Newcastle Bridges School Complete Department Move as Alnwood Becomes Ferndene Stephenson Medium Secure Unit (MSU)

Monday 18^th December saw the completion of a department move and renaming at Newcastle Bridges School. The Alnwood site, which was formerly based at St Nicholas Hospital in Gosforth, has been transferred over to the same site as the Ferndene department, and is now known as Ferndene Stephenson Medium Secure Unit (MSU).

This department relocation took place to modernise and improve facilities. The Ferndene Stephenson MSU now has one ward with seven beds. As seen in the photos below, it also has a separate and secure entrance while still remaining in the same contemporary grounds of the Ferndene department and their three wards: Riding, Redburn, and Fraser.

This move completes Phase 2 of the transformation project at Ferndene. Phase 1 saw the external infrastructure being put in place in preparation of the department relocation. Phase 3 is now taking place, which consists of internal works in Ferndene’s Redburn ward which will allow for the Fraser ward to become the learning disability (LD) pathway.

Marie Robson, Department Education Coordinator at Ferndene & Ferndene Stephenson MSU, said “I am absolutely delighted on the completion of this department move. Our staff have gone above and beyond to move equipment and resources to the new site, and I was very proud to see that teaching and lessons were up and running the next day.”