The Bridge School, Telford
The Bridge School is a special school for pupils aged 3 to 19 in Telford. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2013)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
The Bridge School in detail
The Bridge School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "Our aim is that all pupils achieve and progress in an environment where they are safe, happy and treated with respect at all times."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to The Bridge School are The Seeds School (2.8 miles, Good); Queensway (3 miles, Good); Southall School (3.3 miles, Good); and Overley Hall School (3.7 miles, Good).
What parents say
22 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about The Bridge School (as of September 2025): 96% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 50% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child does well at the school (100%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (50%).
Where pupils go next
Of the 12 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 83% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 58% to a further education college.
Who goes there
46.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 9.6% speak English as an additional language, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (70%), Asian (10%) and Black (10%).
Almost every pupil at The Bridge School has an education, health and care plan (239 of 239 in 2026). The most common need among them is a severe learning difficulty.
The Bridge School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Shropshire Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Brookdale (adjacent), 340 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood The Bridge School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, The Bridge School issued 8 suspensions, 3.5 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 · 1 year agoThis judgement is from May 2013, 13 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's July 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The Bridge School transforms the lives of children with severe learning difficulties by combining academic progress with practical life skills. Pupils develop confidence through excellent communication support and tailored teaching, while benefiting from enriching experiences like horse riding and community involvement that many wouldn't access elsewhere. Parents consistently report their children achieving things they never thought possible.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional curriculum design that is well thought out and seamlessly linked to pupils' individual education, health and care plans
- Highly skilled staff who are proficient in teaching communication and interaction as the foundation for learning
- Strong focus on reading through sensory stories, phonics and structured approaches tailored to each pupil's needs
- Rich personal development opportunities including horse riding, fishing, farm visits, choirs and drumming workshops
- Exemplary pupil behaviour supported by staff who understand and meet individual needs very well
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Horse riding, fishing, crazy golf, mobile farm visits, choirs, drumming workshop, horticultural business, community support activities
The Bridge School is a special school for pupils with severe and profound learning difficulties that is life-changing for its students. The school achieves outstanding results across all areas, with pupils making exceptional progress educationally, personally and socially.
At a Glance
46.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
SLD, PMLD
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
22 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Latest from The Bridge School
Makaton Sign of the Week
28 Sep 2026
Donation to school
17 Sep 2026
Online Safety
14 Sep 2026
Makaton Sign of the Week
14 Sep 2026
Makaton Sign of the Week
7 Sep 2026
Bridge Madeley Update
3 Sep 2026
From The Bridge School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with The Bridge School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to The Bridge School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. The Bridge School is in Telford and Wrekin; for families living there:
Apply to Telford and Wrekin for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 7
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 3
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 4 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 on a bicycle.
3 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 Telford and Wrekin is 7 (the median across 86 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
Area Demand Pressure - Telford
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Telford
Across Telford and Wrekin council
Places available
2,604
Applications
2,281
Got 1st preference
76.1%
Got preferred school
90.4%
All secondary applications across Telford and Wrekin council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(7)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
239
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
The Bridge School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
239
Total Pupils
177
Boys
62
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
38
Teachers
6.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£58,111
Mean salary
2026 data
Pupil Absence2024/25
9.7%
Overall absence
27.5%
Persistent absence
204
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
The Bridge School
Showing 10 of 15 linked schools
Questions parents ask about The Bridge School
What are SATs results like at The Bridge School?
Of the pupils at The Bridge School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 0% reached the expected standard in reading and 0% did so in maths.
What is The Bridge School's Ofsted rating?
The Bridge School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2013, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for The Bridge School?
No fixed boundary. When The Bridge School is oversubscribed, Telford and Wrekin allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to The Bridge School?
The Bridge School has around 239 pupils on roll. 47% are eligible for free school meals.
Does The Bridge School have specialist SEN provision?
The Bridge School provides for pupils with severe learning difficulties and profound and multiple learning difficulties.
What is attendance like at The Bridge School?
9.7% of sessions were missed at The Bridge School in 2024/25. 27.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to The Bridge School?
Apply through Telford and Wrekin's coordinated admissions process, naming The 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 The Bridge School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 7 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 3 serious and 4 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 on a bicycle. 3 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 Telford and Wrekin is 7 (the median across 86 schools, same distance and years).
Where is The Bridge School?
The Bridge School is at Waterloo Road, Hadley, Telford, Shropshire, TF1 5NQ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)