Welcome

Introduction from Chief Executive Officer, Chris Richardson

I am proud to lead Prosper Learning Trust and welcome you to our website.

Prosper Learning Trust was formed to help vulnerable young people succeed. Many children and young people face challenges in their lives that many adults will happily never experience, Prosper Learning Trust’s range of academies are here to support them in doing so.

Wherever possible we will help these young people to thrive in a mainstream educational setting. Where that cannot happen, we will provide a safe space for them in one of our Alternative Provision schools until they are ready to return or move on.

Our Specialist Academies offer autistic children and young people the opportunity to learn in a supportive environment, where differences are celebrated, and every pupil is valued and encouraged to achieve their full potential.

Prosper Learning Trust comprises of five academies within Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland and Northumberland local authorities. The academies are a combination of Alternative Provision and Special School Academies offering education to pupils with a diverse range of needs.

Our academies are described below:

Newcastle Bridges School – Alternative Provision academy offering education to pupils unable to access mainstream school due to medical needs including hospitalised children and young people (3-19 years)

Mary Astell Academy – Alternative Provision academy offering education to permanently excluded pupils and pupils who are struggling in mainstream school (11-16 years)

Thomas Bewick Special School – Special School academy for pupils with a diagnosis of autism (3-19 years)

Harry Watts Academy – Special School academy for pupils with a diagnosis of autism (5-16 years)

Gilbert Ward Academy – Special School academy for pupils with SEMH (11-16 years) 

Prosper Learning Trust was also recently named as the lead partner in the opening of a new Free School in Jarrow, South Tyneside. This school will be a Special School academy for pupils with SEMH (4-11 years)

Through our academies, we provide high quality teaching, curriculum and care in a range of environments. We provide education from 0 to 18 years old, in normal school settings, in hospitals, and via outreach work and support transition between them at every stage.