PACE ACADEMY · NORTH CHESTERFIELD, VIRGINIA
A school children love walking into.
Pace is a school for children ages 4 to 16, set on fifteen acres of forest. Learners belong to small, mixed-age studios led by Guides who know each child well.
Why children like it here.
Pace Academy is a school where every child is known by name, seen for who they are, and trusted to take the lead in their own learning. Here, children discover what they love, grow in confidence and character, and feel deeply valued along the way.
Every child has a spark waiting to be discovered, ignited, and fueled. Our job is to help them on their unique journey.
“As a parent, this is a huge part of why I chose Pace.”
— A Discovery Studio Guide and Pace parent, after nine years teaching in public schools
A day in the studio.
Watch a learner-driven studio at work. The film comes from Acton Academy, the network Pace belongs to, and shows the model our Guides and learners follow.
A day in a learner-driven studio, from Acton Academy.
Five studios, from ages four to sixteen.
Learners advance when they are ready, whatever their age or grade. Younger children learn from older ones, and older children learn to lead.
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Spark 1
Ages 4–6 · Montessori
Montessori classrooms led by certified Guides, with hands-on materials and long, unhurried work periods.
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Spark 2
Ages 6–9 · Montessori
Montessori mastery continues alongside friendship, cooperation and the habits of independent work.
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Discovery
Ages 9–12
Core skills in the morning, and collaborative projects in arts, science and history after lunch.
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Explorer
Ages 12–14
Complex real-world challenges, with the freedom to try, stumble and try again.
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Launchpad
Ages 14–16 (growing to 18)
Apprenticeships and professional collaborations within a four-year plan built around each learner’s goals.
Time outdoors, and a Guide who notices.
Every week includes extended time outside. Pace is a TimberNook Certified school, and Spark learners follow the TimberNook nature-play curriculum, with ample space, natural loose parts and time enough for deep play.
Studios stay small, with an average of fewer than ten learners to each Guide. A Guide notices when a child is stuck, and when a child is ready for more, and writes to families each week.
Learning beyond the classroom.
The world is our classroom. From debating a live bill in the Virginia State Senate to measuring biodiversity at Pocahontas State Park, learners connect ideas with real experiences. Each session ends with an Exhibition of Learning, where they share their discoveries with families.
A school for families who choose differently.
Choosing Pace means choosing a different path for your child. The families who thrive here are comfortable being independent, trust children with real responsibility, and understand that struggle is part of learning. Pace is also a partnership, and the model works best when families and school share the same vision for the child.
Pace may feel like a good fit if you want:
a Guide who coaches rather than lectures, with learners measured by mastery and their own growth
a school that values curiosity, character, and ownership as much as academic pace
a child who learns to work through challenges, with support from their Guide and family
a community that grows with you and shares your vision
Pace may feel less natural if you are hoping for:
teacher-led lessons, letter grades, and class rankings
homework, test preparation, and a fast academic pace as the main measure of a good school
a school where parents step in when a child struggles, since the model depends on children working through challenges with support from their Guide and family
intensive specialized services for a serious learning disability, which Pace is not set up to provide
Not sure which side you fall on? We would be glad to talk it through. Studio Experience Week also lets you and your child find out together.
Admission.
Pace is now enrolling for 2027–28. Admission begins with a visit, followed by an application, conversations with current families and Studio Experience Week, five days in the studio your child would join. Studios are kept small, and seats are limited.
Tuition for 2027–28 is $14,500, paid in ten monthly payments.
Visit Pace.
Visits are by appointment. Parents are welcome to come first on their own, and to bring their child afterward.