written pieces. In addition, pupils enjoy the opportunity to show off their verbal communication skills, and are required to present an argument for their ‘Speaking and Listening’ assessment – these tend to be very passionate pieces of work!
Reading for pleasure is at the very core of success at GCSE, and so pupils are guided towards suitable reading materials. We are pleased that in most cases, pupils are able to find books that they enjoy and we have an impressive selection of fiction and non-fiction for them to choose from in school. We have also recently purchased a fantastic reading programme, ‘Reading Plus’, which helps pupils to develop their reading skills quickly in preparation for their formal examinations at the end of Year 11.
Additional support is available to students should they choose to take extra English as one of their KS4 options.
KS4 Maths
At KS4, students are taught from entry level up to GCSE depending on their individual ability, need and potential. At GCSE level, students have the opportunity to sit Edexcel foundation or higher tier, with the option to sit OCR if this is more suited to a particular learner. We encourage all students to have a positive attitude towards mathematics and to recognise the importance of mathematics in their own lives and in society. This is achieved by helping learners to feel confident in maths by teaching clear methods that can be learnt and practised. We also ensure foundations are strong which allows students to then build on and develop strengths in areas such as algebra, percentages, ratio and trigonometry. Skills are practised regularly in starter activities and students are shown how to apply these skills to real-life situations and in problem solving challenges. The topic areas taught are number, algebra, geometry and measures, statistics and probability, ratio, proportion and rates of change.
KS4 Biology
At KS4 we study AQA GCSE Biology. Biology is the scientific exploration of living thing…from the incredible code on our DNA to the entire global ecosystem!
At The Bridge School we bring this amazing subject to life by giving our pupils the opportunities to learn through carrying out experiments, making observations and drawing conclusions. We encourage our students to develop their natural curiosity and to become passionate scientists who are intrigued by the world around them.
This fascinating subject is studied over two years and is examined with two written exams in the summer of year 11. Both exams are worth 50% of the overall paper (each GCSE paper is worth 100 marks and is 1 hour 45 minutes long).
The Bridge School @ 37: Vocational Learning Centre
The Bridge School @ 37: Vocational Learning Centre is excited to offer learners of all abilities the opportunity to experience high quality work based learning that helps to develop skills, increase independence and achieve accreditation through vocational pathways.
Alternative Provision
The Bridge operates as a Key Stage 4 alternative provider, offering 40 on-roll places for pupils who would benefit for education outside of a high school context.
This provision is secured at providers across the borough, with The Bridge providing quality assurance, guidance and support.
We pride ourselves on working with individual learners and providers to ensure that all learners gain opportunities to either improve outcomes within core subjects or to gain additional qualifications.
All our learners follow a totally bespoke timetable that is tailored to their needs and interests.
*include photos of students at their placements and longer term a video of a student talking about their provision.
We currently work with 7 providers
Positive Future Consultancy LTD
HORIZONS
EDUCATION
MOGG & LANDY
TUITION
MATHS
ENGLISH
SCIENCE
The Bridge @ Murdishaw
Our Murdishaw provision is a small, quiet and calm classroom based in Murdishaw Community Centre. It is available specifically for those youngsters that benefit from an environment that has minimal pressures from social interaction and challenge. It provides a familiar small staff team who are calm, nurturing and consistently predictable in the way they operate and interact. Murdishaw is able to remove the anxiety of unstructured breaks times in a busy school environment, replacing those times with calm, peace and predictability. Students work at academic levels in line with their ability and previous learning, following a program that is individualised and reflective of their personal needs.
The provision is available those youngsters who need for a quiet, ‘non-school’ learning environment, yet who do not have medical confirmation of this need. If prior SEN assessment and identification have evaluated that this is the right type of support, then a placement can be accessed.
If you would like to discuss Murdishaw or any young person that might benefit from it, please contact Renata Squire (Head of Student Welfare): Tel: 01928-581301 renata.squire@halton.gov.uk
