How is St. George Academy affiliated with Acton Academy?

St. George Academy is part of the network of over 300 Acton Academies around the world. We follow the same exact Learning Design (curriculum) and learning model that our owners helped create at the original Acton Academy campus.

What years do you offer?

St. George Academy welcomes students aged 5 to 11, offering specialised learning experiences in the Spark Studio for ages 5 to 7 and the Primary Studio for ages 7 to 11.

Where will your school be located?

In central London, just to the south of The Regent's Park, off Great Portland Street.

How long is Acton Academy in session each year?

We operate on an eleven month calendar, but our flexible program allows families to travel together during the year, without sacrificing any learning. Full Calendar available upon request.

What is your tuition?

Our tuition is £23,400 per year or £1,950 per month (x12 installments).

Is the Acton Academy a Montessori school?

We respect and incorporate Maria Montessori’s philosophy but, we are not a Montessori school. We also use the latest interactive technologies, hands on projects and the Socratic Method for discussions.

Is St. George Academy a religious school?

While we expose children to the importance of mindfulness, ethical principles, and the significance of the Judeo-Christian ethic to the development of Western Civilisation, we are not a religious school. We value and respect individual beliefs and are open to people of all faiths and none.

Who was Lord Acton?

Lord John Emerich Edward Dahlberg Acton (1834-1902) was a Victorian scholar who saw liberty not as a licence, but as the freedom to do what was right. He was suspicious of power for the sake of power, which led to his most famous quote: "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." At Acton Academy, we celebrate his defence of economic, political and religious freedom.

What do you mean by a hero's journey?

We believe that each of us has a special calling in life, and a series of trials and tests that must be faced with integrity and purpose, in order to live a satisfying and fulfilled life. Our mission is to prepare your child for his or her special journey.

What is an "independent learner"?

Someone who can research questions, follow instructions, solve problems, admit that they don't know something and figure out a solution when they hit a roadblock without asking an adult for help, participate in discussions, and strive for mastery.

What do you mean by a "running partner"?

Running Partners are classmates who meet together regularly to set goals and hold each other accountable for meeting those goals. Running Partners encourage and inspire each other by asking good questions, listening and providing affirmation.

Will children be grouped into years?

We believe that children learn best when working with children younger and older than themselves rather than split up into groups based solely on age. In addition to individualised curriculum, all ages of students work together in groups.

Does St. George Academy serve special needs children?

We are not trained to serve children with serious learning disabilities but have been able to serve young heroes with dyslexia if they receive special training. We believe that many minor learning disabilities are commonly misdiagnosed.

What do you mean by "every child can change the world"?

We believe each of our students will find a passion - something they love and have a gift to do. They will use this gift to serve others and fulfil a need they are passionate about in the world. For example, this may be by becoming a shoe-shiner who tells stories and makes people's day just by doing his job with love and vigour; it may be by becoming a coach who sees the light in a child's eyes and guides him or her to pursue a dream; it may be by becoming a father or mother who leads a family on a Hero's Journey; it may be becoming an entrepreneur or business leader guided by compassion and integrity; or it may be by becoming an artist or writer who brings beauty to people's lives.

What does an average school day look like?

Our learning time is broken into morning Socratic discussions, core skills time, collaborative learning quests, civilisation discussions, writers workshops, and free time. Multiple outside breaks are an important part of each day. Using the incredible eLearning tools now available, we are able to provide the rigour needed for learning maths, vocabulary, spelling, and grammar in about 90 minutes each day, while freeing up the rest of the day for engaging, project-based collaborative learning.

Is St. George Academy right for my child?

What makes St. George Academy different?

Are you accredited?

Yes. We are accredited by the International Association of Learner-Driven Schools (IALDS) and by the Independent Schools Association (ISA).

Why a 'Learner Driven' Classroom?

At SGA we encourage learners to take responsibility for their own behaviour and hold those around them to a high standard. When something isn't working, we want them to work together to solve the problem, not look for an adult to solve it for them. This creates a sense of independence and confidence that will serve them well in all areas of life.

How do you assess and monitor learning progress?

Learners take part in mastery based learning and work toward goals specified on their personalised learning plans. Their SMART goals and academic progress are tracked and fully accessible to parents. Individualised self reflections are shared with parents in multiple "journey meetings" throughout the year and include the learner, his/her Guide, and the learner's parents.

Learners use the following to track their progress:

- A daily/weekly goal tracker
- A badge system (to track mastery and progression of skills)
- A digital portfolio
- Presentations to classmates and/or family/community members

Parents can review academic progress by accessing our "Journey Tracker", which is the application through which our learners track their goals and progress. In addition, exhibitions at the end of most Quests allow young heroes to present their work to parents.

How much time is spent on computers?

Our blended learning model allows each child to spend a small portion of the school day working on core academic work that is matched to his or her ability. This equates to approximately 90 minutes, or less, per day, for most learners, depending on the Studio they are in. A personalised learning plan along with weekly and daily goal setting helps direct this time. Additionally, learners may access their computers in order to conduct research or to write during group and individual projects.

Is it really possible for students to complete core skills in only 90 minutes each day?

Yes, it is! A huge amount of time is wasted in traditional education because of low level disruption and distractions, disengaged students, and inefficient learning methods. SGA approaches learning radically different from the traditional model of a one-size-fits-all lecture, with passive students who are required to move at the same pace as the rest of the class. Using a learner driven model, we allow each individual to set their own goals, choose learning platforms that work for them, and provide a consistent atmosphere of reward and accountability.

What is the homework policy?

We do not set homework. However, many of our learners set their own ambitious goals and, in turn, may choose to supplement their classroom learning with learning or work on a project about which they are passionate at home. Reading for pleasure is always encouraged!

Will you prepare my teenager for university?

Our promise at SGA is to have learners well prepared for any selective university, enabling them to score high enough on any standardised admittance test. Once over the test-taking barrier at the university of your learner's choice, their portfolio and critical thinking skills will provide a significant advantage during the application and interviewing process. Most importantly, learners are well prepared to shine in the real world, whether they choose to go to university full time, part time or not at all.

How do you ensure a high quality learning environment?

Deep at the core of SGA is our commitment to serving customers and receiving transparent feedback. Because of this, we ask families to participate in regular Satisfaction Surveys, where we ask them to rate us on how well we accomplished our promises, and offer us feedback. We then share the results with the community.

How are parents expected to be involved?

We believe parents are the most influential adults in any child's educational journey, and we exist to empower and reinforce that relationship. Parents, learners, and Guides will work together throughout the year to set appropriate learning plans and goals. Parents are asked to be involved in our Exhibition gatherings every 6 weeks where the learners showcase all of their academic progress in Core Skills and Quest projects. We offer many community building events throughout the year for families, and parents are welcomed and encouraged to participate.

Do you offer drama, art and music?

Yes! From musical theatre to Shakespeare, glow-in-the-dark contemporary painting to making music with ukuleles, boomwhackers, and paint buckets, learners experience varied and unique drama, art and music experiences.

Do you offer team sports?

Yes! We embrace a deep commitment to physical fitness and overall health awareness. Learners explore a variety of physical activities ranging from football, rugby, cricket, golf, track and field, hiking, dance, and rock climbing, and we strongly support good sportsmanship and teamwork. Many of our students also participate in a wide variety of local sporting leagues.

What is the school motto?

The motto of SGA is 'Fortis Cadere, Cedere non Potest', which means "the brave may fall, but cannot yield". Being a Hero on a Hero's Journey is all about learning from mistakes; or in the words of Winston Churchill - "Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm."