2023 Best Schools in Los Altos

• Palo Alto, CA•

• Private School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.39 out of 5  57 reviews

Senior: I am currently a senior at Castilleja, and I would never choose to attend another high school. When I first came, I was a little nervous as I had heard of Casti's reputation as rigorous and competitive. After four years, I have found that the academic rigor has only improved my experience and has never lead to competition between classmates. With sixty girls in one grade, it would seem that competition would be prevalent, especially during the college process. However, the community is one of care, and everyone at the school aims only to celebrate your achievements and encourage you to put forth your best work. Every single one of my classmates will become amazing women when they grow up, and Castilleja has been instrumental in developing our confidence, poise, ability to express ourselves, and compassion for others. Thank you Castilleja! My life is forever changed and I will bring the lessons you have taught me throughout the rest of my life.... Read 57 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 416

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• San Jose, CA•

• Private School•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 4.36 out of 5  163 reviews

Alum: I attended Harker from Kindergarten through High School. Harker's repute as a powerhouse of intense and thorough academics is well-earned– students are constantly challenged in the classroom. However, this academic rigor does not come at the cost of a full-fledged extracurricular experience. Harker's many extracurricular departments provide an all-encompassing vocational education that seamlessly accompanies students' academic experience, including athletics, arts, journalism, engineering, and much more. Unfortunately, while Harker's culture encourages growth and self-improvement, it lacks support for students' mental and physical health. Students often prioritize their academic work above other important aspects of life, such as sleep, health, and socializing, and this culture often contributes to burnout and mental health problems. Overall, if you are searching for a school that will exceedingly prepare you for college and beyond, I recommend Harker with confidence.... Read 163 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,972

• Student-teacher ratio 6:1

• Atherton, CA•

• Private School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.1 out of 5  78 reviews

Alum: Menlo School definitely encouraged students to start learning how to be independent. One of the most useful things I learned was how to communicate with my teachers/professors instead of depending on my parents to do it all for me. This sense of communication led to my teachers being understanding and supportive, no matter the situation. The lunch scene is pretty good. The main entree, so to say, was served right onto a plate, where each student could ask for what they specifically wanted. There were vegetarian options, although students did always ask for more variety. Pizza, soup, a sandwich bar, and a salad bar were also available. The drinks options were pretty healthy, with juice, milk, and water ready. But most importantly, for the students, of course, there were almost always dessert options. In terms of education, Menlo went above and beyond. As an alum, going into college was scary but I soon realized I was more than prepared for the workload and the work itself.... Read 78 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 795

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• San Jose, CA•

• Private School•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 3.84 out of 5  97 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 97 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,190

• Student-teacher ratio 11:1

• Palo Alto Unified School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.84 out of 5  324 reviews

Senior: Honestly not terrible. Can at times be a bit hit and miss (i.e. got unlucky with teachers, but at what school is that not a thing), but for the most part you can get a pretty good experience out of this school if you stay optimistic. Which brings me to the main downside: (it feels like) everyone goes to college. And because of that, there are great resources to go to college! Which means you can get lulled into a false sense of security around knowing what you need to do for college even though you don't because so much has been handed to you. But as long as you're aware of that you can avoid those pitfalls and have a pretty good time.... Read 324 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,936

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• Portola Valley, CA•

• Private School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.04 out of 5  72 reviews

Alum: Work Culture: Priory emphasizes balance. The people within this community care about your wellbeing and are more focused on creating great people than producing more robots who fuel Silicon Valley's toxic work culture. But, don't get me wrong, kids still care about academics a lot. For example, in one class, around fifteen kids got into ivy league schools and six kids got into Stanford. Social Life: Your social life is determined by who you hang out with and the general attitude of your class. Luckily, there were a lot of people in my class who loved to host parties or knew kids from other schools who were throwing parties. During my senior year, there were stretches where my friends and I were going to a party every weekend for eight weeks straight. Dating: Dating at Priory is pretty normal, but due to the small class sizes, it's pretty hard to keep your business private. Sports: Basketball, XC, and Girls Soccer are the strongest programs. Campus: Best in NorCal easily.... Read 72 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 426

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• Mountain View, CA•

• Private School•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  26 reviews

Alum: Khan Lab School is much more than a high school, it is a school where your passions and interests are put first and foremost. From my Senior Capstone project being directed towards my passions to my entire academic plan being personally customized, I feel that Khan Lab School has prepared me towards furthering my education after high school. Outside of just academics, my overall executive function skills were trained in and out of the classroom. After going through the college application process, and being accepted into a top-tier university, I feel that Khan Lab School has prepared me for all life-long-learning experiences.... Read 26 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 260

• Student-teacher ratio 6:1

• Los Altos Hills, CA•

• Private School•

• 7-12

• •
  Rating 4.14 out of 5  29 reviews

Alum: Pinewood School has changed me into the person I am today. This community has helped me open up more to get more out of the world instead of staying to my own all the time. I have learnt to be a little more sociable when necessary and taught me how I can keep improving based on my experiences. Pinewood would always try to find ways to alleviate stress on students and care about their emotions towards completing an assignment, going to a practice, or anything else. All teachers teach with such a passion that the relationship of teacher and student turns to just a discussion group talking about an very interesting topic. Although the tuition is a bit on the pricey side, I would totally recommend Pinewood to others looking for a high-quality academic and fun-loving, social community.... Read 29 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 297

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• Atherton, CA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.51 out of 5  106 reviews

Senior: This is a great school with a booming community. Everyone here is so welcoming and contributed to the tight-knit community while everyone explores their interests, hobbies, and passions with the many many opportunities here whether it be the arts, sciences, robotics, politics, and much more.... Read 106 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,180

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• Palo Alto, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.11 out of 5  27 reviews

Parent: Kehillah is a GREAT school with incredible academics and a focus on community values! Because it's a relatively small school, the and teachers really know each student. My son shadowed at quite a few Bay Area high schools, and after his Shadow Day at Kehillah he was absolutely beaming because of the engaging learning environment. I really appreciate the creative teaching approaches and service learning opportunities to school provides. The school's leadership and communications are also outstanding. Our family is so thankful to have found Kehillah Jewish High School.... Read 27 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 218

• Student-teacher ratio 6:1

• San Jose, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.56 out of 5  214 reviews

Senior: I'm currently a rising senior at Bellarmine. So far my experience has had its ups and downs, but great nonetheless. My only complaint is the phone policy. Recently, as in start of 2021-2022, there was the introduction of a banning of phones during school hours. Students would get detentions if caught using their phones. The thing is, everyone used phones with little enforcement of the policy. Whoever made the policy probably thought that it would get people away from their technology, but it didn't, and it probably never will. Other than my one complaint, Bellarmine is a great school. But it isn't for everyone due to occasional masses (once every few months) and it being all dudes. We have sister schools, but it ultimately comes down to how social you are.... Read 214 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,643

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.91 out of 5  329 reviews

Sophomore: I've moved to this school very recently, I used to attend Great Oak High school and moved recently. This school by far has been amazing. Everything from the Teachers to the schools facility are great. All of my teachers are amazing and very helpful and very engaged with their students. The students at this school are very kind and were willing to go out of way to help me around and even give me a tour of the school. The school also offers programs like counseling, collage help and free tutoring too. As far as academics and sports the school is very competitive. Facilities here are very well maintained and kept in excellent condition. The student body is also very diverse. Overall I really like my school and I know for a fact that anyone else that might transfer here would too. GO LAHS!... Read 329 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,209

• Student-teacher ratio 19:1

• San Jose, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.2 out of 5  254 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 254 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 650

• Student-teacher ratio 10:1

• Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.91 out of 5  294 reviews

Senior: I'm very happy with the wide variety of academic and extracurricular opportunities at my school. There are many AP and elective courses in STEM, helping prepare one for further study in college, but there's also lots of sports, arts, and humanities too. We have many strong sports, a great marching band, a thriving student newspaper, and more. MVHS offers dual enrollment in Freestyle Academy for juniors and seniors looking to study art in depth. Even students who just want to try things out have many opportunities and lots of support in doing so, with lots of clubs and low-commitment electives. We have pretty amazing facilities and helpful teachers and staff. Also, our College and Career center is very helpful in learning about paths after HS, and we have lots of resources to pursue that.... Read 294 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,257

• Student-teacher ratio 20:1

• Mountain View, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.15 out of 5  302 reviews

Junior: My experience at Saint Francis was very good. The academics, athletics, campus, religious aspect, and style of the Silicon Valley are what makes this school unique. Academics: the school offers plenty of honors and AP classes, and elective courses geared towards STEM, music, religion, and arts which are taught by nice and approachable teachers. Athletics: highly competitive sports led by very experienced coaches. For boys sports they are in the upper edge in WCAL division, rivaling BCP and AMHS, and girls are consistently extremely good, if not, the best. Campus: new and well maintained classrooms and athletic facilities, a high school that feels like a junior college. Religion: a Catholic school rooted in Holy Cross, students learn to bring hope, respect others, inspire integrity, and celebrate family. The student and faculty bodies are predominantly white but the school has welcomed and encouraged diversity through affinity groups (BSU, Fil-Am, Latinx, and Pride to name a few).... Read 302 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,755

• Student-teacher ratio 16:1

• Fremont Union High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.74 out of 5  473 reviews

Parent: Homestead High School is excellent in terms of academics and extracurricular activities. Students fair well in all the fields and stand first when it comes to a dedication in general. Staff efforts are much appreciated in general and children excel well and in general, it is an excellent school and facilities provided are extraordinary. Homestead is a school that always follows unity in diversity and children study from all walks of life. Clubs and other activities conducted at school premises and also sports play an important role at school and lots of competitions are conducted and students are benefitted through this type of friendly competition. Students here get into prestigious universities and are placed in a recognized company and get a good carrier opportunity throughout the US and other countries. Our kid had a good experience and is a happy Graduate, Graduating from HOMESTEAD soon. Thank You!... Read 473 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,379

• Student-teacher ratio 24:1

• San Jose, CA•

• Public School•

• 7-12

• •
  Rating 3.81 out of 5  186 reviews

Senior: UPA has been an excellent learning environment throughout my 5 years as a student. The small class sizes allows for teachers, counsellors and staff to truly connect with students and accommodate their needs. Readily available office hours and quick turn around time for emails has helped me reach out to teachers whenever I needed help in their class. In terms of student life, UPA has a strong sense of community on campus. Most events are inclusive to all grades and many electives have a diverse range of grade levels in them. Programs such as Web and Link, as well as clubs, make UPA an environment that balances both school and personal interests. As someone involved in multiple clubs (President of Girl Up!, PR manager of both Film Club and Acts of Random Kindness club), I can vouch that UPA truly allows students to run their organizations. UPA's Theater Department, although low in funding, harbors immense talent and dedication, in which I've seen in my experience as a stage manager... Read 186 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 702

• Student-teacher ratio 21:1

• San Jose, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.31 out of 5  186 reviews

Junior: Archbishop Mitty's overall culture is phenomenal. Mitty is a very spirited and close knit community which provides a safe learning environment for the students. The faculty are approachable and supportive. Mitty offers many clubs and has an excellent sports program! I feel that Archbishop Mitty is a very diverse, well rounded school with many opportunities for all students academically and socially.... Read 186 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 1,768

• Student-teacher ratio 17:1

• Fremont Union High School District, CA•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 3.42 out of 5  407 reviews

Sophomore: It is an overall fun school with many joyful people and teachers! The teachers remain calm and keep us safe even when times of emergency and evacuation. The school emails keep me on date with all the current events and school festivals. There are a variety of clubs, and the people that I've met so far are very nice and willing to help out whenever. Most of the teachers don't give me a frustrating feeling every time I enter the classroom since they always know how to cheer things up, and some even talk to the class like friends! Making the class more enjoyable. However, certain subjects that you take might not have a good grade due to different teachers' grading styles, and if you are compatible with their style of teaching. If you are not compatible and are slowly declining in terms of grade, you may drop out and not receive any credits and count that time period as a trial period before you decide whether you want to drop or not. The school lunch is ok since it's free for me.... Read 407 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 2,032

• Student-teacher ratio 25:1

• Palo Alto, CA•

• Private School•

• PK, K-12

• •
  Rating 4.41 out of 5  44 reviews

Parent: With two middle schoolers who started in the Nursery program (pre pre-k), we have experienced the entire program at International. Our children have received a top-notch education and are natively fluent in French to the point that they had no problem attending French public school when we lived abroad. The language immersion is excellent and the school has adapted teaching methods over the years, particularly in math and then moving into the IB program. The school has a vibrant community and highly-engaged parents who support each other and the school, from classroom help to fundraising efforts. There have been times when we were mildly frustrated with obtuse communication from the administration, but we never questioned the quality of care of the teacher. Their focus is on the whole student and creating thoughtful world citizens. They also focus on creativity and arts, as evidenced by the impressive annual Arts Night created by the kids. You can't go wrong with SV International!... Read 44 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 675

• Student-teacher ratio 5:1

• Sunnyvale, CA•

• Private School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.17 out of 5  121 reviews

Sophomore: The King’s Academy is a Christ-centered school that motivates students to work hard for the glory of God. The administration and staff work tremendously hard to teach an engaging curriculum. If you’re worried about your child’s safety, don’t be, because they’re in good hands as this school is a loving family that supports one another. The diversity of the students attending is excellent, which is always important in acknowledging and supporting other people’s background, in addition to making long-lasting friendships. The school provides a wide spectrum of different classes that may interest the child as they develop the future ahead of them. Overall, sending your child to his school will beneficially boost their future and their relationship with God. Not a doubt, the best experience a child can have is found here!... Read 121 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 954

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• San Jose, CA•

• Private School•

• 9-12

• •
  Rating 4.02 out of 5  250 reviews

Parent: Presentation has strong academics, great diversity, and an administration really focused on ensuring excellent outcomes for the girls, both in terms of academic learning as well as social-emotional learning. It is an incredibly well-rounded school — it has a strong STEM program and a strong arts program; an award-winning robotics team and an award winning dance team. Presentation does an excellent job of instilling courage, confidence and empowerment, and has all the benefits than only an all-girls environment can provide. Highly recommend!... Read 250 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 600

• Student-teacher ratio 13:1

• Palo Alto Unified School District, CA•

• 6-8

• •
  Rating 3.63 out of 5  8 reviews

Parent: We recently moved into the district and both the kids started at Fletcher. It is a breath of fresh air! Teachers are caring, committed to the students' success and take accountability for making them high school ready. The afterschool sports choices could be more and better organized.... Read 8 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 562

• Student-teacher ratio 14:1

• San Jose, CA•

• Private School•

• 6-12

• •
  Rating 4.25 out of 5  28 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 28 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 79

• Student-teacher ratio 7:1

• Palo Alto, CA•

• Private School•

• K-12

• •
  Rating 5 out of 5  23 reviews

Parent: After two years of horrible public school experiences (bullying and lack of support from the school), we found Living Wisdom School. From the minute we met the staff we were convinced this was the school for our daughter. They approach each student with care, support, and kindness. We saw our daughter blossom under their care and grow in ways that brought tears of joy. In fact, I cried at every Parent-Teacher conference because the feedback they provided to us reflected how well they knew our daughter--something that didn't happen in the two previous years of high school. I can't recommend this school highly enough. I can't even imagine where we would be today if we didn't have the opportunity to enroll our daughter in this school. Our daughter graduated from Living Wisdom as a whole person -- confident, compassionate, mindful, and ready to take on college!... Read 23 reviews

• grade A+

• Students 82

• Student-teacher ratio 5:1