Autism Base Teaching Block - New Bridge School, Oldham
About project
Type: New Build
Value: £2.6m
Completion: Ph 1 & Ph2 – 2020, Ph 3 – 2023
New Bridge School was established in Hollinwood, Oldham in 2004 and is a state-of-the-art secondary special school, developed specifically to meet the needs of statemented pupils and students from the age of 11 up to 19 years. The school was originally designed to cater for 144 pupils, however, over the last 20 years the number of pupils attending the school has now increased to over 300.
The continued increase in pupil numbers has had a profound effect on the school’s existing teaching accommodation. To alleviate the school’s capacity constraints CCO applied for Condition Improvement Funding and successfully secured expansion funding over two consecutive bidding rounds in 2018 & 2019. The new two-storey autism base teaching block was completed in October 2020 providing an additional eight classrooms, safe space rooms, and learning resource areas.
As pupil numbers at the school continued to rise CCO applied for further CIF expansion funding and in 2021 funding was secured for a third phase extension project. The third phase autism base teaching block was completed in September 2023 and provides an additional six classroom spaces.
The new building incorporates modern materials and includes ample natural lighting to create a positive learning environment. The glazed link corridor which connects the new block to the existing main school building provides a welcoming feel to the autism base. Wide access corridors to the classrooms overlook the new playground area at the front of the building.
