Bettridge is a community special educational needs school with 100 places for pupils from 2-19 years who are not able to thrive in a mainstream setting because of their severe learning difficulties. All children attending Bettridge have learning difficulties. Some also have additional physical or sensory disabilities and a number of pupils demonstrate autistic spectrum disorder..

The School is divided into three departments to enable curriculum delivery and social expectations to be age-appropriate to the pupils. Children from two to five years attend the Assessment Centre, usually on a part-time basis. Many children in this age group have a wide range of needs and benefit from a structured pre-school programme and on-going assessment by multi-professional team. Pupils may stay within the main school from the age of 5 years to 16 years as long as the school continues to fulfil their individual needs. The school has a post 16 unit for pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties.

To meet the needs of pupils, classes are small with between six and nine pupils working with a teacher and at least two or three teaching assistants. Additional staff may also support classes in which pupils have a complex range of needs.

Bettridge has been judged as outstanding for the quality of its work in the last 2 inspections. In June 2001 Bettridge was recognised as a Beacon School for its work with children with learning difficulties. The school received additional funding to share its expertise with others. From September 2001 a programme of planned activities has been in place to support both mainstream and other special schools. This work focuses on providing access to a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum for those with severe and complex difficulties. It now forms part of Gloucestershire Outreach Service and is enhanced by the work of our two advanced skills teachers. This experience has led to the school's designation as one of the first specialist SEN schools nationally (Learning & Cognition).

Other Awards

School Achievement Award for its progress over the previous three years (2002)

Active Mark Award for Sports Activities, recently re-accredited (2003)

The first Special School in Gloucestershire to receive the School Self Evaluation Accreditation Award

Artsmark Silver Award (June 2006)

As a community special school, Bettridge is run by the Governing Body and Headteacher under the aegis of Gloucestershire Local Authority. The School has a fully delegated budget that it is responsible for managing in order to meet the needs of its pupils.