The Bridge AP
The Bridge Alternative Provision is a high quality short-term therapeutic support provision for year 7 and year 8 students in Redbridge.
Many of our students are unable to access mainstream education due to mental health difficulties and Emotionally Based School Avoidance. The Bridge is located at Woodbridge High School. Students benefit from having access to a wide range of specialist staff and facilities. These include science laboratories, a fitness centre, a performance theatre, art and drama studios, media rooms, fully equipped cooking studios and a school allotment.
Students also have access to different types of technology, including desktop computers, laptops and tablets. A bespoke Pupil Pathway is devised for every pupil, which combines therapeutic support, core English and Maths and an enrichment programme, in order to facilitate a successful reintegration into mainstream or another suitable provision. Placements at The Bridge AP are for 2 terms (2-week trial period followed by a 26-week full placement) and progress towards reintegration is reviewed regularly.
Our Vision
Our vision is to create a nurturing, inclusive, and empowering provision that supports young people experiencing emotionally-based school avoidance (EBSA) to reconnect with education, develop resilience, and thrive both academically and emotionally.
We do this by:
- Fostering a safe and supportive environment
- Delivering a bespoke curriculum to promote holistic development
- Supporting successful transitions back to mainstream school
- Inspiring hope and long-term success
We acknowledge that there are often multiple factors that contribute to school avoidance, and we use language that communicates our understanding of this, as opposed to locating the problem within the child. By creating a compassionate, flexible, and collaborative approach to EBSA, we aspire to transform challenges into opportunities, enabling every child to unlock their potential, reintegrate successfully into mainstream education, and flourish in a supportive community.
Our Curriculum Offer
- Every student is assessed on entry to identify their particular learning and emotional needs.
- The delivered curriculum is bespoke and allows students to work towards the requirements of the national curriculum in the core subject areas of English and Maths.
- Lessons in other subject areas are also offered to ensure students are able to keep up with their peers, making reintegration back into mainstream education more successful.
- Students have the opportunity to engage in PSHE lessons as well as in a range of vocational experiences and enrichment opportunities.
Our Therapeutic Offer
- We use The Boxall Profile to support and inform our Pupil Pathways
- Students have the opportunity to engage in yoga, mindfulness, meditation, gardening and fitness sessions.
- Further support is offered by a range of professionals as required, including SENDCO, Art/Play Therapist, Learning Mentor, Subject Specialist Teachers, Safeguarding Support
The Bridge Cycle
- Referrals to The Bridge are made through the Redbridge Inclusion Panel
- Visits prior to referral are welcome
- Placements at The Bridge start with a 2-week trial followed by a 26-week full placement
- Regular Pupil Pathway Review meetings are held with students and parents/carers
- Weekly Update Reports are sent to the registered school
- The Reintegration programme is created in consultation with students, parents/carers and registered school.
- Transition meetings before the placement ends ensure a smooth exit.
Contact Details
Visits to The Bridge are welcomed – just get in touch!
Contact Mrs Fahy: efahy@woodbridgehigh.co.uk
Telephone Number:020 8506 5574
The Bridge AP
Woodbridge High School
St Barnabas Road
Woodford Green
Essex IG8 7DQ