Keys School

2890 Middlefield Road

Palo Alto, CA 94306

10 Reviews

School District
Grade

K-8
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on November 17, 2020

Our daughter and son are very happy with their Keys School experiences. Our daughter recently graduated from their 8th Grade and she has been very well prepared for high school. She told us that sending her to Keys was one of the best decisions we made. Our son has attended Keys since Kindergarten and still attends the Lower School. He has thrived there, enjoys school (including his teachers and classmates), and loves to learn. What sets Keys School apart is that they truly care about educating the "whole child" as they say. So, in addition to academics (which are very strong), they also focus on preparing students for life beyond Keys. It's difficult to capture what a resilient, kind, self-advocating, and courageous student is, but Keys somehow does it. Mistakes turn into teaching moments. Disagreements turn into opportunities to hear another student's perspective and find common ground. Each teacher knows each student, even if they do not have them directly in their class. The school asks for and welcomes, parent feedback. They may not always get it perfect, but they are willing to get it right next time.Also, their music and theater arts programs are fantastic! In many schools, these programs are electives and often fall by the wayside, but at Keys, they are interwoven within their curriculum for all students. Our son learned to play the recorder (which is like the flute) during remote learning music class. In just a couple of months, he learned songs and earned "belts" like in martial arts for each lesson he mastered. His recorder proudly has the colorful belts all around it! Each class from grades 1-8 puts on a theater production each year and they are wonderful to see. In addition, the Middle School offers a spring musical as an option for students wanting more. They also have dedicated art teachers in both Lower and Middle School campuses.The one thing we wished they had is in the area of school-sponsored sports teams for younger grades. The Middle School offers a variety of teams including cross country, flag football, tennis, swimming, basketball and soccer. It would be great if the younger grades had a couple of sports teams as well, so until our son reaches Middle School, we participate in our local sports clubs.
Submitted by parent on September 10, 2020

Keys is a pretty magical place. We feel lucky to be there.
Submitted by parent on February 01, 2019

I am surprised with the one star review; we've been at Keys for 5 years, with two children, and the whole community, parents, educators, and leadership, are intellectual and take child development seriously. Your children are not free to just play outside except for during recess or PE. They teach the children to be independent and to be comfortable to be themselves, to support each other, and the academics is excellent. We love the science, reading, math, tech classes, and the music education is fun and engaging. All the teachers know our child, including the younger one who is slower to warm up to new people. Well, our older one too, actually. I think that one star review might have been from a parent who might be expecting Stratford kind of education (which is another good school, but not aligned with Keys philosophy and will be more suitable to different type of parents). You just need to be honest with what you are looking for during parents interview, not just trying to get a spot, because that would have resulted in a bad match with any school.
Submitted by parent on September 07, 2018

We love Keys and cannot believe we are in our second year already. They truly focus on the whole child. Our son has grown in his confidence talking to adults, advocating for himself with peers and has grown academically. As a parent, I really feel like part of a community. Everyone is so welcoming, including the leadership. They are very approachable and truly want to help make the experience great for each child. We highly recommend Keys!
Submitted by other on April 14, 2018

There is no form of discipline within this campus, no form of actual teacher support, and limited to no teacher instruction. Students are allowed to act in, however, they feel and teachers are suppose to just teach them. The kids just can somewhat do the work and when they can't or don't want to, they play outside. Many of these students are unable to meet mission statements lead by the institution and are not up to par with fellow 1st graders in Palo Alto. If you are looking for a school where students can just play and don't learn, send them here. If you are looking for a supportive active environment send them to public. This place is not effective. If you are looking for a safe and free environment were your daughter can learn and be active, don't look here.
Submitted by parent on November 08, 2015

We couldn't be happier with our experience at Keys so far. This is our 2nd year, and we continue to be impressed and our daughter is thriving. The teachers are amazing- they go above and beyond, and they truly know each child. The smaller class size allows for a good amount of differentiated learning, and the teachers foster a great partnership with parents. The social emotional curriculum is wonderful, and the children always appear to be engaged and excited to learn. The community of families is welcoming, genuine, and diverse. We feel very lucky to be a part of this amazing school!
Submitted by parent on October 15, 2015

Our son started kindergarten at Keys School this year and is thriving thrre. The faculty and staff show true care for every child's unique needs and the community is active and warm.
Submitted by other on February 03, 2014

I went to Keys from K-8 and am now a freshman at Menlo High School. As much as I love Menlo, Keys will always be where my heart belongs. The school is extremely inclusive and does a great job of preparing me for what life will be like as I get older. The school has taught me many valuable lessons that will carry me through High School and beyond.
Submitted by parent on June 18, 2013

This used to be a good school. The last 3-4 years have been fraught with turmoil and poor overall management since the school's expansion. Many great teachers have left due to lack of support from the administration. The school really hasn't settled in since the expansion. There seems to be a disconnect between the administration and the teachers, and unfortunately this affects the kids and families. The school's "whole child" philosophy has essentially become a marketing tool for prospective parents and not a reality anymore. The depth is just not there and there is too much teaching inconsistency from year to year. In addition the school pushes kids to be more independent more due to lack of resources rather than appropriate child development. Now that the Head of School AND Lower School Head are leaving the school (Spring 2013) I hope the school does some real soul searching and turns things around. I would not currently recommend especially the lower school due a host of problems.
Submitted by parent on November 03, 2012

Since there have not been any posts since 2011, i thought it would benefit those looking to have an update. In 2011-2012 the school went through major transition. The school split into 2 sections, lower and middle school that are about 1.5 miles apart now. This did change the culture of the school. There was a huge teacher turnover (7 out of 9 homeroom teachers). In the last 4 years the school has doubled in size. Now in Nov of 2012, the school has really settled in. The new teachers are wonderful. The project based learning and Singapore math are back on track. At the end of this year there will be a change in the head of School. It looks like things are really looking positive. Our 2 children who attend Keys are thriving, and learning in a very supportive environment.