Little Acorns School, Tenterden
Little Acorns School is a special school for pupils aged 5 to 16 in Tenterden. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2023. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2023)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Little Acorns School in detail
Who goes there
Almost every pupil at Little Acorns School has an education, health and care plan (27 of 27 in 2026).
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Tenterden Town Rail Station (KESR), about 1.8 miles away in a straight line.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 19 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Kent (101).
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 11 months agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Safeguarding: effective
Independent school standards
Met all the independent school standards.
- Part 1: quality of educationMet
- Part 2: pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural developmentMet
- Part 3: welfare, health and safetyMet
- Part 4: suitability of staff and proprietorsMet
- Part 5: premises and accommodationMet
- Part 6: information for parentsMet
- Part 7: handling of complaintsMet
- Part 8: leadership and managementMet
Ofsted also found the school was not keeping to the terms of its registration (for example its age range or pupil numbers).
Source: Ofsted, non-association independent schools inspections and outcomes (Open Government Licence)
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2025 inspection report.
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
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby school
Latest from Little Acorns School
Policies
29 Sep 2026
Curriculum
28 Sep 2026
Meet our team
16 Sep 2026
Little Acorns School - SEMH School Kent - Tenterden
16 Sep 2026
Term Time - Little Acorns School - SEMH School Kent - Tenterden
30 Jul 2026
Join us
9 Jun 2026
From Little Acorns School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with Little Acorns School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 6
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 4 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Kent is 11 (the median across 711 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
50%
Available places
27 pupils
54 places
27 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Tenterden
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Tenterden
Across Kent council
Places available
19,539
Applications
18,644
Got 1st preference
78.9%
Got preferred school
96.2%
All secondary applications across Kent council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(14)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
0
SEN Support
27
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Little Acorns School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
27
Total Pupils
24
Boys
3
Girls
2026 academic year
Feeder Primary Schools
Primary schools that likely feed into this school, based on proximity
Little Acorns School
Questions parents ask about Little Acorns School
What is Little Acorns School's Ofsted rating?
Little Acorns School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2023, it was rated Good.
Does Little Acorns School meet the independent school standards?
At its most recent standard inspection, in November 2023, Little Acorns School met all the independent school standards.
How many pupils go to Little Acorns School?
Little Acorns School has around 27 pupils on roll.
Does Little Acorns School have specialist SEN provision?
Little Acorns School is not approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
How do I apply to Little Acorns School?
Little Acorns School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Little Acorns School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 4 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 1 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Kent is 11 (the median across 711 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Little Acorns School?
Little Acorns School is at London Beach Farm, Ashford Road, Tenterden, Kent, TN30 6SR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)