Please take a look at the latest newsletter here:
heywood academy april 2025.pdf
Heywood Academy - Spring Newsletter
(April 2025)
Heywood Academy is a special school in Rochdale that offers tailored educational support for children and young people diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) and/or who may experience Speech, Language, and Communication Needs (SLCN) associated with ASC.
Heywood Academy is set to become the latest new school in the New Bridge MAT, when it opens its doors to students in September 2025, and will be a 75-placement school for students aged 11-19 with a diagnosis of ASC and/ or SLCN
associated with ASC.
The curriculum is designed to provide students with high quality teaching alongside the additional support they require to develop socially and emotionally. All students will be working at National Curriculum levels; some students are working towards age related expectations whilst others are working up to two years below.
Admissions to the School
Heywood Academy School is a special school which provides 75 places for children of both sexes in the age range 11-19 year olds with a diagnosis of ASC and/or who may experience Speech, Language, and Communication Needs (SLCN) associated with ASC.
Heywood Academy is a specialist provision accepting applications for placement through the local authority (LA) in accordance with the statutory admissions process.
To be eligible for a place, young people must have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan and a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) and/or Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) associated with ASC.
The school will initially enrol students in Years 7, 8 and 9 starting in September 2025.
Parents should contact the LA’s EHC Team to explore if Heywood Academy is a suitable option for their child’s needs.
(Email: SEN@rochdale.gov.uk).
The LA is responsible for consulting with special schools, and Heywood Academy will review the EHC plan to assess its ability to support the child.
The LA reviews the response and considers the best outcome for the child or young person. If the academy confirms the placement, the LA can name the academy in the EHC plan, finalising enrolment.
If admission is declined, parents may appeal to the First-tier Tribunal.
Once a place is confirmed, the academy and LA will work together on transition planning to ensure the necessary support is in place for the child’s start.
Heywood Academy Admissions Policy (Draft)
Public Consultation
Section 10 Consultation Document
Feedback Form for Public Consultation 
Groundbreaking Ceremony & Steel Signing Event
We recently held Groundbreaking and Steel Signing Ceremonies for Heywood Academy, where representatives from different organisations came together to mark the occasions.
New Bridge students, Max and Johnny, were our official photographers.
You can read about the events here:
Heywood Academy Groundbreaking Ceremony
Heywood Academy Steel Signing Event
Students also edited videos of each occasion: