Admissions

Welcome to Bridgelea Primary School! We cater to children in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, providing a nurturing environment for their educational journey. Our school day begins at 9.00 am and concludes at 2.00 pm, offering 25 hours of dedicated learning each week. Our curriculum not only covers the full national requirements but also prioritises the development of children's social and emotional skills, which we believe are essential for their growth.

Bridgelea Primary School has been commissioned by Manchester Local Authority to accommodate 120 children, particularly those from Manchester schools or residents who face Social, Emotional, and Mental Health difficulties (SEMH). We welcome pupils from Year 1 to Year 6, with 'Our Children' (formerly known as Looked After Children) and those allocated a place through the Primary in Year Fair Access Protocol taking precedence over those on our waiting list.

A permanent exclusion occurs when a student is permanently removed from a school and their name is removed from the school roll. In such cases, the Local Authority is responsible for arranging full-time education for the pupil from the sixth school day onwards. Bridgelea is proudly Manchester's placement for permanently excluded children from Year 1 to Year 6 following the sixth day of exclusion.

Maintained schools have the authority to direct a pupil off-site for education aimed at improving their behaviour. Regulations require that the governing body ensures parents and carers receive clear information about the placement: the reasons, timing, location, and review processes. At Bridgelea, we provide alternative provision or ‘preventative places’ for Manchester children at risk of exclusion in Years 1 to 6. The child remains enrolled in both their mainstream school and Bridgelea Primary School. We collaborate closely with the family and the school to assess the child's needs, ensuring tailored future provision through a half-termly review cycle. This placement is funded by the school, with additional support from Manchester City Council, which funds 12 such placements.

Most of the places at Bridgelea are designated for children who have gone through the Statutory Assessment process and now have an Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP) identifying a specialist SEMH setting. Parents are encouraged to request that Bridgelea is named as their preferred school in an EHCP if their child has SEMH needs. Bridgelea will be consulted for a place through Manchester’s Statutory Assessment Team.

Pupils benefit from working in small groups with attentive adults who understand their unique SEMH needs. In alignment with our holistic approach, we collaborate within a multidisciplinary team, offering services such as speech and language therapy, relaxation, peer massage, and educational psychology as required.

Admissions

EHCP

We highly encourage parents and carers to visit our school when determining the most suitable provision for their child. The Headteacher, Deputy Head, or SENCO would be delighted to show you around and answer any questions you may have. Please get in touch with our main office to arrange a visit.

If parents or carers wish to have Bridgelea named as the preferred school in their EHCP (Section I, My Placement), they should inform their SENCO or casework officer from the Statutory Assessment Team.

Children placed on the roll of a special school undergo an annual review, convened by the Headteacher or SENCO. Information gathered during this process may lead to an amended EHCP. It is crucial for parents, pupils, the Local Authority, and, where appropriate, other agencies and services, to be actively involved in the Annual Review process. This includes the opportunity to meet formally with the Headteacher or SENCO and to make contributions to the review.

Permanent Exclusion

When a Manchester resident who has been permanently excluded from a primary school requires admission, the school admissions team will contact Bridgelea Primary School to request a place. Subsequently, Bridgelea will reach out to the parent to provide support and arrange admission. These placements are funded by Manchester Local Authority, although they do not provide transport for children accessing a place at Bridgelea following permanent exclusion.

Alternative to Permanent Exclusion

When admission is sought for a child at significant risk of permanent exclusion from a Manchester primary school, their current school can refer them through Bridgelea’s Outreach Service. Initially, this will involve support and advice from our Outreach Team, and, in some cases, an assessment or preventative placement at Bridgelea to mitigate the risk of exclusion. The child will remain enrolled with their current school, with the hope of eventually returning. These placements are partially funded by the mainstream school, with reviews conducted on a half-termly basis and not exceeding two terms unless a formal EHCP assessment is initiated by the mainstream school. If a formal assessment is requested, the pupil may be offered an extended placement at Bridgelea while the assessment is conducted, which requires agreement from the parent, mainstream school, and Bridgelea. The mainstream school will continue to fund this placement until the child’s final EHCP plan is finalised and a transport solution with MCC is confirmed.

Bridgelea holds a placement panel every half-term where cases like this are reviewed.

Travel Co-ordination Unit (EHCP Places)

The Travel Co-ordination Unit is responsible for arranging travel solutions between home and school for children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They will carefully evaluate the information provided and decide on the necessary support, possibly contacting you for additional information.

If support can be provided, they will discuss the most appropriate travel solution, which could range from a walking bus to a personal travel budget, independent travel training, or even a seat on a minibus or specialist vehicle. In certain circumstances, a taxi or private hire vehicle may be arranged, depending on the individual situation.

Children needing extra assistance will be assigned a 'passenger assistant' to accompany them during their journey. In some cases, a personal travel budget (PTB) may be offered, allowing for financial flexibility in arranging transport for your child tailored to their specific needs. This budget is personalised based on the distance between home and school, considering various factors.

Home to School Transport (Children with Education Health & Care Plans)

 

Travel Co-ordination Unit (EHCP Places)

 

Telephone: 0161 219 6400 (available from 7.30 am to 5.00 pm, Monday to Friday). Please note that calls are managed by Environment on Call.

Out-of-hours calls between 5.00 pm and 7.30 am, Monday to Friday, and all weekend will be directed to our voicemail, with messages addressed on the next working day.

Email: hometoschool@manchester.gov.uk

Postal address:Home to School Transport Team
Access and Sufficiency
Directorate for Children's Services
Manchester City Council
P.O Box 532
Town Hall, Manchester
M60 2LA

Complaints

If you have any concerns, please contact a member of the Home to School Transport Team as your first point of call.

Free School Travel Passes

Pupils with an Education, Health, and Care Plan (EHCP) are eligible for a free school travel pass to use for transport to and from school on buses, trains, or trams across Greater Manchester. Pupils without an EHCP may also qualify. For more information on eligibility and the application process, please see our guidelines. See who qualifies and how to apply

 

For useful information about exclusions. Please click here.

For further information about travel support for parents. Please click here.

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