Our CEO, Clare John

Clare John

Clare is the CEO of the New Bridge Group, a cluster of organisations based in Oldham, Tameside and Rochdale that support the learning, social and pastoral needs of over 1000 children and young people with additional needs between the ages of 4 and 30+.

Clare believes that our young people should be given the skills and attributes to enable them to contribute and participate in their communities and society as a whole, and we work together to create appropriate and high quality individual pathways for all our young people.

The Group consists of the New Bridge Multi Academy Trust, our growing family of schools (click here for details), Future Finders, our innovative supported internship project aiming to increase opportunities for young adults aged up to 25 run in partnership with the Manchester College, and New Bridge Horizons, our flexible day provision for young adults aged 19 to 30+.

“I am pleased, on behalf of the staff, governors, pupils and students at our schools, to welcome you all and to introduce our Trust. The New Bridge Multi Academy Trust caters for young people with an EHCP from the age of 4 to 19.

It is our firm belief that all our young people deserve the very best provision.

New Bridge School converted to a MAT in 2014 to enable the sponsorship of a new build school for children on the autistic continuum, Hollinwood Academy. Spring Brook School successfully applied to join our Trust and in 2019 we set up The Springboard Project to deliver a more appropriate vocational offer for young people with SEND. We then welcomed Hawthorns School and everyonelearning to our Trust, before Samuel Laycock joined in April 2022.

We will be opening a new ASD all age school, in Rochdale in 2022/2023, as well as a new school site for Hawthorns.

We are committed to providing the very best opportunities for our children and young people and our destination focused provision enables them to play a meaningful and fulfilling role within their local and wider community. We have established some of the best employability pathways in the world, with over 12 years of experience in supporting our students into the world of work.

We are an Apple 1:1 Trust, the first in the UK, which means that every single one of our children and staff have their own iPad to enhance engagement, achievement and innovation.

Our curriculum and philosophies provide the opportunities for academic and social development that will enhance the life opportunities for our young people as they move into the adult world.”

Clare John, CEO