2022 Best Schools in Almaden Valley

• San Jose, CA•

• Private School•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 4.37 out of 5  152 reviews

Junior: Overall Harker is a great school. Of course, the tuition is exorbitantly high, but the facilities, community, and academic opportunities are all pretty great. My favorite spots on campus are the science building (although it gets a bit humid at times) and the performing arts building. In general, teachers are very supportive. A few have frustrating grading standards. There is a (slightly un)healthy amount of academic competition. It's kind of exacerbated by the distinction between A and A+ on student transcripts. And of course, this review would be incomplete without mentioning the diverse options in terms of food.... Read 152 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,951

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• San Jose, CA•

• Private School•

• 5-12

• •
  Rating 3.77 out of 5  94 reviews

Parent: We are a first year family and we are so glad that we joined Basis SV. Our daughter is in middle school and even after just one year we have seen her grow into a more strong, confident, out-going, responsible, and engaged individual. The teachers excite her and make her ask questions and work hard. Her friends make her happy to go to school each day. The extracurriculars have been a new experience for her and we are so grateful the school has almost 75 offerings! She signed up and tried out for things we never thought she would all because a teacher encouraged her or her friends wanted her to join. I do wish the school had more outside space, and that was something as parents we were hesitant about, but every day when I pick up my daughter she can't stop telling me about her day - and never once has she mentioned missing a playground. We are very happy with our choice and look forward to seeing how she grows at this school.... Read 94 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 800

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• San Jose, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.57 out of 5  209 reviews

Junior: Bellarmine is a great school. Although it does have a hefty tuition, the programs that you get access to make it worth it in my opinion. There is a huge makers lab, with CNC Machines, 3d printers, laser cutters, and much more. There is also a robotics lab with tons of materials and machines, which is very rare. Bellarmine has the world's best FRC team, has one of the best Speech and debate teams, and has pretty great sports teams. Overall, you can't go wrong with Bellarmine as your highschool!... Read 209 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,643

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• San Jose, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.2 out of 5  250 reviews

Sophomore: My freshman year was better than I could have ever imagined it! Going to an all girls school may seem like a center for drama, but the community built there is wonderful. Everyone at the school is so nice and cares about you. The teachers are wonderful and are skilled at what they do. I definitely feel that I am getting the very best education that I could have here at ND. The classes aren’t too big, so you are really able to get a one on one experience within your classes. School spirit is big at ND, but also super fun. Spirit week at ND was amazing and made me feel proud to be a Regent at ND. I am so happy I chose to go to this school and grateful for all of the opportunities ND has provided me to become a woman of impact and a strong leader in my community.... Read 250 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 650

• Student-teacher ratio 10:1

• San Jose, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.3 out of 5  176 reviews

Senior: My experience at Archbishop Mitty High School was great! The well-qualified teachers and thorough academics prepare us for college. From their sports teams to award-winning performing arts programs, you will always find Archbishop Mitty at the top. Aside from academics, the community is welcoming and inclusive. Their diverse clubs can help you discover or cultivate new interests. And, you can't forget the greatest night to be a Monarch- the Monarch Madness rally! I won't forget my experience at this school, these 4 years were completely worth it.... Read 176 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,768

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.05 out of 5  255 reviews

Alum: Being a Wildcat provided many advantages in high school like networking with friend's parents who run tech companies in Silicon Valley and have many privileges like houses in snowy Tahoe and along the booming beaches of Santa Cruz. The teachers were high quality and enjoyed working at a beautiful, historic high school. Multi-faceted resources are available to the faculty, teachers, and students like art studios, tech centers, and top ranked athletic teams and coaches. The school's location is ideal being nestled in the foothills where the palms meet the pines and the hills generate fine wines. Lately, I have heard of social tensions relating to white privilege and lack of diversity. While this is most definitely true, color has very little to do with it because 98% of white Americans can't even afford to live here. However, in the last 30 years, since I attended LGHS, I have seen a dramatic increase in multicultural backgrounds including Asian Americans, Indian, and European folks... Read 255 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,166

• Student-teacher ratio 23:1

• San Jose, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.03 out of 5  244 reviews

Freshman: I love my experience at Presentation High School. The extracurriculars, including arts and sports, are all very strong and I felt included in everything I joined. The teachers are all passionate about their subjects and working to make sure we understand. Excited to spend the next three years of my life here!... Read 244 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 757

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• San Jose, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.23 out of 5  295 reviews

Senior: I've been at Valley Christian since 7th grade in middle school up until now where I am a senior in high school. To say that this school's education is good would be a bit of an understatement. The education-while having a harsh learning curve at first- is sure to push anyone to their limits in the best way possible and provide the student with many recourses to ensure they can handle the pressure while still needing to take initiative themselves. While I do believe there is a bit of a lack in specialized programs for education, it's still amazing with the selection and electives they have. That being said, Valley Christian falls short when it comes to student relations. Being a White Asian majority school Valley Christian struggles to ensure that those of the minority feel as though they aren't outcasts and deserve to be there like everyone else. I hope this can be improved on as I can recall these struggles being something really important to me.... Read 295 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,625

• Student-teacher ratio 15:1

• San Jose Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.46 out of 5  324 reviews

Junior: Leland High School has given my a wonderful education for three years now. I love Leland because the student body here is comprised of the perfect mentality of working hard but also not being toxic about it. A lot of Bay Area schools have a toxic study mentality amongst its students but I can confidently say that Leland students really care for each other. Furthermore, the teachers here really care for their students (aside from a select few) and have incredibly effective teaching methods that result in Leland students consistently placing in the top percentage of AP exam test takers.... Read 324 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,852

• Student-teacher ratio 26:1

• San Jose, CA•

• Private School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.35 out of 5  26 reviews

Senior: Cambrian International Academy is one, if not the best K12 school that ready students for College. With an interactive faculty group, small facility but up to date with great equipment, Cambrian creates an environment for students to challenge each other and excel educationally in both High School and prepare for the same attitude towards College and University. As of the small facility that Cambrian has, the students has the chance to work closely with the teacher to reach their respective goals and likewise, the teacher can have more time to help the students as they can know the ability of each individual students. Students here can immerse themselves into school activities created by students and teachers from their own clubs, such as doing fundraiser, sport's tournament, and especially students themselves organized the school Prom every year. Students came from all over the world with different backgrounds so it makes Cambrian such a diverse space for studying!... Read 26 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 79

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• San Jose, CA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.95 out of 5  38 reviews

Parent: Absolutely love Apostles Lutheran School! The school has been so supportive, caring and loving towards my children. Since we've been a part of the Apostles family we've experienced the following: 1. Love for our kids. 2. Focus on our kids. 3. Great teachers that go above and beyond 4. Family activities 5. Safe environment 6. Small classes 7. Great communication and easy access to assignments, grades, and enrollment 8. Enhancements to the campus (fence, turf, church & fellowship hall) Above all these things, Apostles has taught our children to put God first in everything. So thankful for all the blessings we have received over the years.... Read 38 reviews

• grade A

• Students 221

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• Campbell Union High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.63 out of 5  300 reviews

Junior: Branham is a diverse and comforting campus. As the walk you do not see people seperated into different groups;consequently, they are merged and no one feels left out. Personally, my family was facing struggles not having the technology at home that was needed. Branham heard me out! They annually have the "make a wish" rally and I along with many others were granted gifts that were very much needed. Branham allows supports their students and make sure they do not miss opportunities simply because of money. Not only do they help money wise but emotionally as well.Branham has great staff that are always checking up on you. Even with distance learning we have a specific teacher that checks up on us once a week. Overall, Branham has great staff and an amazing support system.... Read 300 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,917

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Campbell Union High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.53 out of 5  321 reviews

Senior: I liked Leigh High's ability to hear its students needs and address them. They are constantly making changes to support students by providing several services to make the school more accepting. There are various mental health resources, a gender neutral bathroom, college application help, and opportunities to hear from students and teachers from possible future classes. Something I would change, however, is the discrepancy in resources in extracurriculars. Boy's sports teams receive the majority of the funding and the majority of the support. Additionally, while there are many options in terms of art classes, there are limited spaces.... Read 321 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,767

• Student-teacher ratio —

• Los Gatos Union School District, CA•

• K-5

• grade A

• Students 566

• Student-teacher ratio 24:1

• Union Elementary School District, CA•

• K-5

• grade A

• Students 576

• Student-teacher ratio 22:1

• Union Elementary School District, CA•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 3.94 out of 5  16 reviews

Middle School Student: I've been at union for like 8 months, its decent, the academics are pretty challenging, but teachers, CALM DOWN! I have like, 216 assignments that I just did. (NO JOKE, If I could send a screenshot, I would.) Also, the teachers should encourage making friends more..... Read 16 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,063

• Student-teacher ratio 24:1

• Los Gatos, CA•

• Private School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.75 out of 5  4 reviews

Senior: I loved my time at fusion. I transferred from a huge school and it was definitely the right move. My grades went up, my mental health and life in general got so much better, and I started enjoying learning again. My favorite part by far is the teachers. I'm super close with almost all of my teachers, they're all super invested in my wellbeing and just really cool and interesting people. Social life is takes a bit more initiative but it's not hard at all to make friends. Great resources for kids interested in music. Also! There's a great deli across the street and the ladies that work there are lovely and will give you a discount for being a fusion student!... Read 4 reviews

• grade A

• Students 48

• Student-teacher ratio 3:1

• San Jose Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.63 out of 5  393 reviews

Sophomore: One thing I really like about Pioneer High School is how diverse and inclusive it is. Many teachers go out of their way to let LGBTQ+ students know that they are in a safe space and students have various methods of support here (one of those being the wellness center in our library). The teachers are also very understanding of some of the struggles students experience and are willing to make adjustments on the way they teach to help students out. I especially enjoy that the way students can come dressed to school is largely up to the students parents, and that if someone were to be dress coded the school has stated that they will be gender neutral and consistent. However, I do wish that the teachers would be more one on one with students because it makes it easier to ask for clarification and get feedback on your work. It is also less anxiety inducing because you don't have to ask a question in front of your whole class.... Read 393 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,597

• Student-teacher ratio 24:1

• Los Gatos Union School District, CA•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 3.83 out of 5  6 reviews

Alum: Great teachers. Great kids. Great town. Nothing amazing, but solid. Typical middle school experience with cliques, nerds, and bullying. I enjoyed Fisher. It was challenging enough to prepare me for high school, but not too hard. Some drug problems in recent years, but not while I was there.... Read 6 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,263

• Student-teacher ratio 21:1

• Union Elementary School District, CA•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  4 reviews

Middle School Student: At Dartmouth, your attitude about learning is I think the most important factor in how your experience goes. For me, it was great! Being interested in STEM, they provided many electives, clubs, and in-school activities for us to explore what we're interested in and to pursueit. The more you put yourself out there the more you achieve, and the teachers are all mostly very nice and helpful in education, and they want to see you succeed. The campus is nice, with a good quad area for lunches, the only downside is, careful with who you choose to spend time with. I've built myself a supportive and caring friend group but you want to avoid hanging out with certain people here. Overall very good :)... Read 4 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,038

• Student-teacher ratio 22:1

• San Jose Unified School District, CA•

• K-5

• grade A minus

• Students 539

• Student-teacher ratio 26:1

• San Jose Unified School District, CA•

• K-5

• grade A minus

• Students 675

• Student-teacher ratio 28:1

• San Jose Unified School District, CA•

• K-5

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  2 reviews

Parent: Very highly educated community with a diverse ethnic mix. Mostly highly educated, extremely hard-working teachers who care a lot about their students. The district seems to stay up on new education trends. The parent organization is extremely involved and helps fund a lot of extras, like two full computer labs, music, art, and extra physical education options. In addition, parents volunteer regularly in the classrooms and lead multiple school community events each year.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 656

• Student-teacher ratio 29:1

• San Jose Unified School District, CA•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 3.77 out of 5  13 reviews

Middle School Student: A pretty good school overall. I've heard that there were teachers that don't even teach anything and just gives the students worksheets. But in my experience, I have never had a bad teacher and had good teachers from 6th grade to 8th grade. It won't be hard to fit in and everyone there is really fun and friendly. But I have to say that there will be big groups of cliques but there isn't any bullying.... Read 13 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 1,154

• Student-teacher ratio 23:1

• Union Elementary School District, CA•

• K-5

• •
  Rating 3.5 out of 5  4 reviews

Parent: great school and community. Our daughter in 4th grade is always happy about going to school and she is rated at college entry level on reading and well above grade level in STEM. We had nothing but good experiences with teachers and the administration.... Read 4 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 616

• Student-teacher ratio 25:1