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Local Offer

See our Local Offer for support and service information for children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities, and their families.

School provision for children with Special Educational Needs

If you child is being assessed for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and you are applying for schools you should follow the normal admissions process for applying for a school place.

However, if your child already has an EHCP you do not need to follow the normal admissions process and you should be in contact with the council’s SEND team. If not please email sen@merton.gov.uk. The SEND code of practice suggests that EHCPs should be reviewed and amended in sufficient time before children move between key phases of their education. For transfer to secondary school (year 7) the year 5 annual review is a good opportunity to update needs and you and your child may start visiting possible secondary schools in Year 5 so that the decision can be made in good time.

While the majority of children with an EHCP will still remain in a mainstream school, Merton has a variety of specialist settings that may be suitable for your child.

This includes Additionally Resourced Provision within a mainstream school and our Special Schools, which includes a new provision opening at the Chaucer Centre in Merton for September 2025.

When need cannot be met in these provisions then there may be other provisions available which are outlined in our Local offer pages

Additionally Resourced Provision

Additionally Resourced Provision (ARP) is available at a number of mainstream schools in Merton for children with EHCPs (Education, Health and Care Plans). Through the placement they provide targeted support for pupils to enable children to make progress, achieve their identified outcomes and continue to access the mainstream curriculum while being provided with a specialist intervention programme. ARPs have discrete teaching spaces and staffing to enable substantial access to small group teaching alongside access to mainstream classes. The time spent in mainstream classes will depend on the needs of the child.

Merton has the following ARPs

Primary schools

  • Cranmer Primary School For Children with Communication Needs including Autistic Spectrum (ASD)
  • Hatfeild For Children on the Autistic Spectrum (ASD)
  • Harris Primary Academy Merton For Children on the Autistic Spectrum (ASD)
  • Liberty Primary School For Children on the Autistic Spectrum (ASD)
  • West Wimbledon Primary - Known as ‘Tree Tops’, for Children on the Autistic Spectrum (ASD)
  • Wimbledon Chase For Children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN)

Secondary schools

  • Raynes Park High (ASD) For Children on the Autistic Spectrum (ASD)
  • Ricards Lodge For Children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN)
  • Rutlish For Children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN)

Special Schools in Merton

Merton’s three state funded special schools provide for a variety of needs for children with an EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan). In addition, from September 2025 Bedelsford School – Chaucer Centre is opening in Morden

Cricket Green School is for children aged 4-19 with complex and varied needs, moderate learning difficulties, emotional and behavioural difficulties and those on the autistic spectrum (ASD).

The curriculum has a strong focus on Life Skills, such as cooking, shopping and travel. Accredited qualifications are available at Entry Level and Level 1 in Functional Maths, English, ICT and Science. Entry Pathways Qualification Units can be taken in music, PSHE, drama and food technology. Arts Award Discover & Explore. Youth Award Scheme and Duke of Edinburgh Bronze and Silver. ASDAN Focus, ASDAN Towards Independence. BTEC Level 1 Leadership and Teamwork.

6th Form Accreditation includes ASDAN Life-Skills Challenge, ASDAN Focus and ASDAN Towards Independence.

Melrose School

Melrose School is for children aged 4-19 and from September 2022 extended its designation on an additional site in Whatley Avenue SW20 to provide for children on the autistic spectrum (ASD) and with Speech, Language and Communication difficulties (SLCN).

Melrose School (Church Road campus)

The Melrose Church Road campus provides for pupils with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH). Many of these pupils also have associated learning difficulties which are wide ranging in terms of severity.

Melrose work closely with a range of professionals. A Speech and Language Therapist, Music Therapist, Educational Psychologist and CAMHS worker are all based on site on one day a week. Their own Safer Schools Officer is on site twice a week, along with a full time Greenhouse Mentor.

Accredited qualifications including GCSEs are offered in years 10 and 11. Most pupils go on to Further Education College. Other possible destinations are traineeships or an apprenticeship. Melrose has links with colleges and alternative education providers that provide vocational courses such as construction, mechanics and catering

Whatley campus

Whatley campus, Whatley Avenue SW20, opened in September 2022, refurbishing an existing school building to a high quality.

The campus is for children on the autistic spectrum (ASD) and with Speech, Language and Communication difficulties (SLCN).

As pupils enter Key Stage 4 they will have the opportunity to take GCSEs and/ or Entry Level courses, and a range of other qualifications according to their needs and abilities. Programmes are devised to work on building the skills pupils need to go on to further study or work.

There will be a broad range of subjects offered, which are taught by subject specific teachers. These include English, Maths, Science, Humanities, Computing, PE, Art/ DT, Music, Drama, Food Technology, Citizenship, RE, PSHE and SRE. Additional opportunities for Duke of Edinburgh, ASDAN, Arts Award, Sports Leadership will also be offered.

Our goal is to help all pupils become successful learners, confident individuals and responsible citizens. We will provide a supportive and nurturing environment for pupils, following a bespoke curriculum taking account of individual learning needs. This is supported by close work with a range of professionals including speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, CAMHS, mentoring and Educational psychologists.

Perseid School

Perseid provides for children aged 3-19 with severe and complex learning difficulties, including learners with an additional diagnosis of autism and/or additional physical and/or sensory disabilities.

The school is set on two campuses in Morden - one primary and one secondary.

The curriculum is individually tailored to the child’s particular needs. The school’s website provides details of some of the school's strategies such as Intensive Interaction, PECS, Signalong, Sensory Integration, and TEACCH.

Bedelsford School - Chaucer Centre opening in September 2025 and New Special School for Merton

In May 2024, following a competitive process, Orchard Hill College Academy Trust (OHCAT) were appointed as the provider for the new special free school in Merton. Due to site issues the opening of the new school is September 2027 at the earliest. To ensure the need can be met Merton has agreed with OHCAT to open a satellite of its existing Bedelsford School, at the Chaucer Centre, Morden SM4 6PX. The building is already a good quality former school building and it will receive further adaptation and refurbishment to ensure it is a suitable, high quality provision for September 2025.

As per the intended Free School, the Bedelsford School Chaucer Centre site will be for the following children with EHCPs:

Children and young people aged 4-16 who have a range of moderate to severe learning difficulties and complex needs. This is likely to include Speech Language and Communication Needs and may also include Autism Spectrum Conditions and other associated areas of need.

For the 2025/26 school year there will be 40 places for the primary school year groups, with places increasing in future years and to include secondary age places.

Inspections

Local area education, health and social care services are jointly inspected by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to see how well they meet their responsibilities towards children and young people with SEN and disabilities.

School transport service

SEN transport service

Contact us

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Integrated Service (SENDIS)
Civic Centre
London Road
Morden
SM4 5DX

Email: sen@merton.gov.uk