New Bridge School is a special academy in Oldham for children and young people aged 5 to 19. It supports dyslexia and SpLD, vision, hearing and 7 other needs.
- Ages 5–19
- 728 pupils
- Ofsted: Outstanding
School details
- Type
- Special academy
- Ages
- 5 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 728 (places for 800)
- Headteacher
- Mr Gavin Lyons
- Part of
- New Bridge Multi Academy Trust
- Opened
- 1 September 2012
- Free school meals
- 51.3% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Oldham
- School reference (URN)
- 138697
Needs it supports
11 needs: dyslexia and SpLD, vision and 9 more
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
- Autism Other schools for this in Oldham (8)
- Speech, language and communication Other schools for this in Oldham (6)
Cognition and learning
- Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia)
- Moderate learning difficulty
- Severe learning difficulty
- Profound and multiple learning difficulties
Sensory and physical
- Hearing impairment Other schools for this in Oldham (1)
- Visual impairment
- Multi-sensory impairment
- Physical disability
It also lists other needs. Ask the school what these are.
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places at schools like this usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask questions
See whether the school feels right and whether it can meet your child’s needs. Our list of questions below can help.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Oldham council) that this is the school you want, and ask them to consult it.
- Named in the plan
If the school is named in your child’s plan, it must admit your child. Free home-to-school transport is often part of the arrangement.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Rated Outstanding, February 2015; standards maintained (February 2025)
Rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in February 2015. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
- Sixth formOutstanding
Since then: Standards maintained (ungraded inspection, February 2025).
Contact and getting there
Roman Road, Hollinwood, Oldham, OL8 3PH
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Hollinwood Academy Special school · Ages 4–19 · Ofsted: Outstanding 0.1 miles
- Teenage Kicks Independent · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted: Good 0.8 miles
- The Hathershaw College Mainstream + base · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted report card (2026) 1.2 miles
By need in Oldham: Autism (9) · Speech and language (7) · SEMH (2) · Hearing (2)
Questions about New Bridge School
How do I get a place at New Bridge School?
There’s no catchment area or application round. Places usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult New Bridge School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does New Bridge School support?
Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia), visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication, autism, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulty, severe learning difficulty and profound and multiple learning difficulties. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does New Bridge School take?
Aged 5 to 19, boys and girls.
What is New Bridge School’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is New Bridge School?
Roman Road, Hollinwood, Oldham, OL8 3PH, in Oldham.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.