The Acorns School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 12 September 2023

The Acorns is a welcoming and nurturing school. Pupils join at different times during their secondary education. Many pupils have had poor educational experiences prior to joining this school. They said that they feel well supported by the school. The school has high expectations for all pupils' achievement. Most pupils meet these expectations by achieving well. Pupils are happy and feel safe. They reported that the small size of the school helps them to get to know each other well. They learn about understanding differences between people. Most pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. The school has effective ways of managing challenging behaviour. Staff help pupils who struggle to behave well to calm down and settle back into their work. The school ensures that pupils experience a range of activities, which include support for positive mental health. Pupils benefit from a range of experiences, such as bowling, football and outdoor learning. These activities help them to develop their self-esteem. Pupils spoke enthusiastically about a recent debating competition and raising money for charity.

What the school should improve

• In a small number of subjects, the school has not identified clearly enough what knowledge it wants pupils to acquire. As a result, pupils do not learn some of the building blocks that are essential for future learning. The school should ensure that in these subjects, it carefully sets out the knowledge that it wants pupils to learn and remember.

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