2024 Best Schools in West End

• San Rafael, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.22 out of 5  109 reviews

Parent: Marin Academy has been a fantastic environment for all three of my children. They all have different interests and strengths and have all thrived - academically, in the arts and in sports.... Read 109 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 440

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• Ross, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.48 out of 5  86 reviews

Senior: Branson is an exceptional school. The academics are rigorous, the campus is stunning, and the food is gourmet, but if there's one thing that stands out to me, it's the teachers. Not only are they highly qualified (think Ph.D.'s from Stanford, years of experience), but they also genuinely care about students' learning. They're friendly, engaging, and willing to discuss just about anything with you. In fact, I've hardly had a single negative experience with any of them in my four years at Branson, which says a lot. Another strong point is the college counseling program. Our college counselors are extremely kind and helpful in navigating students through the inherently stressful college application process; they also write fantastic letters of recommendation and give excellent tips, evidenced by our college placement statistics that rival those of Exeter, Andover, Harvard-Westlake, etc. Overall, I highly recommend Branson to anyone looking for a well-rounded high school experience.... Read 86 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 345

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• San Anselmo, CA•

• Private School•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 4.45 out of 5  121 reviews

Junior: San Domenico is an amazing school! Every day as I arrive on our gorgeous campus, I am so grateful to be attending SD and for the education I am receiving here. When people ask me what makes SD stick out among other independent schools, I always say our international student body, with students from more than 20 countries from all corners of the world. From my international friends and classmates, I have learned about the discrimination against Romanians in Eastern Europe, how China’s Belt Road Initiative is impacting countries such as Zimbabwe, and how Türkiye and the United States’ political atmospheres are similar. Watching the leaves change color and the goats grazing on the green hillsides in spring always uplifts my spirits, and I believe our campus helps us receive an enriched educational experience. The education and experiences that I am experiencing at SD are unmatched, and I am so glad that I chose to spend my high school years at San Domenico!... Read 121 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 680

• Student-teacher ratio 9:1

• Tamalpais Union High, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.01 out of 5  245 reviews

Senior: As a senior at Redwood High School who’s getting ready to graduate in June, I can confidently say I had more positive times at Redwood than negative. The thing about Redwood is everyone there is rooting for you and is looking out for your best interest. Although at times it feels like there’s more supervision than necessary, or teachers are sticklers about making sure you do work thoroughly, it’s all in the best interest of the students and making sure the students are safe and happy. There are incredible resources for mental health, college applications, school spirit, and it’s a wonderful community to be a part of.... Read 245 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,930

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Ross, CA•

• Public School•

• K-8

• grade A+

• Students 369

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Tamalpais Union High, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.99 out of 5  211 reviews

Alum: In terms of academics, my high school was really great in that regard. For the most part, classes were taught pretty well and had good course plans. Our art classes specifically were really great and I really excelled in our school's drama department. The faculty did a really great job at preparing students for college and the admission process - though I do think that sometimes the college culture was quite intense and overwhelming. The biggest issue at the school would have to be it's lack of diversity - though a big part of this is due to there being a larger population of white people in the area. Regardless of this, while the school administration did try quite hard to be inclusive of all, there were lots of issues of racism, sexism, and homophobia in the student body that I feel was never properly addressed by the administration.... Read 211 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,644

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Kentfield, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.98 out of 5  126 reviews

Senior: Marin Catholic is a fun, vibrant, school with many opportunities for its students. Although there are some caveats with the courses that Marin Catholic requires you to do that really doesn't help with college, the academics is professional with excellent Math teachers and an extremely successful history department.... Read 126 reviews

• grade A

• Students 772

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Tamalpais Union High, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.84 out of 5  267 reviews

Parent: First off, Sir Francis Drake High School is now called Archie Williams High School, just FYI. My son is super into computer science and engineering and the teachers at this school have been such a blessing for him. He's happy and inspired and supported at AWHS. He has had a good experience with the teachers for his other subjects, too.... Read 267 reviews

• grade A

• Students 1,275

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Larkspur-Corte Madera, CA•

• K-5

• grade A

• Students 365

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Fairfax, CA•

• Public School•

• K-5

• •
  Rating 4.8 out of 5  5 reviews

Parent: I love this school! I don’t hear a lot of parents say that about their public school, but most parents will say that about RVC. The faculty and staff care so much about kids. Many teachers at private schools send their children to RVC and that is telling. It is amazing to see how the staff all seem to know every child’s name and the kids are the happiest I have seen in Marin. Some schools put their money into facilities and higher paid positions, at RVC you see it all flow to the children. When your children truly thrive at school you know you have found a special place. I really appreciate the teacher looping and focus on curiosity like a Montessori school. The plays, the expos, math and ukelele/guitar classes are incredible. This is a school that cares and kindness matters.... Read 5 reviews

• grade A

• Students 210

• Student-teacher ratio 23:1

• Ross Valley Elementary, CA•

• K-5

• grade A

• Students 321

• Student-teacher ratio 23:1

• Novato, CA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.67 out of 5  9 reviews

Parent: Both of my children have had a great academic experience at MCA, attending Kinder all the way through 8th grade. We love the teachers, the special activities, and the drama program!... Read 9 reviews

• grade A

• Students 259

• Student-teacher ratio 11:1

• Tamalpais Union High, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.59 out of 5  27 reviews

Senior: The faculty are kind and supportive. The teachers show interest in what they're teaching, my academics, and my well-being. I joined the Pathways program and gained more time and opportunities to explore my academic and personal interests.... Read 27 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 119

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• San Rafael City High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.57 out of 5  216 reviews

Sophomore: I have had very good experiences with some of the teachers and staff at Terra Linda. I have made deep connections with some of them as well. However, I would love to see a change in some of the AP and honors classes at Terra Linda. Classes like AP Chemistry I feel are not readying me for college. I would also like to see more optional work, practice problems, and resources to help.... Read 216 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 1,200

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Ross Valley Elementary, CA•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 2.89 out of 5  9 reviews

Middle School Student: I go here and it's pretty good for a middle school. Most of the teachers are good (some aren't though), the work is hard but like not to an extreme extent, there aren't really bullies (and physical fights are rare), and I think that compared to a ton of schools its very nice. The only bad thing is most kids are upper-middle-class privileged white kids so they don't appreciate the school and havent really experienced much hardship in life, but when you see how bad we could have it with other schools it really outs things into perspective.... Read 9 reviews

• grade A minus

• Students 664

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• San Rafael City Elementary, CA•

• K-5

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Parent: Great school my daughter loves it the teachers are amazing and super hands on with a lot of patience.... Read 1 review

• grade B+

• Students 461

• Student-teacher ratio 24:1

• San Rafael City High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.72 out of 5  209 reviews

Senior: San Rafael High School has definitely had an impact on the way that I've grown as a student and person. I have developed and created several new friendships and have been able to say that the teachers are very supportive. Not only are teachers supportive of their students but they want to see them succeed and always want what's best for them. They push and challenge us every day in class to do our best in assignments and try new things. I have been able to stay connected with my school outside of academics by joining sports. I have participated in the several sport programs (volleyball, basketball, and softball) for my four years in high school. I have enjoyed my time playing these sports and being able to challenge myself at a competitive physical level.... Read 209 reviews

• grade B

• Students 1,287

• Student-teacher ratio 21:1

• Marin County Office Of Education, CA•

• 7-12

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Alum: my experience was very good all the teachers are very kind and supportive in every aspect of my life and continue to do so even out of high school. The school is like a family and a community within a little school. I hope that they just improve by attaining more students and getting a bigger campus. I would have rather had a big campus than the small campus we had.... Read 1 review

• grade B

• Students 33

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• Tamalpais Union High, CA•

• 10-12

• •
  Rating 3.67 out of 5  6 reviews

Senior: My daughter had never felt successful academically in spite of being bright and curious. Her team at San Andreas helped her to tap into that curiosity and her internal drive to succeed. Her grades and attendance shot up and the personal approach they give to every kid makes a meaningful difference in the lives of the students and families. With the additional support at San Andreas, she is looking forward to graduating this year and has been accepted to every college she applied to.... Read 6 reviews

• grade B

• Students 70

• Student-teacher ratio 12:1

• San Rafael City Elementary, CA•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 4 out of 5  5 reviews

Parent: Davidson teachers and faculty are outstanding! I have a 7th grader at DMS and I have been impressed with the focus the teachers place on helping every student achieve their potential - both academically and emotionally. This school gets an unnecessary bad wrap - it is a fantastic place for kids to grow, experience the real world and make lifelong connections.... Read 5 reviews

• grade B minus

• Students 1,079

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• San Francisco, CA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-8

• •
  Rating 4.86 out of 5  29 reviews

Parent: We love Terra Marin so much! We transferred our son there from the Lycee Francais and could not be happier with the decision. Our son went from dreading school to asking to go to school earlier in the morning than drop off time. He also longs to go back to school after holiday breaks. He’s also learning so much. He’s in advanced mandarin, is learning to sing (they put on musicals and all grades participate … even Kindergarteners!), and is getting hands-on learning in science and ecology with the 2 outdoor days each week. He’s 5 years old and talks about habitats, about “burrowing owls” and about how “centipedes are omnivores.” We have been at 3 different schools in the Bay Area and this is by far the best one. When we were looking at schools, we also noticed that Terra Marin has something no other school in the area has: students and teachers who are visibly laughing and joyful both before and after school. The result is that our son is now associating learning with joy!... Read 29 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 100

• Student-teacher ratio 3:1

• Mill Valley, CA•

• Private School•

• K-8

• •
  Rating 4.83 out of 5  12 reviews

Parent: This school goes above and beyond in every way you can imagine. Rigorous academically, but also down to earth and fun. My kids are absolutely thriving at Mount Tamalpais School and we could not be happier. The teachers are all experts in their fields, the administration is kind and warm, and every student is truly seen and cared for. The most incredible school!... Read 12 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 252

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• San Rafael, CA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-8

• •
  Rating 4.8 out of 5  20 reviews

Parent: Our family is so happy to be at Caulbridge and we’re in full support of the philosophy and teaching which is consistent from the founder and administration and all the teachers. The school believes that childhood should be protected and that kids are very capable of learning and meeting expectations. Seems juxtaposed, but the school has high expectations for kids which we appreciate and they let kids have a normal childhood. Thank you Caulbridge!... Read 20 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 101

• Student-teacher ratio 8:1

• San Rafael, CA•

• Private School•

• K-8

• •
  Rating 4.85 out of 5  13 reviews

Works Here: Brandeis Marin is an exceptional school that stands out for its commitment to excellence in education. The school's approach combines productive rigor with a collaborative spirit, fostering an environment where students not only excel academically but also learn the value of teamwork and community. The dedication of the faculty and staff to cultivating a rich, engaging learning experience is evident in the students' achievements and the vibrant community that thrives within the school's walls. Brandeis Marin is not just an educational institution; it's a place where young minds flourish, and a spectacular sense of belonging and togetherness prevails.... Read 13 reviews

• grade A

• Students 138

• Student-teacher ratio 5:1

• Larkspur, CA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-8

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  6 reviews

Parent: This school has been our home. Our children have been seen, nurtured, challenged and celebrated every step of the way from preschool through middle school. Our graduate is flourishing in high school thanks to strong academic skills and preparation, but also due to his confidence, creative problem-solving, perseverance, strength of character, and understanding of himself as a learner. MP&MS prepares students for success in academics and life.... Read 6 reviews

• grade A

• Students 351

• Student-teacher ratio 10:1