River Mead School is a mainstream primary school with an SEN unit in Melksham, Wiltshire, for children and young people aged 2 to 11. Its SEN unit has 35 places for specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia), visual impairment, hearing impairment and speech, language and communication.
- Ages 2–11
- 261 pupils
School details
- Type
- Mainstream school with an SEN unit
- Ages
- 2 to 11
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Specialist base
- An SEN unit, 35 places, 37 pupils
- Pupils
- 261
- Headteacher
- Miss Louise Harrison
- Part of
- Equa Mead Learning Trust
- Council
- Wiltshire
- School reference (URN)
- 139260
Needs its base supports
12 needs: dyslexia and SpLD, vision and 10 more
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
- Autism Other schools for this in Wiltshire (18)
- Speech, language and communication Other schools for this in Wiltshire (24)
Cognition and learning
- Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia) Other schools for this in Wiltshire (13)
- Moderate learning difficulty Other schools for this in Wiltshire (12)
- Severe learning difficulty Other schools for this in Wiltshire (7)
- Profound and multiple learning difficulties Other schools for this in Wiltshire (5)
Social, emotional and mental health
- Social, emotional and mental health Other schools for this in Wiltshire (11)
Sensory and physical
- Hearing impairment Other schools for this in Wiltshire (10)
- Visual impairment Other schools for this in Wiltshire (6)
- Multi-sensory impairment Other schools for this in Wiltshire (7)
- Physical disability Other schools for this in Wiltshire (8)
It also lists other needs. Ask the school what these are.
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places in an SEN unit or resourced provision are usually for children with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask about the base
See the school and its specialist base, and ask how children split their time between the base and mainstream classes.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Wiltshire council) that you want this school and its base, and ask them to consult it.
- Named in the plan
If the school is named in your child’s plan, it must admit your child. Places in the base itself are agreed between the council and the school, so ask how they decide.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Graded by area, October 2024
Inspected in October 2024. Inspections from September 2024 to November 2025 graded each area but gave no overall grade.
- Quality of educationGood
- Behaviour and attitudesGood
- Personal developmentGood
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
- Early yearsGood
- SafeguardingEffective
Contact and getting there
Lowbourne, Melksham, SN12 7ED
Loading the map…
Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Melksham House School Independent · Ages 4–16 · Ofsted report card (2026) 0.5 miles
- Notton House Academy Special school · Ages 8–19 · Ofsted report card (2026) 3.4 miles
- Silverwood School Special school · Ages 4–19 · Ofsted: Good 4.3 miles
By need in Wiltshire: Speech and language (25) · Autism (19) · Dyslexia and SpLD (14) · Moderate learning (13) · SEMH (12) · Hearing (11) · Physical (9) · Severe learning (8) · Multi-sensory (8) · Vision (7) · PMLD (6)
Questions about River Mead School
How do I get a place in River Mead School’s specialist base?
Places in an SEN unit or resourced provision usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult the school about its base. If the school is named in the plan it must admit your child; places in the base itself are agreed between the council and the school.
What needs does River Mead School support?
Specific learning difficulty (such as dyslexia), visual impairment, hearing impairment, speech, language and communication, autism, social, emotional and mental health, multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, moderate learning difficulty, severe learning difficulty and profound and multiple learning difficulties. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does River Mead School take?
Aged 2 to 11, boys and girls.
What is River Mead School’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is River Mead School?
Lowbourne, Melksham, SN12 7ED, in Wiltshire.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.