Ofsted Inspection: 'OUTSTANDING' in all five categories

Offering the Certificate of Steiner Education - GCSE/A‘Levels equivalent qualifications

Click here to view the May 2023 Ofsted report

Education
For Life 6-18 years

Let's start an Adventure

Unique
Child-centred

Let's start an Adventure

Technology
Balanced Approach

Let's start an Adventure

Outdoors
Start your Adventure

Let's start an Adventure

Pupils are exceptionally well motivated
In the lower school, teachers focus on the development of pupils by nurturing their artistic, physical and creative talents. Pupils learn to read quickly. Throughout the school, pupils read with fluency. Pupils with SEND are very well supported.

Ofsted - 2023

Prospective Parents

The Acorn School attracts progressive parents who are highly invested in their children’s schooling and who believe there is more to education than working towards narrow results. Our unique style of education doesn’t include SATs, GCSEs and A ’Levels. We provide an enriching ambitious curriculum for children aged 6 to 18 years, which is balanced with a strong personal development program, in addition, we offer alternative internationally recognised GCSE/A ‘Levels equivalent qualifications.

Prospective parents are warmly invited to visit. If you are interested in finding out more, please don’t hesitate to telephone or email to attend an open morning or to arrange a personal tour.

Find out more
The Headmasters

why choose us

Why Choose Acorn?

An individualised education experience

At Acorn, we treat each child as an individual, ensuring they receive the support and care they require, both academically and pastorally, to realise their true potential.

A curriculum for life

Our curriculum is carefully designed to develop our pupils' intellectual, creative and practical skills and prepare them for an ever-changing world.

A balanced approach to technology

Our balanced approach to technology protects the childhood of our youngest children whilst preparing our eldest students for the modern world.

Alumni

Our Students' Stories

Emily

SuperDry

Connal

Charity Sector

Peter

Orthopaedic Physiotherapist

Lucy

Courtauld Institute of Art

Rafael

Camera Assistant/Data Wrangler

Erin

Creative Writing and Dance

Oscar

Gap Year

Eleanor

Spanish and Russian Languages

Hover over name and click for more details

Come and find out more

VISIT ACORN

Do you have children ready to start their first school adventure, considering their next step into secondary education or are you thinking about a changing your child’s school?

By offering a unique, child-centred approach to education, we provide an inspiring environment so that each child is respected and loved for who they are.

Prospective parents are warmly invited to get in touch to arrange a school tour.

Click here to contact us

Certificate of Steiner Education

Internationally and nationally recognised alternative to GCSEs and A Levels

We believe that offering a broad curriculum up until the age of 18 helps to build confident, balanced and conscientious adults.

In their final years at Acorn, as part of the Certificate of Steiner Education programme (CSE), students choose 2 or 3 elective subjects to study as their academic focus in preparation for the next steps in their learning journey, work and life.

The New Zealand Certificate of Steiner Education (CSE), is an internationally recognised qualification, is similar to the International Baccalaureat (IB) in that students continue to develop their knowledge across a wider range of subjects than the traditional approach of A Levels.

Complimenting this is a strong outdoor education program including mountain walking, mountain biking, climbing, surfing, bushcraft and a host of educational and cultural trips.

Inspiring confident, balanced and conscientious young people

Find out more

The Acorn School

Creating free-thinking young people of insight and integrity who are ready to take their place in the world.

The Acorn School

Celebrating 30 Years

A message from our founder and proprietor, Graeme Whiting

The Acorn School first opened its doors on 16th September 1991. Looking back at our humble beginnings and seeing how far we have come, Sarah and I, as the founders, feel we have much to be proud of. In thirty years, we have gone from early successes and struggles to bringing our vision to fruition in ways beyond what we could have ever anticipated.

Our little school has become a home to a community of visionary parents and their exceptional children, who help to uphold and replenish the Acorn spirit, day by day. In a time of rapid change enabled by technological advancement, we are proud to say that The Acorn School continues to stay true to its founding values and guiding principles.

Our aim is to provide an environment that respects and nurtures our children, and an education that empowers them to become freethinking adults.

My Acorn

Parents - Joanna (Director Heartfelt Care) and Charlie (UN Development Programme)

"Our children have been at The Acorn School for 14 years and the holistic approach to teaching is both broad and flexible allowing them to explore their interests and passions as they grow through the school.

We hugely appreciate the ‘small school, human scale’ education at The Acorn School where the 18-year olds greet the six-year olds by name in the playground. Teachers know and understand each child’s needs and can tailor their learning accordingly. "

Teachers are enthusiastic.
They have excellent subject knowledge and expertise, which inspires the pupils. Leaders are strongly committed to the personal development of their pupils. This is planned both within and beyond the classroom. Leaders focus on the needs of individuals through a group and whole-school approach.

Ofsted - 2023

about us

SOME FACTS

0%

Exam Stress

100%

University Acceptance

50+

Different Universities Attended

1085

Highest peak climbed (m)

My Acorn

Parent - Lauren (I.T. Consultant retraining as an alternative therapist)

"My daughter and I moved from London in August 2016 for her to start in class 1. When I started looking at schools as a follow-on from her Steiner kindergarten, the one I immediately knew was the right school was The Acorn School in Nailsworth. My reasons were the aesthetics of the school buildings, its location in the beautiful hills and surrounding area of the Cotswolds, the workmanship of past graduates proudly shown to me by the then headmaster Graeme Whiting and having the fortune to meet two past young alumni from the school who both came across as well-grounded, confident and free-thinking. This is what both I and her father very much want for our daughter. As parents, we are very supportive of The Acorn's policy on age-appropriate technology and our daughter is flourishing and very happy at her school following its imaginative and creative curriculum with many outdoor activities. "