York House

York House A.R.P. is an additionally resourced provision (ARP) based at St Margaret Clitherow Catholic Primary School specifically for pupils with Speech, Language and Communication Needs with a diagnosis of Autism.  Our aim is to help pupils overcome the obstacles associated with autism so that they can develop their social and communication skills and make academic progress.

Before considering if York House is a suitable school for your child, it is important to outline our criteria.  There is an expectation that children attending York House A.R.P. have some level of functional communication and are able to understand and follow instructions. An ability to pay attention is also a requirement as the children are required to sit and attend to lessons within a group of 16 for up to 15-20 minutes at a time.  Children are supported in class by a teacher and four TAs. The children also need to be able to complete adult led paired activities followed by independent activities. The curriculum follows a formal and semi-formal curriculum personalised to the needs of the children (details of the curriculum can be seen on the curriculum page in this section). National Curriculum subjects such as Literacy, Maths and Topic are taught daily. Within these subjects life skills are also incorporated to promote independence and teach key skills such as managing their own personal care.

Currently the SENDco liaises with SENAS, parents and nurseries regarding admissions to  the York House A.R.P.  The team at York House A.R.P. are also part of this admissions process too by observing and assessing a prospective pupil. During the school visit, the SENDco and York House team will be able to gain a better understanding of your child’s needs and their suitability to York House. You will also be able to ask us questions about York House and will have a tour of the school. The SENDco also visits the child in their current setting and engages in discussions with the staff to ensure a smooth transition for the child.

York House A.R.P.’s school day starts at 9:00am and ends at 3:00pm.  Some pupils are brought to and from school by Brent Transport.

York House A.R.P. currently consists of pupils from Years 1-3. All pupils are following a, 'pathways curriculum'.  There are two main pathways, 'Formal' and 'Informal':

Formal Pathway

-Pupils engage in subject specific learning
-Pupils with a solid foundation of prerequisite skills for acquiring, demonstrating, retaining, and applying learning are able to access subject-specific learning strands in our Formal Provision classes.

 

Informal Pathway

-Our Informal Provision classes aim to cater for pupils needing additional support with developing their learning skills.
-As pupils progress in their learning skills, they continue to access subject-specific learning. Literacy, Mathematics, and other curriculum areas are structured flexibly to address individual student needs.
-Engaging activities tailored to students' interests are used to deliver sessions.
 
Therapeutic input from the Speech and Occupational Therapists is embedded in the teaching and learning of all of the York House pupils.

 

Please note applications for York House A.R.P. are via Brent Council's Special Educational Needs Assessment Service NOT via Brent School Admissions. 

Applying for your SEN child to gain admissions at St Margaret Clitherow Catholic Primary school does not include an automatic place in the York House A.R.P.

 

For further queries about SEN admissions at  York House A.R.P. please contact Mrs Kailou via the school office or via admin@clitherow.brent.sch.uk   

YORK HOUSE ARP IS CURRENTLY OPENED AT HALF CAPACITY TO ACCOMODATE 8 CHIILDREN. FROM SEPTEMBER 2026, THE FULL CAPACITY WILL BE 16.

**Please note there will be no Reception class in September 2026. Please contact Brent SEN Placements for a Reception place in a specialist provision**

Classroom Environment