More About The Sunningdale Academy

How We Got Here

My mother (pictured third from left) grew up in the south of the USA and later settled in the UK. Her childhood played a large part in her decision to teach social skills and etiquette classes to young children later on in life.

A lot has changed in the world since her childhood and since she taught her classes over 20 years ago in London. However, a lot hasn’t changed.

Although I have rebranded, revived and expanded her courses to make them relevant to children and teenagers today, I have been sure to keep the essence of what the original courses were all about: honesty, having respect for others and putting others at ease.

These skills are timeless and will always stand out.

Hi, I’m Zoe Birri, the founder of The Sunningdale Academy. I founded The Sunningdale Academy in 2017 to revive the courses taught by my mother 20 years ago in London. We started our journey in Sunningdale, Berkshire, but have since expanded to other locations in the UK, including Surrey, Hertfordshire and London.

Although etiquette is one of our areas of focus, we are not a finishing school or an etiquette school. We look at a range of relevant and timeless skills that we all need, no matter who we are or where we come from. We teach these skills in a focused environment for children, with a range of leading specialists. We provide a fun, activity based and safe environment for children to learn in.

I believe that learning certain skills at a young age sets us up for achievement in our social, academic and professional lives.