We want everyone to be as happy as possible from their very first day at Mercury College.

We also take planning for the future, after leaving college, very seriously.

Finding Out More

Enquiries, formal or informal, from families and placing authorities that fund placements (day, residential or supported living) are always welcome.

We ask authorities to send relevant information which will be reviewed to ensure that Mercury College is in a position to positively address the needs of the referred person.

People referred to Mercury College often have an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and will be assessed in person before admission, to ascertain whether their needs can be met by the provision. This Pre-admission Assessment is carried out by one of the assessment teams, led by experienced education staff and supported by therapy staff as required. When a residential or supported living service is also required, relevant care professionals will join the assessment team too. They will arrange to meet the person and as many people centrally involved in their direct education as possible to assess their needs. We get to know more about the person, their needs, strengths and aspirations and any risks that need to be supported.

This is the start of the person-centred planning process that ensures each person is treated as an individual. Through our assessment, we want to try to understand the kind of life a person aspires to live and what support they require to make this happen. If, after completion of a thorough assessment process, we think we can provide the right learning opportunities, support and environments for someone to thrive, the placing authority is informed and will itself usually inform the person and their family of the decision. If funding of the proposed placement is agreed, transition planning can commence.