MERRYWOOD MISSION
SCHOOL OF OPPORTUNITIES

Our mission at Merrywood is to offer an therapeutic, home like environment that uses nature to enhance the child’s social, emotional, behavioural and academic development.

Merrywood offers a trauma informed approach to working with children with special needs and those who are struggling within mainstream settings.
Children will benefit from an individualised, inclusive and nurturing setting where they will have the opportunity to explore deep-rooted issues and traumas through therapy. At the heart of our flexible curriculum is nature and play. Our beautiful countryside surroundings are home to all manner of animals and wildlife, where the children will benefit from playing and learning in the wilderness.

Our core aim is to provide a nurturing space for children to grow educationally, emotionally, morally and socially. Children will develop a deep understanding of themselves as an individual and a connected part of society, they will understand and value themselves and their unique offering, and grow an appreciation of learning and an engagement within education. Our overall mission is to decrease the number of children being excluded from school and from missing education. We offer a vibrant alternative provision for each individual child, which ensures that they thrive and reach their full potential.

Merrywood House is an independent special school for pupils aged 7 to 11 (KS2) with complex needs including:

• Social, emotional, mental health (SEMH) difficulties
• Trauma
• Autism (ASD)
• Anxiety
• Self-harming and suicidal ideation
• Attachment Difficulties / Disorders
• ADHD & ODD
• Speech & Language difficulties
• ADD
• OCD
• Dyslexia or Dyspraxia

The majority of children will have faced the feelings associated with; exclusion, feeling different from others, isolation and resentfulness.

We understand the psychological effects of exclusion and our model has been developed with a trauma informed approach, whilst keeping nurture and boundaries at the core of our daily school lives.

We want every child to feel safe and happy to attend school, primary school is the time when a child should learn, play and build the skills relevant to a successful career educationally and socially.

Offering an inclusive, non-judgmental learning environment.