New Bridge School, Oldham
New Bridge School is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 19 in Oldham, part of New Bridge Multi Academy Trust. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2015)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
New Bridge School in detail
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to New Bridge School are Hollinwood Academy (under 0.1 miles, Outstanding); Teenage Kicks (0.8 miles, Good); Spring Brook Academy (1.3 miles, Good); and Thornycroft School (1.4 miles).
Hollinwood AcademyTeenage KicksSpring Brook AcademyThornycroft School
The trust
New Bridge School is one of 8 schools run by New Bridge Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
69 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about New Bridge School (as of September 2025): 70% would recommend the school, 81% say their child is happy there and 63% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (81%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (63%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 90 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 94% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 3% to a further education college.
Who goes there
50.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 18.1% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
Almost every pupil at New Bridge School has an education, health and care plan (728 of 728 in 2026). The most common need among them is autism.
New Bridge School has a SEN unit for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 300 places, 300 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Hollinwood (Manchester Metrolink), about 860 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Oasis Academy (outside), 160 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood New 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, New Bridge School issued 46 suspensions, 6.4 for every 100 pupils, and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; 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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from February 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
New Bridge School excels at understanding each pupil as an individual and building their confidence and independence. Staff are exceptionally skilled at adapting teaching to meet complex needs, and the school provides outstanding preparation for adult life through real work experience, internships and careers guidance. Pupils develop strong communication skills, excellent behaviour and genuine enthusiasm for learning in a warm, nurturing environment.
Key Strengths
- Excellent support for communication - staff use signs, symbols and assistive technology to help all pupils express themselves
- Strong reading culture with targeted phonics and pre-reading sessions helping struggling readers catch up quickly
- Highly personalised curriculum tailored to each pupil's individual needs from their education, health and care plans
- Exceptional pastoral care with morning sensory activities and skilled staff helping pupils regulate their emotions
- Outstanding careers education and work experience leading to many pupils progressing to paid employment or further education
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with strong systems in place to keep pupils safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Football, rowing, basketball, Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, transition festival, theatre visits, museum visits, work experience in sports and leisure centres, hospitals and universities, engagement with Paralympians and performers in the arts
New Bridge School is a special school serving 716 pupils with complex needs across four sites. The school has successfully maintained its outstanding standards and continues to provide highly personalised education that prepares pupils well for life beyond school.
At a Glance
50.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SEN unit: SpLD, Vision, Other +8
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
69 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with New Bridge School
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to New Bridge School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. New Bridge School is in Oldham; for families living there:
Apply to Oldham for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 8
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 7 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt.
4 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 Oldham is 14 (the median across 129 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
91%
Near capacity
728 pupils
800 places
72 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Oldham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Oldham
Across Oldham council
Places available
4,034
Applications
3,190
Got 1st preference
75.2%
Got preferred school
95.4%
All secondary applications across Oldham council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
728
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
New Bridge School has a SEN unit for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 300 places, 300 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
728
Total Pupils
508
Boys
220
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
76
Teachers
9.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£45,793
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
12.8%
Overall absence
36.6%
Persistent absence
506
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
New Bridge School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about New Bridge School
What are GCSE results like at New Bridge School?
In the 2025 results, pupils at New Bridge School achieved an Attainment 8 score of 0.2. 0% passed GCSE English and maths at grade 5 or above.
What is New Bridge School's Ofsted rating?
New Bridge School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2015, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for New Bridge School?
No fixed boundary. When New Bridge School is oversubscribed, Oldham allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to New Bridge School?
New Bridge School has around 728 pupils on roll. 50% are eligible for free school meals.
Does New Bridge School have specialist SEN provision?
New Bridge School has a SEN unit for specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, visual impairment, other difficulties or disabilities, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication needs, autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties: 300 places, 300 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at New Bridge School?
12.8% of sessions were missed at New Bridge School in 2024/25. 36.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to New Bridge School?
Apply through Oldham's coordinated admissions process, naming New 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 New Bridge School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 8 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 7 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt. 4 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 Oldham is 14 (the median across 129 schools, same distance and years).
Where is New Bridge School?
New Bridge School is at Roman Road, Hollinwood, Oldham, Lancashire, OL8 3PH.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)