The Bridge Columbus is a special academy in Chelmsford, Essex, for children and young people aged 3 to 19.
- Ages 3–19
School details
- Type
- Special academy
- Ages
- 3 to 19
- Headteacher
- Ms Carley Rawlings
- Part of
- The Bridge MAT LTD
- Opened
- 1 September 2026
- Council
- Essex
- School reference (URN)
- 152695
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 Essex 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
Read the latest inspection report
There’s no grade to show. Read this school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Contact and getting there
Oliver Way, Chelmsford, CM1 4ZB
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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
- The Sir Geoff Hurst Academy Special school · Ages 7–16 0.8 miles
- The Hawthorns School Special school · Ages 7–16 · Ofsted report card (2026) 0.8 miles
- Trinity Road Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 4–11 · Ofsted: Good 1.7 miles
By need in Essex: Autism (18) · Severe learning (13) · Moderate learning (10) · Hearing (10) · Speech and language (9) · PMLD (8) · SEMH (7) · Dyslexia and SpLD (3) · Vision (3) · Multi-sensory (2)
Questions about The Bridge Columbus
How do I get a place at The Bridge Columbus?
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 Columbus. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What ages does The Bridge Columbus take?
Aged 3 to 19, boys and girls.
What is The Bridge Columbus’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is The Bridge Columbus?
Oliver Way, Chelmsford, CM1 4ZB, in Essex.
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.