Our mission is to build an environment of trust and instill a lifelong love of learning within our active farm community.
We spend a great deal of time outdoors and believe the farm, animals, trees, and fields are central to learning and to the development of the whole child.
Through hands-on exploration and play, we strive to strengthen your child`s self-image as confident and capable learners.
Our teachers create an environment of trust that encourages your child to take chances, develop peer connections, and pursue their natural curiosity with the excitement of teachable moments.
Quick Stats (2025)
- Top Ranked MA School
- School Type: Early Childhood / Day Care
- Grades: Prekindergarten-Kindergarten
- Enrollment: 93 students
- Acceptance rate: 20%
- Average class size: 13 students
- Application Deadline: Dec. 5
- Source: Verified school update
Top Rankings
Apple Orchard School ranks among the top 20% of private schools in Massachusetts for:
Category
Attribute
Acceptance Rate
School Overview
School Type
Religious Affiliation
Grades Offered
Grades Prekindergarten-Kindergarten
ADD/ADHD Support
Yes
Learning Difference Programs
Yes
Year Founded
1971
School Calendar
Campus Size
100
Student Body
Total Students
93 students
Student Body Type
Co-ed
% Students of Color
30%
State avg.: 29%
Students by Grade
Academics and Faculty
Total Classroom Teachers
24 teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
4:1
National avg.: 13:1
Average Class Size
13 students
Classroom Dress Code
Casual
children play outdoors and get dirty
Tuition and Acceptance Rate
Admission Deadline
Dec. 5
% on Financial Aid
25%
Acceptance Rate
20%
National avg.: 81%
Admissions Director
Diana Walcott
School Notes
- We believe preschool children learn best through hands-on exploration and play, which is at the core of our curriculum. Play develops precisely the qualities children need to lead happy, productive lives such as persistence, planning, problem solving, ability to communicate, and capacity to collaborate.
- Play is a primary learning path at Apple Orchard School, and our unique farm environment provides unlimited opportunity for skills learned through play to be applied to classroom foundational learning. At this age, we believe that sitting and having a child count blocks doesn`t compare to jumping from stump to stump while counting, or noticing how many ducks are on a pond one day compared to the next. We want to capitalize on what engages children at this age so that they are excited and interested in learning!
- We use the farm around us not simply because it is available, but also because there is a direct and positive correlation between contact with nature, imaginative play and learning. Both inside and out of the classroom, we do frequent art projects and participate in the exploration of building, estimating, measuring, and structural problem solving in keeping with the trend of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math).
- One parent captured our curriculum focus well stating, "I am thrilled that we have been able to find a preschool for our daughter that elevates play and concrete activities over academic concerns. You don`t pretend to do things, but you really do them. I love it that the kids pick vegetables, collect eggs, and cook snacks together. I think it`s nothing short of fabulous that the children got to watch ducks raised from eggs and set free on the pond."
Source: Verified school update
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the acceptance rate of Apple Orchard School?
The acceptance rate of Apple Orchard School is 20%, which is lower than the national average of 71%. Apple Orchard School's acceptance rate is ranked among the top private schools in Massachusetts with low acceptance rates.
What is Apple Orchard School's ranking?
Apple Orchard School ranks among the top 20% of private schools in Massachusetts for: Lowest average acceptance rates.
When is the application deadline for Apple Orchard School?
The application deadline for Apple Orchard School is Dec. 5.
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The nearest high school, elementary school and preschool to Apple Orchard School is Dexter Southfield School (0.5 miles away)
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School Reviews
5 5/21/2016
All three of our children attended Apple Orchard School and absolutely loved it. It's farm environment offers an unrivaled opportunity for learning and play. For our children, it inspired a lifelong love of school and learning.
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