Bridgeway School, Lancashire
Bridgeway School is a special school for pupils aged 9 to 18 in Lancashire. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2024.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2024)
Data last updated 1 Nov 2026
Bridgeway School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Bridgeway School are The Coppice School (0.8 miles, Good); Cambian Red Rose School (1.2 miles, Good); Progress School (1.3 miles, Outstanding); and The Ribble Autism School (1.3 miles, Good).
The Coppice SchoolCambian Red Rose SchoolProgress SchoolThe Ribble Autism School
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Bridgeway School has an education, health and care plan (56 of 56 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bamber Bridge Rail Station, about 530 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hob Inn (opposite), 30 metres away.
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport)
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Independent school standards
Met all the independent school standards.
- Part 1: quality of educationMet
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementMet
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils receive an exceptional education at Bridgeway School. They develop the confidence, self-esteem and perseverance that they need to approach their next steps with success. Many parents and carers described the school as 'life-changing' for their child. The school has a remarkable impact on pupils, academically and socially. Many pupils achieve impressive outcomes.
Pupils receive highly effective packages of support to meet their needs. These enable pupils to experience success when learning. Pupils rise to the high expectations that staff have of them. Pupils' behaviour improves dramatically over time because they feel listened to and valued. The school is a safe place and pupils build trusting relationships with staff. Pupils are happy in school.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
All pupils at the school have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Every part of each pupil's learning is specifically designed based on their needs and next steps. The therapeutic team work seamlessly with staff to ensure that the delivery of the curriculum meets the needs of pupils exceptionally well. Most pupils make excellent progress from their starting points. This strong foundation of knowledge prepares pupils well for their next steps.
Pupils learn a very well-thought-out curriculum that carefully considers what pupils will learn and when this will be taught. The school has mapped out the curriculum so that pupils deepen their understanding over time. There are many opportunities for pupils to consolidate their learning. This helps pupils to learn the curriculum well.
From Ofsted's June 2024 inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its June 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Bridgeway School
Nurseries
The nearest nurseries and pre-schools to Bridgeway School, with their latest published grades:
- Townley House Independent Nursery School - Day nursery, 0.2 milesOfsted, 13 December 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Dowry House Nursery School - Day nursery, 0.5 milesOfsted, 12 December 2023: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Stagecoach Preston Thursdays - Pre-school, 0.9 miles
- Footprints Child Care Ltd - Day nursery, 1.0 milesOfsted, 26 June 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Moss Lane Pre-School - Pre-school, 1.0 milesOfsted, 11 September 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 38
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 11
- Children hurt
- 10
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 38 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 11 serious and 27 slight.
10 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 8 in a vehicle or otherwise.
5 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 Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight are DfT estimates (severity adjustment). Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
100%
Full
56 pupils
56 places
No spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Across Lancashire council
Places available
14,702
Applications
13,782
Got 1st preference
87.1%
Got preferred school
97.2%
All secondary applications across Lancashire council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
56
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Bridgeway School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
56
Total Pupils
49
Boys
7
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Bridgeway School
Showing 10 of 14 linked schools
Questions parents ask about Bridgeway School
What is Bridgeway School's Ofsted rating?
Bridgeway School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in June 2024.
Does Bridgeway School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in June 2024, Bridgeway School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Bridgeway School?
Bridgeway School has around 56 pupils on roll.
Does Bridgeway School have specialist SEN provision?
Bridgeway School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How many road collisions happen near Bridgeway School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 38 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 11 serious and 27 slight. 10 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 8 in a vehicle or otherwise. 5 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 Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Bridgeway School?
Bridgeway School is at Church Road, Bamber Bridge, Lancashire, PR5 6EP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)