Aurora Poppyfield School, Effingham
Aurora Poppyfield School is a special school for pupils aged 11 to 16 in Effingham. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2025.
- Ofsted
- Good (2025)
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Aurora Poppyfield School in detail
Aurora Poppyfield School in its own words
In its own words: "Aurora Poppyfield is a warm and welcoming school for students aged 11 to 16 who experience a range of needs including autism spectrum conditions and associated behaviours, moderate learning difficulties or specific learning difficulties. Our vision is to create an inclusive, welcoming school where all our students can develop and thrive."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other special schools to Aurora Poppyfield School are Elysian, West Horsley (2.9 miles, Good); Fox Grove School (3.6 miles, Outstanding); West Hill School (3.6 miles, Outstanding); and Woodlands School (3.7 miles, Outstanding).
Elysian, West HorsleyFox Grove SchoolWest Hill SchoolWoodlands School
What parents say
14 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Aurora Poppyfield School (as of September 2025): 57% would recommend the school, 57% say their child is happy there and 67% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (79%); the weakest, that their child is happy at the school (57%).
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Aurora Poppyfield School has an education, health and care plan (33 of 33 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bookham Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Church Street (opposite), 150 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 15 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and other theft. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Surrey (76).
Sources: Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Independent school standards
Met all the independent school standards.
- Part 1: quality of educationMet
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementMet
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Aurora Poppyfield School excels at creating a nurturing environment where every child feels understood and valued. Staff are highly ambitious for pupils and provide tailored support to help them develop confidence and resilience while preparing them for their next stage of education. The school prioritises reading and equips pupils with real-life skills they need to stay safe and thrive beyond school.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on building trust and positive relationships with pupils, creating a calm and purposeful learning environment
- Expertly trained staff in phonics and reading, with determination to help every pupil develop essential English skills
- Highly personalised approach to meeting individual social, emotional and academic needs, with robust systems to identify and close knowledge gaps
- Ambitious careers support helping pupils understand future qualifications and keep options open for post-16 education
- Effective behaviour support tailored to each pupil's needs, with school carefully structured to help pupils succeed
Areas for Improvement
- Staff do not always use the most effective teaching methods, which sometimes limits how well pupils learn
- Attendance remains persistently low for some pupils, causing them to fall further behind and hindering their achievement
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff acutely aware of specific risks pupils may encounter and providing bespoke support to keep them safe online and in the real world.
Extracurricular Activities
Lunchtime clubs including hair and beauty and games, school trips and visits, class ambassador roles
Aurora Poppyfield School is a nurturing and inclusive independent special school for pupils aged 11-16 with SEND, rated as Good overall. The school has improved from its previous 'Requires Improvement' rating and provides personalised education in a calm, respectful environment where relationships are central to success.
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
14 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby schools
Keep up with Aurora Poppyfield School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 4
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 2 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Surrey is 13 (the median across 521 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
83%
Available places
33 pupils
40 places
7 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Effingham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Effingham
Across Surrey council
Places available
12,569
Applications
11,986
Got 1st preference
81.3%
Got preferred school
96.2%
All secondary applications across Surrey council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
33
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Aurora Poppyfield School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
33
Total Pupils
26
Boys
7
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Questions parents ask about Aurora Poppyfield School
What is Aurora Poppyfield School's Ofsted rating?
Aurora Poppyfield School was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in May 2025.
Does Aurora Poppyfield School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in May 2025, Aurora Poppyfield School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Aurora Poppyfield School?
Aurora Poppyfield School has around 33 pupils on roll.
Does Aurora Poppyfield School have specialist SEN provision?
Aurora Poppyfield School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Aurora Poppyfield School?
Aurora Poppyfield School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Aurora Poppyfield School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 4 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 2 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Surrey is 13 (the median across 521 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Aurora Poppyfield School?
Aurora Poppyfield School is at Lower Road, Effingham, Effingham, KT24 5JP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)