Acorn School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 30 January 2024

Pupils are at the heart of Acorn School. The school's ambition for pupils to succeed and flourish is exceptional. Pupils overcome many significant challenges because the school enables them to be resilient and persistent when faced with difficulties. Pupils reflect, with a sense of pride and positivity, the impact the school has on them so that they can achieve aspirational future goals. Pupils aspire to reach the high expectations the school has of them, academically, socially and emotionally. They are inspired by the staff that role model these expectations to them. The trusted and highly nurturing relationships between staff and pupils enable pupils to manage the increasing demands placed on them. Pupils feel safe. Many describe how much they value the ability to be themselves and not feel shamed or judged for this. There is a culture of openness and sharing around concerns and worries. As a result, pupils are very well prepared to lead a fulfilling and active life in modern society. Pupils are fully accepting of the diverse needs of their peers. They are encouraged to extend this to diversity and cultural awareness in a much wider sense. Pupils confidently embody tolerance and respect for difference, reflected in one pupil's words: 'I like everyone for who they are. They're human at the end of the day.'

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, there is not enough clarity and specificity of the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn and remember. As a result, pupils do not learn as successfully as they do in other subjects. The school should ensure that the specific knowledge they want pupils to learn is clearly identified, sequenced and then checked so that pupils can practise, consolidate and apply new learning as well as they do in more established areas of the curriculum.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)