The Bridge School is a special academy in Ipswich, Suffolk, for children and young people aged 4 to 19. It supports vision, hearing, speech and language and 4 other needs.
- Ages 4–19
- 257 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Special academy
- Ages
- 4 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 257 (places for 273)
- Headteacher
- Ms Tina Sharman
- Part of
- Unity Schools Partnership
- Opened
- 1 June 2019
- Free school meals
- 44.7% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Suffolk
- School reference (URN)
- 147162
Needs it supports
7 needs: vision, hearing and 5 more
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
- Autism Other schools for this in Suffolk (18)
- Speech, language and communication Other schools for this in Suffolk (16)
Cognition and learning
- Severe learning difficulty Other schools for this in Suffolk (12)
- Profound and multiple learning difficulties Other schools for this in Suffolk (5)
Sensory and physical
- Hearing impairment Other schools for this in Suffolk (7)
- Visual impairment Other schools for this in Suffolk (3)
- Physical disability Other schools for this in Suffolk (4)
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 Suffolk 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 Good, June 2023
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in June 2023.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementGood
- Early yearsGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Sprites Lane, Ipswich, IP8 3ND
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Chantry Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted: Good 1.1 miles
- Stone Lodge Academy Special school · Ages 5–16 1.3 miles
- Westbridge Academy Alternative provision · Ages 14–16 · Ofsted: Good 2.1 miles
By need in Suffolk: Autism (19) · Moderate learning (19) · Speech and language (17) · Severe learning (13) · Hearing (8) · SEMH (6) · PMLD (6) · Dyslexia and SpLD (5) · Physical (5) · Vision (4) · Multi-sensory (3)
Questions about The Bridge School
How do I get a place at The 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 The Bridge School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does The Bridge School support?
Visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication, autism, physical disability, 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 The Bridge School take?
Aged 4 to 19, boys and girls.
What is The Bridge School’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Good by Ofsted in June 2023 at its last graded inspection. Newer inspections no longer give a single overall grade, so read the latest report for the full picture.
Where is The Bridge School?
Sprites Lane, Ipswich, IP8 3ND, in Suffolk.
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.