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The Aquinas Centre

The recently opened Aquinas centre welcomed its first Year 7 cohort of six EHCP students in September 2026. Students placed by the local authority within the Aquinas Centre, have a primary need of ASD on their EHCP and will spend the majority of their time in mainstream lessons whilst also receiving specialist support from trained staff and HTLAs. They will also have access to some small group learning and therapy sessions, as well as a calm setting to which they can retreat. Students placed in the Aquinas Centre will have the academic potential to achieve at least seven GCSEs or equivalent Level 2 qualifications.

Admissions

Places in the Aquinas Centre are limited; if you are considering the Aquinas Centre for your child, please have a conversation directly with your case worker and your primary school SENCo about suitability. Surrey SEND will have to agree to consult for a centre placement, it is of paramount importance that parents working with their caseworker ensure the EHCP is up to date and reflective of the level of need when they do.

We have clear entry requirements for the Aquinas Centre. This is to ensure that we are the most appropriate setting for your child, one in which your child can thrive. During the consultation stage with Surrey, we will be using the following criteria to determine suitability.

  • Currently have an EHCP 
  • The CYP’s priority need is currently identified as Autism 
  • The CYP has a level of anxiety that means they require additional autism specific support   
  • The cognitive ability to access the mainstream curriculum is broadly in line with their peers – must be working at NC Year 5 or higher (particularly in English, Reading, Maths and Science) with the expectation they will sit at least 7 GCSEs or equivalent level 2 qualifications. Our approach to scaffolding in mainstream lessons is dependent on this.
  • The student has the capacity to benefit from a mainstream environment (with an expectation of 70% or better in mainstream classes, following significant targeted support) 
  • Historic success of working alongside peers in a mainstream classroom environment. 
  • Support needs would normally be no more than 1:3 (staff to student - on average) in all mainstream sessions (in classes of 30-33 students). 
  • Can take full responsibility for their own personal care and hygiene (ie. does not require support with toileting / getting changed for PE etc.) 
  • Does not pose a risk to any other students or themselves and has no history of violent outbursts against students and staff. 

Once the consultations have been returned, we will work with the Surrey SEND Admissions team to finalise the places offered. St John the Baptist School is not the Admissions Authority for places in the Aquinas Centre. For all details, information and advice on the admissions process please visit the Surrey County Council website:

Surrey SEND Information for ParentsSurrey SEND Admissions.

Adaptations to the student’s timetables will be at the discretion of the SEND transition team; typically in Year 7 Aquinas students may not study languages, computing or take part in whole class reading lessons to provide flexibility in their timetable to accommodate interventions. The experienced team working at SJB deliver the majority of interventions in house. Where this isn’t possible, we work with Surrey who provide EP, SALT and OT services if required. 

Students should also be receptive to starting their day earlier and finishing slightly later in order to allow staff to brief them for the day ahead and discuss their learning or address concerns. 

Eligible students must also be capable of navigating the large school site independently after a period of Year 7 settling e.g. Capable of navigating to the school canteen for a snack and back to lunch club in the Aquinas centre.