Key Stage 3
Key Stage 3 comprises of pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9. In addition to the core offer other subjects are offered as part of enrichment. All areas will be delivered as discrete subjects, with specialists in subject specific environments.
A range of criteria (academic ability, communication and social interaction skills, specific SEN) are utilised to create teaching groups.
This approach creates opportunities for pupils to learn together in a number of different pupil groupings creating greater opportunities to interact socially and improve social skills
The core secondary curriculum will cover the strands:
- English
- Maths
- Living Skills
- ICT
Time allocation to KS3 curriculum (average per week over school year)
Key Stage 4
Key Stage 4 comprises of Years 10 and 11, although specific 14-19 pathways cross Key Stages. The core curriculum remains the same in Key Stage 4 although the emphasis is now on all young people having the opportunity to access a full range of accreditation.
Employability/Work Skills
In addition to the whole school core curriculum, ‘employability’ is added to the offer. This is three hours a week, one hour being working on basic employability skills and a further two hours being ‘applied work skills’ where young people are given the opportunity to put these skills into context.
This is accredited with ASDAN Employability which ranges from Entry 2 – Level 2. Pupils begin to build a portfolio at Year 10 which they can build on as they move through the school.
Key Stage 4 Options
Options cover 4 hours a week and complement the employability and living skills aspects of the curriculum in further developing skills for life. A range of accreditation is offered from Entry Level through to GCSE, both in the main curriculum and in the 14-19 pathways.
The core secondary curriculum covers the strands:
- English
- Maths
- Living Skills
- ICT
Time allocation to KS4 curriculum (average per week over school year)
The accreditation currently offered to match the needs of the pupils within our Key Stage 4 is shown below:
14-19 Pathways
We offer five specialist pathways in place of options for young people with a high skill base in a specific area.
These strands focus on vocational pathways, offering a wider range of accreditation and work placement opportunities.
Young people in the pathways still access the core offer but this is done within a contextualised learning framework.
Please click on the links in the menu on the right of this page to find out more about our different pathways.
Activ8 Pathway
Activ8 is a Sporting Pathway for students in Year 10 and above to look at vocational and academic opportunities in sport.
Students taking this Pathway will be engaged in participation, competition and leadership opportunities. They will be taking part in a variety of roles such as officiating and refereeing as well looking at the ‘academic’ side of PE through the GCSE PE course and leadership programme. We will be also be developing students’ skills through the use of outdoor education in a variety of terrains and experiences.
The areas covered include the practical and theory aspect of Sports and Physical Education, leadership, organisation of sport, working with other external agencies and working in and around the community and the New Bridge organisation. Students will also acquire external national governing body qualifications and first aid. Students will be asked to participate in a variety of sports and swimming and outdoor and adventurous activities such as rock climbing and canoeing
Accreditation offered where appropriate is the short course GCSE PE, OCR Entry Level, ASDAN Sport and Leisure. National Governing Body qualifications, Sports Leader UK level 1 and 2, FA Young leaders, Duke of Edinburgh Award and outdoor leadership (Outdoor Adventure and Explore).
Students who undertake the Activate Pathway will be students who enjoy sport and PE with a view to looking at a possible career in sport and the leisure industry. Students will be asked to wear the appropriate sports leadership kit and be prepared to experience work outside of school in the local community, as well as help to organise festivals and participate in out-of hours school sport. We will be asking students to look at what makes a good leader and examine personal attributes. Students who undertake this pathway will need to sign a sports leader contract. We will be looking at a variety of sports and will be expecting students to experience all sports and activities in a variety of environments.
Digit4ll Pathway
The IT Pathway is a route for students that are committed and passionate about working with technology. The pathway builds on the ethos of IT at New Bridge School and works around 3 clear strands:
- Technical IT
- Multimedia
- Enterprise Skills
In Key Stage 4 pupils study many different topics such as creating viral ads in Video Production, designing games in Programming, hardware installation in Technical IT and designing a promotional canvas in Photo Design, to name just a few. Pupils have an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of many aspects of technology and produce an electronic portfolio of evidence to demonstrate their understanding.
The Key Stage 4 IT Pathway work towards two main qualifications:
The Key Stage 5 IT Pathway, at our Medtia site, run their own enterprise. This is part of the nationwide Young Enterprise scheme. Students are in charge of everything from voting for their director and managers to choosing the products they are going to create and the name of their company. This is where students get to put into practice what they have been learning within their lessons throughout their time with New Bridge and run a successful business which is theirs. They apply a range of IT skills in digital and print media, whilst developing their social and online communications skills.
Students are shareholders in their own enterprise, opening and managing their own bank account and thus get to earn money from the profits that they make. Students work regularly with the wider community; going to local markets to sell their products, filming different events for local businesses, developing their own social media sites and taking part in Young Enterprise competitions.
It is this focus on real-life work that has seen some amazing success stories from those pupils that have finished their time on the IT Pathway and have gone on to employment in IT.
Hortus Pathway
For those students who become committed to Horticulture, get great pleasure and enjoyment from the subject and wish to take it to a higher level, then a horticultural option has been designed to meet those students’ needs. i.e. The ‘Hortus’ programme.
This course is open to students from Year 11 to Year 14, and follows a varied horticultural programme over a period of two to three years. This protracted programme allows us the chance to offer a range of qualifications, extend the students’ skills and knowledge of Horticultural and Construction, and gives students the opportunity to work within a variety of horticultural environments.
The curriculum for this tutor group encompasses a core of Literacy, Numeracy, ICT and a Careers/Independent Living Skills programme over a period of 2 days. On the remaining 3 days, the students receive a programme of ‘Horticulture’ briefly outlined below.
Practical Horticultural Skills
Students engage in four core units:
Prepare ground for sowing or planting
Plant container grown subjects
Prepare soil and apply organic mulch
Water a bed, border or area of plants in containers
An additional 16 units are available to be taken over a two year period.
As part of the course, students also engage in a range of construction projects (four or five in nature) improving skills and knowledge linked to brick laying, flagging, concreting, paving and wooden constructions i.e. pergolas, fencing, trellising, etc.
We currently maintain the grounds of five main sites in Oldham. These include:
Both the sites around the New Bridge School and the Learning Centre
New Bridge Horizons
North Chadderton School
Old Hulmeians Football Club
In order to maintain these grounds, students have to learn how use a range of Horticultural machinery and equipment including:
Ride-on mowers
Fly mowers/lawn mowers
Strimmers and brush cutters
Rotavators, wood chippers, etc
Opportunities to teach horticulture to pupils within Oldham’s local primary schools
At various times in the year, pupils from some of the local primary schools attend the Learning Centre for short courses in ‘Practical Horticulture Skills’. Projects include making hanging baskets or planters, sowing seeds, potting-on, weeding a bed etc.
Develop and run a garden centre
In the near future, the present facilities will incorporate a fully functioning garden centre with a view to opening to the public. Garden plants and vegetable produce grown within the school grounds will be available for sale through a ‘farm shop’ manned by the pupils on site. This will allow pupils an opportunity to develop their personal, social and communication skills through their interaction with members of the public.
Horticultural courses of study including:
accreditation at NPTC Level 1 – ‘Practical Horticulture Skills’
accreditation in all hand-held machinery (Level 2)
accreditation with ride on mowers and all other forms of mower. (Level 2)
Lumenus Pathway
For those students who become committed to the arts, gain great pleasure and enjoyment from these subjects and wish to take them to a higher level, an arts option has been designed to meet their needs in the ‘Lumenus’ programme.
This course is open to students from Year 10 to Year 14 although young people are able to opt-in at any time, and follows an arts rich curriculum over a period of up to 5 years. The young people in Lumenus will take part in a number of theatre projects and performances in partnership with a range of organisations from the wider community for three days a week. They will have access to all the school’s resources but also the students and staff at Oldham Theatre Workshop. The group will also continue with a core of Literacy, Numeracy, Work Skills and Living Skills over a fixed period. During the remaining time students will receive a programme of arts rich projects.
In Year 1 Lumenus students discover the basic principles of skills development, rehearsal and performance in a variety of areas of the Performing Arts industry. Students have the opportunity to work at Oldham Theatre Workshop for a day and a half with specific time allocated for Dance Leaders, Arts Award, Theatre Tech, Costume and Props. Students have the opportunity for regular theatre visits, workshops with visiting artists and a thorough induction into the Lumenus pathway.
- Skills Development—Discover Theatre Practice 1
- Dance Leaders Level 1 (Year 1)
- WJEC Creative Arts Certificate (Year 1)
- Bronze Arts Award (Year 1)
- Introduction to theatre tech (Year 1)
- Introduction to Costume and Props (Year 1)
Performance Opportunities
- Term 1—Main school show
- Term 2—WJEC performance (Year1)
- Term 3—Summer Showcase Performance
In Year 2 students discover in more depth the principles of skills development, rehearsal and performance in a variety of areas of the Performing Arts industry. Moving towards leading small workshops with their peers. Students will have the opportunity to work at Oldham Theatre Workshop for a day and a half with specific time allocated for Dance Leaders, Arts Award, Theatre Tech, Costume and Props. Where applicable accreditation will be completed in this year for Dance Leaders Level 1, WJEC Board and Bronze Arts Award . Students will have the opportunity for regular theatre visits, workshops with visiting artists and will begin to share their emerging skills with peers and younger students in school.
- Skills Development—Discover Theatre Practice 2
- Dance Leaders Level 1 (Year 2)
- WJEC Creative Arts Certificate (Year 2)
- Bronze Arts Award (Year 2)
- Introduction to theatre tech (Year 2)
- Introduction to Costume and Props (Year 2)
Performance Opportunities
- Term 1—Main school show
- Term 2—WJEC performance (Year 2)
- Term 3—Summer Showcase Performance
In Year 3 students will embed practical skills, contributing to devising new work and beginning to take a proactive role in rehearsals and performances in a variety of areas of the Performing Arts industry. Students will lead small workshops with their peers and students from other year groups. Students will have the opportunity to work at Oldham Theatre Workshop for two days with specific time allocated for Dance Leaders, Arts Award, Theatre Tech and Theatre Management. Where applicable students will begin GCSE Performing Arts. Students will work towards gaining ASDAN Employability accreditation looking specifically from the Performing Arts context. Students will have the opportunity for regular theatre visits, workshops with visiting artists and students will have the opportunity to participate in a community arts project this year.
- Skills Development—Embed Theatre Practice 1
- Dance Leaders Level 2 (Year 1)
- GCSE Performing Arts (Year 1)*
- Silver Arts Award (Year 1)
- NCFE Theatre Tech Level 1 (Year 1)
- Introduction to theatre management (Year 1)
- ASDAN Employabiity (Year 1)
Performance Opportunities
- Term 1—Main school show
- Term 2—GCSE performance (Unit 1)
- Term 3—Summer Showcase Performance
- Community Project participation
In Year 4 of Lumenus, students will fully embed practical skills, devising new work and taking a proactive role in rehearsals and performances in a variety of areas of the Performing Arts industry. Students will lead workshops with their peers, students from other year groups and within community settings. Students will have the opportunity to work at Oldham Theatre Workshop for two days with specific time allocated for Dance Leaders, Arts Award, Theatre Tech and Theatre Management. Where applicable students will begin GCSE Performing Arts. Students will work towards gaining ASDAN Employability accreditation looking specifically from the Performing Arts context. Students will have the opportunity for regular theatre visits, workshops with visiting artists and students will have the opportunity to participate in a community arts project this year leading workshops outside of school.
- Skills Development—Embed Theatre Practice 2
- Dance Leaders Level 2 (Year 2)
- GCSE Performing Arts (Year 2)*
- Silver Arts Award (Year 2)
- NCFE Theatre Tech (Year 2)
- Introduction to theatre management (Year 2)
- ASDAN Employability (Year 2)
Performance Opportunities
- Term 1—Main school show
- Term 2—GCSE performance (Unit 2)
- Term 3—Summer Showcase Performance
- Community Project participation
In Year 5, students will focus on gaining work experience within the Arts industry, from administration and marketing to cleaning and workshop delivery students will gain a broad and balanced understanding of work in this context. Students will work to devise and deliver a community project with staff utilising the skills developed through work experience and prior knowledge. Students will work towards gaining ASDAN Learning Through Work Experience Module. Students will keep a placement journal documenting their experience. Students will have the opportunity for regular theatre visits, workshops with visiting artists and professional companies. Students will emerge from the pathway with a thorough, realistic knowledge and understanding of the wider performing arts industry and how they can seek further training and employment within it.
- Skills Development—Emerging Theatre Practitioner
- ASDAN Learning Through Work Experience
- Arts industry specific work placement 60 hours*
Performance Opportunities
- Term 1— Lead role in the main school show
- Term 2— Project organisation
- Term 3—Summer Showcase Performance and Organisation
*where applicable
Pre-Internship Pathway
The Pre-Internship pathway is a full time course that is based at Medtia Square, our site in Oldham town centre. Young people can join the pathway in Year 12, Year 13 or Year 14 and can stay on the pathway for up to three years. This pathway has been designed as a stepping stone for students interested in moving on to our Bridging the Gap project, our post 19 supported internship course, Future Finders or into paid employment.
The curriculum offer includes a core of Literacy, Numeracy, ICT and a Careers/Independent Living Skills programme over a period of two days each week. On the remaining 3 days, the students participate in termly work placements with numerous employers across Oldham. Over one academic year, students will participate in three long term placements for around 10-12 hours per week. Students keep a portfolio of evidence and work towards an ASDAN Employability qualification. Placements are diverse and varied and could include:
- Housekeeping
- Administration
- Shop Assistant
- Kitchen Assistant
- Waiter
- Library Assistant
- Retail assistant
- Leisure attendant
- Teaching assistant
- Nursery assistant
We currently work with many employers across Oldham including Premier Inn Hotels, Oldham Leisure Centre, Oldham Library, Beefeater restaurants, Oldham Plastics, Tesco and many, many more. This pathway ensures that every student has many opportunities to gain real ‘on the job’ experience to prepare them adequately for the world of work. Placements are chosen with the students, to ensure that the roles are in areas of work that they are interested in where possible. Students will be asked to try a variety of placements to gain a deeper understanding of as many career areas as possible.
Entry onto this pathway is currently by invitation only. Students are selected by our pastoral teams and families are contacted individually should we feel that the course is suitable for their child.
We also offer weekly work experience opportunities to any student at New Bridge and families are able to discuss this with their child’s pastoral manager or head of year at any time.
Key Stage 5
The focus of the Key Stage 5 curriculum is destinations for young people. The 14-19 pathways are still on offer as at Key Stage 4. Aspirations for young people are to gain employment either paid or voluntary but there continues to be a number of barriers to this that are not addressed within a typical mainstream context.
Apprenticeships require a level of accreditation in English and Maths and many young people struggle to achieve this by Year 11. As such we continue the core English and Maths offer, moving young people through to their required level whilst continuing to contextualise the offer in the Living Skills curriculum which is also maintained throughout.
The employability/work skills curriculum is expanded here in order to give young people the opportunity to experience work placements either internal or external within a supported context. In New Bridge ‘Bridging The Gap’ is offered in Years 13 and 14. This is a 1 or 2 year project which is based entirely at the place of work (currently Royal Oldham Hospital and Manchester Metropolitan University). These provide 3 work placements in a year whilst still working on ASDAN employability and English and Maths accreditation. Alongside the 14-19 pathways this is seen to be outstanding post 16 practice by Ofsted and has increased destinations for young people.
We offer vocational options which are based on realistic destinations for young people:
- Manual Trades
- Food Industry
- Supporting Others
- Enterprise
- Hair and Beauty
- Administration
In addition to this we are able to offer a more academic offer with accreditation up to Level 3 (A level equivalent), still providing the life skills and social communication support that continues to be needed by our young people.
The core secondary curriculum covers the strands:
- English
- Maths
- Living Skills
- ICT
Time allocation to KS5 curriculum (average per week over school year)
Bridging the Gap
Bridging the Gap is our innovative work-based project which is now in its 5th year and going from strength to strength. Alongside our 14-19 pathways Bridging the Gap is seen to be outstanding post 16 practice by Ofsted and has increased the destinations available to our young people.
Students complete 3 supported work placements across the year of up to 18 hours a week, alongside classroom based training. They are supported by New Bridge Job Coaches at the host employer’s site rather than being based at New Bridge.
We currently offer placements in partnership with The Royal Oldham Hospital and Manchester Metropolitan University, but we are also in discussions with Oldham Council.
Work placements offered include:
- Catering Department
- Portering Office
- Administration
- Hospitaility
- Laundry
- Sterilisation Unit
- Facitilities
Young people on Bridging the Gap will be supported in CV writing, interview technique, preparing a portfolio and applying for paid work. They will also be given continued support in academic subjects and will work on ASDAN employability and English and Maths accreditation.
These placements are on offer for Year 13 and Year 14 students as part of their transition process and are an ideal opportunity for young people to obtain relevant and practical work experience.
