The Learning Bridge

We, at the John of Gaunt school, are proud of our robust and varying strategies to support increased attendance and access to learning. As a part of this, we have developed a support system to act as a pathway back into main stream called The Learning Bridge.

The Learning Bridge has four main approaches:

1. An EBSA based 1:1 programme where students can be referred to 2, 4 or 6 week support programmes. This means that they will work through, with a member of staff, some of the issues and concerns around attending main stream lessons. These are dedicated, timetabled lessons that Mrs Watson allocates based on referrals from the attendance and pastoral team.
2. Ad hock support. This is a one-session drop in for students who are finding mainstream lessons challenging. The pastoral team go through a process of triaging the students' concerns and request a space for one lesson, at the time needed within the day.
3. Ongoing adaptations of timetables. This is where a learner is already working with outside agencies and, as an attendance and pastoral team, we have designated sessions where students complete independent study within the learning bridge.
4. A learning space for those whose physical needs meaning they are unable to access the whole school site. This is for students who have short-term issues such as a broken leg. Students have a static self-guided learning environment where they can access resources as well as request work.

We ask that students continue their educational focus and therefore provide some physical learning resources, such as revision guides, as well as the room being equipped with a set of computers. In most instances, it is necessary for learners to access online learning platforms such as MathsWatch, Seneca and BBC Bitesize. In addition to this, there is a wealth of links on the school website to online learning topics organised by term: https://www.johnofgauntschool.org/students/remote-learning

The Learning Bridge is a means of supporting learners back into lessons where the subject specialist professionals are equipped to teach to the highest level and ensure a broad and balanced curriculum is delivered in a skilled and expert manner. As a result of this, the work completed within The Learning Bridge should be self-guided. We are able to request work to be sent to students, but this cannot be guaranteed as the teacher is with the students in the classroom.

The purpose of the Learning Bridge is to support students with their current needs, which outweighs the educational priority at that point in time, therefore the emphasis to get them back into class.

Please note that, as a short term adaptation of the student timetable, it is not a requirement for the teacher to supply learning materials. This is in line with the teacher workload expectations. When accepting a space within the Learning Bridge, please keep this in mind.