Alt Bridge School, Liverpool
Alt Bridge School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 19 in Liverpool. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2023.
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Alt Bridge School in detail
Alt Bridge School in its own words
In its own words: "At Alt Bridge, we are committed to achieving the best possible outcomes for each of our learners. We believe that this can only be achieved in partnership with families and young people. We are therefore dedicated to partnership working and person-centred practices, through which we are determined to know our pupils well and to learn of their aspirations."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include drama, guitar, chess, Lego and knitting.
Vision and values (school website)Clubs (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Alt Bridge School are Knowsley Central School (under 0.1 miles, Outstanding); Lawrence House School (0.6 miles, Good); Lakeside School (1.6 miles, Outstanding); and St Vincent's School - A Specialist School for Sensory Impairment and Other Needs (2 miles, Requires improvement).
Knowsley Central SchoolLawrence House SchoolLakeside SchoolSt Vincent's School - A Specialist School for Sensory Impairment and Other Needs
Where pupils go next
Of the 54 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 94% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 33% to a further education college.
Who goes there
66.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 3.9% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at Alt Bridge School has an education, health and care plan (356 of 356 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
Alt Bridge School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism and moderate learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Huyton Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Midway Road (opposite), 180 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Alt Bridge School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Alt Bridge School issued 15 suspensions, 4.6 for every 100 pupils, and 1 permanent exclusion.
Sources: DfE destination measures; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Sixth Form
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's October 2023 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Alt Bridge School excels at creating a caring, supportive environment where pupils with special educational needs thrive. The school provides an impressive range of enrichment activities and teaches pupils about tolerance, diversity, and healthy relationships alongside strong academic learning. The sixth form is particularly outstanding, with students achieving highly and being well prepared for life after school.
Key Strengths
- Exemplary pastoral care with strong staff-pupil relationships that make pupils feel safe and happy
- Excellent sixth-form curriculum that prepares students exceptionally well for adulthood
- Comprehensive personal development programme including outdoor activities, community work, and equality initiatives
- High-quality teaching with in-depth subject knowledge, especially in the sixth form
- Strong focus on reading across the curriculum with pupils developing a genuine love of books
Areas for Improvement
- Assessment systems in some subjects are underdeveloped, meaning teachers don't always identify gaps in pupils' learning effectively
- Communication with some parents about their child's learning and progress needs improvement
- A minority of parents feel they don't receive enough information about curriculum achievement
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and prioritise pupil wellbeing.
Extracurricular Activities
Outdoor activities, community work, equalities team, extra parents' evenings
Alt Bridge School is a special school for pupils with autism and moderate learning difficulties. The school was judged as Good overall, with Outstanding personal development and sixth-form provision.
At a Glance
66.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SpLD, Vision, Other +4
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from Alt Bridge School
OSSME Parent Workshop Oct 26
30 Sep 2026
Alt Bridge School has been shortlisted for the “Most Inspirational Specialist School” in the upcoming Educate Awards.
24 Sep 2026
Online Safety subscription: Parent/Carer information session
22 Sep 2026
Celebrating KS4 and KS5 Success
24 Aug 2026
National Online Safety Award
10 Jul 2026
Coffee Morning: Understanding online language and emojis
5 May 2026
From Alt Bridge School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Alt Bridge School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Alt Bridge School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Alt Bridge School is in Knowsley; for families living there:
Apply to Knowsley for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 27
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 7
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 27 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 3 serious and 23 slight.
7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
12 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Knowsley is 14 (the median across 63 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
102%
Over capacity
356 pupils
350 places
6 pupils over capacity
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Liverpool
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Liverpool
Across Knowsley council
Places available
1,290
Applications
1,828
Got 1st preference
78.1%
Got preferred school
93.5%
All secondary applications across Knowsley council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
356
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Alt Bridge School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism and moderate learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
356
Total Pupils
253
Boys
103
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
50
Teachers
7.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£53,550
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
11.8%
Overall absence
34.8%
Persistent absence
282
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Alt Bridge School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Alt Bridge School
What are GCSE results like at Alt Bridge School?
In the 2026 results, pupils at Alt Bridge School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 5.8. 2% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is Alt Bridge School's Ofsted rating?
Alt Bridge School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2023. At its previous graded inspection in 2013 it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Alt Bridge School?
No fixed boundary. When Alt Bridge School is oversubscribed, Knowsley allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Alt Bridge School?
Alt Bridge School has around 356 pupils on roll. 66% are eligible for free school meals.
Does Alt Bridge School have specialist SEN provision?
Alt Bridge School provides for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism and moderate learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at Alt Bridge School?
11.8% of sessions were missed at Alt Bridge School in 2024/25. 34.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Alt Bridge School?
Apply through Knowsley's coordinated admissions process, naming Alt Bridge School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Alt Bridge School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 27 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 3 serious and 23 slight. 7 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 12 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Knowsley is 14 (the median across 63 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Alt Bridge School?
Alt Bridge School is at Wellcroft Road, Huyton, Liverpool, Merseyside, L36 7TA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)