Specialist Provision

The Bridge specialist provision for Years 7-11 is led by Natalie Sacre, DSP Lead & SENDCo, assisted by Shannon O’Connell, DSP Manager. We have two dedicated DSP teachers, Emma Green and Richard Watson, and a team of support staff.

The Bridge provides places for up to 30 students who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) which identifies that they have a condition on the Autistic Spectrum as their primary need. All students are assessed for their suitability against agreed criteria. A panel of professionals, which includes West Northamptonshire SEND Advisory Team, select the pupils for The Bridge.

It is important to note that places are not allocated by Moulton School and Science College.

Students selected are working at age-related expectations, but who would have difficulty accessing a fully mainstream timetable due to stress and its resultant behaviours caused by their primary need. All students have their own desk and work area in one of The Bridge classrooms.

The Bridge’s classrooms are carefully planned to provide physical structure along the lines of a specialist TEACCH and SPELL classroom. Students’ timetables are adapted, negotiated and developed to meet their individual needs. Students will have some lessons in The Bridge, alongside the mainstream lessons as they reach Key Stage 4. Teaching methods in The Bridge may differ slightly to those used in the main school. We try to get the learning balance right between motivating and challenging our students without stimulating to a degree that it causes unnecessary stress.

Students need support during integration into the mainstream classrooms. This is provided in different ways depending on the students, the subject and the task set. Support is needed to differentiate tasks, give visual or verbal prompts to remain focussed, to help students behave appropriately and to monitor students to ensure they are not becoming anxious. It is sometimes necessary for support staff to sit next to the students from The Bridge; at other times, it is better to provide ‘remote’ support, which aids independence.