The centre is to be run by the school with staff receiving specialist training from the National Autistic Society (NAS). It is the second of four purpose-built centres that the NAS and Surrey County Council are opening within secondary schools in the area.
The idea is that students will spend the majority of their time in mainstream classes, with support from centre staff, but they will be able to retreat to the calm environment of the centre if ever they become overwhelmed.
The facilities include gym equipment, a kitchen area, ICT facilities and space to sit, relax or work.
The plans to open four centres across Surrey are being supported with funding from the Cullum Family Trust. Another centre opened at Salesian School in October and others are being developed at Hinchley Wood School and Howard of Effingham School.
The staff at each centre will provide up to 20 autistic students with specialist support. They will be able to access additional academic support and other services, including occupational and speech and language therapies when needed.
There are currently four students attending the centre at Rodborough, an 11 to 16 comprehensive school, including Harvey, 12, who helped to open the facility last month.
More than 1 in 100 people in the UK are on the autism spectrum, including around 1,500 students in Surrey, and the vast majority of them attend mainstream schools.
Children on the autism spectrum are often hypersensitive to things like light and sound so can struggle to learn, or may feel physical pain, in overly bright or noisy classrooms.
Matthew Armstrong-Harris, headteacher at Rodborough, said: “Although we only admitted our first students last term, they are already thriving and making a valuable contribution to school life. The centre is developing as a calm and purposeful addition to the school and is allowing us to start to develop different and innovative approaches to fully support the learning of pupils with specific needs.”