Merefield School is a special academy in Southport, Sefton, for children and young people aged 3 to 19. It supports autism, severe learning and PMLD.
- Ages 3–19
- 116 pupils
- Ofsted: Outstanding
School details
- Type
- Special academy
- Ages
- 3 to 19
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 116 (places for 116)
- Headteacher
- Miss Joanne Sharpe (Headteacher)
- Part of
- Southport Learning Trust
- Opened
- 1 October 2025
- Free school meals
- 59.2% of pupils eligible
- Council
- Sefton
- School reference (URN)
- 152092
Needs it supports
3 needs: autism, severe learning and 1 more
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
Cognition and learning
- Severe learning difficulty Other schools for this in Sefton (5)
- Profound and multiple learning difficulties Other schools for this in Sefton (4)
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 Sefton 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 Outstanding, June 2019; standards maintained (February 2025)
Rated Outstanding at its last graded inspection, in June 2019. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementOutstanding
- Early yearsOutstanding
- Sixth formOutstanding
- SafeguardingEffective
Since then: Standards maintained (ungraded inspection, February 2025).
Contact and getting there
Westminster Drive, Southport, PR8 2QZ
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
- Kings Meadow Primary School and Early Years Education Centre Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.9 miles
- Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 2–11 · Ofsted: Good 2.2 miles
- Freshfield Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Outstanding 2.7 miles
By need in Sefton: Autism (17) · SEMH (7) · Speech and language (7) · Moderate learning (7) · Dyslexia and SpLD (7) · Severe learning (6) · PMLD (5) · Vision (4) · Physical (4) · Hearing (3) · Multi-sensory (3)
Questions about Merefield School
How do I get a place at Merefield 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 Merefield School. If it is named in the plan, the school must admit your child.
What needs does Merefield School support?
Autism, 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 Merefield School take?
Aged 3 to 19, boys and girls.
What is Merefield School’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is Merefield School?
Westminster Drive, Southport, PR8 2QZ, in Sefton.
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.