Mereside Academy

Please find links below to help support families with children who have additional needs

Special Educational Needs (click here to return to Key Information Page)

What about special needs?

Making the most of each child's potential involves careful assessment, planning and monitoring of work. It also requires early detection of special achievements and difficulties that may identify where extra help can be provided. This can be provided either by the child's own teacher, a class support assistant working under the direction of the class teacher or our special educational needs co-ordinator Mrs Davies.
Children with special educational needs are offered the whole curriculum and where appropriate, extra support is offered. We are able to call upon support and advice from a range of outside agencies.
When concerns are raised about a child, either parents or staff at school, liaison between the two is arranged to discuss and determine the measures to be taken. Outside agencies are consulted as and when necessary.

Key strengths of the school are:

The on-going plan-do-review cycle is clearly having impact on identified groups of children (both with identified SEN or identified as needing short term support to raise attainment)
Analysis of trends:
Children with identified SEN showed good progress throughout the school
Children at the end of KS2, children with identified SEN scored in line or better with children with similar needs in Shropshire and Nationally for Maths and Reading
Our focus over the next year is to increase writing progress scores to be in line with Shropshire and Nationally.

Who we have to help:

Mrs Naomi Davies - Mrs Davies is a year 3 teacher at Mereside Academy and has completed her NASENco award in 2022

Mrs Ffion Carr – Acting Head of School. Mrs Carr has the role of regularly reporting to our school governors in all matters regarding children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. Mrs Carr has a non-teaching role as Acting Head of School and monitors the progress of all pupils. Mrs Carr successfully completed the National Award for SEN Co-ordination in 2014. 

Mrs Laura Hopley – Executive Principal. Mrs Holmes is an experienced Principal who works closely with Mrs Carr to strategically lead and monitor progress of all children throughout school.

Mr David Castledine- Link LAC member for SEND. Mr Castledine is responsible for SEND and meets regularly with Mrs Carr. She also reports to the LAC committee to keep them all informed.

Class teachers are every child’s first educators and are responsible for the progress of all children within their class.

Teaching Assistants offer support with learning during whole class teaching as well as with small group or individual targeted work. A number of our teaching assistants have particular qualifications in specific areas of Special Needs.

Parents are vital in supporting children’s learning. We encourage all parents to regularly support learning at home and attend all review meetings to discuss the provision in place for their child and the progress being made. Through strong partnership working decisions can be made jointly to ensure children make the best possible progress.

Trauma and Attachment Award
The school has successfully  achieved the Gold Trauma and Attachment Friendly School award in February 2022