2023 Best Middle Schools in the Charleston Area

• Charleston, SC•

• Private School•

• 1-12

• •
  Rating 4.21 out of 5  62 reviews

Senior: A Porter-Gaud education has provided me with a glimpse of what to expect in college. The courses are interesting and they prepared me for the next step in my education journey. The teachers were both helpful and took great interest in my future and provided assistance when necessary. Further, the interaction among students and faculty was an educational experience in and of itself. Besides the learning, I have met with what I consider to be lifelong friends!... Read 62 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,059

• Student-teacher ratio 10:1

• Charleston County School District, SC•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 3.87 out of 5  264 reviews

Alum: I've just completed my senior year and been at other schools before this one; this one has to have the best learning and friendly environment out of all of them. Most teachers were passionate about what they taught and understood if I had asked them for some help out of class via email or in person. A big issue with this school is how they handle big events. It was always difficult for me to ever know any information before these events or for other students to be unless they were directly involved. And then it was a 50/50 chance if these events even went well through all the "trial and errors". Just a heads up before you spend 60-70 dollars at a dance won't even like!... Read 264 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,120

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Charleston, SC•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 3.52 out of 5  60 reviews

Middle School Student: I think that Ashley Hall is a wonderful school even though I am in seventh grade it has already given me amazing social skills and prepares you for the next big thing every year. The school has some amazing teachers who engage with their students and the school has some amazing girls in the school. I have been at this school since Second grade and I have definitely made some life long friends. there are some ups and downs with girls at the school but most of the girls are very respectful to their teachers and their peers. even though we all seem like snobs not all of us come from backgrounds were our parents have lots of money. we all work very hard to make sure that the other girls in our grade feel seen and heard. the school also offers some great art electives, the four art electives are Theater, Art, Orchestra, and choir. You have two modern languages to chose from and you have the choice to take latin. overall I love this school and your daughter might also love it aswell.... Read 60 reviews

• grade A

• Students 637

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• Dorchester School District No. 2, SC•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 3.8 out of 5  20 reviews

Freshman: Great faculty and great overall atmosphere! Always had plenty to do extra curriculum wise and great academic opportunities. Made me feel ready for high school, already have 5 credits.... Read 20 reviews

• grade A

• Students 774

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Charleston County School District, SC•

• 1-8

• •
  Rating 4.05 out of 5  21 reviews

Freshman: Nothing can compare to the strong and supportive relationships with teachers, specifically the middle school teachers from my limited recollections. Superb school, pure and innocent atmosphere compared to high school and other middle schools!... Read 21 reviews

• grade A

• Students 542

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Johns Island, SC•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.46 out of 5  24 reviews

Parent: We absolutely love the education that both of my kids received at CCS. Both attended from middle school until graduation and they both received multiple top college acceptances along with scholarships. But it is more than college acceptances - they both developed a love of learning. They also learned to be advocates for themselves and others. I am grateful for their intern experience in high school because it helped them choose a career path instead of being undecided in college. I would work 2 jobs over and over again so that my kids could attend CCS!... Read 24 reviews

• grade A

• Students 320

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• Charleston County School District, SC•

• 6-8

• grade A

• Students 1,051

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Charleston County School District, SC•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 3.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Middle School Student: I wasn't really a smart man prior to being a MMS student, I was lucky enough to be gifted and have teachers that really engaged me in learning. Sadly, the student environment smells of foul lude and other adult topics amongst the students.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A

• Students 982

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Summerville, SC•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.33 out of 5  66 reviews

Junior: I love Pinewood Preparatory School! I enrolled to Pinewood my sophomore year the students, staff ,and faculty has made me feel welcome since day one. My school has not only prepared me for college but it has also prepared me for my future after college. Pinewood’s academic program is amazing! This school challenges and pushes students to do their very best which I love. I can’t forget to mention the environment at Pinewood. This school makes you never want to leave. I have attended Pinewood for 2 years now making next year my last year , sadly and I would like to say that I enjoy every second, minute , and day on campus. The teachers loves to help, listen and engage with every student. Students are very welcoming, friendly and caring. Being at Pinewood it’s like having another family. This school is not a very big school, it’s a small campus which makes communication easy. Pinewood is the best decision I ever made.... Read 66 reviews

• grade A

• Students 650

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Charleston County School District, SC•

• PK, K-8

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Parent: I’ve toured many schools in search of a school that offered diverse learning opportunities and a child-centered environment. We started this school in 2019-2020 and watching ECMCS transition seemingly without effort into virtual and back again has been nothing short of amazing. The leadership and teachers communicated with parents every step of the way.... Read 1 review

• grade A

• Students 405

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Charleston County School District, SC•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 4.33 out of 5  6 reviews

Parent: This is definitely a top school. The teachers go above and beyond to work with and challenge the kids. There is great communication: weekly newsletters, website, & social media pages kept up-to-date, and emails from teachers. Time is also spent on character development- LOTS of clubs and community projects to get involved. I feel like my kids are ready for high school and received a private school education in this sweet close-knit community!... Read 6 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,141

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• South Carolina Public Charter School District, SC•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 3.99 out of 5  76 reviews

Senior: Palmetto Scholars Academy is a wonderful school that is relatively small and is bustling when exerience and talented teachers. The school has dual enrollement classes, FBLA, Mission Design, alongside other competitions to keep your student engaged within the school. The school itself has a growing music program and is pushing through these trying times with online classes to better fit the current environment. The teachers always intend to know their students and to be able to help them in their times of need with support from school conselors always being a constant. The school has a wide range of classes available including AP Calculus AB to GSSM's Accelerate program. Students are given many decisions and be informed about possible scholarship opportunities, volunteer service, internships and of organizations such as National Honor Society. Overall a wonderful experience for gifted students as the school is intended to care for gifted and talented individuals.... Read 76 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 516

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Charleston County School District, SC•

• PK, K-8

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  4 reviews

Alum: I attended Montesorri Community School of Charleston from preschool though sixth grade. At that time, the middle school had not yet been created. I graduated nine years ago, so this review is dated, but I've only heard great things since then. I attended the school before the new building was built. It was a very small and tight knit community. Although the school has expanded, I've been told that this is still mostly true. I loved the school so much. The Montessori element was what made it so great. It's too much to explain here, but I highly recommend independently researching the Montessori method of teaching. The teachers were all wonderful, many of whom still work there today.... Read 4 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 270

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Charleston County School District, SC•

• PK, K-8

• •
  Rating 2.75 out of 5  4 reviews

Alum: The administration knows 99% of all the students by name. There are always parents at the school volunteering in numerous areas. Teachers are always in contact with parents, formulating ways to help the students achieve their potential. A majority of the faculty and staff have been at the school for numerous years. There is not a lot of turnover. At the end of the year, the grade level teachers get together and discuss each student who is moving up, and choose, as a group, who they feel would be the best teacher for each student, so they will have the best chance at success. They certainly make you feel like family.... Read 4 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 1,170

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Dorchester School District No. 2, SC•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 3.67 out of 5  3 reviews

Works Here: Gregg is a school that excels beyond the resources and facilities it is given. Despite challenges, many of the teachers work tirelessly. It also has strong related arts and extracurricular offerings including one of the finest choral programs in the southeast.... Read 3 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 1,212

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Charleston County School District, SC•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 3.4 out of 5  5 reviews

High School Senior: I had a hard time sometimes but I have great friends. There is a lot of drama and drug use in the school but I guess that's all high schools these days.... Read 5 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 799

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Berkeley County School District, SC•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  2 reviews

Alum: It is an up and coming school with a lot of artistic education to offer. Kids who attend this school will get some of the best education the country has to offer. With multiple national educational accolades, Marrington Middle School of the Arts is a great place to jump start your artistic career.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 392

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Charleston County School District, SC•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Parent: My son went to Haut Gap Magnet Middle School during his 6-8 grades. He enjoyed attending this school that was very close to his home. During his time at Haut Gap he joined the Steel Drums class with Mr. Kelly. He loved the music department and Mr. Kelly for teaching him about the different types of culture and music. He also liked playing on the basketball team. He didn't like the fact that the students were separated and called traditional and magnet students. He wanted everyone to be on the same level where education was concerned and not separated. The students were not only separated by academics but also separated during recess and lunch time. If he had the opportunity to change anything at the school it would definitely be to get all the students on the same learning level.... Read 1 review

• grade A minus

• Students 498

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Mount Pleasant, SC•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 3.9 out of 5  41 reviews

Senior: Overall the school is awesome if you are looking for a smaller private school. The teachers and administration are amazing and really do care for the students. The school is working out a few things such as policies and rules. As a student it can be difficult to get your ideas to happen, but they do try most of the time. I would recommend the school to my friends!... Read 41 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 811

• Student-teacher ratio 11:1

• Berkeley County School District, SC•

• PK, K-8

• •
  Rating 4.2 out of 5  5 reviews

Parent: My kids went to DI between 2015- 2019. We really enjoyed the curriculum, staff and teachers. At the time we went there the teachers and academics options were very good. The area is more expensive from a living standpoint but you can find homes in the older parts of DI that aren’t in the millions of dollars. Conversely, you can find homes on the Parkside for millions and more! Overall a great place for the kids to go to public school. Enjoyed this school environment while the kids were growing up. The school is a big part of that small town /suburb experience.... Read 5 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 1,118

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Berkeley County School District, SC•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 2.4 out of 5  5 reviews

Middle School Student: I like the professional aspects of the school, as well as the compassion of all staff. I would, however, like to see the under staffing issue resolved, as many classes have been filled to capacity at this point.... Read 5 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 806

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Charleston, SC•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.14 out of 5  29 reviews

Junior: First Baptist students see each other as family. As any other family there are differences, disagreements, and problems between people, but when it comes to school spirt and pride all of the students come together to support their school. Sports are a large part of social life and culture at First Baptist; players push each other to perform the best they can in and out of the classroom.... Read 29 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 502

• Student-teacher ratio 11:1

• North Charleston, SC•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 3.64 out of 5  25 reviews

Senior: I have absolutely loved my time at CA! It is quite small, but I feel a strong sense of family here. I love how the teachers are so supporting. They love on us, and do everything in their power to make sure that we are growing in not only our education, but also in our relationship with our peers, and with God. Attending Cathedral has prepared me not only for college, but for life.... Read 25 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 292

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• North Charleston, SC•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 3.76 out of 5  21 reviews

Alum: I loved Northside! I feel well prepared for college because of the amazing English program! Great athletic program especially volleyball!... Read 21 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 276

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Dorchester School District No. 2, SC•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 2 out of 5  1 review

• grade B+

• Students 1,149

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1