San Francisco’s school for gifted and twice exceptional 5-12 year olds
Looking for a different education experience? Here’s what our families say about Inner Fire:
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“Our kids love the school. We used to have to drag them out of bed, now they are the ones rushing us to get going. They are both gifted and Inner Fire is the first school ever that they actually want to go to every day.”
Hans & Rebecca, parents of F (6) and J (9)
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“From the very first day, my daughter fell in love with Inner Fire Academy. The mixed-age group classes are masterfully structured to be both challenging and fun, keeping every student fully engaged. Sebastian is an absolute gem—he goes above and beyond to ensure each child's academic and emotional needs are met. This kind of partnership between school and family is what every parent dreams of! Teacher Natalia is equally amazing, bringing a holistic approach to nurturing each child's growth and development. With their unmatched teacher-student ratio, Inner Fire Academy sets the bar incredibly high. I couldn’t recommend it more!”
Yuki, mom of M (8) -
“The combination of individualized pacing and group work has been a great mix for our son. The school really meets kids where they are, getting to know them and support them as individuals while being part of a true community."
Lyrica, mom of K (10)
A School Designed for Exceptional Minds
Inner Fire was built specifically for the gifted population. We take only 8 students per class so we can individualize and accelerate by subject. We don’t teach to grade levels, we meet each student where they are so they’re challenged and engaged. We’re understanding and supportive of neurodivergence.
Our staff are former gifted learners who were once bored in class too—we get it.
2026-27 openings: 2 full-time, 1 part-time
Upcoming virtual open houses:
Tuesday, July 14 4:00-5:00pm
Wednesday, July 22 5:00-6:00pm
Thursday July 30 6:00-7:00pm
Sign up here for a zoom invite. We also offer free trial days to all open house attendees.
OUR DIFFERENCE
5:1 ratio
With only 8 students per lead teacher and a TA, we’re able to give each student direct attention and personalized instruction throughout the entire school day
Individualization
Instead of a one-size-fits-all curriculum that bores the brightest students and stresses others, we tailor work to each learner’s current level for just the right amount of challenge
Teacher Owned
We’re a 100% teacher-led company and we take ownership over every aspect of the experience. It also means we’re lean enough to run on tuition fees without additional fundraising
OUR Values
Curiosity
School can feel like a place to be told what to do and assessed, which kills students’ love of learning.
We focus on the intrinsic joy of building new skills, with your own personal progress as the standard.
Compassion
An environment of loving kindness for ourselves, our peers, our communities, and the world.
We teach appreciation for effort, accomplishment and failure alike, without judgment.
Challenge
We believe kids can achieve far more than the curriculum standards.
Our students are guided to continuously stretch their potential based on ability, not age or grade