Abingdon House School / Purley Senior School / Admissions Purley

Admissions Purley

See our prospectus

We understand how important it is to choose the right school for your child, especially when they have Special Educational Needs. If you think that Abingdon House School, Purley may be the right place for your child, please enquire about Admissions by completing our online enquiry form.

You can also call the school to speak to our Admissions Administrator, Liz Clarke: 0208 092 2080, or send us an email to info@ahspurley.com.

Criteria for admission to Abingdon House School, Purley

Our aim is to deliver a mainstream style of provision with a specialist approach. Students are likely to have a range of neurodiverse needs but will have the potential to progress in line with typically developing peers.

We cater for pupils aged 11-17 years old with a diagnosis of autism spectrum conditions; specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia and dyspraxia; ADHD; social communication difficulties and other associated needs. Abingdon House School, Purley is appropriate for students with or without EHC Plans, as well as students who are privately or Local Authority funded, with each application being considered individually.

Teaching and therapy will focus on reducing the barriers to learning that students experience, whilst promoting academic attainment, confidence as a learner and the development of personal qualities and independence. Students will follow an adapted national curriculum, utilising specialist learning spaces and will work towards a variety of GCSE and equivalent qualifications at Key Stage 4. Teaching staff will represent a broad range of specialisms; ensuring that our curriculum is rich in subject specific knowledge, skills and vocabulary.

The school is not able to cater for pupils whose primary presenting need is behavioural. This includes demand avoidance (PDA/EDA) and pupils requiring an ABA-specific approach. These needs require specific support and structures that are outside of our mainstream-style provision. We follow the National Curriculum and are unable to support students who require support below this level (such as P Scales).

Procedure for Admission

Our process for Admissions is as follows:

Fill in our admissions request form (this is also linked above).
Provide the school with all specialist reports and EHCPs where applicable.
Our experienced Admissions team will read your child’s paperwork to determine whether we are a suitable placement.
If we believe we may be the right provision for the young person, an assessment will be set up (this would, where possible, consist of an observation at their current school and a trial day within the School).
From time to time, our team may deem it necessary to conduct some further assessments of your child.

Enrolment is year-round, which means that we can consider students at any point in the year. We always aim, where possible, to have students start at school at the beginning of a half or full term. All parents must be in agreement of their child attending Abingdon House School, Purley before we would offer a place, as a close working relationship between parents/carers and school is essential.

FAQs

Do you have open days?

We do not have open days at AHSP.

Can I take a school tour?

Yes, we host regular group tours for prospective parents/carers – we can host up to four families at a time Tours are normally on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.

Please be aware that due to demand, there is a slight delay in tours. Please email info@ahspurley.com to join the school tour waitlist. You can also view a video tour of our school here.

What paperwork do you need?

In addition to the completed enquiry form, it would be a great help if you could provide any paperwork relating to your child’s education and needs with your application, including:

Their EHCP
Speech & language therapy assessments, dated within two years
Occupational therapy assessments, dated within two years
Educational psychologist report, dated within two years
Any other relevant professional reports
Recent school reports

We understand that you may not have all of the above – that is okay! Provide as much information as you can to accurately reflect your child’s needs.

What ages or year groups do you cater to?

AHSP caters to students aged 11-17, year groups 7-11.

Is AHSP co-ed?

Yes, AHSP is a co-ed school. Our ratio of boys to girls is around 65:35.

What kinds of needs does AHSP cater to?

AHSP supports young people who have the potential to progress academically in line with their neurotypical peers, but for whom barriers to learning have prevented success in a mainstream setting. Our students have a range of special educational needs, including but not limited to:

Autism
ADHD
Dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia and other specific learning difficulties
Speech, language and communication needs
Social, emotional and mental health needs
Other learning differences or difficulties

What needs does AHSP not cater to?

We are not the right school for students whose primary needs are behavioural, require an ABA therapeutic approach, or who are not able to access the national curriculum.

How can I contact the Admissions team?

You can call the school to speak to our Admissions Administrator, Liz Clarke: 0208 092 2080, or send us an email to info@ahspurley.com.

If you want to apply for a place, you can do so through our admissions request form.

When can I expect to hear back from the AHSP admissions team?

We endeavour to respond to enquiries within three working days, though we do prioritise enquiries relating to urgent placements and tribunals. Please specify in the subject line if your enquiry is about an emergency placement or tribunal.

Does my child need an EHCP to attend AHSP?

No. While most of our students have EHCPs, it is not a requirement. We welcome private-paying families and those who do not yet have a finalised EHCP.

My child’s EHCP is out of date, what can I do?

We appreciate old EHCPs do not always reflect the current needs of students. Please include as many details in your application as possible to explain anything you feel has changed since the last EHCP was completed. Reports from previous schools, therapist assessments, doctor’s feedback and CAMHS reports can all be helpful supporting evidence for this.

When can my child start at AHSP?

We accept admissions year-round, though we try to have children start at the beginning of a term or half-term where possible.

How many students per class?

Each class has around ten students.

Do you accept students for boarding?

We are a day school, we don’t have any boarding places.

Is the admissions process different if I pay privately?

No – we follow the same process for all prospective students, including the requested paperwork.

Do you have a school bus/offer transportation for students?

No. If you are unable to organise transport and your child is unable to travel independently, you should speak with your Local Authority to organise transport.

Is there a wait list for AHS admissions?

We have a wait list for some classes, but we advise that families look at alternate options if your child is transitioning between Key Stages (ie moving into Y7, Y10).