What Forest Bridge School does

Forest Bridge School is a UK Special Free School located in a purpose-built facility at Braywick Park, Maidenhead, Berkshire, dedicated exclusively to children and young people with a primary diagnosis of autism. Founded in September 2015 with 32 pupils and 20 staff, the school has grown to a Planned Admission Number of 122 pupils ages 4-16, expanding to 148 pupils with the addition of its first sixth form classroom from September 2026, supported by a multidisciplinary team of over 130 staff.

The school's core technology is Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) underpinning the proprietary Forest Bridge School Curriculum (FBSC), a 12-domain curriculum organised into Stand Alone Academics, Social Communication and STEAM, and Preparation for Adulthood groupings. Each domain contains progressively more complex Personalised Learning Objectives (PLOs). Pupils are organised into mixed-year cohort classes of approximately 8 with a minimum 1:2 adult-to-pupil ratio, and approximately two-thirds of pupils receive 1:1 support. Supplementary evidence-based therapy services include speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and art, drama, and music therapy.

The school operates as a company limited by guarantee under a Funding Agreement with the Education and Skills Funding Agency, with no tuition fees. All admissions are gated through Local Authority SEN referrals and EHCP determinations, meaning revenue is per-pupil government funding plus Local Authority top-ups. The Headteacher, Elizabeth Farnden, leads a Senior Leadership Team that includes a Head Behaviour Analyst, Head of Cohort - Teaching, Head of HR and Finance, and Head of Pastoral Care and Designated Safeguarding Lead, with a Board of Governors chaired by Naomi Radcliffe providing governance oversight.

Name

Forest Bridge School

Legal name

Forest Bridge School Ltd

Website

https://forestbridgeschool.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Forest Bridge School is a UK Special Free School in Maidenhead providing autism-specific education to 122-148 pupils ages 4-16+, using Applied Behaviour Analysis and a proprietary 12-domain curriculum supported by a multidisciplinary therapy team of 130+ staff and funded via Local Authority EHCP commissioning.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education Services (Autism)

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Autism Classroom & School Program Support (Inclusion/Resource) (EDAKAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Autism Parent/Caregiver Education & Training (School-Linked) (EDAKAKAJ)

Keywords

• Special education services
• Autism education
• Applied behavior analysis
• Special free school
• SEN education

Headquarters

HQ city

Maidenhead

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government/Local Authority Funding: As a Special Free School, Forest Bridge School is funded by the government/local authorities. All admissions come through local authority referrals with EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan) provisions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Forest Bridge School is a Special Free School in Maidenhead, Berkshire, that provides full-time autism-specialist education for children and young people aged 4-16 (expanding to sixth form in September 2026). It delivers the proprietary Forest Bridge School Curriculum (FBSC), an ABA-based 12-domain framework, alongside an in-house multi-disciplinary therapy service (Speech and Language, Occupational, Art, Drama, Music therapies) and a Summer School Provision. Placements are funded through local authority EHCPs and per-pupil government funding.

Product overview

Forest Bridge School is a Special Free School providing education for children and young people aged 4-16 (with approved 6th form from 2026) with a primary diagnosis of autism. The school's core offering is the Forest Bridge School Curriculum (FBSC), a 12-domain specialized curriculum that integrates Applied Behaviour Analysis with evidence-based therapies. The FBSC encompasses domains including Independent Living, Employment, Community Inclusion, Health and Wellbeing, Communication, Social Skills, STEAM, and Academic subjects. Supporting services include speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, art therapy, drama therapy, and music therapy. The school also offers Summer School Provision for extended support. Students are organized into mixed-year cohort classes (Fir, Cherry, Pine, Ash, Willow, Cedar, Birch, Holly, Oak, Maple, Sycamore, Elm, Aspen, Elder, Hawthorn, Chestnut), each with a class teacher and ABA Supervisor, maintaining approximately 8 pupils per class with a minimum adult-to-pupil ratio of 1:2.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Forest Bridge School Curriculum (FBSC) Proprietary 12-domain ABA-based curriculum framework with Personalised Learning Objectives (PLO) for every pupil, designed for autistic children aged 4-16. It is the core educational programme delivered at the school.
• Full-Time Day School Education (ages 4-16) Full-time specialist day school education for autistic children aged 4-16, delivered through the FBSC, with high staff-to-pupil ratios and integrated therapies. Placements are commissioned by local authorities via EHCPs.
• Forest Bridge School 6th Form New sixth-form provision opening September 2026 to extend the school's specialist autism education pathway to post-16 students, building on the FBSC and integrated therapy model.
• In-House Multi-Disciplinary Therapy Services Integrated in-house therapy provision covering Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Art Therapy, Drama Therapy, and Music Therapy, delivered as part of the school day for Forest Bridge School pupils.
• Summer School Provision Extended-year Summer School provision offering specialist autism activities and continued learning during the school holiday period, supporting continuity for pupils and additional respite/skill-building for families.

Quantifiable outcome

• Pupils progress from basic communication skills (To Show Interest In Books) to advanced academic skills (To Be Able To Compare Writers' Ideas And Perspectives Across Two Or More Texts)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Paralympian GuestminorOthers · 30 June 2023A Paralympian joined Maidenhead students at an inclusive sports festival at Forest Bridge School, demonstrating the school's commitment to inclusive sports and community engagement.
• RBWM Local OffercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe RBWM (Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead) Local Offer provides information about Education, Health and Care provision, Short Breaks including leisure and social activities, and Employment and training options for children with SEND.
• Autism Parenting MagazineminorOthersThe school provides a link to Autism Parenting Magazine on their Useful Information page, which provides expert advice, solutions for sensory issues, transition guidance, and real-life stories for parents of children with autism.
• CaterlinkminorOthersCaterlink provides school meals and catering services to Forest Bridge School, including allergy and intolerance management for pupils.
• Read Write IncminorOthersRead Write Inc programme is used for teaching phonics and early reading across the school.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Mencap: Mencap runs schools, residential services and supported employment for people with learning disabilities, including those with autism. A broad incumbent in the same SEND/learning-disability commissioning space.
• National Autistic Society (NAS) Schools: The NAS operates a portfolio of specialist schools and services across the UK for autistic learners. A broader incumbent that overlaps on autism specialism but with multiple sites and a wider service portfolio than Forest Bridge School.

Direct peers

• Ambitious about Autism (TreeHouse School and Ambitious College): Ambitious about Autism runs TreeHouse School in London, an ABA-based specialist provision for autistic pupils, plus Ambitious College for post-16 learners. Directly comparable in autism-specific ABA methodology and lifecycle coverage.
• Percy Hedley Foundation: Percy Hedley operates specialist schools and further-education provision for children and young people with autism and other complex needs in the North East of England. Comparable specialist-SEN/ASD positioning with multi-disciplinary clinical teams.
• Doucecroft School: Doucecroft is an autism-specialist school in Essex for children aged 3–16 with a primary diagnosis of autism. Highly comparable in target population and school-age range.
• Ivel Valley School: Ivel Valley is a special school in Central Bedfordshire for pupils with severe and complex learning needs including autism, offering EYFS through post-16 provision. Comparable in specialist-SEN lifecycle coverage and integrated therapy model.
• The Ridgeway School: The Ridgeway is a Surrey-based special school for pupils with autism and complex needs. Comparable specialist-SEN positioning with multi-disciplinary therapy teams integrated into the school day.
• Prior's Court Foundation: Prior's Court is a specialist autism school and foundation in West Berkshire, also using ABA as its core pedagogy and serving children and young people with autism. It is the closest geographic and methodological analogue to Forest Bridge School in the UK.

Others

• AcornABA: AcornABA is an independent provider of ABA services across England led by a former Forest Bridge School assistant head behaviour analyst (who is now a governor). Closely adjacent — an enabling supplier in the same ABA ecosystem rather than a school competitor.
• nasen (National Association for Special Educational Needs): nasen is the UK's professional body for SEND practitioners, providing CPD, standards and policy advocacy. Adjacent rather than competitive — useful as an ecosystem partner but not a direct operator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/forestbridgesch
• Facebookfacebook.com/forestbridgeschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forest-bridge-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Forest Bridge School