There is a separate admissions process to become part of our ASC that is managed by the Essex SEND Operations Team. If your child attends Merrylands Primary School and Nursery, they are not automatically offered a place in the ASC, even if they meet the criteria.

As part of the Needs Assessment process for an EHCP, Essex SEND Operations will advise you on schools that they feel may be appropriate and then consult with schools via a consultation process that must be started via SEND Operations. Advice on choosing a suitable school for children with an EHCP can be found on the Essex SEND IASS website (link below).

https://www.essexsendiass.co.uk/parents-and-carers/choosing-a-school-for-a-child-or-young-person-with-send/

All requests for a placement in an enhanced provision must be made through the EHCP Needs Assessment process or if they have an existing EHCP, then through the Annual Review Process.

If a request for a place in the enhanced provision is made, we will be consulted by the SEND Operations Team.  During this process we will consider the following:

• is the school suitable for the age, ability, aptitude, or SEN of the child?
• will the attendance of the child be compatible with the efficient education of others or the efficient use of resources?
• is the child able to access a mainstream classroom with the appropriate level of support from the ASC?

To receive a placement in the enhanced provisions, here at Merrylands Primary School, a child must have:

• a diagnosis of autism
• a finalised Education Health and Care Plan for children or young people with autism as the primary need
• the cognitive ability to access the mainstream academic curriculum with appropriate support from the autism support centre to overcome their barriers to learning (i.e. do not have a level of social anxiety, which may result in significantly high levels of challenging behaviour or have challenging behaviours which are entrenched and are additional to their autism)

Once the consultation period is complete, admissions will and must be the result of a careful assessment of need by the monthly Autism Panel, working in partnership using the assessments provided by professionals. The Autism Panel membership, is made up of Autism Support Centre leads, SEND Operations team members, Autism outreach special school leads, Autism SEND Strategy lead, Senior Specialist EP for Autism and Autism training coordinators.

Requests cannot be made directly to the school as all decisions will be made through a panel.

Families should only be encouraged to request a school viewing if they meet all three requirements above.  We have the right to refuse a visit if they do not meet criteria due to capacity issues.