2023 Best Schools in Hartford County

• Windsor, CT•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.29 out of 5  143 reviews

Freshman: I like the welcoming environment and sense of belonging from going to this school. Loomis’s emphasis on the Best Self and Common Good is present throughout the school‘s culture and social life, and hence the school is very open and accepting. The diversity at the school made me feel welcome and accepted, and Loomis’s programs to raise awareness for groups like the LGBTQ+ community were reaffirming and a nice action for National Coming Out Day. The school’s academic programs are beneficially challenging as well, with flexibility in advancing in courses such that students are able to take sufficiently challenging courses. The music, arts and after school activities all have an abundance of applicable resources. The Loomis Chaffee School is a great place for students who are willing to take initiative and seek resources to advance their learning and skills.... Read 143 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 741

• Student-teacher ratio 4:1

• Farmington, CT•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.36 out of 5  124 reviews

Freshman: Really like the school’s atmosphere! It is such a warm and inclusive community. Nice people, close connections here. The academics is challenging but definitely not overwhelming. There are a lot of really fun traditions waiting for Newgs to explore which makes the school days super fun.... Read 124 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 334

• Student-teacher ratio 6:1

• Suffield, CT•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.73 out of 5  242 reviews

Alum: I went to Suffield Academy for four years and I loved my experience! The community is amazing, and it’s easy to bond with teachers and students. There is plenty of things to do, and Suffield encourages students to show leadership and to care for the community. I will warmly remember my days at Suffield. I’m very grateful for the ways I’ve grown because of Suffield.... Read 242 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 410

• Student-teacher ratio 4:1

• Simsbury, CT•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.19 out of 5  77 reviews

Works Here: Westminster is a wonderful community and school. I had a chance to get to know the school prior to joining the faculty and was struck by how welcoming everyone was and the strong commitment to individualized and holistic education. The school's small size and many offerings allow students to challenge themselves in a supportive environment, pursue their passions, and just as importantly try new things. Being a part of their journeys and seeing them transform into confident, well-rounded, and passionate young adults, who are ready to make their future communities better, is incredibly rewarding. I look forward to seeing Westminster continue to evolve to help students prepare to take on an ever-changing world.... Read 77 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 406

• Student-teacher ratio 5:1

• West Hartford, CT•

• Private School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.63 out of 5  52 reviews

Senior: Kingswood Oxford or KO is a wonderful school with awesome teachers who connect well with students. Classes are often smaller than 15 students which allows teachers to truly connect with each of the students and understand them and their learning styles more. The school helps in many aspects of life helping students as they grow in both age and their academic pursuits. Many students from KO are great public speakers and debaters despite shyness. Others with more artistic talents have become amazing artists, and those who are thoroughly interested in athletics have been committed to colleges as early as the beginning of their junior years. The community, food, academics, teachers, programs, and athletics are great and very fun. Everyone learns how to work hard but still enjoy themselves during the school year and personally it has been an amazing experience. The only reason it is missing a star is due to its lack of diversity but hopefully, that gets fixed soon!... Read 52 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 501

• Student-teacher ratio 6:1

• Avon, CT•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.61 out of 5  256 reviews

Junior: I have been welcomed to Avon with open arms. The community is fantastic in all aspects with academics, athletics, and fine arts. I was given the opportunity to try new things between countless sports and many art classes. Overall, my experience at Avon has been fantastic and this place definitely has prepared me for my future. I feel the academic support and rigor have challenged me enough so I can excel in any academic environment. I have also learned valuable lessons about being a young man in today's society which will set me up to succeed in many social situations. I have been able to participate in many clubs where we are able to enjoy recreational activities as well as make a difference in the world with community service and environmental awareness. Avon changed my life by making me a better student, athlete, and most importantly, a better person.... Read 256 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 406

• Student-teacher ratio 6:1

• Simsbury, CT•

• Private School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.28 out of 5  104 reviews

Senior: Senior here, and I loved my experience... mostly! Some teachers are better than others, but the majority of my teachers are intellectually engaging and really care about their students. The student body isn't particularly diverse, but there is an effort being made to mitigate that and to better support out BIPOC students. The best thing about Walker's is unquestionably the way that we've been encouraged to speak our minds and challenge the system. For this empowerment alone I have to recommend the school. Of course, there are downsides, administration can be stuck in its ways, and one often feels powerless to change our school. COVID management has been very successful and distance learning went as well as possible.... Read 104 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 232

• Student-teacher ratio 6:1

• Hartford, CT•

• Private School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.77 out of 5  112 reviews

Junior: As a student at Watkinson, the teachers here, are such good listeners - good for listening when you want a challenge, good for listening for when you need help, good for listening when you need advice or want to share what you did over the weekend. Knowing that you have a support system or adults ready to assist you, especially being apart of the Learning Skills Program (LSP) with one on one tutoring has really helped me. I have completed assignments faster and have been able to focus more during school hours so that I have more time after school to enjoy what I love doing...playing volleyball! I play Volleyball at Watkinson and it is a lot of fun! We have practices everyday throughout the fall and games throughout the week. Our coaches really put in effort and teach us a lot so that we will improve our skills and be the best players we can be on the court.... Read 112 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 245

• Student-teacher ratio 4:1

• Avon School District, CT•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.75 out of 5  209 reviews

Junior: The math classes are very hard, but the environment is pretty good, and there are teachers that are supportive. Most English teachers are very open to helping. There are many different electives available (arts and academic) at the school including Digital Art, Current Issues and Events, many different choirs, orchestra, ceramics (regular and advanced), forensic science, astronomy, Foundations in Design, CE Introduction to Business, etc. A required course in order to graduate is personal finance which teaches students how to buy a car, how to buy a house, etc, which is good for students to start to plan what is expected after high school. I have felt safe in the school, there is always a police officer when going into school and during school hours. There are also many precautions to ensure the safety of students. These past few years at Avon High School I have learned many things that will help me grow not only with learning but in life.... Read 209 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 957

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Farmington School District, CT•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.84 out of 5  267 reviews

Sophomore: I admire the options students have to determine subjects that we want to learn about. Furthermore, there is a wide variety of classes and teachers that are passionate about the subjects they teach. The math department in particular has really helped me improve my math skills and become better at retaining the things I have learned. Lastly they also have an abundance of resources for students to improve their academic skills and work with teachers one on one to truly get help if they are struggling.... Read 267 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,267

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Glastonbury Public Schools, CT•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.04 out of 5  484 reviews

Senior: There are so many opportunities to take advantage of at this school and a wide variety of courses to take. Many are college-level and are great for accommodating high-achieving students. The course requirements are a bit restrictive and can clog up your schedule, but you can't expect much less from a high school. I guess I was so spoiled with my ability to choose classes to prepare me for my future career that I felt like I was in college already! Almost all teachers here love their jobs and put effort into teaching their classes and always support their students. The music program is great, I'm in the string chamber orchestra and at least half of my class gets into either NEMFA or All-states. They're building a brand new STEAM lab for classes and for after-school activities, filled with resources for STEM students like me. This is a great school and it really helped me discover who I wanted to be.... Read 484 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,926

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• West Hartford School District, CT•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.91 out of 5  339 reviews

Alum: Felt challenged and supported. Happy with the diversity of thought as well as student background. Lots of opportunities for growth in academics, social learning, and athletics. The teachers were very supportive!... Read 339 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,451

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Farmington School District, CT•

• K-4

• grade A+

• Students 310

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Simsbury School District, CT•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.95 out of 5  345 reviews

Alum: Having moved from a school where educational funding was always being cut, the resources that Simsbury provides to its students are incredible. The academics are really rigorous, but as a result, students graduate feeling well-prepared for college-level work. If you enjoy music in any way, Simsbury is also the perfect place for that, as the music program is INCREDIBLE!! The atmosphere is very competitive, which can be stressful at times but also prepares students for competitive colleges/majors/professions/etc. In general, my experience was great and I'd definitely recommend it over a lot of the other districts or private schools in the area.... Read 345 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,277

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• West Hartford School District, CT•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.77 out of 5  260 reviews

Niche User: Hall is a school well known for its academic achievements and class options. There are many wonderful teachers as well as many fun classes that suits anyone's interests! In addition, our sports teams, especially track, are well known in our state and offer inclusive sports for all skill levels, like tennis and cross country. Our music program is well praised especially our jazz band. Our school is well known for Pops and Jazz, a concert that features our jazz band, choir, and jazz dancers. It's a spectacular show that is popular in our town! Hall High School has become a centerpiece of our community and offers many experiences to its students through academics and extracurriculars.... Read 260 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,491

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• Farmington School District, CT•

• K-4

• grade A+

• Students 334

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• East Hartford School District, CT•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.69 out of 5  153 reviews

Senior: The Connecticut IB Academy is an excellent school with dedicated teachers in an interesting circumstance. With only 200ish students, the school climate is very family like: everyone knows everyone. Some people love it, others do not. I for one like it, it makes me feel very comfortable. In being such a small school, the teachers are very involved with student activity and know their students very well. Sports are played through the public high school quite literally next door (we are attached by a bridge). The teams there are very competitive. This year the boys varsity soccer team is 9-0-1 so far and are #1 in the state (I am one of the captains). In spite of going to different schools, the athletes are very accepting. Additionally, seeing different faces at sports is a nice change up from seeing the same people everyday at school. Overall, there is a very strong academic and extracurricular focus (IB coursework is very demanding) that I find very rewarding.... Read 153 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 182

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Avon School District, CT•

• 7-8

• •
  Rating 3.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Senior: Avon Middle School has an academically solid program and routinely places high in standardized test scores.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 511

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Farmington School District, CT•

• 7-8

• •
  Rating 2.33 out of 5  3 reviews

Middle School Student: Irving A. Robbins is ultimately a terrific middle school with a great music program and very good world language program. This is a great middle school and you will learn a lot!... Read 3 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 682

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Glastonbury Public Schools, CT•

• K-5

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Parent: Administration Teachers Support Faculty Security From top to the bottom. All are fantastic. I am pleased that my children go here... Read 1 review

• grade A+

• Students 429

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Farmington School District, CT•

• K-4

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Parent: We love this school. Caring teachers, active and involved families who care about education. Cool community events (Winter Festival, Math Night, Halloween Bingo, etc.). A beautifully diverse population with children of varying backgrounds and perspectives. We’ve watched our son blossom under the care of their staff and are appreciative of the East Farms community of staff and families.... Read 1 review

• grade A

• Students 454

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Glastonbury Public Schools, CT•

• K-4

• grade A

• Students 542

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• West Hartford School District, CT•

• K-5

• grade A

• Students 301

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• South Windsor School District, CT•

• K-5

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Parent: Both of my children have attended Orchard Hill. The staff is excellent, they truly care about each child. Parents are welcome. It really is a school community!... Read 1 review

• grade A

• Students 624

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Avon School District, CT•

• K-4

• grade A

• Students 489

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1