Little Acorns School, Tenterden

Special
Other independent special school
Mixed
Ages 516

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Graham Richards
Pupils:27 / 54 capacity
LA:Kent
Phone:01233850422
Address:London Beach Farm, Ashford Road, Tenterden, TN30 6SR
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:4 May 1999

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 10 months ago
-

Overall

Inspected 5 November 2025View full report
URN:131810
UKPRN:10034021
Diocese:Not applicable
Constituency:Weald of Kent
Urban/Rural:Smaller rural: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

Little Acorns School specialises in supporting pupils with special educational needs and those who have had negative experiences in previous settings. The school excels at building pupils' confidence and self-esteem through a carefully designed curriculum that includes both academic subjects and practical skills training. Staff receive ongoing training and use personalised teaching strategies to help each pupil succeed.

Key Strengths

  • Effective support for pupils with special educational needs and emotional and mental health needs
  • Well-trained staff with appropriate subject expertise and strong use of personalised teaching strategies
  • Robust safeguarding practices with thorough staff training and diligent record-keeping
  • Strong focus on pupils' personal development and building self-esteem, especially for those with negative previous school experiences
  • Comprehensive curriculum including practical qualifications in catering, animal care, music and creative arts

Safeguarding

Safeguarding practice is effective, with all staff trained to identify and report concerns, transparent record-keeping, and appropriate referrals to the Local Authority Designated Officer.

Extracurricular Activities

Sports activities, educational trips, GROWTH personal development programme, awards in catering, animal care, creative arts, music, construction, hospitality, personal growth and well-being

Little Acorns School currently educates pupils aged 5-15 and is applying to expand its age range to 16, increase pupil numbers, and introduce secondary qualifications including GCSEs and personal development awards.

At a Glance

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Class Sizes

0.0

Avg class size

0

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Bus Stops

Shoreham Lane (opp)
850m · 14 min walk
The Chennells (opp)
1.3km · 21 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

50%

Available places

27 pupils

54 capacity

27 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - Tenterden

Low pressure
New homes approved:310
Projected new pupils:56

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Tenterden

Admissions Demand - Kent

Low demand0.94x oversubscription

Places available

19,410

Applications

18,281

Got 1st preference

80.6%

Got preferred school

96.5%

Secondary admissions across Kent (2025/26)

Inspection History(14)

5 November 2025
29 August 2024
7 November 2023

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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