Moving to Washington from London - where are the best elementary schools

[sophie123]

Hello,
I'd be really grateful for some advice. My husband and I, with our three children, are moving to Washington this summer and we are trying to work out where we should live. Our commutes will be to the northwest of the city but the area we live in will be determined by schools, inevitably enough. I know that lots of different elements make a "good" school but our eldest is currently at a fairly academic (relatively speaking) state (public) schools in London which is very disciplined and focused and he happens to love it; I know school starts a year later in the states and the system is different but I would like to give him as much continuity as possible. Which are the most academic elementary schools in the suburbs (since we cannot afford Georgetown and would like as much outdoor space as possible)? We have been told by many friends that Bethesda has good schools and is a good place to live - is there anywhere else we should be considering? I would like to know of all the best options, regardless of budget, so that I can make comparisons. And one final Q: are there any public Catholic schools and if not what are the private ones like? Which should I be looking at? Thank you so much for any suggestions.

[Anonymous]

I'd spend some time on the DC Public School Board - you don't say your children's ages, but there are many good elmntaries in he city that would make for easy commutes. You'll see JKLM a lot this stands for Janney, Key, Lafayette, Mann, which are some of the most highly regarded elementary schools.

Privates are quite expensive here - even religious schools - but plenty about them on the private/independent board as well. Then you wade into charter territory if you live in DC you can play the lottery and some charters in DC are fabulous. Welcome. Sorry for the snark you'll read here but please know its not that bad.

[Anonymous]

What is your budget?

If you are going to be north and west of the city. Montgomery County is where you should start. Excellent school system, but large - so some parts are better than others. Budget will help us recommend specific areas.

[Anonymous]

There are no public Catholic schools. They are all private which means tuition bills but they are less expensive than many other private schools. Keep in mind that upper NW DC is not all as expensive as Georgetown, but you really need to give an idea of budget.

[sophie123]

Thank you both. Budget is flexible because we are not paying the rent (but we don't have funds for private schooling by the sounds of it). I think up to $5,000 a month would be considered acceptable.

[sophie123]

And are there any particularly well thought of Catholic private schools, before I check the fees? Thank you!

[Anonymous]

sophie123 wrote:Thank you both. Budget is flexible because we are not paying the rent (but we don't have funds for private schooling by the sounds of it). I think up to $5,000 a month would be considered acceptable.

Bethesda would be an excellent choice.

[Anonymous]

Bethesda

[sophie123]

Any particular recommendations in Bethesda, school-wise?

[Anonymous]

sophie123 wrote:And are there any particularly well thought of Catholic private schools, before I check the fees? Thank you!

What are your kids ages and genders?

[Anonymous]

I'm curious- are there public Catholic schools in Europe or the UK?

[sophie123]

eldest is 8-year-old boy

[sophie123]

In the UK there are Church of England and Catholic government schools, which are often among the best (partly because they are somewhat selective or self-selecting anyway)

[Anonymous]

sophie123 wrote:eldest is 8-year-old boy

Ok, so you are looking for elementary schools. There are lots of good catholic schools if that's the way that you want to go. I would note that they tend to be more religious than their counterparts in the UK, FYI. I would also say that at the elementary level you are going to find that the class sizes are similar to those in public school. If you are looking for a more traditional school, however, catholic might be the way to go. Some to look at:

Blessed Sacrament
St. Bartholomew's
Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School
Saint Jane Frances de Chantal Catholic
The Wood's Academy

[Anonymous]

OP, keep in mind that the academics aren't necessarily stronger at these catholic schools. Your kids may be more challenged in public. It just depends on the school and your kid.