Regular updates and news can be found here! Also check out our "gallery" page.

• Anti-bullying Week!

  Thu 14 Nov 2019 Mrs Cox-Wall

  Its been a busy week here for Anti-Bullying week! Staff started the week off with Odd Socks Day to show our support for #changestartswithus and lots of pupils (K, R, B, E, R) did the same. 

  We also surveyed every pupil from Foundation Phase to KS4 and asked if they:

  felt safe (inside the Bridge) - 100% of pupils agreed

  were bullied - 100% agreed they were not

  felt staff would sort out an issue if it happened - 80% of pupils felt this was the case

  Pupils have also reviewed the new Anti-Bullying Guidance from Welsh Government that was published this week and our wall and classroom displays will be updated to reflect the new documents in the versions for children and young people. These are also available in the policy section of the website.

  Our whole school assembly refreshed and renewed everyone's understanding of what is bullying, what you can do if you see it and how to get help if it happens to you! Check the gallery section for photos!

  

• Trauma Informed Schools training

  Thu 24 Oct 2019 Mrs Cox-Wall

  INSET days are important for teachers and support staff to work together to improve their practice and develop their skills and knowledge to continually strengthen the work we do with children and young people.

  The Bridge, along with many other Bridgend schools have started working on becoming more aware of brain science and how this impacts on children's ability to function socially, regulate emotionally and feel safe to learn and make mistakes. This approach is becoming "trauma informed". 

  All staff have now had initial training on what this means and how we use the knowledge to support the learners in the Bridge, Senior staff have completed additional study to ensure they are able to lead this across the school and two support staff are undertaking the accredited 10 day diploma to ensure we can better meet the challenges of the complex children placed in the Bridge. 

  Take a look at the website if you want to know more:

  www.traumainformedschools.co.uk 

• KS3 memorable experience visit to We the Curious Bristol

  Thu 03 Oct 2019 Mrs Cox-Wall

  Anelu, Mentro and Gobaith visited We the Curious in Bristol to support their work in the topic of ID. Everyone was a CSI with the job of using scientific techniques to solve a murder, including fingerprinting, footprint matching, DNA analysis and higher order thinking skills to find whodunnit! 

  We have loads of great pictures, resources and idea for our project work this term! Looking forward to seeing our develop and express phases! 

  #ambitiousandcapablelearners 

  

• KS4 BESD team building activity

  Thu 03 Oct 2019 Mrs Cox-Wall

  KS4 classes Dyfodol and Llwydiant visited Go Ape at Margam Park, with their teaching and support staff to take them out of their comfort zone and build personal and inter personal relationships. The high ropes course was tough, really demanding and pushed everyone to their limits. Well done for showing true grit, perseverance, courage and determination as well as kindness and generous support for each other. You should be proud of yourselves and your achievements! 

  Step by step, always forward! 

  

• European Day of Languages

  Wed 25 Sep 2019 Mrs Cox-Wall

  This special day is organised by the Council of Europe and is celebrated on the 26th September every year. 

  Mr Karby prepared a special assembly for us on the benefits of learning another language, obviously Wales has 2 already! He also prepared some snacks from other European Countries for us to sample and pronounce correctly, in celebration of our European neighbours and their many languages!

  Learning another language can help you get a job abroad, help you when you go on holiday and improve your intelligence levels - try it today!

  

• Samba!

  Fri 13 Sep 2019

  KS2 and Foundation Phase enjoyed their first session with Mr Haughty from Bridgend Music Service this week, using the Samba drums. We will try to get some of the videos on for you and we hope to have a performance for our parents/carers and schools in a few weeks' time!

   

  

• Meet our new Family Engagement Officer!

  Fri 13 Sep 2019 Mrs Cox-Wall

  Meet Lyndsey Vaughan-Gibson who is our new Family Engagement Officer. She is contacting everyone over the next few weeks and all parents, carers, grandparents and anyone who supports their child or young person will be invited in or is welcome to ring and make an appointment to drop in!

  There are lots of plans for each part of the provision, Reading Cafe in KS2 and drop in sessions for KS3 and 4 are just two. It was great to see some Y11 mums in this morning too! 

  Lyndsey will also be re-launching Credit Union to encourage financial acuity and good savings habits, watch the website and twitter for more information!

  

• Fitness and boxing after school club launched!

  Fri 13 Sep 2019 Mrs Cox-Wall

  This Thursday saw the first session for KS3 pupils with Empire Fighting Chance and coach Aaron taking a fitness and boxing class as part of their wellbeing intervention package. Everyone joined in, staff included and enjoyed it immensely. 

  We also offered the hour after school to any staff or pupils for a fitness and boxing skills class which proved very popular.

  Exercise and physical activity is good for you as it can keep your body fit, help you clear your mind, stop long term illnesses developing like diabetes and afterwards you get to relax! 

  Children and young people should ideally be exercising 3 times a week to improve and maintain their health 

  See: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/physical-activity-guidelines-children-and-young-people/ 

  

• Strawberry Tea fundraiser

  Tue 16 Jul 2019 Mrs Cox-Wall
  Y10 pupils organised our annual Strawberry Tea fundraiser as part of their ASDAN CoPE level 2 qualification. They invited Bridgend Bereavement Community support group as their charity and organised baking, teas and coffees. The pupils also decorated and coordinated a fab tombola with lots of prizes. Our Art teacher Ms Rutledge also ran a fun print making workshop and lots of families attended this lovely end of term event! Great to see everyone and we raised £150 for the charity. Well done Katy, Scott, Ellie, Abi, C and all the other Y10s who worked so hard. 

  

• Investors in Families Award

  Sat 06 Jul 2019 Mrs Cox-Wall

  We had a visit from Sue the Investors in Families assessor to The Bridge last week and are pleased to announce we are now an Investors in Families accredited school (sapphire).

  This accreditation is the result of two years work, building up our support for families and bespoke programmes to engage and develop their skills to support their children and young people. 

  Many children and young people come to The Bridge at a challenging time, during a crisis or due to a particular adverse experience. Working with parents and carers to build their confidence to play, to read, to talk and to support their children as they develop during their placement with us, even down to opening savings accounts with the local Credit Union, is key.

  The post of Family Engagement Officer was recently vacated by the much valued Tammy and we are recruiting again to continue this important work. 

  We look forward to achieving the next level of amethyst accreditation next year!