Abingdon House School and College

Since 2018, Tanya Moran, maths and science graduate from Canada. She taught in New Zealand for six years then came to London where she taught at the Harrodian for 11 years including six years as deputy head, when she also got involved in setting up

Children join at all times of the year, ‘though ideally at the beginning of a term or half term or even better at the beginning of the year’. The first stage is to send in specialist reports. If school feels they can meet the needs, child attends for

When pupils made good progress they used to move on to mainstream maintained or gentle independent schools at 16. However, the transition was a worrying time, so school introduced the 16+ curriculum. Some leave for further education colleges -

All pupils have a range of comorbid difficulties - some 65 per cent have autism listed within their diagnoses and half of the children have a specific learning difficulty - dyslexia, dyspraxia or ADHD. Some with social communication difficulties, but

Caters for pupils with a variety of needs, including autism, specific learning difficulties, e.g. dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD, social communication difficulties and other associated needs.

Arty activities are notable, according to one parent, who said, ‘One of the strengths of the school for my son is the quality art and music and drama teaching that goes on and was not available at other schools we visited.’ They have started the Arts

Two tiny playgrounds and a gym useful for short break times or sensory circuits, but for sport pupils either go to Regent's Park or use the local play area. ‘Just the walk to the park is good exercise for my son,’ one parent said. Many on the autism

Speech and language therapists (two part-time and one full-time), three occupational therapists and one physiotherapist are all based at the school and able to integrate therapies within the pupils’ day either by seeing them individually or in

Each morning starts either with a wellbeing session - where they do a joint activity to transition from home to school (walking the school dog, mindfulness, sensory circuit) - or with twice-weekly PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies)

Three-quarters of pupils have an ECHP, the rest are privately funded. The mix should help create a diverse demographic but some parents joined the school funding privately and then applied for the EHCP to support the child staying at the school -

Support from the Cavendish Group provides a buffer as Abingdon House grows to full capacity and it also gives parents a sense of financial security. Expensive fees not necessarily apparent in the building or facilities but include all therapies and

A small and calm environment which parents call ‘happy, warm and supportive’ with experienced and SEN-qualified teachers allowing the pupils, who are mostly fairly high functioning with few behavioural issues, to learn well. Mental health and