Chadwick School

26800 South Academy Drive

Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274

24 Reviews

School District
Grade

K-12
Type

private

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Reviews

Submitted by parent on February 02, 2025

We have only experienced high school at Chadwick, but it has been a 5-star experience from day 1 for our family. Both of our children (freshman and senior now) felt like members of the community before they even started and now cannot imagine being anywhere else for school. The academics are rigorous, but excellent, and we have no doubt they will be well prepared for college both academically and in terms of life skills, such as time management, effective communication, and problem-solving. Teachers make themselves readily available for extra help and go above and beyond to ensure your child loves learning. Additionally, teachers and faculty value their relationships with your child and strive to get to know them on a personal level. One unique benefit of Chadwick is the incorporation of community service into the school day with off-campus volunteering each week. Service is valued by the school and over 70% of high schoolers participate every week. The outdoor education experience is also exceptional, starting with a 5-day backpacking trip as a freshman and culminating in a 3-week senior trip prior to graduation. Leadership is prioritized at Chadwick, particularly for upper school. By the end of senior year virtually every student views themselves as a leader and has taken on multiple positions ranging from student-led boards to starting and leading their own clubs. Finally, as parents, we treasure the community we have joined. Getting to know the families of our children’s friends is important to us so we appreciate grade-wide parent get togethers and School-wide Parent Association events. Prior to every high school dance, there is a grade-specific, parent-hosted pre-party for students and parents to attend together. This allows for class bonding, parent bonding, group photos, and most importantly allows every student to feel included and part of the experience.
Submitted by parent on December 27, 2024

Our family currently have children in middle and elementary school. We have been very impressed with Chadwick's commitment to fostering the growth and development of the entire child and strength of character, with a strong foundation of core values. The engagement of the teachers and knowledge of each individual child is outstanding, which strengthens the students' connection to the school itself and to their learning. The opportunities to expand learning through outdoor education trips, immersion experiences, and global education are amazing, and we find ourselves wanting to go back to school! Our entire family have felt welcome at the school, and neither of our children began Chadwick in kindergarten.
Submitted by parent on December 23, 2024

We currently have two children at Chadwick. Both children started in Kindergarten and we have been at the school for 9 years as parents. We chose Chadwick because we knew that our children would be exposed to every opportunity in a safe environment to a school that adhered to a set of Core Values. They are challenged in the classroom, encouraged to participate in a diverse set of extracurricular activities, and molded into thoughtful and independent young leaders.The low teacher to student ratio allows our children to really know their teachers and vice versa. Experiential learning at the school manifests in a number of different ways, but we like that our children have the opportunity to participate in a diverse set of trips and programs (in other cities in LA, states, and countries), community service, and an outdoor education program that is core to the school and student experience.
Submitted by parent on December 06, 2024

Our son has been at Chadwick for four years and is currently in tenth grade. We feel that he is thriving here due to the strong academics and instruction and the wide array of co-curriculars. At Chadwick, everyone has the opportunity to play a team sport, and there are many activities and clubs that students can get involved with. These opportunities make it easy to plug into the Chadwick community, and the co-curriculars help students find what their passionate about and shape them into multi-faceted people. The academics are rigorous, but the emphasis is on developing critical thinking and problem solving skills, which are vital to success in college and beyond. Chadwick's core values are reflected in everything that happens on campus, and this creates a welcoming, inclusive environment for its students. The global programs they offer are also amazing and align with one of Chadwick's goals to create global citizens. Our son has already gone on two trips to Spain and South Korea. These trips were well-run and offered impressive itineraries that allowed the students to become immersed in the local cultures and to appreciate the natural environments of the countries they were visiting. Additionally, the Outdoor Ed program is a real bonus as it nurtures kids' love and appreciation for nature and develops their confidence with camping and surviving in the outdoors, which carries over to their everyday lives. You don't have to be an "outdoorsy" person to appreciate these trips and get a lot out of them. Our son just returned from a week of canoeing down the Colorado River and he said it was very fun and chill, and he felt like it was a great bonding experience for his group. Overall, Chadwick has been a wonderful experience for our son and we highly recommend it!
Submitted by parent on November 21, 2024

Chadwick School has been an incredible place for our child’s development over the past four years. The school’s balance of strong academics, character-building programs, and unique extracurricular opportunities has been a perfect fit. The Outdoor Education program, with its backpacking expeditions, has been a highlight, fostering independence, resilience, and leadership. Athletics have also stood out, especially the football program, where our child experienced the excitement of an undefeated season and a CIF Championship victory.The teachers and staff are deeply committed to supporting each student’s growth, and the sense of community is evident throughout the campus. Chadwick’s dedication to preparing students for both college and life is truly inspiring. While the cost can be a challenge, the school offers financial aid and an experience that is unparalleled. We feel incredibly fortunate to be part of this vibrant and nurturing community.
Submitted by parent on October 25, 2024

Our family has been at Chadwick for over seven years and we have had a wonderful experience. Both of our kids started in Kindergarten and we have loved all of their teachers and made some fantastic friends. The class sizes are small and the teachers truly get to know each child, especially given the favorable student to teacher ratios. Our children especially love the art and STEM classes and the outdoor education trips. They've been to El Capitan, AstroCamp, Pali, and Catalina Island between grades 3-6 to learn outside the classroom.The Sixth grade program is a bridge year between the Village School and Middle School and it is truly special and well-designed as an ideal entry point into Chadwick. The Sixth graders are leaders of the Village School and they begin a modified middle school schedule. We have found the specialized Sixth grade teachers to be outstanding and so supportive of the students. The grade doubles in size and my child loved making new friends, choosing some of her classes, and having greater independence. Her Sixth grade experience really prepared her well academically and socially for seventh grade.I highly recommend Chadwick to anyone looking for their children to develop into global citizens who are kind, confident, open minded, and critical thinkers.
Submitted by parent on October 19, 2024

We have been at Chadwick for a little over one year and have had an incredible experience. We love the school’s focus on academics and character building, even at this age. They foster the joy of learning in all subjects, and teachers and staff are in partnership for a great education. In both K and 1st Grade, I felt welcomed as a parent to ask questions and take part in their day to day. For example, we were recently invited to join the first hour of class. I witnessed immense enthusiasm for learning and a lot of respect between students as they listened and helped each other. The teachers went through various wonderful games for listening skills, problem solving, and fun. My daughter read a ‘just right’ book to me, along with her journal entries of big moments she’s had so far. I have dozens of stories and not enough space. But if you are looking for an exceptional educational and parent involved experience for you and your kids, you should consider the Chadwick School.
Submitted by parent on October 18, 2024

Having been part of the Chadwick School community for nearly seven years, I cannot recommend it highly enough. We feel incredibly fortunate to have found a school that we trust to educate our children from elementary through high school. Chadwick not only prepares students academically for college but also cultivates them into well-rounded global citizens, ready to face life’s challenges and make a positive impact on the world.During the challenging times of the pandemic, Chadwick School demonstrated remarkable grace and adaptability, ensuring that our children continued to receive a high-quality education. Their ability to pivot and implement innovative learning techniques truly set them apart. I fondly remember a video project our then first grader completed about proper dining customs in Korea where she simulated a meal in a Korean restaurant. This activity was part of a learning connection with Chadwick's sister school in Korea. We’ve seen firsthand how much stronger both our children and the school have become as a result of these experiences.The staff and teachers at Chadwick are truly exceptional. Everyone seem to be genuinely kind humans with whose passion for teaching shines through. My children have developed strong bonds with their teachers, fostering a love for learning that extends well beyond the classroom. These meaningful relationships create an environment where my children feel safe and secure, contributing significantly to their mental health and overall well-being.We also appreciate the wide array of extracurricular opportunities. From robotics and orchestra to annual outdoor education trips to locations like Pali, Joshua Tree, and Catalina our kids have had exceptional experiences which enrich our their education in ways that go beyond traditional academics. My older child even had the incredible opportunity to study abroad in Spain last summer, and the younger one is eagerly anticipating a trip to Costa Rica this spring during "Chip Week."Overall, we feel fortunate to be part of such a nurturing and dynamic school community that prioritizes both academic excellence and personal growth. Chadwick School has truly been a wonderful fit for our family.
Submitted by parent on April 26, 2024

As a prospective student you will learn much if you read the recent reviews by students and alums. As a parent you should know that academic excellence was intentionally removed from the mission statement several years ago and it shows. Many students therefore seek outside tutoring. Science is well known, and admitted in a public meeting by a prior head of school, as the weakest department at Chadwick and if your child is interested in science then you should probably consider other options. Over the past several years the admissions rate to Harvard and Stanford has been higher for students who left Chadwick than for those who stayed. Admission rates to the UC schools are approximately the same rate as the average acceptance rates at each UC school. Instead, the new focus areas are Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Wellness.As for DEI, if you would like your child to learn about the ideas of Loury, McWhorter, or Sowell, you will have to go elsewhere, the ideas of these Ivy League and Stanford professors are not welcomed to be discussed at Chadwick. Indoctrination at Chadwick, not education. As a parent you will be invited to join a race based parent group. Experiential learning as a part of Separate but Equal I suppose.For all the talk about wellness, high school students don't have lunch until after 1 pm even though your child may leave your house at 7 am. The Board is dysfunctional and ineffective as noted in an earlier review having had now seven heads of school in the past ten years. As the Board nominates and elects themselves, there is no accountability. Parents are routinely ignored. Last year 25% of the parents in the upper school donated zero. Consider the experience that leads to that. Ask at what is Chadwick excellent and no one can or will answer you because they don't know, and perhaps there no longer is anything. If you do enroll, be sure you are sending your student to the school you are looking for, not the school striving for academic excellence you might think Chadwick once was.
Submitted by other on May 31, 2022

I have had a horrible experience at Chadwick. It is a school that talks about Core Values and then fails to live up to them. The disfunction starts at the Board level. They have just hired their sixth Head of School in nine years. There are serious governance issues and lies that are perpetuated throughout the school.
Submitted by parent on May 14, 2022

There is little to love at this school. Nothing has changed from previous reviews going back almost six years ago. Chadwick continues to live off a long lost reputation. Administration is out of touch with the real world. Teachers rule the campus and are not evaluated by principals who live in fear of backlash. The cost of tuition keeps going up and parents questions go unanswered about how money is spent. Even though the numbers indicate budget surpluses over the past ten years, the school claims to need "donations" to meet their financial obligations. Parents are afraid to ask questions and are ignored/threatened when they do. Save yourself the grief and go elsewhere.
Submitted by student on January 09, 2017

So I went to Chadwick for 9-12th grade and can say it definitely was not the right choice for me. The culture of Chadwick is very sheltered and does not represent the real world at all. The teachers are all outdated in terms of their teaching styles and Mr. Weidenman is way to conservative and old school for the progressive school that they say they are. Anyways when I went to college I had to figure out how to socialize and be a normal person in the real world. Something I never learned at Chadwick. Also, being 100% , kids from other schools like Mira Costa, Peninsula high school etc... all think Chadwick kids are wierd. And I'm not saying that to put Chadwick in a bad light, it's just the sheltered community could be the determinant of this.
Submitted by parent on December 01, 2016

Wow, what an amazing place Chadwick is! As an alumnus of the school, as well as a current Chadwick parent I can speak to both experiences. My closest friends to this day are still my friends from my own years at Chadwick and I'm happy to say that I'm so impressed seeing the friends my daughter is making at the school. They are such nice, sweet, poised, intelligent, hard working, respectful kids.Academically, the small class sizes allow the teachers time to adapt to the needs of the kids. In my own experience at the school I was amazed when I went to college and found classes almost universally to be a breeze thanks to Chadwick.The school entirely subscribes to a whole child philosophy, where you can load up your schedule with as many challenging classes as you like with a group of students who earn the highest average SAT/ACT scores in the area, but they strongly encourage going beyond traditional academics:Outdoor ed – Each year your child will embark upon an outdoor education trip as a class where they form friendships and lifelong bonds and challenging themselves mentally and physically in ways you just can’t in the classroom. The program culminates in a 3 week Senior trip, backpacking in the Sierras, where your child will plan, navigate, make decisions, cook, and manage the interpersonal and physical challenges of a significant outdoor expedition. That trip was an amazing experience I still look back upon fondly and look forward to having my child experience in the future.Global programs – During my time at the school I had the good fortune to be able to visit Communist China. What an amazing experience. Since then the international and global programs have grown even stronger. Performing and visual arts – Your child will be strongly encouraged to get outside of their comfort zone and participate in a rigorous, well-developed arts curriculum. My daughter comes home from school many days dancing and singing and telling stories of the arts classes she’s taking.Athletics – The majority of my friends at Chadwick participated in multiple sports. Students are encouraged everybody to participate, even if your child isn’t a traditional jock. If they are passionate about a sport they’ll get a rigorous program too.No school is perfect, but from my own experience as an alumnus and parent I can confidently say Chadwick is a very special place.
Submitted by parent on October 03, 2016

If you have a bright child who loves to learn, than this school is not for you! In elementary school, teachers give privileges to those "special needs" students and ignore students who are ready and able too be challenged. For the most part, their curriculum in lower school was sub-par at best but we stayed for three more years hoping that each year would get better...wrong!! This year was probably the worst year for our child....horrible English and math teachers! I would have to say that the geometry honors teacher was by far the "worst teacher" ever!She was not only lazy but did not command the subject being taught. I can't understand how someone like her can even be a teacher, let alone an honors geometry teacher...I think she's an alumni.Also, our child had the same English teacher two years in a roll and basically learned nothing. Very minimal writing, just a lot of annotations. So, we finally pulled our child out of this school and enrolled in a public high school and we are so glad that we did!
Submitted by student on July 08, 2016

Chadwick provided a well rounded high school experience. The school balanced academics, athletics, and outdoor education to foster well rounded individuals. Chadwick's small intimate class sizes encourages students to participate and develop great relationships with their professors.
Submitted by parent on June 06, 2016

After too many years at this Chadwickl and listening to all the talk by administration about how great a school Chadwick, we have given up. The school talks the talk but does NOT walk the walk. The administration seeks more to hire alumni rather than quality teachers. They do not enforce any sort of discipline on problem students who are allowed to disrupt and ignore instruction. My son's 8th grade has over 20 good students out of approximately 90 students leaving Chadwick ( an unusually high number) due to the deteriorating quality of the school, and the immediate response of the school is NOT to ask for feedback and the reasons for leaving Chadwick (as they claimed they do for every student who leaves) but to try to cover up the deteriorating re-enrollment by immediately putting out a story about how this is in line w national statistics. They are in denial about what a poor job they are doing and how dissatisfied both parents and students are.
Submitted by parent on February 05, 2016

15 attempted suicides in the Upper School. 75 out of 800 families left last year.
Submitted by parent on August 05, 2015

Outstanding experience for my two kids. Small classes, strong academics, caring teachers, positive core values, lots of unique experiences, creative exploration and life-long friends. Everything I expected in a well-rounded liberal arts education.
Submitted by other on July 27, 2015

A school with many back channels, cliques and hidden agendas. Lots of bait and switch in my experience and that of many others. They'll promise whatever they think you need to hear to get you on board, then fail to deliver and avoid any discussion of that failure or hold it against you for not going along to get along. The real problem here is admin, very disorganized and focused on making up money shortfalls due to sagging school standards and appeal--the school is stuck in a Catch 22 of undermining its own academic standards and "core values" to chase money, but appealing less and less to fee-paying parents due to the dropping standards. The school has opened a second campus in South Korea, supposedly to rectify its problems, but not surprisingly has instead just exported the same issues to there. Morale poor on both campuses, with notable staff and faculty turnover. But for some reason the inept leadership stays in place. Look elsewhere if you care about your child getting an effective academic education and avoiding hypocrisy as a role model. The disorganization isn't an accident, it's a culture to protect the privileges of those at the top of this academic Ponzi scheme.
Submitted by other on November 28, 2013

Chadwick School is a 8:1 students to teacher ratio. In every class, we always talk and discuss about things. I was a very shy student that didn't talk at all, but the teachers here at Chadwick made me express my feelings and communicate more. Because of this, my grade went from C's and B's to all perfect A's. I encourage everyone to go to this amazing school with many opportunities to tryout new activities.