Private School

Bentley School

#1 Best Private K-12 Schools in Contra Costa County

grade A+
Overall Grade
Private
K-12
LAFAYETTE, CA
Rating 4.2 out of 5 129 reviews

Apply Now Virtual Tour

A+

Overall Niche Grade

How are grades calculated?Data Sources

Academics
grade A+
Diversity
grade A
Teachers
grade A
College Prep
grade A+
Clubs & Activities
grade A
Sports
grade B

bentleyschool.org

(510) 843-2512

1000 UPPER HAPPY VALLEY RD
LAFAYETTE, CA 94549

About Bentley School...

Applying

Application Deadline

January 9

Application Fee

$100

Interview Required

Yes

Required/Recommended Tests

Tuition

Yearly Tuition

$52,950

Tuition is for the highest grade offered and may have changed for the current school year. For more information, please contact the school.

Received Financial Aid

30%

Average Financial Aid

$26,000

From Bentley School

Celebrating 103 years of excellence in learning, Bentley is a K-12 co-ed, independent day school with beautiful campuses in Oakland (K-8) & Lafayette (9-12).

From kindergarten to the threshold of college, Bentley students enjoy transformative learning leading to lives of purpose and success. With teachers, mentors, advisors, and coaches who value a balance of intellect and character, students participate in unique academic, service, leadership, arts, athletics, and other opportunities, encouraging one another to become their best selves.

Visit our website and school to learn more about Bentley's K-12 program. We look forward to meeting you and learning more about the talents and aspirations you and your child may bring to the Bentley community.

Upcoming Events

Lower and Middle School Open House (Grades K-8)
December 2, 9:30 am
1 Hiller Drive, Oakland, CA 94618
View Event Description
Come and learn about our program and approach at Bentley School. Hear directly from teachers, administrators, and students about the Bentley experience. Each session includes the opportunity to participate in exciting classroom demonstrations put on by our talented faculty. Parents/guardians and their students to attend.
Upper School Phoenix Day (Grades 9-12)
December 6, 9:00 am
1000 Upper Happy Valley Road, Lafayette, CA 94549
View Event Description
Observe and participate in a morning in the life of a Bentley student on our Lafayette campus. Participate in a demo lesson and hear from current students as they go about their school day. Spaces are limited, and registration is required through Ravenna Hub (after September 1.)

View All Upcoming Events

Bentley School Rankings

Niche ranks nearly 100,000 schools and districts based on statistics and millions of opinions from students and parents.

See All Bentley School Rankings

Academics

Average Graduation Rate

100%

Average SAT

1330

130 responses

Average ACT

86 responses

Niche College Admissions Calculator

Popular Colleges

Niche users from this school are most interested in the following colleges.

grade A+
University of California - Los Angeles
93 Students
grade A+
University of Southern California
65 Students
grade A+
University of California - Berkeley
60 Students
grade A
University of California - Davis
51 Students
grade A+
University of California - San Diego
49 Students
grade A+
New York University
47 Students
grade B+
University of California - Santa Cruz
47 Students
grade A minus
Loyola Marymount University
44 Students
grade A+
University of California - Santa Barbara
44 Students
grade A+
Stanford University
39 Students

More About Bentley School Academics

Mini-Term

Mini-term is a unique and exciting component of the Bentley experience. It is a highly-valued time in our community when students slow down and engage deeply in an area of interest to expand their ways of learning, take risks by experiencing something new, and challenge their ways of thinking through experiential and creative learning.

Learn More

Culture & Safety

Poll

76%

of students agree that they feel safe at their school. 17 responses

Poll

65%

of students agree that they like their school and feel happy there. 17 responses

Poll

What are your favorite school events or traditions?

Based on 66 responses

Mini-Term
21%
Bentley Fest
17%
Spirit Night
15%
Sports
12%
Our school is not very social or spirited.
9%
Prom
9%
Spirit Week
8%

Students

Diversity

Based on racial and economic diversity and survey responses on school culture and diversity from students and parents.

Students

680

67%

of students and parents agree that students at this school are competitive. 18 responses

94%

of students and parents agree that students at this school are creative and artsy. 18 responses

44%

of students and parents agree that students at this school are athletic. 18 responses

Teachers

Student-Teacher Ratio

6:1

National

17:1

Poll

91%

of students and parents agree that the teachers give engaging lessons. 22 responses

Poll

91%

of students and parents agree that the teachers genuinely care about the students. 22 responses

Poll

91%

of students and parents agree that the teachers adequately lead and control the classroom. 22 responses

Map

Homes For Sale

View Nearby Homes

Clubs & Activities

Based on student and parent reviews of clubs and activities.

Girls Athletic Participation

Very High

Boys Athletic Participation

High

75%

of students and parents agree that there are plenty of clubs and organizations for students to get involved in. 24 responses

58%

of students and parents agree that clubs and organizations get the funding they need. 24 responses

67%

of students and parents agree that lots of students participate in clubs and organizations. 24 responses

Overall Niche Grade

How are grades calculated?Data Sources

Cost of Living
grade D+
Good for Families
grade A+
Housing
grade C

Median Household Income

$192,546

National

$69,021

Median Rent

$2,739

National

$1,163

Median Home Value

$1,606,400

National

$244,900

Bentley School Reviews

129 reviews

While there are many great schools in the area, we chose Bentley Upper School for our teen because the students as a whole are exceptionally kind and generous towards each other. We see how they support each other. That is a subtle but important difference. The school also promotes art, music, theater and debate. They have well respected academic programs. They also are expanding the athletic program with a dynamic new athletic director. Our son has found mentors for his interests, a passion for debate, runs Varsity XC, participates in student government, and keeps active with clubs and friends. He also wants to go to school! Teachers and faculty are the ones who bring the quality of their experiences so that is something that the school needs mindful attention. Niche schools such as Bentley should continue to re-invent from their traditions and frame their value to a wider community. Here you can be an artist, scholar, athlete and a caring person too.

Review Bentley School

We are new to Bentley this year - our eldest son is in Kindergarten - and so far we have had a fantastic experience. Our son comes home every day happy and chattering about all he learned at school. His writing and drawing have taken off and he’s very engaged. The school has provided a great mix of both challenging him academically and also supporting him socially and emotionally during a big transition year. The kindergarten teachers are wonderful and real pros, striking a great balance between being nurturing and fun loving but also no nonsense so the kids respect them. And beyond K, the quality of teachers seems wonderful as is the breadth of speciality classes from music to movement and garden, art, PE, mandarin, library etc. After-school til 6p is at no extra cost which is a big plus! Most importantly we’ve found a wonderful active diverse community at Bentley. Our son has made great friendships and we have really enjoyed getting to know other families and classmates.

Bentley School has been such a blessing for our family! When looking for a school for our kids, we wanted to find a place that 1) Felt like home/family, 2) Had friendly, approachable, communicative teachers, 3) Listened to the ideas of families and incorporated feedback quickly 4) prioritized academics and the science of learning and most importantly, 5) made things logistically easier for our family and reduced our mental load as parents. Bentley is ALL of these things and more! It's an all-in-one magical world of learning and growth. Everything from the gardening, world language and phonics-based reading program to the easy drop-off/pick-process and same day responses to teacher and admin communication make Bentley and easy and excellent place to send our kids to school. We could not be happier with our decision!

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About

Applying

Tuition

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Events

Lower and Middle School Open House (Grades K-8)

Upper School Phoenix Day (Grades 9-12)

Bentley School Rankings

YouTube Video

Academics

Popular Colleges

Mini-Term

Culture & Safety

Instagram Posts

Students

Teachers

Map

Home Listings

Clubs & Activities

Living in the Area

Bentley School Reviews

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