How to Apply / Admissions

Choosing the right school for your child is a significant milestone.

At Pens Meadow, we aim to make the admissions process as smooth and transparent as possible, ensuring that every child who joins us is placed in an environment where they can truly flourish.

Our Admissions Criteria

As a specialised setting, Pens Meadow School caters for children and young people with complex, severe, and profound learning difficulties, including those with autism. To be considered for a place, a child must have a finalised Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

This document outlines your child's specific needs and ensures that our school is the right environment to provide the specialist support they require.

The Step-by-Step Process

Admissions to our school are managed by the Dudley Local Authority Special Educational Needs (SEN) Team, rather than the school directly.

Expression of Interest

If you feel Pens Meadow is the right fit for your child, your first step is to speak with your current school’s SENCO or contact the Dudley SEN team directly.
Formal Consultation

The Local Authority will send a formal consultation request to us. This includes your child’s EHCP and any recent professional reports from therapists or educational psychologists.
School Assessment

Our specialist leadership team will carefully review the paperwork. We may also arrange to visit your child in their current setting or invite you to school to ensure we can fully meet their educational, medical, and sensory needs.
The Decision

Once we confirm we can meet your child’s needs and have a suitable space available, we inform the Local Authority. They will then make the final decision and formally name Pens Meadow in the EHCP.
Welcoming Your Child

Once a place is confirmed, we begin a bespoke transition programme. This often involves stay and play sessions, home visits, and a phased start to help your child feel safe and happy from day one.

Visit Us

We highly recommend that parents and carers visit our school to experience our "Living, Growing, Learning" ethos in person. Seeing our facilities, such as the hydrotherapy pool, sensory rooms, and forest school.

Meeting our staff can help you decide if this is the right environment for your child. To arrange a visit or to ask any questions about the process, please contact our school office.

How to Apply / Admissions

Choosing the right school for your child is a significant milestone.

If you feel Pens Meadow is the right fit for your child, your first step is to speak with your current school’s SENCO or contact the Dudley SEN team directly.

The Local Authority will send a formal consultation request to us. This includes your child’s EHCP and any recent professional reports from therapists or educational psychologists.

Our specialist leadership team will carefully review the paperwork. We may also arrange to visit your child in their current setting or invite you to school to ensure we can fully meet their educational, medical, and sensory needs.

Once we confirm we can meet your child’s needs and have a suitable space available, we inform the Local Authority. They will then make the final decision and formally name Pens Meadow in the EHCP.

Once a place is confirmed, we begin a bespoke transition programme. This often involves stay and play sessions, home visits, and a phased start to help your child feel safe and happy from day one.

Visit Us

Get in Touch