THE BRIDGE SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS SCHOOL

School progress monitoring inspection report

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The Bridge Special Education Needs School 148–150 and 167 Old Kent Road, London SE1 5TY

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraphs 7–7(b), 32(1)(c)  The previous progress monitoring inspection in November 2022 judged safeguarding arrangements as effective. This inspection found this continues to be the case.  Leaders continue to demonstrate a sound working knowledge and understanding of the latest ‘Keeping children safe in education 2022’ statutory guidance. The school’s suitable safeguarding policy also reflects this guidance and is available online.  Staff receive suitable and timely refresher training. The recruitment process reflects statutory requirements. Leaders take swift and appropriate action when concerns are raised. These concerns and actions taken are documented consistently.  These independent school standards continue to be met. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1)–34(1)(b)  The school’s first progress monitoring inspection in November 2022 found leaders to

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Main inspection findings

have taken decisive action since the previous standard inspection. As a result, almost all of the previously unmet standards were judged to be met. However, leaders were still not demonstrating the knowledge and skills required to meet all the independent school standards consistently. As a result, this standard remained not met.  Leaders’ second action plan lacked sufficient detail. It contained objectives that were too vague, such as proposing ‘termly assessments of skills’ and ‘interviews with leaders’. It was unclear how such general objectives would improve leaders’ knowledge and skills.  This inspection found leaders and governors to have taken some further positive action to review policies, strengthen safeguarding, and prepare for the development of more suitable premises for pupils with complex special educational needs and/or disabilities. But there is more work to do. Leaders and governors are in the process of taking more

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Main inspection findings

formal responsibility for checking and holding leaders to account for each part of the standards. Governors plan to visit the school more often, and to provide more rigorous support and challenge to leaders. Leaders acknowledge the need to communicate more clearly with the registration authority about their new premises.  This standard is now met.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school meets the requirements of the schedule to The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that were checked during this inspection. This included the standards and requirements that the school was judged to not comply with at the previous inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school– - 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and - 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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School details

School status Other independent special school

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School details

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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School details

Of which, number on roll in sixth form 6

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £35,000 to £95,000

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School details

Email address admin@thebridge-school.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous standard inspection 24 to 26 November 2021

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Information about this school

 The Bridge Special Education Needs School is an independent secondary special day school in the London Borough of Southwark.  All pupils have education, health and care plans and are placed and funded by a range of local authorities. Pupils have a range of complex needs, including autism spectrum disorder. Many pupils are non-verbal.  The school caters for pupils of compulsory school age at its main premises at 148–150 Old Kent Road, London SE1 5TY. Students aged 18 to 25 attend the premises opposite, at 167 Old Kent Road, London SE1 5TY.  The proprietor has purchased new premises at 2A Bensham Manor Road, Croydon CR7 7AA. Once refurbishment works are completed, and following acceptance of the proposed material change by the Department for Education (DfE), leaders intend to relocate to these premises.  The school has a sole proprietor, who delegates governance to a governing body.  The school’s previous standard inspection in November 2021 was its first full inspection.

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Information about this school

The most recent inspection was a progress monitoring inspection in November 2022.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards and other requirements that it was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection.  This was the school’s second progress monitoring inspection since its first full inspection in November 2021.  The inspection was conducted with two days of notice.  Following the previous progress monitoring inspection, in November 2022, leaders were asked to submit a second action plan. This was evaluated by Ofsted as not acceptable in February 2023 and was subsequently rejected by the Department for Education.  The focus of this inspection was to check whether the school complied with particular requirements within parts 3, 6 and 8 of the independent school standards.  The inspection did not consider the school’s future proposed material change to relocate

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Information about this inspection

to its new premises in Croydon. At the time of this inspection, refurbishment works at the new proposed premises in Croydon had not commenced.  The inspector considered a range of evidence relating to leadership, management and governance. He met with the headteacher throughout the inspection. The inspection also took account of a range of evidence to consider the school’s safeguarding arrangements.  There were no recent responses to consider on Ofsted’s online survey for parents and carers, Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

James Waite, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

Parent View You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/ofsted .

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Inspection team

excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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