Bentley School

1 Hiller Drive

Oakland, CA 94618

23 Reviews

School District
Grade

K-12
Type

private

Find Homes for Sale in this School Zone

Reviews

Submitted by parent on December 03, 2024

I am blown away by the exceptional education my current high schooler is receiving! The administration and management are top-notch, always communicating effectively and addressing concerns promptly. The sports programs are incredibly competitive, with numerous teams exceling in their leagues. Hats off to the head coach , Coach Rancifer. But what really impresses me is the vast array of over 100 student-led clubs - there's something for every interest! The academic standards are high, pushing our kids to reach their full potential. I feel grateful to be part of this school community and highly recommend it to anyone seeking a well-rounded education for their child!
Submitted by parent on December 03, 2024

Fabulous, well rounded school. High academic standards, great social emotional support, incredible teachers and administration. Lots of extracurriculars to get involved with. We are very happy and grateful to have 2 kids here (who joined from OUSD)
Submitted by parent on December 03, 2024

Bentley delivers excellent academics and a caring community. Teachers are top notch and highly dedicated. Highly recommend Bentley.
Submitted by parent on October 24, 2023

Our son started at Bentley as a freshman and is now a sophomore. We are thrilled with the school. They have struck a wonderful balance between pushing the students to learn and be the best students they can and supporting the students in a kind and generous manner. The teachers are committed to the students and enthusiastic about teaching, and the administration seems dedicated and competent. We appreciate the bus lines, cafeteria / healthy lunches, and the school spirit too.
Submitted by teacher on February 16, 2023

This is a great place to work - enthusiastic, responsive and innovative administration that fully supports teachers to do the very best they can in the classroom. Because staff get the support, have small classes and enough prep time, they can be fully present for students leading to a kinder, gentler and more encouraging atmosphere for students. It's much more possible to differentiate learning in this environment and student's individual needs are much more likely to be met. There is a spirit of inclusion, kindness and welcome here. Staff are genuinely interested in each student both their academic progress and social emotional well being too.
Submitted by other on January 22, 2023

Families and students would have a better experience at Bentley if it could retain the great teachers it will sometimes recruit... but instead, it is often the teachers who are uninspired and lazy and unbothered to update their curriculum who tend to stick around, which drives out the folks who are passionate about the work. The leadership leaves much to be desired when it comes to running the school (particularly the Lower school). Little administrative experience and people who have no business being in charge of processes and policies are making decisions. Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging aren't really a thing here... so if anything other than performative meetings or a workshop here or there for faculty is important to you or your family - look elsewhere.
Submitted by parent on September 20, 2022

Bentley is a wonderfully supportive and enriching learning environment. They attract excellent teachers who are passionate about their field as well as teaching. Parents are enthusiastic and appreciative of all the school has to offer - every parent I have spoken to has said some version of "I love Bentley". In 2022, there is a new Head of School who seems very committed to addressing any lingering issues from past leadership. And, most of all, my son really likes school, which is not a given with him. We are grateful to be at Bentley.
Submitted by parent on November 21, 2018

Bentley teachers are rockstars. I wish I could go back and do it over again and be taught by these wonderful people. Our daughter in in 6th grade now and thriving. Now be assured Bentley is not easy, there is a lot of homework. We like that, its a competitive world out there. One of the best things about Bentley is the good habits they instill from the beginning. By the time our daughter hit 5th grade she was more organized than I was at 21.She is doing Math I did as a Freshman Engineering student.So as not to be in a vacuum we looked at other options for Middle Schools. What we found was that Head Royce and Redwood were about a year behind in overall curriculum. Piedmont public forget about it, 2 years behind.Most disturbing was Head Royces complete lack of coding curriculum. I received blank stares when asking about it.
Submitted by parent on September 22, 2018

Perfect school! A full classical education with all the modern focus. Best of all, there is a true spirit of inclusion here . Our students LOVE it.
Submitted by other on December 12, 2017

I came into Bentley my junior year and was so happy I transferred to such an amazing school. Although Bentley offered a much better academic program than my previous school my main reason for transferring was for the theater department. I was thrilled to be at a school that really cared about their performance program and Bentley did not disappoint. When my time came to graduate after only two short years I found myself wishing that I could stay way longer. Thank you Bentley for making my high school experience such a wonderful one!
Submitted by other on May 22, 2017

My daughter thrived at Bentley. It used to be known as an "artsy" school because they used to do 8+ plays and musicals a year but that is far in the past. It's So much more balanced now . The school gets better and better. Strong academics with sports, arts, and music part of the curriculum. Where can you find that these days. Maybe the negative comments are from disgruntled people who don't like change. Most all of the families I know and speak to live to be a part of Bentley.
Submitted by parent on February 07, 2017

I would rate Bentley school as a terrible school. This school is way behind than any other private & public schools. It is filled with bunch of spoiled kids with no manners. Unqualified teachers, and school staff. You pay over 30,000 per year for tuition, in return you get NOTHING ! If your kid is super smart, good, but if not, they refer you to get a private tutor. They're constantly harassing parents via email and phone calls for more money. We took our kid out of this school and we know a lot of parents who did the same by transferring their kids to other schools. Stay away from this school and don't waste your time, and money, there are many good public and private schools in the same neighborhood.
Submitted by other on December 06, 2016

This a first-rate school in every way. The academics are first-rate and the teachers and the staff have bent over backwards to make our children and our family welcome. This is perhaps the finest school for us, and we can cannot say enough great things about the school!
Submitted by parent on November 27, 2016

We just returned from living overseas and when selecting a school in the East Bay we did a ton of research. We could not be more happy with Bentley. The staff are highly competent, caring, and (most importantly) seem to enjoy their work. The academics are top notch and the activities (arts and sports) are abundant for such a small school.
Submitted by parent on July 16, 2016

We have had children at this school for the past 7 years and have finally decided that the school does not live up to the hype. The Head of School is a mean spirited person who seems to drive her staff away. The teacher turnover is substantial and affects the way the school operated. The school used to be an academic powerhouse but seems to have lost its way as it chases money and wealth. It is now a school that has no real mission or purpose other than to chase the wealthy and "score" the next CEO's kid. The lower school math program is poor and several teachers left this year due to having to teach a substandard curriculum. We moved our child to the local public school and were stunned to find out how behind the Bentley writing and math curriculum are in terms of pedagogy. This school is made up of wealthy kids whose parents want to shield them from the rest of society--at the cost of educating them in a modern way. You have been warned don't waste your money.
Submitted by other on April 07, 2016

This school has become a playground for rich families and kids. The diversity is lacking. Adding a few token non-whites a year who offer no socio-economic diversity does not cut it. Our daughter has become much more entitled over the years and we are struggling with her. Even the much talked about academics has weakened with the departure of key staff. For $30K a year, I am not sure our child is getting the growth she really needs.
Submitted by parent on May 12, 2014

Bentley School's greatest strength is the parent community. I have found the parents to be hardworking toward the schools goals, kind and inclusive. My daughter has attended the school since kindergarten. However, the school has an accelerated curriculum and therefore produces gaps your child's learning. Your child's math and spelling book is 1 year ahead and they skip all around according the teacher's scope and sequence. To date, the school has not produced a curriculum map so you can have a sense of what your child needs to know. If your child needs any assistance the school has a list of outside educational providers that parents choose from ($70-$110 per hour/ testing $800). This is different from other independent schools so do your research and ensure that your child can perform well in the accelerated environment.
Submitted by parent on February 07, 2014

I have a 4th grader and a kindergartener at Bentley. As a family, we are thrilled with the school. My 4th grader's teacher is amazing. Her energy and enthusiasm are contagious and her academic expectations high. But what's more is that she gets my child and understands her strengths and needs in a way that tells me she's really paying attention. My son's K teacher is equally terrific. She really knows her stuff and connects to her students in a way they love. My son adores her and has learned so much. I appreciate the attention and care both my kids receive and I feel as though I have true partners in their education. The teachers and administrators are very responsive over e-mail. The parent community is great -- friendly and pretty easy to get to know, though you do need to put yourself out there and get involved to meet people. The school's drop off/pick up valet line makes it difficult to socialize at those common gathering points, so you need to find other ways to meet people. All in all, if you are looking for a warm, nurturing environment with challenging academics and top teaching, Bentley is a fantastic choice.
Submitted by parent on October 26, 2013

My son goes to Happy Valley and we've been very pleased with the quality of education he has received, the teachers commitment to excellence, parents involvement as volunteers and their support of the school.
Submitted by parent on May 02, 2013

Bentley is an amazing school with the most talented teachers in the Bay Area. Our kinder-gardener thrives at Bentley. The best part for busy parents are the four to six page report cards at the end of each trimester with details from each teacher on your child's performance. Bentley also offers additional after school classes. I would highly recommend for perspective parents to consider this school.