2024 Best Public Middle Schools in San Mateo County

• Woodside, CA•

• Public School•

• K-8

• •
  Rating 4.2 out of 5  5 reviews

Middle School Student: Great Teachers! Smart and competitive students. My main critique is about diversity, the school works hard on it but it is really not possible. Also if you are not very left-wing you will be destroyed by unsupportive peers and some teachers. There is literally borderline propaganda on the walls that includes fighting against those who think differently, defunding government organizations, and fighting the government. Some are supportive but if you don't think like others don't say anything.... Read 5 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 365

• Student-teacher ratio 11:1

• Las Lomitas Elementary School District, CA•

• 4-8

• •
  Rating 4.67 out of 5  3 reviews

Middle School Student: I have had a great experience at La Entrada. The teachers are always trying their best to help their students and you can get extra help easily if needed. There are always new students coming in from different countries making it a diverse school. La Entrada has prepared me for high school amazingly, if you are reading this deciding if you want to come here, do it!... Read 3 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 605

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Portola Valley Elementary School District, CA•

• 4-8

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  2 reviews

Alum: Amazing school district, excellent school. Private school education and quality, in a public school district. Engaged faculty, challenging learning environment, safe and fun.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 255

• Student-teacher ratio 11:1

• Menlo Park City Elementary School District, CA•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 4.43 out of 5  7 reviews

Parent: We've been amazed at the level of support my daughters have received from Hillview teachers, students, and members of the administration since our move to Menlo Park from Massachusetts in 2021. The teachers at Hillview are absolutely top-notch. The student body is friendly and welcoming. Members of the administration communicate with an impressive level of care for the students and their parents. Our girls have had opportunities to join sports teams, watch movies on the outdoor field, dress up for spirit days, and attend after-school dances. They've expanded their horizons in robotics classes and other electives. They've improved in their ability to view a given topic through different lenses, thanks to the rich discussions their teachers lead each day. Hillview's core values-- including kindness, respect, and tolerance--shine through in every aspect. We're grateful for the experience we've had at Hillview. We highly recommend the school to anyone considering a move to Menlo Park.... Read 7 reviews

• grade A

• Students 862

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• HiIlsborough City School District, CA•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 4.2 out of 5  5 reviews

Senior: It was basically a free private school a few years ago, but has slipped a little. All of the good teachers have started to leave and advanced courses have been pulled. Math and Science are neglected courses. But, the kids who attend are excellent! They really make your overall crocker experience unforgettable. I would recommend this school of you're looking for a pretty good public middle school.... Read 5 reviews

• grade A

• Students 441

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• San Carlos Elementary School District, CA•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  3 reviews

Alum: I was a member of Tierra Linda’s Class of 2022. Overall, my three years are at Tierra Linda were pretty good. I liked the school, the academics were good, and I had pretty good teachers. However, the COVID-19 pandemic greatly impacted my middle school education, (1 and a half years online) but I have to say that the school did a great job of adjusting to the online format. The time I did spend on campus was much better.... Read 3 reviews

• grade A

• Students 445

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• San Carlos Elementary School District, CA•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  1 review

Alum: Central was pretty good, I had a good time there. Felt like I knew just about everything I needed to know when entering high school.... Read 1 review

• grade A

• Students 416

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary School District, CA•

• K-8

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Middle School Student: The teachers and staff are amazing, they care about their students and all the students like their teachers. Sandpiper does an amazing job of making everyone feel welcome and they have renovating the school recently making it even nicer than it was before.... Read 1 review

• grade A

• Students 575

• Student-teacher ratio 22:1

• Redwood City Elementary School District, CA•

• 3-8

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  10 reviews

Middle School Student: I loved it! I really like the way that teachers integrate fun into the curriculum. Also, I have a lot of fun with everything. I enjoy the way that there is a lot of hard work. At my old school, I wasn't challenged and everything came really easy. I also didn't have a lot of friends. When I got to NSA, I was suddenly able to grow because I was being challenged. Without the struggle, success is worthless. I love all the teachers and the facilities, too. I really appreciate that NSA taught me to grow and challenge myself.... Read 10 reviews

• grade A

• Students 511

• Student-teacher ratio 27:1

• San Carlos, CA•

• Public School•

• K-8

• •
  Rating 3 out of 5  2 reviews

Middle School Student: Charter is a very good school with lots of group projects and involvement. They have lots of special activities and programs for children with learning difficulties. Parents are super involved and teachers are committed and ready to provide 1:1 guidance. For children who need advanced studies, the teachers will provide differential learning. The students are super friendly and ready to learn. There is a lot of focus on social emotional learning and teamwork. The administration is kind and helpful. The school applies Project Based Learning and hand-on activities. Students get lots of choice in what they do. My one problem though, is that in the new campus made of shipping containers, whenever there is motion on the top floor, it makes a really loud sound on the bottom floor. This becomes a real difficulty for students k-2 and in the library. But they are working it out in different ways including doing a fun art project with egg cartons.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A

• Students 370

• Student-teacher ratio 22:1

• San Mateo-Foster City School District, CA•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 3 out of 5  7 reviews

Alum: A lovely school, I moved to the United States in 2016 and started school here from sixth grade. I felt very comfortable and supported by most teachers, despite struggling as a ELD student. Looking back to the memories I have made there, I smile and think of how nice it was. The students were mean sometimes, but I still made a lot of friends. Overall loved the school despite some flaws it has, as any other school does.... Read 7 reviews

• grade A

• Students 907

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary School District, CA•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 2.5 out of 5  12 reviews

Middle school student: It's a nice school. There are a lots of kids, the school is nice, but sometimes things get out of hand. There was a fight in 6th grade and there is a lot of drama, but that is to be expected of a middle school. The teachers are nice and most of the time the class is in control. However, in some classes in particular the kids get out of hand and we learn nothing. That results in a lot of homework added to the already lots of homework. Overall, Ralston is a good middle school, but some of the students who attend it are a little out of hand. This school is good for middle school kids who are okay with big schools, sometimes mean or drama-creating children, and are hardworking. The good parts of school are that the teachers are nice, home working isn't too much, and you can make lots of kind/nice/friendly friends there. The bad parts of Ralston Intermediate School are that the kids are seldomly uncontrollable, there is a lot of drama, and the kids can sometimes be aggresive or a bully.... Read 12 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 1,113

• Student-teacher ratio 23:1

• Burlingame Elementary School District, CA•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 2.43 out of 5  7 reviews

Alum: I had fun at BIS! Especially the schoolympics and the teachers were really kind! The teachers all made sure you were getting the help you needed and always seemed to find a way to make a fun and exciting new project happen.... Read 7 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 1,028

• Student-teacher ratio 21:1

• Redwood City Elementary School District, CA•

• K-8

• •
  Rating 4.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Alum: Roy Cloud is by far the best school for miles for education. The teachers are odd, and they could use improvement in disability care, but the quality of education, at least in my opinion far out weighed it's flaws. I went to Roy Cloud for K-8. I didn't necessarily enjoy my time there, which I think is true for many, though I account that more to the faults of schools themselves. The teachers and staff were very nice. I still go back and talk to them. The brilliance of Roy Cloud is difficult to see until you leave. When I went to Woodside High School, I found that many Cloud kids were leagues above students who had been to other schools simply by being at Roy Cloud. Some of the work advanced classes had to stop and review over for other students had been taught to Cloud kids in 3rd or 4th grade. My AS (advanced standing) English class was made up of more than a third of kids from Roy Cloud. One of the smaller middle school feeders out of 26.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 628

• Student-teacher ratio 22:1

• Brisbane Elementary School District, CA•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 3.67 out of 5  3 reviews

Middle School Student: I go here. It’s cool.:):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):... Read 3 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 120

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• San Mateo-Foster City School District, CA•

• K-8

• grade A minus

• Students 259

• Student-teacher ratio 24:1

• Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary School District, CA•

• K-8

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  1 review

Parent: My daughter attended Nesbit middle school, which they added on to the elementary school some years back. The middle schoolers have their own new building, which is great so they can be the big kids, but the prinicipal does an excellent job of keeping the middle schoolers involved in the younger students' lives. The school overall has a strong ethos of caring and inclusion and respect, which is carried over well into the middle school years. The academics are good but not advanced, and a smarter child may get bored or frustrated at their peers who are uninterested in making any effort, but a parent with a motivated student can make up academics after school -- but parents can never 'fix' a child who is bullied or experiencing exclusion at school. The school environment, therefore, I believe, is much more important than academics, particularly for these formative middle school years, and in this area, Nesbit shines.... Read 1 review

• grade A minus

• Students 596

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Millbrae Elementary School District, CA•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 4.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Middle School Student: I’m a sixth grader at Taylor as of 2018. I love my school. There is a strong anti-bullying message and a push for rigorous, above-average academic performance. The teachers are— for the most part— good. Most of them are calm, collected, engaging and in control. My favorite teacher is sixth grade English-Social Studies teacher Matthew Garrett. The students leave you alone as long as you don’t mess with them. There aren’t many clubs or extra curriculars. Taylor is a pretty typical suburban middle school, but be warned the cafeteria food is terrible. Bring your own lunch.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 718

• Student-teacher ratio 24:1

• San Mateo-Foster City School District, CA•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 4.33 out of 5  3 reviews

Alum: It gave me an awesome experience of Middle School. The teachers are really nice. The office staff are really kind. The music program is great.... Read 3 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 979

• Student-teacher ratio 21:1

• San Mateo-Foster City School District, CA•

• PK, K-8

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Parent: As a parent of two children at Parkside, I can confidently it's a very special school. Here, every child is not just known but wholeheartedly supported. The teachers' genuine happiness reflects in their dedication, going above and beyond for our kids. The Montessori philosophy instills independence, creating confident, self-reliant learners. The mixed-age classrooms promote diverse learning, from teacher guidance to valuable peer interactions. It's heartwarming to see older kids actively supporting and guiding the younger ones—it truly feels like an extended family here.... Read 1 review

• grade A minus

• Students 421

• Student-teacher ratio 21:1

• Pacifica School District, CA•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 3.67 out of 5  3 reviews

Middle School Student: As a middle schooler Ingrid B. Lacy was the perfect school to prepare children for high school. The curriculum was challenging but in a way that made me want to work harder so that I could understand it. The teachers were extremely supportive and it was evident that they wanted all of their students to succeed. The only fault I have with the school is that so many teachers left and were replaced by newer once every year so it was difficult to form long term relationships with these teachers.... Read 3 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 463

• Student-teacher ratio 21:1

• Redwood City Elementary School District, CA•

• PK, K-8

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  3 reviews

Parent: We're new to the Clifford community, but after being in "top-rated" schools in other parts of the country, I can safely say that Clifford is the best school our children have attended. The teachers are phenomenal, the administration truly care about student development, and the parents are active, especially through the PTO. Very impressed so far!... Read 3 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 658

• Student-teacher ratio 22:1

• South San Francisco Unified School District, CA•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  1 review

Junior: I like the community of teachers and the recognition given to the Fine Arts and Athletic departments. The school is on the quieter and more respectful side of the spectrum of high schools. The food is a bit of a concern, but it is cafeteria food.... Read 1 review

• grade B+

• Students 516

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1

• Pacifica School District, CA•

• K-8

• •
  Rating 3.67 out of 5  3 reviews

Alum: Vallemar Elementary School provides a high standard of education in english, social studies, math and science to their students, preparing them sufficiently for any college level courses they may take in high school.... Read 3 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 478

• Student-teacher ratio 22:1

• San Mateo-Foster City School District, CA•

• K-8

• •
  Rating 3.33 out of 5  3 reviews

Parent: Collaboration with Harvard University to design the new STEM program has built a solid foundation and greatly excelled student performance. Bayside STEM also won the distinguished California School Board Association (CSBA) Golden Bell Award for 2014, which recognizes exemplary programs that support teaching and learning. A $200,000 grant from Gilead Sciences is going towards building a STEM-based science exploration area. Keep up the great work, and keep those awards/recognitions coming!... Read 3 reviews

• grade B+

• Students 830

• Student-teacher ratio 18:1