Head Teacher
Executive Education Lead
Quayside School will be a new specialist school in Salford, designed to support up to 30 children and young people aged 5–19 with autism, learning disabilities, and associated complex needs. Building on our growing portfolio of two specialist schools and a college, Quayside School represents our continued commitment to delivering sector-leading, forward-thinking education that puts students first.
Our schools are shaped around the individual — creating safe, nurturing, and ambitious learning environments where every young person is supported to thrive, develop independence, and reach their full potential. Quayside School will welcome both day pupils and students who live within our residential homes, ensuring continuity of care, education, and support.
We are proud to be expanding into Salford and look forward to becoming an active, positive presence within the local community. As we prepare for the school’s opening in 2026, we are excited to bring our values, expertise, and passion for inclusive education to Quayside School — for the benefit of students, their families, and the communities we serve.
Our specialist education provision at Quayside is located in Salford
We are an Independent Special School which is accessed by local education authorities, social care and health services who require an integrated package of education and care, or school day placements.
We will be registered for up to 30 places for students aged 5 – 19 years, which includes day placements.
Our highly trained workforce are particularly skilled in supporting students with sensory integration difficulties and providing strategies to focus on self-regulation, and strategies to support autism.
Each student will have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) and a Positive Behaviour Support Plan (PBSP). Across our Bright Futures Schools, we use a range of tools to support assessment and track progress. These include Evidence for Learning which supports a holistic approach considering engagement and learning. Learning goals and achievements are hugely celebrated. We use national accreditation including the EQUALS Award schemes, ASDAN programmes, GCSEs, and other awarding bodies.
We work closely with Therapy Services and provide all of our young people and adults with a ‘sensory diet’ which is a carefully designed, personalised plan and provides the sensory input the individual needs to stay focused and organised throughout the day. The effects of a sensory diet can be immediate and cumulative. Not only can they help stimulate or calm an individual in the moment, but they can also support restructuring the individual’s nervous system over time so they can become more tolerant of certain sensations or situations that they may find challenging.
Here at Bright Futures we support students to ‘awaken their potential’ through great quality education.
Our person-centred vision is to provide a nurturing and inclusive environment where every student thrives, empowering students through personalised learning experiences, fostering independence, resilience, and confidence. We strive to create a supportive community that embraces diversity, encourages personal growth, and prepares our students for their futures, both academically and socially.
We Work Together
We Care
We Learn and Grow
We're a Safe Pair of Hands
Head Teacher
Assistant Headteacher
School Business Manager
Learning Mentor
Learning Mentor
Deputy Headteacher
School Administrator – Elm Field campus
Teacher
Pastoral Lead
Learning Mentor
Learning Mentor
Learning Mentor
Teacher
Teacher
Teacher
Assistant Headteacher
Teacher
Teacher
Teacher
School Business Admin
Senior Learning Mentor
Learning Mentor
Learning Mentor
Learning Mentor
Catering Assistant
Teacher
Learning Mentor
School Administrator – Maple Field campus
Senior Learning Mentor
Learning Mentor
Teacher
Learning Mentor
Learning Mentor
Learning Mentor
Teacher
Learning Mentor
Learning Mentor
Teacher
Learning Mentor
Learning Mentor
Learning Mentor
Learning Mentor
Learning Mentor
Learning Mentor
Catering Assistant
Teacher
Assistant Headteacher
Horticulture
Learning Mentor
Learning Mentor
Learning Mentor
Learning Mentor
Learning Mentor
Our singular vision is to support young people with autism and complex needs to ‘awaken their potential’ by providing the highest quality personalised, achievement-driven education.
Our starting point will be to reengage students in their education from their varying crisis points by teaching them to regulate their emotional needs and helping them understand their motivations, enabling them to access the waking day curriculum.
We have created a broad, balanced, knowledge-rich curriculum that is coherently planned and sequenced to promote engagement, independence, and personal growth and achieve relevant academic qualifications and life skills, ready for future learning, active citizenship, and employment.
Our curriculum aims are for every student to:
Students will access the curriculum through different Curriculum Pathways: Ready to Learn, Engagement, Pre-Engagement, Pre-Key Stage, Key Stage, and Post 16).
Each Pathway has a modified version of the National Curriculum and is based on the EQUALS scheme of work, which provides a robust framework for assessing and enhancing individual abilities.
There are coherently planned opportunities to support students in developing their character, life skills, communication, and mental, physical, and emotional health. In addition, the school promotes social, moral, spiritual, and cultural development and understanding of Britain’s fundamental British values through planned subject-specific cross-curriculum activities and other organised events and focus weeks.
Many aspects of the curriculum are taught or strengthened through community-based activities with students accessing work encounters and Experiences of Work placements..
Term Dates 2026-2027.
The safety and well-being of our students is our top priority. We are committed to creating a safe and nurturing environment where all children can thrive, learn, and grow. Our safeguarding policies and procedures are designed to ensure that every child is protected from harm, abuse, and neglect, and that they feel secure and valued within our school community.
Designated Safeguarding Leads:
Reece Greenwood (Headteacher, Designated Safeguarding Lead).
???? (Deputy Safeguarding Lead)
Maria Fiddimore (Safeguarding Lead)
Our DSL and Deputy DSLs are trained to respond to safeguarding concerns and are responsible for ensuring that our safeguarding policies are implemented effectively. They are available to provide support to students, colleagues, and parents regarding any safeguarding issues.
Safeguarding Policies
Our safeguarding policies are regularly reviewed and updated in accordance with local and national guidelines. We work closely with local authorities and safeguarding partners to ensure the highest standards of care for our students. Our policies cover areas such as:
We actively promote a culture of vigilance, encouraging our teams and students to be aware of safeguarding issues and to report any concerns promptly.
Reporting Concerns
If you have any concerns about the safety or well-being of a child at Quayside School, please do not hesitate to contact our Designated Safeguarding Lead or one of the Deputy DSLs. We take all concerns seriously and will investigate them thoroughly and sensitively.
Our safeguarding team all have regular external training to allow them to do their job with skill, knowledge and confidence.
To promote a safe environment for students, our recruitment policy includes all checks on employees and regular volunteers’ suitability, including Criminal Records Bureau checks, as recommended by the local Council in accordance with current legislation.
The procedures, which we follow, have been laid down by the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board, and the school has adopted a Child Protection Policy in line with this for the safety of all. If you would like to know more about our procedures, please speak with the Headteacher. The policy can be found below.
We think it is important to work in partnership with parents, carers and outside agencies to help our pupils achieve their full potential. There are occasions when our concern about a child may mean that we have to consult other agencies. Whilst we would always aim to work in partnership with parents there may be exceptions to this when concerns are raised for the protection of a child.
On very rare occasions Social Care, whilst undertaking an investigation under s47 of the Children Act 1989, may want to speak to a child without parents’ knowledge. This would be a decision made in collaboration with partner agencies and would only be done in situations where a child might be at immediate risk. To gain consent at this point may increase the level of risk to the child or cause evidence of a crime to be lost.
Together, we can ensure a safe and supportive environment for all our students at Ash Meadow School. Thank you for your continued support in safeguarding our children.
At Bright Futures, we are committed to creating an inclusive environment where every individual is valued, respected, and supported to achieve their full potential. We recognise and embrace the unique strengths, abilities and needs of all our students, staff, and community members. We actively promote equality and diversity in all aspects of school life, ensuring that differences are celebrated, and every individual is treated with dignity.
We believe that a diverse community enriches our learning environment and helps prepare students for life beyond school. Our curriculum is designed to promote understanding, tolerance, and respect for different cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives. We are committed to removing any barriers to learning, participation, or progression, and to ensuring that all students, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, or socio-economic background, have equal opportunities to succeed.
We maintain zero tolerance for discrimination, bullying, or harassment in any form. We strive to create a safe and supportive atmosphere where everyone feels they belong and can contribute meaningfully.
At Ash Meadow, we are deeply committed to giving back to our local community and nurturing active citizenship in our students. Guided by our dedicated Student Council, which makes the final decisions on our community service initiatives, we empower students to lead and make a positive impact.
At Ash Meadow School we believe in promoting student voice and British Values and as part of this we have a school council team that are elected each year by their peers. The School Council meet every half term where they discuss recently news, upcoming events, any ideas for change that the students have for the school. The school council this year are focusing on giving back and have selected a local, national and international charity to fund raise money for.
At Ash Meadow School, community engagement is a vital part of our ethos, connecting students with their local surroundings and fostering a strong sense of responsibility. Our school’s Eco-Committee has been instrumental in leading these efforts. Through their hard work, they have proudly earned the Eco Schools Green Flag, a prestigious recognition of our commitment to environmental stewardship. The committee regularly organises local litter-picking events, helping keep our community clean, and is currently working toward achieving the Green Mark, a certification that celebrates high standards in environmental and sustainable practices.
A new addition to our community projects is the local allotment, which is under construction. Once complete, this space will provide opportunities for our students to grow a variety of fruits and vegetables. The produce harvested will be used in school cooking projects, supporting life skills and healthy eating education, and will also be donated to local food banks, helping support families in need.
Our school also holds an annual Harvest collection where students and families gather non-perishable food items to donate to the local food bank. This activity teaches our students about the importance of giving and the impact they can have on their community, especially during challenging times. Random Acts of Kindness – Hampers In the spirit of community kindness, our students participated in a Random Acts of Kindness project last Christmas. Working together, they created and delivered Christmas hampers to nearby care homes, spreading warmth and holiday cheer to residents. Through these initiatives, we’re proud to offer our students meaningful ways to connect with their community, fostering a sense of empathy, environmental responsibility, and civic duty.
At Ash Meadow School, we recognise that families play a crucial role in the education and development of our students. We are committed to providing comprehensive support to families, ensuring that they feel empowered and informed as they navigate the unique challenges and experiences associated with their child’s education.
We believe that strong partnerships between families and the school community are essential for fostering a positive learning environment. Our family support initiatives are designed to offer resources, guidance, and encouragement to parents and caregivers, enabling them to actively participate in their child’s educational journey.
Open Communication
We prioritise transparent and open communication with families. Our staff is always available to discuss any concerns or questions you may have about your child’s progress, needs, or experiences at school. We encourage regular updates and feedback to ensure that we are working together to support your child. This includes parent coffee mornings with teacher, parents evenings/meetings and headteacher coffee mornings.
Workshops and Information Sessions
We offer workshops and informational sessions on a variety of topics relevant to families. These sessions cover areas such Sensory Integration Speech and Language Therapy Autism Education Trust, Food Therapy.
Transition Support
Transitioning to a new school, between stages of education or moving into adulthood can be a significant time for families. We offer support during these transitions, including guidance on available options for further education, vocational training, and supported living arrangements. Our goal is to help families navigate these changes with confidence and clarity.
Early Help
Many of our families benefit from the support of Early Help, which ranges from respite, housing, to specialist support with children with disabilities/SEN. Please see the description below and the link for further information; St Helens Family Information Directory | What is Early Help?
The purpose of Early Help is to prevent any issues from getting worse by offering support at the right time. Any professionals working with your family, such as those based in schools, health services, and in voluntary sector organisations, can offer Early Help services as soon as they can see that advice, support, and/or intervention may be needed.
*We work with many other Local Authorities. if you would like support accessing Early Help outside of St Helens, please get in contact with one of our Pastoral team.
Contact us
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about our family support services, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.
Our dedicated staff is here to help and support you every step of the way. At Ash Meadow School, we believe that together, we can create a supportive and nurturing environment for our students and their families. Thank you for being an essential part of our school community!
For further information about the school or to request a free copy of any of our policies, please contact us directly.
If you’re unable to reach anyone at the school during the holidays, please contact the us on
01925 759162 or admin@brigthfuturescare.co.uk