Aurora Poppyfield School, Effingham
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Ofsted Insights
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 - % who strongly agree or agree
Class Sizes
0.0
Avg class size
0
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
83%
Available places
33 pupils
40 capacity
7 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Effingham
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Effingham
Admissions Demand - Surrey
Places available
12,562
Applications
12,278
Got 1st preference
80.6%
Got preferred school
95.3%
Secondary admissions across Surrey (2025/26)
House Prices
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SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
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Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Aurora Poppyfield School
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