The Oaks School

6817 Franklin Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90028

20 Reviews

School District
Grade

K-6
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on January 31, 2025

The only positive is the librarian. In general, this school doesn’t have the students as its priority, and the admin are pitted against the parent community.
Submitted by parent on May 02, 2024

My child has been a student at The Oaks for the past three years, starting in Kinder. It was an easy transition from a play-based preschool; the "Mighty K" group as they're called, has their own building and outdoor play area separate from the other grades, and parents are welcomed and encouraged to engage with the children in the classroom before the day starts. It's a small school with a great community of parents, and the school provides many opportunities to gather, through all-school assemblies, affinity groups, classroom showcases, etc. Since it's a progressive school, the kids are able to give input into what they're learning and how they learn it, creating an excitement and ownership around learning. Starting in Kinder, the Oaks' anti-bias education is woven into the curriculum, and there's a strong focus on social emotional learning. As a result, differences are celebrated and honored. They have a beautiful library, art studio, maker studio, and music space, all within a historic, magical Hogwarts-like campus. It's a gem of a school.
Submitted by parent on March 08, 2024

The Oaks has been the second home for my current 6th grader and 5th grader since kindergarten and my family couldn’t be more happy about our choice in school.We find The Oaks to be a warm, engaged and authentic environment for both children. The progressive model has led to a genuine interest and joy in learning as well as the learning process, and helped develop them into thoughtful students.The small school size lends itself to a connected and invested community of students, parents and staff. All the kids know each other’s names, regardless of grade, and are genuinely kind, nice children. Social/emotional learning is a standout, along with collaborative classroom environments that encourage the foundational aspects of becoming a curious, critical thinker. We love The Oaks School.
Submitted by parent on September 18, 2022

We transferred during covid, which was rough, but now entering our third year things have really turned around. First, the school is small and intimate, which gives it an incredibly cozy feeling. The teachers and admin all know you and your child well, so your kid feels at home when they walk in. If you want rigorous academics with lots of testing, this isn't the school for you. If you want a school that teaches children to nurture their curiosity and truly love to learn, check out The Oaks. My daughter loves math, and this year she was so excited because, as she says, "I finally get homework!", which means she gets to show us the way she thinks about math, which she is proud of. I think it's because they aren't overly stressing the kids, the kids get extremely individualized teaching that meets the child at their level. For me, it felt like my Ph.D. program, so rather than everyone has to do this one thing, it lets kids develop their natural abilities.
Submitted by parent on January 25, 2022

If you are looking for a place where your child will develop the tools to understand their own voice and more importantly empower that voice, The Oaks is the place for you. Our son began at The Oaks as a five year old in the magical kindergarten cottage and we watched him grow into a sixth grader with all the knowledge and spirit you wish for your kids.Our teachers and administrators engaged us at everystep of the way. Discussions on learning, activities, culture and privilege were all welcome with open arms...these discussions weren't alway easy either. The warm curiosity of the teachers and leadership made each engagement, no matter the level of seriousness, fruitful and actionable.The Oaks is a school where your participation is welcome and your child is respected as a contributor to the community. I can't say enough about how our elementarty school experience created such a wonderful runway for our son's future success.
Submitted by parent on January 12, 2022

I am a parent to two children at The Oaks. They are part of a wonderfully supportive and nurturing community where everyone - from the other kids to the head of school and all the teachers - know them. It is so reassuring to have a school that feels like a team of invested partners in raising my child - taking care of their social, emotional, and educational growth. During some very challenging pandemic years, The Oaks has repeatedly impressed me with their continued thoughtful evolving approach to care for the safety, educational needs, and social needs of my kids. My children are becoming confident, active, engaged learners and members of their community. They love their teachers and love school. It's exactly the result I had hoped for when we chose the school.
Submitted by parent on January 10, 2022

The Oaks is a very special place. From our initial phone call to the school to the moment we walked onto campus for our family tour, we felt the warmth, care, love and support from every Oaks community member. Every single person, students, faculty, staff & administration as well as parents are so welcoming. Our child has grown not only academically, but as an advocate for himself and others. We know that our child is valued and seen. He is respected as an individual and his voice is heard and vital to his class. We feel it, our child feels it and we are grateful. Our family truly appreciates the gift that The Oaks is and the way the community helps and partners with us so that our child blossoms.
Submitted by other on January 02, 2022

We were parents at The Oaks for ten years and consider our kids’ time there wonderful. With the dedicated, supportive teachers, the thoughtful leadership, and the warm staff, our kids thrived there. They were met where they were in Kindergarten, with a love of words, or a fascination with science, and encouraged to learn. They graduated from the school confident in who they are, kind to others, aware of the outside world, and ready to make a difference. They remain interested in learning and are leaders in their middle and high schools. As parents, we found many opportunities to become involved in the school and are glad we did, as many of our closest friends are from The Oaks community.
Submitted by parent on January 02, 2022

My two daughters each had seven years at the Oaks, for which my wife and I are enormously grateful. There is so much to appreciate about the school, from its caring parent community to its top-notch faculty and staff. And the small size makes it a place where everyone knows, well, everyone.What I always loved about the Oaks was its willingness to allow children to grow at their own pace. I think of the shy child who starts out in kindergarten scared to leave their teacher's lap during the all-school assembly who, by sixth grade, is belting out songs and supporting their own kindergarten buddy. There is a place for all of those kids.Children truly lead the learning -- backstopped by teachers who guide them wherever their creative minds lead them. Our girls are now in 10th and 8th grade, and continue to build on the lessons of empathy, compassion and inclusivity that they learned from their time at the Oaks.
Submitted by parent on December 26, 2021

It brings me no pleasure to leave a bad review of The Oaks, but I feel obligated to post a warning to families earnestly researching school options. It is difficult to know which questions to ask and which signs might be red flags - but take it from one former parent - you will be better served at one of the many other private schools in Los Angeles. I hope you find a great school for your child but The Oaks isn’t it.
Submitted by parent on December 22, 2021

We had two daughters who graduated from the Oaks, and couldn't be more satisfied. Though it is a progressive school, it prepares all kinds of students for many different learning experiences in middle and high school. The beauty of progressive education is that it is able to help instill in them a love of learning, which is a so important. From the outset, this school just felt different from all the others, less institutional, as it is in a beautiful setting. Our family immediately responded to its warm and supportive environment, as well as its embrace of an anti-bias curriculum, which is so vital in today's world. Our daughters come out of elementary school more well versed in the crucial issues that effect our world than many of their contemporaries. And they learn how to process information, and advocate for themselves. The Oaks Program builds kids' confidence from the start, through their weekly assemblies, and by 6th grade, they have no problem getting up in front of people to discuss varies things. Many Oaks students become leaders in middle school, including our daughters. Oaks teachers are committed professionals, who love kids and love their jobs. This school is fairly informal, and everybody knows each other on a first name basis. There are many service opportunities for parents in this school, and thus the community is very strong. Many of our best friends emerged from this experience. The Oaks offers a singular and stimulating experience for students and their families.
Submitted by parent on December 22, 2021

Our daughters attended Marlborough from K - 6 and we are truly so grateful for the education they received at this remarkable school. They describe their learning systems as developmental and I would define that as inspiring curiosity and teaching in ways that spark passion instead of more rote systems based on memorization and repetition. As a result of that, our daughters have loved the process of education and have excelled at their subsequent school, which is one of the most challenging academic schools in L.A. They truly remain curious about subjects and love exploring worlds and matters that are intriguing to them. I credit this entirely to The Oaks and the teachers they encountered there. One of our daughters took a while to learn to read and one of the teachers worked with her to gain that skill. Our daughter now is a voracious reader who has read several grades above her level, and her love of books was inspired by her teachers at The Oaks Finally, the Oaks truly practices compassion and empathy and these traits are shared by our daughters as well as their classmates and friends. We can't recommend the school more highly!
Submitted by other on November 17, 2021

We love The Oaks so much. I cannot say enough good things about it! We have one child who went all the way through (K-6), and a child who is still there. The teachers are very wonderful: dynamic, smart, kind, skillful, compassionate, warm and engaging. We have found the administration to be very helpful, responsive and kind when we have connected with them for various reasons over the years. Our kids LOVE school. Our younger child runs out the door every morning to get there, and our older child loved every minute of The Oaks. I feel The Oaks is a place where a love of learning is very thoughtfully cultivated, and where kids are really seen and known for who they are by their teachers and peers. They are taught to be curious, to collaborate, to be critical thinkers, to take risks, to make mistakes and to actively engage in the world around them. This all happens while learning all they need to know and beyond for middle school. My kid is thriving in middle school because of how and what she learned at The Oaks. We have also made lifelong friends there. It is an amazing place, and we are very grateful to be a part of the community!
Submitted by parent on October 30, 2021

Unenthusiastic teachers, and incompetent school leadership. Extremely poor communication skills at all levels. Major issues academically. The school does not deliver on expectations and administration is disorganized, secretive, and non-transparent. Teachers are uninspired and overall this school is failing the kids and families.
Submitted by parent on October 01, 2021

When we were looking for a school for our kids our main goal was for them to love going to school. The Oaks has delivered on that and more! Both of my children (4th and 1st graders) love going to school. They are empowered to be a part of their learning. I feel the teaching at The Oaks is taught WITH the students not TO the students. It makes such a difference. The teachers build my kids curiosity in the world around them, and the results are critical thinking, independent and confident students who are ready to face what ever comes their way. I cannot say enough positive things about the education my children are receiving at this amazing school.
Submitted by parent on July 27, 2021

This school was at one time a wonderful place. In the last three years the school has become a sinking ship. The school is hemorrhaging students and teachers at a breakneck pace. The administration is very secretive and blatantly lies to families about what is really going on at the school. Avoid at all costs.
Submitted by parent on June 10, 2021

Quick review summary: In many cases, and at all levels (leadership, admins, teachers) it feels like they're checked out.Leadership at the school is opaque, rarely communicates, and (when it does) often communicates poorly — e.g, leaves out important details, creates more ambiguity, focuses on the wrong things. Among all the things that could be improved at The Oaks (and there are many), improvements to leadership and administration is the most dire.The quality of our school year was, compared to other schools, very much lacking. We knew going into The Oaks that academics weren't their focus or strength, but we were shocked at the lack of (1) thoughtfulness (2) effort our teacher put into our curriculum compared to other schools. We had the benefit of experience at other private schools prior to The Oaks, and the contrast is stark. The lack of thoughtfulness and lack of effort are a theme at every level.Other things to know going into The Oaks — while security makes an effort to keep out the unhoused encampment at the gate, it's constantly an issue. On several occasions, people who've been very unstable have wandered into the parking lot during pickup and drop-off. In one instance, a fully nude woman (!!!) walked into the parking lot during drop-off, very clearly disturbed and screaming.
Submitted by parent on November 01, 2019

This school has been transformative for our child. She has blossomed both socially and academically. She loves going to school every day and feels great joy in learning. We had a shy scared child who now is thriving and taking huge leaps forward. Students at the Oaks end up going to all the same top competitive middle schools as other more traditional k-6 programs, but they have a joyful experience which fosters a love of learning and community that is rare. The co-teaching model is fantastic for the kids in every way. There is a huge focus on teaching the children to make connections between what they are learning in the classroom and every day life. Most importantly is the time spent on teaching the children to be good empathetic people! There is a heavy emphasis on parent involvement for those who are able. The Oaks is a gem.
Submitted by parent on October 07, 2015

Wonderful sweet little school with very high parent involvement and terrific extras like library, PE, Art and music. Assemblies once a week help build the community both for the kids and the parents. Families are able to develop close, lasting relationships. Children definitely come first at this school - all teachers and faculty embrace this mentality. Class sizes are small with two teachers in each classroom. Sadly the academics are somewhat lacking and my children were not challenged enough. In the upper grades families are having to pay for tutors so that the kids will be prepared for the middle school entrance exams.
Submitted by parent on March 17, 2012

Both my kids went to the Oaks. Our youngest just graduated in 2011 and they both flourished there. They were encouraged to become not just passionate students, but caring, responsible members of the community. The teacher are fantastic and committed. The sixth grader teachers in particular are incredible.