Eton School

2701 Bel-Red Road

Bellevue, WA 98008

26 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on March 28, 2024

We were surprised to receive a complaint from her teacher regarding her use of paper for drawing activities. The complaint mentioned that she uses approximately 10 papers during her time at school. Considering the investment we make in her education at a private institution like Eton, we find it perplexing that such feedback would be raised as a significant issue.Furthermore, we have also been repeatedly urged to have our daughter evaluated due to her perceived "obsession" with drawing. While we understand the importance of a well-rounded education, we believe that nurturing her interests and talents should be encouraged rather than discouraged.We would appreciate a clearer understanding of Eton's perspective on these matters and how they align with the school's educational philosophy and values.
Submitted by parent on February 25, 2024

Eton has been a wonderful school for our daughter. She has attended Eton since she was 3 years old, and we could not be happier to see her progress and the tremendous support she gets at school. She has developed lifelong skills like growth mindset, empathy, perseverance, resilience, a healthy sense of self-esteem and confidence along with a love of learning. The beautifully thought-out Montessori curriculum allows our daughter ample opportunities for exploration, independent learning, critical thinking, and following her strengths. She always comes back happy from school and loves her environment and peer group.The teachers are incredible, knowledgeable and genuinely caring. They have made a significant contribution to my daughter's growth, and we could not be grateful enough for their efforts and dedication. They are extremely accessible and are very communicative about a child's progress and closely work with the parents as one team.Eton students are exposed to a wide range of enrichment activities like music, art, library, environmental education and many other after school options. Our daughter is thriving at Eton, and we truly believe Eton educates the whole child by striking a healthy balance between academic excellence and social and emotional learning.
Submitted by parent on February 02, 2024

Our experience with Eton School in Bellevue, where our children are in grades 6, 4, and 2, has been outstanding. The school's Montessori approach shines in its academic rigor, encouraging self-directed learning and fostering a deep love for education in our kids. Each child's social and emotional well-being is a priority, reflected in the inclusive and diverse environment and the nurturing support system.Teachers at Eton deserve special mention for their dedication. They are not only competent in their subjects but also genuinely caring, contributing significantly to our children's growth and confidence. The balance of academic excellence with emotional and social development makes Eton School an ideal choice for families seeking comprehensive, child-centered education. We wholeheartedly recommend it.
Submitted by parent on January 27, 2024

We have three children at Eton and I can’t say enough great things about the school. We came from another Montessori school and there is just no comparison in quality. All of my kids are thriving. Overall, there is a clear rhythm to the school- the staff is coordinated and in sync with one another, and they all seem to really enjoy and respect each other. Everyone working at the school seems to know your child well, and it really feels like such a warm family. Retention of staff is very strong, and teachers and administrators all seem smart, well educated, invested, and happy to be at the school. This is the first school I've experienced where I'd honestly be happy no matter what teacher my child received because all the teachers seem to be very thoughtfully hired, a good fit for Eton culture, and teaching a consistent curriculum.We love how the Montessori method is executed at Eton School. The children are given freedom to create their own work schedule and are also held accountable for its organization and completion. However, the teachers serve as their incredible guides who intricately know the strengths and challenges of each student. The multi-age classroom gives the older students confidence and leadership opportunities while the younger students are motivated by the knowledge and rhythm of the older children. The really nice thing is that if your child is excelling in an area, like math, they can progress through the curriculum at their own rate. So, kids are not 'held back' in their strength areas and can be given more time and attention in their challenge areas. There are so many offerings at the school that I feel my kids are getting frequent, quality exposure to a range of activities - art, theatre, environmental education, music, language, library, health, science. There are also many after school classes you can opt into. All enrichment teachers and activities are beautifully weaved into the other aspects of school. I truly feel that my kids are getting the best balance of everything at Eton - between academics, personal, emotional and social development, and quality exposure to a wide range of enrichment areas. I drop my kids off each day feeling really good about their school environment and education.
Submitted by parent on January 23, 2024

We joined Eton with our oldest child during the pandemic because in-person learning was really important to us, especially for kindergarten. We now have two children attending Eton, and have experienced grades K-3 so far. For us, Eton is a great community, and we feel that the teachers are very in-tune and invested in our children's learning. It reminds me of what school was like when I was in Elementary - smaller, more time to focus on learning lots of things in life, not just learning to pass a test. The classroom sizes are small (18-20 in our experience), with two adults in the room (sometimes more). I didn't know that much about Montessori before we joined (and honestly I still don't), but what I have noticed is that there are many different learning levels available in each classroom. If your kiddo rocks at language, but needs a little more support learning math at their grade level, well that's fine, because there are like six to choose from. Both of our kids have thrived in this environment.I also really like the mixed age classes. This was important to our family. The older children get to be leaders and show empathy to the younger children, as well as opportunities to teach, and the younger ones get older buddies, a preview to future learning, and maybe even a nudge to stretch themselves to a higher level if that works for them. They also have an amazing art program, performing arts, Earth education (field trips to Ardmore park, planting gardens, watching salmon eggs hatch!), Spanish, and then regular classes like PE and Library. It feels really well rounded to me, and we just love being a part of the school.
Submitted by parent on November 02, 2023

My experience with this school, especially since enrolling my child in a pre-elementary class, has been profoundly disappointing. The teacher's behavior has been marked by impatience and unprofessionalism, and here are specific instances:1. The teacher has demonstrated a complete lack of discretion by sharing sensitive information about other students, including divulging details about a student's medical condition and the need for a transfer to a special school. This behavior is wholly inappropriate.2. There appears to be a deficiency in the teacher's understanding and empathy for children who are struggling to adapt to the new school environment. For example, a 3-year-old child experiencing separation anxiety and language barriers receives no support. Instead, the teacher leaves the child to face these challenges alone and even publicly shames them for their language abilities.3. The teacher's quickness to recommend immediate evaluations for children displaying normal developmental differences within the first few weeks raises questions about their dedication to nurturing all students. It gives the impression that only perfectly behaved children are accepted, which is an unrealistic expectation.4. There is a clear absence of communication or updates regarding our children's progress at school, leaving parents uninformed about their child's well-being and development.5. Most troublingly, the teacher fails to address or intervene in cases of aggressive behavior or bullying within the school, thereby neglecting to create a safe and supportive learning environment.These issues are deeply concerning and call for immediate attention and resolution.
Submitted by parent on September 27, 2021

We had a very bad experience at this school. Stay away if you have a child who might not be fully neurotypical; our child has some sensory processing issues, and it was made very clear to us that we should not return to the school because they would provide no accommodations for her even if we were willing to pay for resources out of pocket. We were given very little warning (they told us well after the application deadline for most schools that they would not be able to provide her with support). The Montessori shtick about meeting the child where they are at doesn’t seem to apply to children with delayed social and personal skills.
Submitted by parent on January 12, 2019

Overall Eton is nice till pre-k. For K and beyond I when academics starts to matter Eton falls short. I wish if they were able to beef up their academics little bit.
Submitted by other on October 07, 2018

If you were in Bulgaria and bought a new Nike shoe that costs hundreds in the US but a vendor sold the pair to you for US $20, what would you already know about it? The main thing you would know is that it is virtually guaranteed that the shoes had either been stolen or were knockoffs. This school began on the basis of using someone else's reputation (*the* Eton boarding school in Windsor) as their marketing model, trying to suggest that they are somehow associated or linked or of similar philosophy and outcomes, because they were in the US and they could, legally. When that is the foundation, it tends to permeate everything. They do seem to maintain the appropriate Bellevue-area snootiness to match, but that's about it. Pay close attention to alumni reviews, especially, after further education elsewhere. Your child is unlikely to come out of this Eton with anything resembling the work done at the real Eton despite their use of the name and their efforts to give that impression.
Submitted by parent on December 16, 2015

My son is in his 2nd year at Eton and we are very happy with the school. The program is academic but in a very nurturing environment. When we were looking at schools, we almost didn't visit Eton because of the some of the older reviews, but once we visited we were immediately impressed and have been happy with our decision. I have an older son attending a private school for gifted kids in the area. There are pro and cons to both school, but I felt that the Kindergarten program offered at Eton was superior to the one offered at the gifted school. I liked that the Eton program allowed my younger son to advance at his speed and he didn't have to wait for the rest of the class in the areas where he was ahead (this is a benefit to a Montessori school. Also he would have had 1:1 help in areas he was behind). I also liked that Eton taught handwriting in K, while this was not a priority in my older son's school (and he has always struggled with poor handwriting as a result). If you are looking for an academic program in a nurturing environment, I would recommend visiting Eton.
Submitted by parent on November 13, 2015

We are very new to the school but what we have seen in the past 9weeks it was the best thing we could have done for our girls. We transferred here from a top rated elementary school after the completion of 1st grade. in the few weeks that my girls have attended Eton I'm blown away as to how much they have changed.Their love of learning, their confidence, hand writing, attention to detail, love of reading, vocabulary, spelling, creativity, respect of their own time.Now I'm not saying Eton has taught them all of this in a short period of time as I'm sure it was all ready in side of them but what I am saying is that Eton (their teachers and the environment) has helped bring it out. Leaving our public school was such a tough decision but coming to Eton was the best thing we could have done for our girls as one needed a smaller teacher to child ratio while the other one needed a more rigorous curriculum and this school provides that for both of them.I could go on and on but honestly it is one of the best gifts we have been able to provide for our girls!Lastly this is the ONLY review I have EVER done in my life as I think I keep Amazon in business but have never felt so strongly and never have been so amazed by a "product" before. I am truly grateful for the love of learning Eton has given to my children.
Submitted by parent on September 18, 2015

My daughter went to Eton for three years, until First Grade, during which time she was happy and comfortable everyday, and developed a love of learning - which is the most important "academic" skill in the early years. She never complained one day of not wanting to go to school. She came home proud of her discoveries and achievements. She rated in 99th percentile in the gifted program tests administered by the public school, thanks to the exposure to high-level reading, critical thinking, and math skills at Eton. We pulled her out of Eton after kindergarten only due to our financial constraints and now are hoping that we can have her back in Eton in the near future, since she is far ahead academically in her current 1st grade class and appears stressed out at the beginning of each day.I am confused by those who state that Eton is not a true Montessori school. It most definitely is, as evidenced by their accreditations. While "work time" is self-directed, the teachers do, as they must in the practical world, guide the child to other activities if the child is fixated on only one skill set. But the child is never forced to accomplish teacher-set goals. That makes sense to me and that is the montessori philosophy.
Submitted by parent on December 05, 2014

Eton School has been our home for the last 8 years and it has been great to see our children grow, being academically challenged and blossom into healthy young adults. As with every (school) life, there are ups & downs but the way the 'developmental challenges' are handled at Eton is comprehensive and involves staff & parents alike to come to a good result. Teamwork is the key and it shows! Educating the whole child is the school's motto and will help the child become a balanced individual.
Submitted by other on September 24, 2014

I am an Eton School alumna, having attended their pre-elementary program and first grade. Though that was several years ago now, as I reflect on my early education, I could not have been more privileged or more fortunate. Many parents seem to question the benefits of a Montessori education or often be unaware of what exactly it entails, which is truly unfortunate. Staff at Eton are committed to carrying on this learning style philosophy, which instills important lessons that I still find that I reach back to today. For example, at Eton, I first learned what independence, responsibility, and compassion were and how amongst my mixed grade levels, these three values bound us together. The teachers are incredible supportive of inquisitive minds, encouraging students to constantly value learning, exploring multiple interests, and think critically. The "whole child" concept has nurtured unexpected skill sets that have lasted me all the way through my top-ten undergraduate institution education. I would recommend Eton School to everyone without hesitation, as it is a phenomenal environment for students and parents, alike.
Submitted by other on September 24, 2014

I am truly shocked to see that there are such stark reviews about Eton School, as I would describe my personal experience with it as incredible. Parents must be committed to the Montessori philosophy to really appreciate the richness of academia here. As an Eton alum, and a mathematics major in college, I have grown to appreciate how complex the pre-elementary education really is. Students are learning about precursor concepts in euclidean and noneuclidean geometries and basic algebra at ages 3-6! Even though there is academic rigor, it's also such a great place for children to learn about exploring many different subjects. I remember, as a pre-schooler, learning an in-depth unit on geology, so comprehensive that even my high school earth sciences class at public school did not cover the details that we had earlier. Eton is a great school with compassionate teachers who are willing to work with families together to nurture the whole child. It's a fantastic approach that every student should have the opportunity to experience.
Submitted by parent on September 14, 2014

My daughter attended Eton's three-year pre-elementary program recently. Her father and I really gave this school the benefit of doubts and a good try to the "Montessori philosophy" by keeping our daughter at Eton for the full three years. The end result is very disappointing. At the annual tuition about $15k to $16K a year for three years, my daughter cannot comfortably do math within 10 and her self-doubt lingered after three years of the "developing the whole child" philosophy. Most teachers and caretakers were nurturing, but not insightful to how each child was doing and how parents could help. We suspect a lack of accountability from the teachers by simply hiding behind the "Montessori philosophy" leaving the children to fend for themselves (there is much bullying by the older children in the same classrooms towards the younger aged ones) and wasting precious years of early childhood learning opportunities. It's a crime to charging this amount of tuition, not holding teachers accountable, and leaving the children to "learn" or not learn "on their own pace." This school should be shut down, or at least the pre-elementary program!
Submitted by parent on June 25, 2014

As a parent with multiple children at the school I can speak to our experience. The peer mentoring in pre-K and lower elementary, where multiple grades share a class, is a great model. Watching the children grow from being mentored by older students into role models for the younger ones was a joy. The upper grades (4-8) have been academically challenging but not overwhelming. The teachers engage with the children and provide frequent and clear feedback. The school provided assistance for our one child who has dyslexia. The teachers have managed his learning differences amongst his peers commendably. Beyond academics, trips to IslandWood , Nature Bridge, Mountain School, and Washington DC were great (academically and socially) experiences in 4th-8th grades. The addition of Ultimate Frisbee as a team sport added another dimension to an already good focus on physical health. Socially, friendships have extended past the classroom, though this takes effort due to the broad geographic distribution of the student body. There are too many facets to encapsulate in a short review, but consider Eton if you are looking for an intimate, caring, and thoughtful approach to education.
Submitted by parent on June 24, 2014

Terrific Teachers. They are very good at understanding how to get the best out of each student. New Head of School is enhancing and modernizing the school
Submitted by other on December 31, 2013

Whatever else Eton may be, it is not a Montessori school. Look for classes with at least a three year age range, students choosing what to do and when to do it (with help from teacher-given lessons), and adults who emphasize whole-child development and not just academic progress.
Submitted by parent on October 03, 2013

Isn't that funny when you see the 5 star reviews, you exactly knew who wrote it? I don't know the reviewer whose daughter was kicked out in a week. But you are so lucky! The longer the kids stay in this school, more distorted and depressed their lives become. Good luck to all Eton kids, no matter they are among the group who are treated extremely "good" by the teachers there or "bad", it is hard for them to grow up healthy.