Patrick Henry High School

12449 West Patrick Henry Road

School District

Hanover County Public Schools
Grade

9-12
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:10
Type

public

School Map for Hanover County Public Schools

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on September 03, 2023

I have been involved in this school for more than 25 years. This school truly embraces their PHamily values, but like any real family there are problems. The school is old and like any older facility it needs upgrades, but the custodians and admin do their best at staying up with repairs. Overwhelmingly, the faculty help out students and one another while challenging the students where they are academically. The diversity of the school is astounding, when one looks beyond merely race demographics. Every socio-economic group is present, every learning group from profound special needs, ELL, standard and advanced levels to IB, AP, and dual enrollment are available with everything in between. Course offerings are incredible. There is a strong Arts department (both performing and visual) JROTC, Agriculture Science has three instructors, African American history is offered, Art and Film History, and students can leave campus for an even wider array of courses at Hanover School for the Trades. My daughter got everything she needed to prepare herself for success at UVA from PH and thoroughly enjoyed her experiences in the classroom while pursuing a wide array of extra curricular activities. PH will exceed your expectations IF you put forth effort and enthusiasm. If you just float through school expecting things to come to you, or you can't accept that this is a public school with flaws, you won't be happy. But if you seek out rigor and exercise your own agency, you will be well positioned for life.
Submitted by parent on June 04, 2021

Great School, Great Teachers! This school will make sure your child’s education is well round!
Submitted by parent on April 25, 2019

PH has some dedicated teachers, but the administration is so chaotic I don't know how this school makes it through the day. Fights every day, vaping in the locker rooms, and the counselors lose SOL scores, put students in wrong classes, and the only thing you really hear about is the latest sports scores. Thus far, a totally underwhelming experience. This school lacks a culture of academic excellence.
Submitted by parent on August 12, 2018

I believe it is a very good school. Both my girls graduated from PHHS and have both gone to college . PHHS was a good fit for our girls.
Submitted by parent on January 29, 2018

After coming from Henrico County Patrick Henry has exceeded my expectations and been a great fit for both of my kids. They go above and beyond to help kids. The teachers, counselors and administration go above and beyond. I couldn’t ask for more. They truly do care.
Submitted by other on January 10, 2017

Where do I even begin with this? I'm a former PH student who left during my 11th-grade year, and I have plenty to say about this joke of a school. This school is majorly overpopulated, with the school reaching over 1,500 students. Cliques and bullying are widespread and nothing is done about it. Having been in the same school system since Kindergarten, I was bullied for years before transferring. Teachers who should be stopping these issues are instead worrying about smaller and more insignificant issues. A teacher scolded my friends and I because we were "standing too close to the cafeteria door". What does that even mean? Fights have become rampant over the last couple of years. Last February, the school was shut down because nine fights had occurred in one day. Why can't teachers pay attention to that instead? In fact, the teachers are either uncommitted college graduates who are only teaching because they chose a bad degree, or old, senile brutes who have forgotten how to teach. The few good teachers at this school admit that the school has major problems. The bathrooms are always being vandalized and drug use (particularly dip) is common. The school is decaying from the inside out, with mice and insects littering some sections of the school. In ninth grade, the air vent in my History classroom had a wasp nest in it. The school may hold the title of an "International Baccalaureate" school, but don't be fooled! That's only there to give the students a reason to stay in this dump. The old principal, Wanda Bibb, didn't do anything to fix these issues. The new principal makes these brash decisions that don't seem to fix any of the existing issues. One of my friends, who transferred from an inner-city school, hated the place, and it isn't hard to see why. Leaving this school was the best decision I've ever made. This may sound like another angry review, but I can wholeheartedly say that everything I have stated here is 100% true.
Submitted by student on December 01, 2015

I have been a student at PH for a few years now and the time I have spent there has been beyond awful. It is not only the community that is filled with discrimination, but the schools as well. I have witnessed immense amounts of racism, homophobia, transphobia (the faculty went as far as to remove LGBTQ+ support posters), islamophobia, sexism, and many more forms of prejudice. This school is not a welcoming place in any sense. Gossip controls the students and faculty and cliques rule the halls. If not for the filthy conditions of the building, one would be led to believe that the school was a set for a bad high school drama. With the students and teachers within continuously playing their parts perfectly, all conforming to the traditional high school hierarchy. I excel in school not because I feel so supported and content with my education, but to get as far away from PH and the community that continues to allow a place like this to exist.
Submitted by other on November 15, 2015

I have been at Patrick henry for two years now, and it has been horrible all of the students are rude or too good for everybody, the teachers have very stingy attitudes. This is a place I will never send my kids. Of all places school is supposed to be a fun place for kids to go and learn what need be. The staff is very demanding and unreasonable. Teachers sit in there rooms and gossip about other students and are really rude about it. The actual building itself is disgusting and with me having asthma and airway constriction makes it hard to breath at time with all the very noticeable mold, and all of the bugs and mice. This is not a sanitary place to send your kids. PH gets so much money from students and vinding machines but can't get rid of the mold? Its just gross, I have gone to many classes and found mouse droppings on the floor. I have never in my life been so disappointed in a school system. And the cafeteria food is nasty and runs out everyday. I have had to sit out t lunch and not eat due to this. Its beyond ridiculous how kids are being treated at school, but still expected to go everyday. I personally can not wait to get out of this school.
Submitted by other on October 25, 2015

My 3 girls attended the WesternHanover schools, Patrick Henry High was a wonderful experience for them. Each excelled and were well prepared for college. If I had it to do over, PHHS would be my choice. Each have moved back into the community and will be sending their children to the same schools. If you are moving into the area, please visit the schools. You will find the experience and attitude of the teachers and students to be stellar.
Submitted by parent on December 02, 2014

This school is great! Many of the students go on to very nice colleges and do very well. The student to teacher ratio is low compared to many schools!
Submitted by parent on December 02, 2014

We have heard nothing but great about this school. The parents are very active and the programs are great!
Submitted by parent on September 22, 2014

I moved from the best schools in Henrico to live in a small town. My daughters made a very smooth transition. The school offered many activities which both took advantage of which at the school. One was very artistic and the other more sporty. Both enjoyed their experience. One has her PHD and the other working in a very nice position after achieving tops in her university at the University of Richmond. They both took AP and IB classes. Great school would recommend it to anyone.
Submitted by other on April 01, 2014

I recieve a high quality education. Personally, I'm in the IB program. The IB at PH is great with one of the best programs around. While many people will complain about the facility of the school be old(over 50 years old) the quality of the education recieved massively outweights the negatives of an older building! There is a reason why Hanover County has consistently had a top notch education system, they know that education isn't all about facility looks and high government spending, (like in the adjacent Henrico County.) PH is a well-deserving 5-star school.
Submitted by parent on January 30, 2013

Patrick Henry provides a quality education for all students. The opportunties are there for sucess. I would not hesitate to recommend this school. While they do need to improve the math department, the overall scores were as good and better in some areas than other county schools. Most of the parents are pleased with the education their children are receiving, and there are abundant extracurricular activities to keep the kids interested. The IB program is top notch.
Submitted by student on January 21, 2013

The school is falling apart. A few teachers have left due to sinus trouble from mold spores in the ceiling due to the combination of a flat roof and rain. There are bugs everywhere, dirt on the floor, chewing tobacco in the water fountains and on the walls, and just an overall feeling of uncleanliness. The supplies such as textbooks are severely outdated, many past the "adoption level", and some textbooks even the teachers have learned from. The school uses old computers which use Windows XP, a nearly 12 year old operating system, and even overhead projectors. Many teachers have been cut due to monetary issues, so class sizes have been severely raised. However, it's easy to see why these teachers have been cut. Many "teach" by using slideshows taken straight off of the internet or videos made by someone else. They read straight off of these slideshows or just sit back and let the video play. They even get their tests off the internet as well. Recently, due to the shooting in Connecticut, Patrick Henry has decided that it must take precautions in case of an event like this. Every door is locked, which is a big inconvenience, and all of the windows have shades. It feels like a jail.
Submitted by parent on October 28, 2012

My daughter graduated from PH not long ago. We had moved from an incredibly competitive school where she was in all AP classes; I thought only private school would offer the same challenging courses. We were so pleased that PH offered every class she needed and wanted for the AP degree, but also - because the school offered many varied programs and didn't push all students to AP as her prior school had - that her classes had anywhere from 7 to 22 students - an excellent environment. PH recognized so much varied potential in students aside from pushing all students in one, 4 year college prep direction, as we had experienced. Dedicated, approachable, caring teachers and a varied curriculum from which to choose, together recognize and foster the varied gifts and learning styles of students. Our and our daughter's experience was excellent in all respects, and PH thoroughly prepared her for success after high school.