A young person must meet our admissions criteria in order to gain a place at Meadows School. These include:

• The young person is aged between 7 and 18 years old on the date of admission. Admissions can take place throughout the academic year.

• The young person has an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or is in the process of application with completion due shortly.

• Parents or the responsible authority are able to guarantee regular home leave.

Referrals Process

Stage 1 – Formal Consultation by your Local Authority

Prospective pupils must have an EHCP or be within 6 months of an EHCP being issued. The admissions process begins when our admission team receives a formal referral from the local authority. Parents/carers may request Meadows School as preference with their child’s SEN Caseworker. These papers are considered by a variety of professionals and a response is returned to the local authority.

Stage 2 – School Visits, Interview and Taster Days

If our panel feels that we can meet the needs of the prospective pupil, they will be invited in for a visit before a formal interview is offered and possibly taster days, so that Meadows may get to know them better, and they may get to know the staff and students at Meadows. The local authority will be informed in writing of the outcome of the visit, and whether a placement has been offered or declined.

Stage 3 – Admission

Any special arrangements and the pupil’s admission date will be agreed with the local authority. If a place is not currently available, the pupil can be added to our waiting list.

Before admission, a member of our team may arrange a home visit. This gives us the opportunity to understand the pupil’s individual needs and for parents/carers to ask any questions they may have.

All new pupils will have an admissions meeting when they join the school, followed by a 30-day review period.

'Many pupils who join the school have previously had long periods of absence. Adults learn quickly about each pupil’s barriers to coming to school. Staff’s personalised, nurturing approach helps build trust.' (Ofsted 2024)