Acorns School is an independent special school in Stockport for children and young people aged 5 to 17.
- Ages 5–17
- 33 pupils
- Ofsted report card (2026)
School details
- Type
- Independent special school
- Ages
- 5 to 17
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 33 (places for 56)
- Headteacher
- Ms Paula Tankard (Headteacher)
- Opened
- 5 June 1998
- Council
- Stockport
- School reference (URN)
- 131551
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places at schools like this usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask questions
See whether the school feels right and whether it can meet your child’s needs. Our list of questions below can help.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Stockport council) that this is the school you want, and ask them to consult it.
- An offer, and the council’s agreement
As an independent school not approved under Section 41, it doesn’t have to accept a place: the school has to offer one, and the council has to agree to name it in the plan.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Report card, April 2026: Needs attention in 4 of 6 areas
Inspected in April 2026 under Ofsted’s new report cards, which grade each area separately, from Exceptional to Urgent improvement, instead of one overall grade.
- InclusionNeeds attention
- Curriculum and teachingNeeds attention
- AchievementNeeds attention
- Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
- Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
- Leadership and governanceNeeds attention
- SafeguardingMet
Independent school standards: did not meet all standards.
Contact and getting there
19b Hibbert Lane, Marple, Stockport, SK6 7NN
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Rose Hill Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 0.5 miles
- Windlehurst School Special school · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted: Good 0.9 miles
- Marple Hall School Mainstream + base · Ages 11–16 · Ofsted: Good 1.0 mile
By need in Stockport: Autism (14) · Severe learning (14) · Speech and language (10) · Moderate learning (10) · PMLD (8) · SEMH (6) · Vision (6) · Multi-sensory (6) · Physical (6) · Dyslexia and SpLD (5) · Hearing (5)
Questions about Acorns School
How do I get a place at Acorns School?
There’s no catchment area or application round. Places usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult Acorns School. As an independent school not approved under Section 41, it has to offer a place and the council has to agree to name it.
What ages does Acorns School take?
Aged 5 to 17, boys and girls.
What is Acorns School’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is Acorns School?
19b Hibbert Lane, Marple, Stockport, SK6 7NN, in Stockport.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.