Three Bridges, Truro
Three Bridges is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 19 in Truro.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Three Bridges in detail
Three Bridges in its own words
In its own words: "Three Bridges School is a small independent Special Educational Needs school set in a rural location, near the city of Truro in Cornwall. Our school works with learners with a broad range of SEND, including Cognition and Learning, Communication and Interaction, Social Emotional Mental Health, and Sensory and Physical."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Three Bridges are Oak Tree School (2.4 miles); Cardrew Court School (2.8 miles, Good, selective); Curnow School (3.3 miles, Outstanding); and Cornwall Neighbourhoods for Change (3.4 miles).
Oak Tree SchoolCardrew Court SchoolCurnow SchoolCornwall Neighbourhoods for Change
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Three Bridges has an education, health and care plan (32 of 32 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Redruth Rail Station, about 3.5 miles away in a straight line.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Post Office (ne-bound), 40 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 9 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Cornwall (14).
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoOverall
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
Pupils thrive at Three Bridges School. Many have missed a lot of schooling prior to joining the school. Through the carefully planned transition sessions, pupils adapt well. All pupils have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) with some associated behavioural issues. However, through bespoke adaptations to the curriculum, pupils learn how to regulate their emotions well. As a result, the school is a calm, welcoming place in which to learn.
Each pupil's social, emotional and learning needs are prioritised. Staff and pupils develop very strong relationships which are both nurturing and supportive. Through these relationships, pupils learn how to behave with respect, empathy and kindness. Pupils are well prepared for the world beyond school.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school's vision for pupils to achieve emotional, social and academic success is explicit. The school assesses what pupils know and do not know effectively on entry. The school uses this information to construct bespoke curriculum pathways for every pupil. Pupils have a breadth of SEND needs which inform the highly personalised curriculums. However, the focus on developing all pupils' communication skills lies at the heart of the curriculum. Pupils learn to articulate their knowledge about the world around them well.
All pupils study a phonics programme that is suitably adapted to meet their needs. Many pupils who arrive at the school as struggling readers learn to read well. Reading is central to the school's curriculum. Pupils listen to a breadth of texts throughout the day. Texts are used for manifold purposes such as to support pupils in learning about different faiths and cultures. Staff engage pupils in texts successfully enabling pupils to extend their vocabulary and knowledge about the world around them.
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.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
Yes
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 4 nearby schools
Latest from Three Bridges
Three Bridges School Festival Brings the School Community Together to Celebrate Another Successful Year
24 Jul 2026
Three Bridges School Enjoys Memorable Whole School Visit to the Eden Project
20 Jul 2026
Melrose Education strengthens wellbeing support for learners, families and colleagues
16 Jul 2026
Three Bridges School Learners Make a Positive Impact Through Trash Free Trails Citizen Science Project
24 Jun 2026
Inspiring Young Writers with Local Author Visit
5 Mar 2026
Spring Term Educational Visit to Cornwall Gold
9 Feb 2026
From Three Bridges's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Three Bridges
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 3
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 3 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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 Cornwall is 3 (the median across 299 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
97%
Near capacity
32 pupils
33 places
1 spare place
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Truro
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Truro
Across Cornwall council
Places available
6,387
Applications
5,542
Got 1st preference
97.4%
Got preferred school
99.3%
All secondary applications across Cornwall council (2026/27), not just this school.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
32
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Three Bridges 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
32
Total Pupils
26
Boys
6
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Three Bridges
What are GCSE results like at Three Bridges?
The Department for Education's GCSE measures do not count IGCSEs, which many independent schools take instead of GCSEs, so the Attainment 8 and English and maths figures it publishes for Three Bridges can understate its results. We do not rank or compare them; ask the school for its own GCSE and IGCSE results.
How many pupils go to Three Bridges?
Three Bridges has around 32 pupils on roll.
Does Three Bridges have specialist SEN provision?
Three Bridges is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Three Bridges?
Three Bridges is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Three Bridges?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 3 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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 Cornwall is 3 (the median across 299 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Three Bridges?
Three Bridges is at Kea Downs Road, Blackwater, Truro, Cornwall, TR4 8EG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)