Merryfields School is a special academy in Newcastle, Staffordshire, for children and young people aged 2 to 11. It supports severe learning.
- Ages 2–11
- 118 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Special academy
- Ages
- 2 to 11
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 118
- Headteacher
- Mr Neil Brannigan (Headteacher)
- Part of
- Manor Hall Academy Trust
- Opened
- 1 February 2017
- Free school meals
- 46.6% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Staffordshire
- School reference (URN)
- 143897
Needs it supports
1 need: severe learning
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Cognition and learning
- Severe learning difficulty Other schools for this in Staffordshire (17)
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places at schools like this usually come through 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 questions
See whether the school feels right and whether it can meet your child’s needs. Our list of questions below can help.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Staffordshire council) that this is the school you want, 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. Free home-to-school transport is often part of the arrangement.
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
Rated Good, March 2014; standards maintained (May 2025)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in March 2014. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementGood
Since then: Standards maintained (ungraded inspection, May 2025).
Contact and getting there
Hoon Avenue, Newcastle, ST5 9NY
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
- The Orme Academy Mainstream + base · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted: Good 0.2 miles
- Lyme Brook Independent School Independent · Ages 8–16 · Ofsted: Good 0.8 miles
- Kaleidoscope School Independent · Ages 4–16 · Ofsted: Good 0.8 miles
All SEND schools in Staffordshire
By need in Staffordshire: Autism (20) · Speech and language (18) · Severe learning (18) · Moderate learning (16) · SEMH (15) · PMLD (14) · Physical (11) · Dyslexia and SpLD (10) · Vision (10) · Hearing (9) · Multi-sensory (7)
Questions about Merryfields School
How do I get a place at Merryfields School?
There’s no catchment area or application round. Places usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult Merryfields School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Merryfields School support?
Severe learning difficulty. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Merryfields School take?
Aged 2 to 11, boys and girls.
What is Merryfields School’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is Merryfields School?
Hoon Avenue, Newcastle, ST5 9NY, in Staffordshire.
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.