Kent Gardens Elementary School

1717 Melbourne Drive

School District

Fairfax County Public Schools
Grade

PK, K-6
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:16
Type

public

School Map for Fairfax 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 July 31, 2024

Kent Gardens has allowed a toxic environment where bullying and hate clubs are rampant, creating a hostile and unsafe space for students. The administration fails to address these issues effectively, neglecting the emotional intelligence and social development of students. This lack of action and support undermines the fundamental principles of education, leaving students without the necessary tools for personal growth and well-being.
Submitted by parent on September 02, 2023

We have been very happy with the Kent Gardens School. We have had many very good teachers. Good communication. Nice after school programs and a great principle
Submitted by parent on June 10, 2022

Not what I expected. Bad experience for my kid.
Submitted by parent on June 21, 2021

My children are in K and 1st. Their primary teachers are very caring and effective. Mrs. Crawford is a child whisper and able to inspire through song learning far beyond anything I could do at home. They do yoga and games and it is very engaging. I've only put 4 out of 5 stars because they had a really hard time finding a sub for my son's teacher during quarantine...which was expected...but having succession plans should be put in place and it was a real disorganized scramble that pretty much wrecked this whole year for him. I also don't love the immersion French style of teaching and found it to be really ineffective for how my children learn. Clearly it works for some...but not for mine. I have complete confidence this school will prepare my children for middle and high school and I look forward to having them here for many years.
Submitted by parent on December 17, 2019

The teachers and resources are unmatched. Great school in a great neighborhood.
Submitted by parent on October 17, 2019

The best decision we made for our daughter education was to send her to this school. Let's start with the teachers... from the lower to the upper grades, they are top notch. Some of them have 10, 15, 20 years of experience at this school. Other teachers moved there from other school districts, or even from teaching in Middle School, attracted by this type of school, with a French immersion and Advanced Academic Local programs. Some teachers stay for the academic performance of the students, others for the leadership of the Principal, or the PTA well spends funds in teacher training or in technology for the classroom. Another great thing about this school are the students, atracted to this magnet school from the entire county. The school has 1,100 students, most from in boundary, but some out of boundary. The kids have very unique talents and interests, and is so great that they come for different backgrounds and cultures. For example, some of them love music, and can get the chance to explore the Choir, or Strings, or Band, with the guidance of dedicated teachers. The school also offer Advanced Strings or Band to the kids that want to challenge themselves and enjoy music. Other kids that are interested in Science or Math or Chess, meet and train together with am expert, as part of the after school enrichment program. In this school environment where positive culture is nurtured, deep thinking is instilled, kidness is valued, service based learning is practiced, doing the best work encouraged, and erseverance appreciated, my daughter has thrive with a love of learning that is insaciable. She has learned seven instruments over the years, one of them self taught. She also has learned six languages, and self taught herself Japanese and Korean, just for fun. Most importantly is a happy and social kiddo with loving friends. What a magnificent gift this school has given her.
Submitted by parent on December 20, 2018

Kent gardens is really great with accommodating special needs kids, or kids who just need just a little accommodation. The principal and teachers are very supportive.They have a French immersion program which is great if you are into that. We are not.They have a great music program. My son had a got quite good at his instrument. The music teachers are stellar. The principal herself plays with the kids during the concert.STEM is not a focus at this school. In the school we were in previously, there was a teacher who was dedicated to organizing STEM focused classes. Not so here. Usually, the junior most teachers do math/science at KG, and the good/experienced teachers do French immersion, language and social studies. In fact, last year they hired a teacher for advanced math class, and he had problems standing in front of the class and talking. It's absolutely disgraceful that a teacher with 0 experience is given the advanced math class.Overall, if I had known that STEM is not a priority here, I would have waited to move to mclean when my kid was going into middle school. My son used to love math before he came here. He is not into math anymore. The school is great if your child us into French and music.
Submitted by parent on June 09, 2017

Exceptional school. Mrs. McGuigan has brought positive change and improvements.
Submitted by other on April 08, 2017

This school has really gone down in the past few years. The principal does not care about inclusion and is unsympathetic about it or related bullying. She just does not care. She has a vaneer of doing good through a "word wall" as you walk into the school but that's really all it is a wall of words that means nothing because they are not teaching the students to be nice or inclusive. As for the education it too has gone down . There is no instruction . All this school cares about is SOL scores and to teach kids how to take the SOL test. The French program is lacking too. My child was in it and we ended up pulling them because if the parents do not have a background of French knowledge it's impossible to help your child when the directions are all in French. French is given throughout the school even if your not in the immersion program but it's a joke. It did not help my child at all later on . As for the type of family's that have kids in this school I would say they are a group of extremely elitist , judgmental fakes that are not raising nice children but instead a bunch of spoiled, mean natured children . I can not recommend this school.
Submitted by other on March 07, 2017

Fantastic school with great options for different students! Dedicated teachers. Immersion program is a great resource and option for students who benefit from the challenge and for families who value the many benefits of language learning.
Submitted by student on November 17, 2016

Well if you want to know why America is number 32 in the world on education send your kid to Kent Gardens. My daughter has been here three years in the French Immersion program. She doesn't understand what the teacher is saying in class and there are no vocabulary lessons to support what they are learning. The teachers simply don't care either. I had a problem with my child doing bad on tests while showing exemplary progress in class. I could always get an opinion from them on what was wrong just never any solutions. I am leaving the school. They should be ashamed of themselves as a school
Submitted by parent on November 13, 2016

depressing school, my kids used to love learning now after 2 years they just feel anxious. The teachers hate their job and we can feel it. The French immersion is a joke, your kid will learn nothing. They even have a French teacher who bullies first graders. Everybody knows it but nobody cares. Fairfax county schools are the best.... yeah not anymore.....
Submitted by parent on October 06, 2016

The French immersion is a huge disappointment!we drive from Herndon so our child can go there but the french teacher who are supposed to speak 100% in french to the students, simply don't!!! they speak french 40% if at all. I complained but the principal said that my child "perception" was altered!I told her that I had polled all the parents in my child's class and to that she replied that it was just a false perception too! Bottom line she supports 100% her teachers no matter what and let them do whatever they want!!! so get used to it!Talk about driving for nothing! >:( >:(The principalMrs. macGuigan is not the principal who implemented the French immersion program she came along later and she doesn't understand it or support it but more like "suffers" it!!!Also, my child who has ADHD get exclude from the class and his teacher has him sit in the far back of the class alone like an outcast when everybody sits in groups of 4!talk about Kent Gardens being "inclusive"!!!My child was bullied for 3 years and whatever action was taken had little effects!The school has excellent SOLS rating though but that's due to the fact of social and economical stays of the family who lives there who are very educated and on top of their children's progress!I am so disappointed!
Submitted by other on May 29, 2016

My daughter is in the AAP program here and loves it. In terms of teachers, she's in her fourth year and had two pretty good ones and two great ones. The only weakness is that the teachers of some of the "Specials" like art and music and PE and the substitutes aren't really as good as they should be. Some are really good but others aren't. The best thing about the school is probably the new principal - she's extremely capable, competent, and motivated and its really great to see the impact.
Submitted by parent on May 22, 2016

The Principal who started at this school in 2013-2014 is amazing. I never met the previous Principal, because we started with this school in 2013-2014 school year, so I cannot coment on the previous years. The Principal observed the teachers in the first year and she did a lot of changes in how this school works. The teachers undestand my childs needs and guide my child in the most appropriate way. The next best thing about this school is it's diversification. Kids learn about other cultures from all around the world everyday. Highly recommended elemantary!
Submitted by parent on May 08, 2015

We have 2 children at KG. Both are thriving in their classes and are able to continue participating in extracurricular activities. We are most pleased with the staff & the academic programs. Additionally, we appreciate the teachers providing our kids with the week's homework schedule in the beginning of the week which allows our kids to get work done ahead of time. This is especially helpful since some week nights we are jammed packed with sports or other commitments.
Submitted by other on April 29, 2015

Despite some good teachers at Kent Gardens, the administration allows harassment to thrive at this school. As a former school teacher I cannot recommend sending children to this school.
Submitted by parent on April 08, 2014

Kent Gardens has always been a strong school, but this year it has improved by leaps and bounds. The big change was the retirement of the highly divisive long-time principal. The new leader is much more popular with the faculty and parents and is really responsive. I have been a parent at this school for ten years and have never been happier with it than I am now.
Submitted by parent on February 11, 2014

We really wanted to like this school, but there were so many issues with lack of teacher involvement and caring. My daughter was not happy there. We moved to MD, to a school with a GreatSchools rating of 9, and she and her sister adore the teachers, the environment, and the rest of the students who are very down-to-earth. Our kindergartener was reading at 4 yrs old in the preschools here (our oldest, who attended Kent Gardens was not reading after her year in preschool at Northern Virginia Childrens Christian Shool - NVCCC - which is a private preschool just up the street from Kent Gardens; she also was not reading at Kent Gardens when she staretd kindergarten). We could have stayed there, even with a slight job move, but we decided that the school isn't all it is cracked up to be. Fairfax seems to have its nose in the air so much that it is letting its school ratings fall (Kent Gardens seems to be falling on its rating over the years). One year, a little girl went missing at the open house. The teachers had let her wander away from the school. The police found her hours later at her home - terrified, bc she and her family had just moved there from NY and she couldn't find them!
Submitted by parent on August 01, 2013

Warning, this school is NOT a French immersion school. My daughter came from a French immersion school and she lost about 90 percent of what she knew here. Children are only taught Science and Math in French and are not required to respond in French. I know this school is considered the creme de la creme of Fairfax County, but I think that this has more to do with the socioeconomic group that it pulls from than the teachers. My daughter attended for two years and while one year was a good experience, the other was HORRIBLE. The teacher was rude and abusive to her students, and didn't know how to teach to anyone who was above the top level. We've moved from the area, and our experience at this school is the main reason we moved. I did love the STEM program, but the think tank changed for the worse over the past year.