The Banff School

13726 Cutten Road

Houston, TX 77069

33 Reviews

School District
Grade

PK-12
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on March 04, 2019

Banff is a special school to my two sons and me. They have been here from pre-k on. My oldest son is in 4th grade. He loves the smaller class sizes. He gets the one-on-one instruction he sometimes needs and is challenged when he needs to be. Both of my kids have made friends with the kids at Banff and they absolutely love their teachers. One thing I really love about Banff is the way the upper school students help the elementary school students. The elementary students really look up to them and they are good role models.
Submitted by parent on October 08, 2018

This is my fourth year at Banff. I have 2 daughters, a 6 years old, and 9 years old. My experience with Banff so far has been great. My girls have made a big progress academically and are testing way above their grade level in the standardized tests (MAP test). The teachers provide a loving and nurturing environment. They keep close communication with the parents and seem to genuinely care for each student. The administration has an open door policy and is always open to suggestions. Classrooms are relatively small, allowing students to get the personalized attention they need from their teachers.
Submitted by other on October 06, 2018

My grandson goes to Banff and I just love watching their performances. They do such a good job that you can’t help but me smiling when you leave. The staff also seems very friendly and the school is well kept.
Submitted by parent on October 06, 2018

Really great. This is the fourth year my girls have been enrolled in the school. Each year, the teachers have been wonderful and supportive while also keeping them challenged and engaged. The curriculum is top notch and I can’t wait for them age into the coding and robotics program which starts in elementary school. The fine arts curriculum has taught them confidence and they are very proud of the shows they have been a part of.I would strongly recommend Banff to anyone who is looking for a smaller community which helps each child explore and develop and flourish. The dedicated staff here know every child by name and each one is treated with respect.
Submitted by parent on October 04, 2018

Our daughter has been extremely happy at Banff, she is excited to go to school everyday. We have enjoyed being a part of the Banff family. Also the curriculum has been challenging for her and has made her a more confident student.
Submitted by parent on September 25, 2018

This is our third year at the Banff and we love it. We chose the Banff due to the differentiation of work, the diversity of the students, the small class size, and the accreditation. Additionally, it offers preschool through 12th grade with dual credit. The atmosphere is very positive. The teachers are talented, loving, and dedicated. The Banff has an impressive fine arts department. Upper elementary school and middle school students also take a robotics class to learn coding and additional math. My son joined the math clubs and competed in the Scripps spelling bee at the school. Through the math clubs and robotics class, he also participated in AMC 8, AMC 10, and Math Counts competitions. My daughter enjoys her art lessons after school. The students are kind and accepting. A speech therapist is on campus to meet with students during the day if needed. I searched for 2 years prior to enrolling my kids in any school. The staff are flexible to ensure that the students' individual needs are met. I have never come across another school like the Banff!
Submitted by parent on September 19, 2018

My experiences at Banff have been excellent, both as a parent and a teacher. This is not the only place I have taught. It IS the only place I ever want to teach. The atmosphere and excellence at Banff is exactly why I wanted to be a teacher since I was three years old. It's an excellent school for my own children as well. They love their friends, the school, and all the activities they do.
Submitted by parent on September 14, 2018

This is our first year at Banff and we are highly impressed with the exceptional administrative staff, the level of respect and acceptance the classmates have extended to our son & the small class sizes! It’s definitely refreshing, to have your child start a new school at the Junior High level, and to have made friends, from day one. Junior High is a very tough age to be the new kid but the students at Banff have made it a positive social transition!
Submitted by parent on March 05, 2018

My daughter loves this school. The teachers do a great job!
Submitted by student on November 01, 2017

This is such a good school. It’s kind of an underdog when it comes to Houston private schools but in my opinion it’s the best of them all. Sure, the installations might be a little old, but the teachers are so amazing and the students that go here are so great. I honestly can’t think of a time there was a fight or anything like that at Banff. I’ve also noticed the athletics at banff are also really starting to take off, and the performing arts department is outstanding. I feel like it offers more of a homey feeling rather than a school vibe which is refreshing. It’s also pretty easy to make friends since everyone is so cool (the teachers and students are both hilarious so that’s a plus). We also get to go on awesome trips which the majority of schools don’t get to do. This year we’re going to Disney World.
Submitted by parent on March 09, 2017

My kids attend the school unfortunately we have to move. My daughter who is on 2nd grader before loves Mrs. Peduzzi and Mrs. Mungia. Mrs. Peduzzi encourage her to read and every book she read she re tell it to me even the new words that she learned.My 4th grader lover his teachers too! Mrs. Sauls, Mrs. Fisher, Mrs. Burson. He loves Math and one night he told me " you know what mom I'm helping my classmates in class because I already learned everything they are doing now in school,his teacher also told me that he asked her question that she can't answer and learned from him. I recommend The Banff school the support from teachers are the BEST!!
Submitted by other on December 14, 2016

I have been going here for a bit and its an awesome school. Academics are great and so are the people. My only complaint is that they need to fix the bathrooms in the gym, other than that, its good.
Submitted by other on September 23, 2016

It's a good school overall. There are some great teachers who always help, plus they're pretty funny and nice. Also the kids here are all nice and chill. Especially the high schoolers. Some people don't like it because there aren't lots of students here but most people find friends even if there aren't many people in the school. I've been here for some time and my grades literally blasted up from the ones I got in my old school. Banff does have its flaws, such as the installations that should be remodeled, but it's a pretty nice school.
Submitted by parent on July 15, 2016

My son who is in 12th was previously attending public school and had lost his love for learning. He dreaded going to school each day and complained of bullying. To make matters worse, his district would not make accommodations for his ADHD. I put him in Banff at the beginning of his 11th grade year. I saw a huge and quick turnaround. I no longer had to wake him up for school; he woke up early. He became excited about his classes and the course work. When I asked him who his favorite teacher was, he named several of his teachers. He excitedly shared information on things he was learning in class. To my amazement, he made all A's last year, and with no ADHD accommodations. The small class size, engaging curriculum, and teachers who know how to teach to a variety of learning styles was all he needed. I could kick myself for not putting him in Banff earlier. I think his earlier school years would have been much more enjoyable and rewarding.
Submitted by parent on July 15, 2016

This school has been wonderful. Our daughter is the second generation in our family to attend. It's family oriented, small, and very caring. Perfect for my daughter to get the individual education and attention she deserves. They are doing a great job updating technology and the school building itself while still hanging on to the charm that makes this school special and unique. The teachers are wonderful. Some of the same teachers are there from when I was a student many many years ago, and they still remember me. Returning to Banff school to enroll our daughter felt like going back home. Great school!
Submitted by student on July 14, 2016

My son has attended this school for over two academic years. This was the best decision I made as a parent in advancing my child's social and academic development. The school's administrators and teachers are highly engaged and invested in your child's education. The founder, principal and teachers are all very present and have an open door policy when it comes to discussing concerns or suggestions. Most importantly, everyone at this school cares and deeply understands the purpose and patience it takes to educate children as a whole. They know each and every child personally and I am very grateful for this place.
Submitted by other on July 12, 2016

My daughter has recently started attending this school and I cannot tell you how impressed I am with the level of care, compassion and personal attention the teachers have given her. My family is not just another unfamiliar face to the office staff. They know who we are and greet us personally every day; they care about my daughter's progress in school; they honestly seem to want what is best for each and every student on a one-to-one basis. I have also been happy with the new technology the school has implemented just in our first year here, along with apparently some much-needed changes to their facilities, administrative processes and overall communication. I see this school continuing to get better and I am overjoyed my daughter (and her two happy parents!) have found a home for her where we know she will succeed.
Submitted by parent on January 29, 2016

As a certified teacher with ten years experience, I can honestly say that there are underlying problems with the way the school is being managed. After viewing my child's work and listening to my child speak to me about what was going on in her classroom at Banff, I've concluded that many of the claims on the website in regards to the curriculum are untrue. When you tour Banff please keep in mind that anything the admin tells you regarding extracurriculars might be cut after you sign the contract with no explanation. Also, be aware that the science experiment worksheets your child brings home may not actually be taking place. The school is too cheap to provide the materials for those experiments. I would urge any parent interested in Banff to compare the tuition at Banff and notice how low it is compared to the other private schools in the area. THAT is how they hook you. Then, they get you to sign a contract saying that you are obligated to pay full tuition for the school year even if you withdraw your child for ANY reason. The fact that they make you sign something like this should be a red flag! Many of the positive reviews here are from students who don't know any better or parents who only have their kids here because they like the warm fuzzy environment. The curriculum as a whole is horrible. If you want to know what your child should be learning, please refer to the TEKS. Those are the Texas standards. The Banff does a poor job of keeping up with the public schools. Please pay attention to the negative reviews. They are true.
Submitted by parent on January 29, 2016

What the second grade curriculum says on the Banff website is not what was being delivered at Banff. There is no Art program unless you want to pay extra. The homeroom teachers are NOT teaching art despite what the website or admin might say. The second grade science curriculum talks about experiments and the scientific method and recording the data. My child told me that the hypothesis, observation, and conclusions were written on the board from the Teachers Edition of the textbook. My child never laid eyes on any science tools nor did she make any observations. When I brought my concerns to the principal I was told that the purpose of the book is for "exposure." The science text is very dumbed down and there is no critical thinking in math or science at Banff. The teacher just writes all the answers on the board and the students copy it. My daughter told me there is not much discussion during science.The math is weak. The teacher does not seem to know how to pull way from the textbook. Everything going on in her class is textbook driven. That does not lead to critical thinking or creativity. Children are naturally creative if we get out of their way, but the only thing going on in this room is worksheets. No meaningful learning takes place in math or science.The music class we were promised on the tour got cut. They do NOT teach a well rounded music curriculum as written in the TEKS at Banff as promised. We even met a music teacher and we were told that my daughter would have the opportunity to learn music theory. Since they cut the music, they changed the website on that subject after we had already signed the contract. They teach nothing but show tunes now so the kids can impress the parents with a show at the end of the semester, but there is no theory being taught. In short, the website is fraudulent in regards to the math, science, and art. Don't believe the hype! If you have a child younger than the age of seven, try Northwood Montessori. The tuition is cheaper, and you can use the extra money to provide good quality extracurriculars elsewhere. We are now homeschooling our daughter.
Submitted by other on December 13, 2015

I actually really like this school. Other people do not like it but I do, the students are very nice, and the teachers really care, and want to help. They give the students lots of opportunities to become better and improve.