Bridge Learning Campus

Bridge Learning Campus

Address: William Jessop Way, BS13 0RL Unique reference number (URN): 139049

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Early years Strong standard

Children in the early years thrive here. Skilled and well-established leaders work highly effectively with parents and carers to ensure children settle quickly into either nursery or Reception. Leaders accurately identify children’s starting points. Subsequently, the curriculum is meticulously planned so that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those experiencing disadvantage, are able to make excellent progress and enjoy their learning.

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Early years Strong standard

There is a particular focus on children’s communication and language and physical development. Where appropriate, children with SEND receive additional support for their speech and language development. Having undertaken relevant research, leaders have also tenaciously adapted the curriculum to support pupils’ gross and fine motor skills. All pupils learn a rich diet of vocabulary and are exposed to a range of high-quality texts, including through daily story time and singing. The teaching of phonics is highly effective. Teachers have the expertise needed to deliver the school’s chosen scheme as intended, introducing this in nursery, where appropriate, and then with rigour when children start in Reception. The teaching of early mathematics is also highly effective and supported by carefully chosen activities when children are playing. As a result, children are exceptionally well prepared for Year 1 and beyond.

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Achievement Needs attention

There is marked difference between the achievement of pupils in the primary and secondary phases.

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Achievement Needs attention

In the secondary phase, pupils’ achievements in national tests are well below national averages, including for disadvantaged pupils. Too many pupils have gaps in their reading and mathematical knowledge. Pupils in key stage 3 are not well prepared for study in key stage 4 because the curriculum is not sufficiently ambitious or well planned. Many pupils do not remember what they have learned or talk with confidence about what they are learning.

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Achievement Needs attention

In the primary phase, many pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, achieve highly in phonics, reading, writing and mathematics, and well above national averages. Pupils’ work in the wider curriculum is of a high quality. For example, pupils write at length about their learning in the humanities subjects. Pupils talk with confidence and enthusiasm about their learning, both in lessons with their peers, and when asked by teachers or other adults.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Leaders’ work to improve pupils’ attendance has been more effective in the primary phase. Most pupils attend well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. In the secondary phase, pupils’ attendance has been stubbornly low for some time. Too many pupils are persistently absent and then struggle to attend lessons when they do come to school. The trust is supporting leaders to increase leadership capacity in this area so that they can accurately identify barriers pupils may face. This work is ongoing.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

In the primary phase, pupils are typically highly motivated and enjoy coming to school. When behaviour falls short of expectations, leaders support pupils effectively. Learning is not disrupted. In the primary phase, the environment is calm, positive and respectful. Typically, pupils value the positive relationships they have with staff throughout both phases of the school. However, pupils’ attendance in the secondary phase is often linked to negative attitudes towards school. As a result of these negative attitudes, when these students do attend, they can be disengaged and display poor behaviour. Leaders have a secure understanding of behaviour patterns and have taken effective action to address these patterns. While suspensions remain high, they have reduced over time, and less learning time is being lost. Leaders have taken time to understand pupils’ needs and have put in place appropriate support for the most vulnerable pupils. However, this work is in its infancy.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

In the secondary phase, leaders have identified where improvements need to be made. They have taken appropriate action to address weaknesses in curriculum areas such as mathematics, history and science. However, much of this work is very recent. Staff, including those in the early stages of their career, benefit from professional learning that is improving the quality of teaching and assessment. However, the quality of teaching remains inconsistent. At times, teachers do not present information clearly or provide work that supports pupils to develop the relevant knowledge they need. In some lessons, teachers do not always check pupils have understood before they move on. This means that pupils do not learn as well as they should. In addition, some areas of the curriculum lack ambition and direction. For example, pupils’ learning in creative subjects at key stage 3 does not successfully build over time in order to prepare them effectively for key stage 4. In these

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

subjects, leaders have not identified the most important knowledge pupils need to have and in which order, so pupils struggle to make links between prior and current learning. Some effective work is taking place to address gaps in pupils’ reading and mathematics.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

In the primary phase, and in the early years, leaders have constructed an ambitious curriculum that is carefully designed so that pupils build on what they know over time. Recent work has taken place to further refine what pupils learn in religious education, history and geography. Teachers are highly skilled at delivering these subjects, in particular in developing pupils’ vocabulary, spoken language and adapting learning to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. In addition, teachers, and support staff, have the necessary subject and pedagogical knowledge to teach reading, writing and mathematics highly effectively. They quickly address gaps in pupils’ knowledge.

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Inclusion Needs attention

In both phases of the school, leaders ensure that staff have a secure knowledge of the different barriers to learning pupils may face. In the primary phase, staff accurately identify pupils' needs and have robust systems in place to provide and review additional support for those pupils who need it. For example, leaders have established two smaller teaching groups for pupils working well below age-related expectations. The adapted curriculum meets these pupils' needs.

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Inclusion Needs attention

In the secondary phase, leaders have recently improved systems to ensure pupils' needs are identified accurately. For example, leaders understand that pupils presenting with challenging behaviour may have an underlying learning need that has not been met. Much of this work is in its infancy, but is beginning to have a positive impact for some pupils.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders have used pupil premium funding appropriately. For example, in the secondary phase, pupils who have fallen behind in reading receive additional support and older pupils who need support in mathematics receive additional tutoring. Many pupils attend breakfast clubs in both phases of the school. The impact of this funding is less apparent in improving the attendance and academic outcomes of secondary aged pupils.

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Inclusion Needs attention

The school works effectively with the virtual school and children’s services in order to provide academic and pastoral support to children looked after by the local authority and those known to social care.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

There have been significant changes to the leadership team since the previous inspection. There is currently an interim headteacher in place. Leaders have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. In the primary phase, well-established leaders are relentless in their drive to provide the best possible education and care for pupils and children in the early years.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Staffing is now more stable in the secondary phase, but leaders have had to implement a great deal of change in order to tackle historic weaknesses in the school. In particular, while some work to improve attendance and key stage 4 outcomes started some time ago, this has not been sufficiently effective. More recent work has started to have an impact, for example a more nuanced approach to managing behaviour and supporting pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs. Staff are benefiting from a research-informed professional learning programme which supports their pedagogical knowledge. The impact of this is evident in some curriculum areas. Leaders are undoubtedly making these decisions in the best interests of pupils, but it is too early to see widespread and sustained impact of this work.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The trust has supported the school through this period of transition and has a clear and detailed understanding of the school. However, school leaders have been stretched and have not always used the information available to inform their actions. Nevertheless, there are convincing signs of improvement here. Trustees and local governors understand their statutory duties and are keenly aware of the challenges the school faces. They are well placed to continue supporting the school and hold leaders to account to ensure their actions positively benefit all pupils.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

In the primary phase, pupils have opportunities to develop their spiritual and cultural awareness both within the curriculum and through the wider opportunities the school provides. Pupils have a secure understanding of the fundamental British values and their school values. They understand the importance of treating everyone with respect and listening to different viewpoints. Pupils engage in the democratic process, voting for pupil leaders and participating in the school council. Head students are positive role models for younger pupils. For example, these pupils support leaders in ensuring pupils follow rules and stay safe on the playground. Clear expectations and routines ensure pupils develop a keen sense of right and wrong. Pupils develop confidence. In the classroom, they stand proudly when contributing to class discussions. In addition, pupils remember important information about how to keep themselves safe and healthy, including online. Pupils,

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

including those who are disadvantaged, enjoy a range of clubs, including music and sports, and trips to the theatre, museums and residential camps. In the early years, no time is wasted to develop children’s personal, social and emotional skills. Children quickly settle into routines for learning, such as carpet time and story time. Staff skilfully interact with children, showing them how to form positive relationships.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

In the secondary phase, pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, are less keen to engage in the school’s wider offer, despite some sports clubs being available. The enrichment programme is currently limited and does not provide a wide range of opportunities for pupils to develop their talents and interests and feel a sense of pride and belonging. The personal, social and health education programme covers important topics such as healthy relationships and personal safety. However, pupils’ understanding of the fundamental British values is not secure. The school promotes pupils’ understanding of cultural diversity through activities such as ‘Culture Day’ and the community Iftar event. In addition, the careers education, information, advice and guidance that pupils receive is a strength of the school. Leaders support pupils in their post-16 options effectively. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are particularly well supported in this regard.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils' experiences of school in the primary phase are more positive than in the secondary phase.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Children in the early years thrive here. Leaders work closely with families when children join the nursery or Reception, so they quickly get to know them and identify any barriers they may have to their learning. Children often make significant and rapid progress from their starting points, including those who are disadvantaged. They enjoy their learning and are well prepared for key stage 1.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils in key stages 1 and 2 also achieve well, including in reading and mathematics. The wider curriculum is highly ambitious for all pupils. Pupils are proud of their work in these subjects and talk with confidence and enthusiasm about topics such as puja in religious education and the Indus Valley Civilisation in history. Pupils in the primary phase feel safe and happy, valuing the positive relationships they have with trusted staff who help them resolve issues they may face. There are a number of clubs and trips on offer and pupils have the opportunity to take on positions of responsibility. The majority of pupils attend well because they feel a strong sense of belonging.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

This is not the case for a significant minority of pupils in the secondary phase. However, pupils in key stage 3 typically have more positive attitudes towards school than older pupils. The curriculum is less ambitious, less well-planned and delivered less effectively. As a result, many pupils do not achieve well in key stage 3, or in national tests, and too many are not prepared adequately for their next steps. While expectations of behaviour are high, too many pupils do not meet these expectations and too many pupils do not attend school regularly enough. Pupils typically have positive relationships with staff, but opportunities to develop talents and interests are limited, or not taken up by pupils. Bullying is not widespread, but a small minority of pupils are reluctant to report it when it happens.

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Next steps

• The trust must continue to support the school in stabilising and strengthening the leadership team in the secondary phase, ensuring that these leaders have a precise understanding of the school’s weaknesses and how to drive swift and effective improvement. • Leaders must accurately identify the barriers to achieving positive attendance in the secondary phase, and then take swift and robust action to ensure pupils, including those in vulnerable groups, feel a sense of belonging and attend school regularly. • Leaders must develop the consistency with which the curriculum in the secondary phase is delivered. Staff in the secondary phase need support to ensure that their pedagogical choices are effective, and that checks on understanding are made, so that pupils learn effectively and outcomes improve. • Leaders need to ensure that, across subjects, the key stage 3 curriculum clearly identifies the key knowledge and skills that pupils need to know so that teaching can be more precise

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Next steps

and pupils' knowledge and skills develop in readiness for key stage 4. • Leaders must continue to strengthen the systems in place to accurately identify barriers to learning for pupils in the secondary phase so that the actions they take to reduce these barriers are effective and positively impact these pupils’ achievement. • The school must ensure that pupils in the secondary phase have opportunities to develop their talents and interests, and monitor this provision to ensure that disadvantaged pupils participate fully and feel a sense of pride and belonging in their school.

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Lead inspector:

Victoria Griffin, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Wendy Hanrahan, Ofsted Inspector Alison Naylor, Ofsted Inspector John Weeds, Ofsted Inspector Thomas Brewer, His Majesty's Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Trust in Learning (Academies), which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Sue Elliott, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Hugh Barrett.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, senior leaders, the special educational needs and disabilities coordinators and groups of staff. The lead inspector met with the CEO and Director of Education for the trust as well as the chair of the school performance board and chair of the trust's Quality of Education Committee.

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About this inspection

The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

Since the previous inspection, there is a new headteacher who started their role in November 2025.

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About this inspection

The school makes use of five unregistered alternative provisions and two registered alternative provisions.

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About this inspection

Interim headteacher: Nick Butler This data is from 6 January 2026

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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English and maths GCSE

Percentage of pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Attainment 8

A measure of pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Progress 8

How much progress pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Destinations after 16

Percentage of pupils staying in education or employment for at least 2 terms after the end of secondary school (key stage 4).

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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