Purdy joins Tigers Academy team-mates Harry Wells and Tom Price in the Elite player Squad announced by head coach Rob Hunter.
Purdy, who made his Tigers senior debut in the LV= Cup tie against Saracens this season and enjoyed good form in the Aviva Premiership Rugby ‘A’ league campaign, is one of two changes made by head coach Hunter, who has also called up Harlequins centre Harry Sloan to the 32-man group.
England will be aiming to defend their Under-20 Six Nations title over the next two months before heading to France for the IRB Junior World Championship in June.
Hunter said: “We’ve made a couple of changes to the squad and brought in two guys who have been performing consistently well at their club. Both Harry and Henry are talented players and we’re excited to see what they can bring.
“Our focus at the moment is solely on our own preparation and that first Six Nations game against Scotland in Plymouth. They’ve had a warm-up game and they’ll be coming at us from the first whistle, but we’ve trained well and we’re looking forward to getting out there on February 1.”
England Under-20 Elite Player Squad 2012/13
*Capped at Under 20 level
Forwards
Dominic Barrow (Leeds Carnegie)*
Jack Clifford (Harlequins)*
Luke Cowan Dickie (Exeter Chiefs)*
Max Crumpton (Saracens)*
Matt Hankin (Saracens)
Alec Hepburn (London Wasps)*
Tom Jubb (Saracens)
Ross Moriarty (Gloucester Rugby)
Nathan Morris (London Wasps)*
Tom Price (Leicester Tigers)*
Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins)*
David Sisi (London Irish)*
Scott Spurling (Saracens)*
Elliott Stooke (Gloucester Rugby)*
Harry Wells (Leicester Tigers)
Scott Wilson (Newcastle Falcons)
Backs
Jack Arnott (Exeter Chiefs)
Callum Braley (Bristol Rugby)
Tom Collins (Northampton Saints)
Alex Day (Northampton Saints)*
Ollie Devoto (Bath Rugby)
Nathan Fowles (Sale Sharks)
Sam Hill (Exeter Chiefs)*
Will Hooley (Northampton Saints)
Ben Howard (Worcester Warriors)
Mark Jennings (Sale Sharks)
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs)
Henry Purdy (Leicester Tigers)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)*
Harry Sloan (Harlequins)
Tom Stephenson (Northampton Saints)
Anthony Watson (London Irish)*
