Admission Guidance

Marshfields School is a vibrant special school for 191 students aged 7–16 with learning difficulties and additional needs. At its core is a strong belief that every student matters, with high expectations for their health, happiness, independence and achievement. Through a tailored Pathways model, teaching is carefully adapted to meet diverse abilities, ensuring every lesson is meaningful, and every learner can make progress.

This personalised approach underpins the school’s admissions process. Placements are carefully considered to ensure that Marshfields can meet each student’s individual needs and provide the right level of support. Working closely with families and professionals, the school aims to ensure that every placement is appropriate and sets young people on a successful pathway towards adulthood and the wider world. Guided by its ethos, “We are Unique,” Marshfields celebrates individuality and strives to meet the needs of its whole community.

Enrichment, Engagement and Enhancement Admissions Criteria:

 Children and young people will be attaining at a low academic level, either because of a learning difficulty or because of the impact of specific conditions (e.g. autism or a speech and language disorder) on their functioning. The impact on functioning could be in terms of academic and/or social communication and interaction or presentation.

Children and young people placed in this type of school will therefore have a primary need in cognition and learning. There will usually be associated secondary needs, communication difficulties, and at time such as social, emotional or physical and sensory.

The following sections give a guide to the typical level of functioning which would make a child or young person suitable for placement Enrichment, Engagement or Enhancement at Marshfields:

Typical levels of triangulated functioning:

• An overall cognitive profile at or below 2nd percentile
• Attainment in the core subjects will be significantly below chronological age expectations (at least four years behind, but no more than 6 years below their peers)
• For Year 3 children, they will be independently functioning below pre-key-stage standard 3 (working within the EYFS curriculum) significantly below half their chronological age. For example, by the end of Y2, children will be working within the 30–36 m range.
• For Year 4 children, they will be independently functioning below pre-key-stage standard 4 significantly below half chronological age within cognition & learning. For example, by the end of year, 3 children will be working within a 36–42 m range.
• At the Year 5 Annual Review, Teacher Assessment will be predominantly within pre-key stage Standard 3 and within pre-key-stage Standard 5 children will be working at or below year 1 age related to national curriculum expectations and/or standardised attainment assessments and cognitive ability at or below 2nd percentile.
• For Key Stage 3/4 children, attainment in the core subjects will be significantly below chronological age expectations (between four and six years behind their peers), standardised attainment assessments and cognitive ability at or below 2nd percentile.

Explorers Admissions Criteria:

 Children and young people will be attaining a low academic level due to severe learning difficulties (SLD) in the cognitive range, as described below. Their ability to make progress will be limited across all areas of development. They have a life-long learning disability which requires a multidisciplinary response.

The following sections give a guide to the typical level of functioning which would make a child or young person suitable for placement in Explorers at Marshfields School.

Typical levels of triangulated functioning:

• Overall cognitive profile at or below 1st percentile
• For Year 3 children, they will be independently functioning below pre-key-stage standard 3 (working within the EYFS curriculum), significantly below half their chronological age. For example, by the end of Y2, children will be working in between 20–36 m range.
• For Year 4 children, they will be functioning independently below half their chronological age within cognition & learning. For example, by the end of year 4 children will be working within 25–42 m range.
• At the Year 5 Annual Review, Teacher Assessment will be predominantly between 30 – 50m, at or below reception age related to national curriculum expectations and/or standardised attainment assessments and cognitive ability at or below 2^nd percentile.
• For Key Stage 3/4 children, attainment in the core subjects will be significantly below chronological age expectations (below half their chronological age), standardised attainment assessments and cognitive ability at or below 2nd percentile.

Applying for a place at a special school is a process and has input from many professionals.

Applying for a Special School Place

Applying for a special school placement involves several stages and professional input. The process can feel complex, so the steps below provide a clear guide.

To attend a special school, a child must have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). This document outlines their educational and medical needs and names the appropriate school placement.

What Happens Next?

The Local Authority makes the final decision on school placement.

• A multi-professional SEND panel reviews each case
• If a special school is agreed, schools are consulted on your behalf
• Schools have 14 days to respond
• The case then returns to panel for a final decision

 

Further Support

Statutory Assessment and Monitoring Service (SAM)
Tel: 01733 863733
Email: SENTeam@peterborough.gov.uk

SENDIASS Peterborough & Cambridgeshire
Tel: 0300 365 1020
Email: sendiass@peterborough.gov.uk