Learners join The Bridge with their own individual learning needs, and our curriculum implementation ensures that each learners is able to access a curriculum pathway that enables them to make the very best progress that they can. The emphasis is always to provide an accessible curriculum that enables learners of all ages to develop behaviours for learning and the skills for independence that can be taken beyond their time with us. Our provision works in partnership with parents, carers, homeschools and local authorities and all views, including that of the learner, is taken into account in achieving the appropriate balance between the learners’ right to curriculum access and the need for some learners to access other experiences. These may include adjusted transition timetables, targeted interventions or further adapted curriculum. We recognise that all learners are unique - they have individual triggers and coping strategies. A PACE approach is used to aid dysregulated or escalating learners and adaptive strategies are implemented throughout their journey with us, to allow them to maximise access to learning.

Learning outcomes and success criteria are headed in books for every individual subject. This is assessed at the end of every lesson and completed by the Teacher or Teaching Assistants with feedback written and given to the learner. Should a learner struggle with an outcome, engage with the lesson or be absent, this will be documented and the learning outcomes will be revisited during morning activities, although sometimes with a different delivery or activity. This recovery allows learners the opportunity to continue to fill those gaps without taking away and falling behind in current learning.

Subject led learning at The Bridge focuses on the National Curriculum programmes of study with overarching termly themes. Each term and where possible, lessons are intertwined with the overarching theme. For example, The Great Fire of London as an overarching theme will be studied across different subjects: History (past and present), Geography (exploring London), Art (moving pictures of The Great Fire) and English (descriptive language of possible feelings during the Fire). This cross curricular approach enhances critical thinking, generates a deeper level of understanding and promotes reflection across the board. Consequently, it is essential that the overarching themes are well planned and taking into account the individual community at The Bridge. All lessons are taught with a whole class discussion and activity, before adapted teaching strategies are implemented to allow for children to work independently but within their own academic ability. This allows new learning to commence, gaps to be filled and common misconceptions quickly addressed to ensure they are not at a disadvantage compared to their mainstream peers. We have a generous ratio of Teaching Assistants to learners (1:1 or 1:2), allowing high levels of support for every child. These high ratios also mean that if a learner requires a movement break or support with an intervention, this can be completed successfully and where necessary, outside of the main classroom, without disrupting other learners' learning or taking away their support. Our curriculum is underpinned by the academic skills focus. However, the golden thread throughout all learning focuses on teaching children how to learn and developing life skills; the ability to ask questions, to engage in meaningful conversations or to form healthy relationships. We believe that children must learn how to learn, before they can do so. Understanding how to learn is a life skill that is useful beyond education and will assist in allowing all individuals a successful future.

At the Bridge, we look to promote a deep rooted enthusiasm and passion for reading. Learners are assigned a reading book based on baseline phonics and reading assessment. Children read daily with the Teacher or a Teaching Assistant, with each book being covered three times; the first read focuses on decoding, the second read for fluency, and the final read of their book focuses on comprehension. In addition to their guided reading, a short story is read to the class as a transition back into learning from breaktime, chosen daily by a different learner, and the day is finished with a continuing chapter book story over the week/term. All staff at The Bridge have been trained to deliver Twinkl Phonics interventions. An initial phonics assessment is completed during the first week. This allows for the disclosure of any gaps in phonics knowledge and for individual plans to be devised. While a class phonics lesson takes part daily, for those that require additional support or revisiting, 1:1 Phonics interventions are also put into place during daily guided reading sessions. Phonics assessments are reviewed and tracked termly. Baseline assessments are also completed within a learners initial week using the Cambridge Diagnostic and Assessment Tool. This allows us to identify and diagnose learning needs while measuring and benchmarking learning potential. The diagnostic allows for adapted teaching strategies to be implemented where necessary throughout the curriculum. Data from this assessment is recorded and tracked when targets are achieved, using the BSquared progress platform.

At the Bridge, we promote learning in many ways. While many lessons are interactive, we also timetable play based learning each week. Mathematics can be taught and learned through playing shops, healthy relationships through playing and dressing up themselves or action figures. Team building and trust can be encouraged and taught through sports, fine motor skills through arts, crafts and creating. As well as letter formations and handwriting through interactive whiteboards, playdough or sand. Play based learning allows children to communicate ideas and to understand others through social interaction, paving the way to build deeper understanding and more powerful relationships.
Enrichment opportunities help students develop skills, strengths and understanding beyond what is learnt in the classroom. We strive to ensure there are opportunities for our learners to delve into enrichment activities within the community throughout each term. In addition to external trips, we encourage the inclusion of the community within our provision by inviting local organisations to engage with the learners. Previously, we have brought in the local police and fire brigade. We have also had local beekeepers and animal keepers visit for interactive workshops.

As many of our learners have come from settings where managing behaviour has been a barrier for them, clear behaviour management strategies are vital. Learners are informed during their initial session of the provision's expectations and introduced to our behaviour ladder. Every adult has flashcards on their lanyard that can be shown to learners at any time and provide a visual reminder of their behaviour choices. There is also a visual representation of the behaviour stages on a large board in the main classroom and smaller behaviour ladders in the sensory room and breakout rooms that can provide reminders while out of the main classroom. All children start their session on green and may move through to yellow, orange and then red by making negative or unsafe choices. Learners may require a fidget toy at their desk, a movement break, change of face or reflection time away from the main classroom, to aid in de-escalation and regulating. Our high staff ratios allow for this, without disrupting other learner's learning. Learners are reminded throughout that even reaching red, they can work their way back to green by making correct and safe choices.
Every learner has a reward jar. These 'buttons' are awarded to learners based on academic efforts and awarded daily with the possibility of gaining a full jar by the end of each week. Even if a child is struggling with engagement, if the Teacher, Teaching assistant or learner feels the effort they are capable of has been out during that lesson, a 'button' can be coloured on the jar. During unstructured, play based learning at the end of the week, learners can choose a treat; this could be a food treat like a cupcake, or an activity of their choosing. In addition to awarding efforts, we also reward learners that further exemplify our provision's visions and values with an instant reward and a certificate. Parents and carers are updated daily with achievements and any difficulties they may have faced throughout their day. Home schools and local authorities are updated weekly unless circumstances require it to be sooner.

To ensure our curriculum remains highly effective and fit for purpose, we continually pay attention to the learners' outcomes. To do this effectively, we monitor, review and complete formal assessments, learner voice, work scrutiny and climate walks. Leaders review learners’ outcomes, data and teaching to judge the standards of teaching and outcomes for learners in all subjects across the curriculum. Ways which these are measured are:

• Progress measures using formative and summative assessment, these are recorded formally using BSquared and Twinkl Phonics Trackers to measure if actions are making a difference, or if strategies need adjusting.
• Senior Leaders/Curriculum leader work scrutiny.
• Monitoring of learner well-being and engagement using Class Charts.
• Monitoring the impact of Social, Emotional and Mental Health Interventions through Boxall Profile assessments.
• Reviewing Class Charts for behaviour data.
• Monitoring of EHCP provision plan targets.
• Reviewing individual learner behaviour plans to assess the impact of strategies and interventions.
• Reviewing learner attendance data.
• Learner voice in annual reviews and bi termly reports.
• Parent surveys and parent’s evenings for feedback.
• Parental feedback at EHCP reviews – completion of Section A form.
• Observation of learner engagement during regular drop-ins, lessons observations and learning walks.
• Assessing the impact of transitions through pupil well-being at the start of the new academic year.
• Reviewing the impact of Safeguarding referrals and parents support and engagement.

Our aim for each of our learners is that they transition to the next stage of their education with as much potential to achieve their best outcomes as possible. Alternative provision at The Bridge is extremely successful. Bespoke packages are implemented to ensure pupils have access to a varied curriculum that:

• Increases attainment – with an adapted setting and bespoke curriculum, learners are able to learn and progress, creating a positive impact on their learning.
• Increases attendance – AP attendance for The Bridge is good for individuals and is significantly above attendance to previous settings.
• Reduces the number of suspensions and disruptive incidents a learner is involved in – learners previously receiving high numbers of suspensions have now settled and built strong relationships with teachers and children.
• Reduces involvement in offending behaviour - Learners are learning how to cope with difficult situations.
• Improves learner’s self – esteem, confidence, motivation and sense of direction.
• Supports learners to build and sustain positive relationships with professionals, family and friends which includes the ability to communicate, cope with authority and work with others.
• Raises aspirations.

The success of our current and previous cohorts is evident in that all of our learners have successfully re-engaged in learning and are working towards, or have achieved a successful transition to their next destination.