My two children have been attending St Davids since 2019. I can not say enough wonderful things about the community and staff. Mr. Swanson, the principal, has great insight, experience, and compassion. The teachers are patient, present and creative, providing an engaging and exciting academic environment. This is a fabulous and culturally diverse school that has small class sizes, a before and after school extended care program, and a preschool. I highly recommend scheduling a walk through or attending one of the many community events. St David's "Santa's Breakfast" is Sunday, Dec 7th, come see what the hype is all about! The school's mission statement: It is the mission of St. David of Wales Catholic School to consistently provide a safe environment for academic and spiritual growth. Our school fosters the teachings of Jesus Christ in our students by promoting Catholic values. We prioritize moral and social responsibility and academic achievement. We cultivate global citizens in a culturally diverse community by promoting respect for all of God's creations. read more

This school doesn't provide for kids with autism. The preschool teachers were great. Kindergarten teacher we had not so much. They really should help with all since we all are God's children. read more

My son and daughter have been at St David for 4 years. The community is very tight knit and supportive. Because the school is small, it feels more like a family. I feel warmth and love from the community. The teachers are very involved with my kids, they are very caring and considerate, and follow up with me if there's any concerns and work closely with me to improve them. They have very lovely TAs too and I feel that my kids get lots of close attention. My kids love the music classes that are new this year, they are always singing the songs in the car ride home. I've never heard them so excited about music before. It's nice to see them involved in the church songs. They have church every Friday morning and my kids love it. The help from the principal to the parents is amazing. I need financial aid for being low income and they always meet me where I'm at. Even though it's private school, they make it accessible to me and my family. read more

St David School - Elementary Schools Near Me - Richmond, California

The school is the best. I have 2 grand daughters who have been at St Davids school for 7 years.one is in 7th grade and one is in 4th grade.the teachers are kind and loving. The school is quiet, small in size and provides the best opportunity for the students and staff to bond. read more

My siblings and I graduated from St. David. Two of us became lawyers and the other received a B.S. in Accounting. My kids were at a large school in Berkeley then transferred to SDS when COVID shut down the schools. My son graduated from SDS a few years back and is thriving in multiple honors and AP courses at St. Mary's HS. My daughter is still at SDS and enjoys the feeling of having an extended family that are the students, teachers, and staff of our small community. It takes a village to raise a child. St. David helped to raise me and my siblings and has not missed a beat in continuing to assist in the development of future generations. read more

We are very happy with this school. Our son was initially on the waiting list at St. Patrick's School in Rodeo Ca . Despite the long wait, we received no clear information, and the staff's attitude was not very friendly. When the first day of school arrived, they suddenly told us, without any prior notice, that there was no space for our son. This unexpected behavior and lack of consideration really upset and worried us. We were very disappointed that a Catholic school, which supposedly teaches children kindness, respect, and compassion, would treat people this way. Thankfully, after this disappointing experience, we found St. David's School. This school has exceeded our expectations. Our son is now in his first year here, in seventh grade, and he has made remarkable progress so far. The teachers and administrators are incredibly kind and warm, always interacting with students and parents in a friendly and supportive manner. Class sizes here are small, allowing each student to receive individual attention. The teachers truly care about the academic and personal needs of each student, and our son is benefiting from this special care. He has shown significant improvement in his studies and confidence and enjoys being in such a happy and supportive environment. Our family feels a sense of peace and assurance knowing that our son is part of this school. The friendly and respectful atmosphere among students and staff makes everyone feel like they are part of a big, united family. Being part of the St. David's family is valuable and brings us joy, and each day we feel more confident in our choice of this school. Thank you Sami Emrani read more

My daughter transferred my grandson to St. David's from a public school that didn't challenge him. He is now happy for the attention teachers give him. He always looks forward to getting ahead of the game. He loves his Willows family. He never wants to leave. read more

As a parent of a St. David graduate (she is now in college). And two current students I can only tell you that this school is amazing if your looking for a sense of community. Parents and students feel a sense of obligation to each other and they connect on a deep level because it's such a small school. It's a great positive atmosphere with a strong moral foundation. WE love our St.David families and my little bears thrive there. read more

They have a wonderful Preschool with loving teachers and a great director. When my child started St David in PK he was already reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and a few prayers within the first two weeks. The Preschool is its own building away from the main school. Honestly, I would give their PK 5 stars. The main school houses K-8th grades. While it is an older building many updates are currently happening and they have rearranged the classroom designations to help with the flow of traffic with Covid in mind when students return. The principal, Mr Farr, has been a long time fan, alumni and teacher of St David and I could tell that he really loves the school. He has so much energy!! He shows his school spirit at all of the school events and is always the loudest voice heard over everything and everyone. Pre Covid I even saw him at school bright and early on most mornings, as I pass by the main school for PK drop off, picking up garbage on the sidewalk or taking the trash out himself, ensuring the grounds were clean and safe - all while having a big smile on his face! Who does that? The school has a small, close knit community and has a very close relationship with the church. The past two years has been a real roller coaster for this school though. When Mr Farr became the Principal in 2019 he found serious budget issues so in order to save the school he had to make some tough choices: there was a restructuring and they lost a lot of great teachers and the classes became combined (K/1, 2/3, 4/5, 6/7, 8 by itself) and they also closed the music program . Then the pandemic hit in 2020 and all of a sudden it became virtual learning like the rest of the nation.. luckily, just like when classes became combined, all the teachers were able to adapt pretty quickly and the educationing continued. However, as the 2020 year came close to the end the most outstanding and gifted Kindergarten teacher I've ever met decided to leave the school. A long term substitute teacher stepped in with the help of Mr Farr himself and the two of them started co-teaching K/1st grades together. Mine started Kindergarten in 2020 virtual learning style and it was going ok, considering most of the class consists of 5 and 6yo who are expected to learn through a computer screen! However, the instruction and rigor took a plunge and was definitely not the same after the departure of the K teacher. I know the co-teachers have been doing their best; they inserted more fun and interactions into the class' schedule but didn't compensate for the actual instructions that were then cut shorter from it. After allowing some time for observation and for the sub to get acclimated into her new role I couldn't see any improvement after a month and I started seeing my child become less and less engaged. So I initiated discussions requesting for a purposeful curriculum and a structured lesson plan similar to what the previous teacher had for the class but from the reaction I received I only felt dejected and unacknowledged. I realized that my child's pace was a little advanced for their new pace and so we made the move to transfer. On a positive note, it seems like they have considered my feedback and implemented a little bit of the suggestions I left so hopefully the rigor is on its way back up! This is definitely a little gem in the hills. A little rough around the edges but has its beautiful features that with a little more time I am sure they'll get back to where they were before with no problems. read more

Good curriculum and quality standards. The teachers are caring, patient and dedicated. The engagement with parents is detailed and ongoing. Highly recommend! read more

I started my child at St. David's based off a referral; quite honestly this has been the worst experience I've ever had with a preschool. There are some very dedicated teachers at this program but this was just not the place for us. I typically don't write bad reviews because I understand the ramifications this can have on a business, but this was well earned. Since day 2 I'd been receiving threats about my child not being able to attend for reasons such as not walking in a line, or an inability to listen. But if you've ever dealt with a Small child you understand that this behavior is normal that is developed with time and patience. They have little ability to give your child 1:1 without it being an issue, I was constantly confronted with issues but no solutions. The communication was horrible. I never knew what my child was doing or working on day to day unless of course "it was a tough day". At one point realized they never did any curriculum other than some worksheets, they did no painting, no cutting, no sensory activities. At our parent teacher meeting they reiterated how much of a "disservice" it was to keep my child there but that they would work up a plan and "try". They even went as far as calling a child toxic to other children. As a provider I expected more from them, the final straw was calling a child toxic. At that point it had been 8 weeks and when referring to the care and education that has been provided to a child as being a disservice that was enough red flags for me. The only thing good about this place was the pricing and hours. Claiming to be a one of the most prestigious schools is one thing but actually helping a child, being their champion, and putting that "prestigious" claim to use is another. read more

The teachers here are amazing, they are some of the most caring and wonderful educators. So far my kids have attended school here from prek to 2 and I can honestly say that each of their teachers have made a huge and positive impact on their lives. The teachers here are the biggest asset of the school. The school may be small, but the teachers here have a big heart. You can really feel that each one of them really cares for your child. They go above and beyond in educating my kids. The school also have tons of great events for families to get together and create fun memories. Some include fall fest, Halloween carnivals, special person day, student concerts, fun run and the biggest event- silent auction. Come take a tour and see for yourself. read more

From my sons experience I believe St David's Pre-K is one of the best schools in the east Bay Area. Both of my boys went to St David's School and they learned so much (speaking, writing, drawing, counting numbers in English and Spanish, singing, and socializing with teachers and friends etc.). My boys were always happy to go to school and expressed their enjoyments while being there. It told me that all the teachers provided a great care to children and the curriculum is very well designed to help kids develop their skills and knowledge without loosing kid's interest. Everyday my kids brought amazing school works home and shared with me. And these hundreds of projects proved that my boys are improving and growing every day with practice. And music teacher is amazing and she leads the kids to make their performance in music concert a great success every year! We truly appreciate the concerts, fall festival, fun run, all amazing activities and fun events all the time! I can't enough thank to teachers and St. David school for what my sons received from them. read more

As good as it gets!!!! Literally. Great community atmosphere, awesome caring staff. Brand new computer lab. CYO as welk as non. CYO sports. Soccer, baseball, basketball, track and field. Best academic school PK - 8 IN the area. read more

Hidden gem of a school in the Richmond Hills. This little school has big heart and a great diverse mix of families. Teachers are great and the education improves as each year goes by. My children have been attending since 2009, starting with PreK at 3 years old. Very spiritual school as well, which seams to be missing from lots of Catholic schools these day. But not so much as to deter anyone. We truly are a mix, including religions. You won't regret picking this school. Best choice in the area for private education. read more

After several decades of observation I can state unequivocally that St. David's School will be a welcome home and community for anyone's child. An excellent principal and a dedicated staff have made St. David's a bright light in Catholic primary education and in preparing them for the larger world. My niece and nephew as well as my own daughter are all successful graduates of St. David's, and have gone on fully prepared to attend and graduate from Salesian College Preparatory High School with honors. All then attended the college of their choice, and are leading happy productive lives. read more

Great School a real hidden treasure nestled in the Richmond Hills. I love the small class sizes. My son is getting the one on one attention he needs with his teacher. His academic growth has gone beyond my expectation. read more

I highly recommend this school, St David's has amazing and dedicated teachers and is very family oriented. It's in a very safe environment, I love the small classes, my child is getting the attention she needs. St David's have a very strong academic foundation. The principle and vice-principle are amazing very supportive, parents are very welcoming here and always helping one another. read more

Super surprised to read anything but positive remarks about this top notch school in an incredibly safe environment with fantastic teachers. The academics are the primary reason we send our child to this school. Before choosing St. Davids we thoroughly evaluated all the catholic and private schools in the area. Nothing compared. Our child has been here since Pre-K and besides the great academic structure, the reason we attend is because of the cultural diversity. We love the family-like community of St. Davids. Can't recommend it enough. read more

I have two children that attend this school. One has attended for 3 years and one for 2 years. My oldest child transferred from another Catholic school that was in a better financial situation. He transferred only because his school was full and did not have room for his younger brother. I have not regretted the choice. I do not feel as though he is behind or getting less of an education. The fifth grade teachers is one of the best teachers my children has ever had. A new teacher and a St David Alumni. He goes beyond the expectations of any teacher. St David started common core on time. Some schools were test schools for common core so it may seem as though we started late we did not. St David has some amazing teachers. Some new and some that have been teaching here for more than 20 years. Some of the St David parents have even had some of the teachers themselves. While St David is strong in Catholic values it is also very family oriented. I have never been to a school where the parents were so welcoming and always willing to help one another. The principal is amazing. He has really turned the school around when it was in need. He does do the job of 5 people . However, he never neglects his role as principal . And he takes on all the extra jobs as a way to save the school money. I also like that our school is so culturally diverse. There are many races and religions here, all of which are embraced and respected. If you are looking for a school for your child I would highly recommend St David school. read more

Great school! Graduated there in 2000 and the teachers were awesome! They have a loving atmosphere, very safe, sports teams, music and arts, and now an awesome youth program! The principle is amazing with the students and so is the faculty. Awesome community as well! read more

This is my first and probably my only Yelp review that anyone will see from me because it is just not my thing. So, here goes. Let me start by saying that I am an alumni of St. David's as are my 2 siblings. I am not worried about negative reviews for this school because I know what this school is capable of producing. This school has produced women and men with strong foundations in faith, education, cultural awareness, and respect. My siblings and I have university degrees and 2 of us went on to law school. St. David's alumni that we have kept in touch include a corporate manager, a teacher, a police officer, a biochemist with a PhD, a nurse, a business owner, and 2 lawyers (because you can't have enough lawyers). As an alumni and parent of a former student, I can say without a doubt that discipline as well as education are key with the current set of teachers. As for the current demographic, expect diversity with respect to ethnicity, religious beliefs, and education levels of parents. Why is this a good thing? It's called a real world experience. If you are not a fan of the school or find that you prefer something different, that's ok. If you are a fan, that's ok too. read more