Our child had a fantastic experience at Merritt Academy Summer Camp! The program is engaging, well…read moreorganized, and thoughtfully planned, with themed weeks that keep every day feeling fresh and exciting. We loved that the kids enjoy pool time, arts and crafts, gym and playground time, field trips, daily hot lunch, and snacks all included in a fun, structured environment. It's set up so children can attend all summer without getting bored, and our child looked forward to camp every day. We'll definitely be back!

Submitted application back in November. School promised to reach out to me in January for a child…read moreassessment. Didn't hear anything from them until March so I reached out to them. The answer was my child application was still incomplete. At that point, their admission process was pointless, and I was no longer interested sending my child there. However, they already withdrew my $75 back in November. Why would they take my money when application was incomplete, and they didn't perform child assessment yet. Long story short, they gave out absurd excuses and the whole process was just a mess. Big waste of time and money. Out of multiple schools I applied to, this school was by far the most disorganized, money-driven school. I highly doubt quality of education from this school. I'm glad my child will be attending other school.

Decent high school located in Fairfax, VA. Came here on a field trip to watch the play Matilda…read more Staff was great while we were there.

Visited a High School that had special memories so so many years ago. There was the Annual Arts and…read moreCraft Fair and like so many parking was tough at the school so we took a bus ride to and from. The school has been renovated since we last visited and the Craft Fair took advantage of every room they could diss[play their merchandise. Easy to get to and navigate around. Nice to see it again.

If I could give more than 5 stars, I absolutely would! This school is not just the best Islamic…read moreschool in the world--it's the best in the entire universe. From the moment you walk through the doors, you're welcomed with warmth, sincerity, and the light of true knowledge. The teachers don't just educate--they inspire, nurture, and guide with heart and wisdom. The balance between deen and dunya is perfectly struck, offering students not only academic excellence but deep-rooted Islamic values that will carry them through life. The environment is safe, encouraging, and spiritually uplifting. The Qur'an and Islamic studies programs are phenomenal, and the character of the students is a true reflection of the school's powerful impact. It's rare to find a place that feels like both a second home and a stepping stone to Jannah--but this school is exactly that. Truly a gem, a blessing, and a dream for any parent or student seeking excellence in both faith and education and even the Arabic language 10/10 would recommend--actually, 1000/10!

I went to this school from a few years, and it really changed me. On the good side, I loved how we…read moreconnected with the Quran and started memorizing it early. But when it came to academics, it felt like it was all about memorizing and repeating, not actually understanding or thinking critically. The teachers are some good and some not so, this situation resonated with me. I was once accused of something I wasn't involved in, and it became a traumatic experience that affected my mental health for a long time. I was interrogated about something I had no knowledge of, pressured to admit to something I didn't even understand, and made to feel guilty for something I didn't do. The emotional toll this took on me was huge. Even after the situation was resolved, a teacher continued to imply that I "deserved" the treatment I received. While I was there, the school environment felt more about fear than safety. There wasn't much room to express problems freely, and the atmosphere was isolating, especially since the class was so small. The academic focus was heavy on memorization, but without much critical thinking or deeper learning. I think that lack of a supportive environment, both academically and emotionally, made things harder than they needed to be. I share this experience not to attack anyone, but because I believe the school needs to reflect on how it handles its students, particularly in moments of conflict or misunderstanding. No student should ever be made to feel like they're guilty without understanding why. It's something that deeply affected me and still sticks with me today. حسبي الله على كل ظالم

If you want criticism that's fair and realistic, here are some common complaints students sometimes…read morehave about Oakton High School: Heavy academic pressure and competition School can feel overly focused on academics instead of student balance Some students say it's harder to stand out because the school is highly competitive Older parts of the building or inconsistent maintenance complaints Homework load can feel intense depending on teachers/classes

never again experience, teachers are rude don't help students at all ESPECIALLY the band teacher…read moreAND the orchestra teacher. no matter what teacher you get depends on your grade. did i mention the band and orchestra teacher? TRASH

I had my child here for one whole year but unfortunately we had to move why I couldn't have my…read moredaughter there twice. I loved the unique learning method that worked best for her. She has been ahead of fellow classmates. The playground in the spacious backyard is perfect for little kids to run up their energy. Ms. Thea has been a very understanding and attentive to our child. Her space is very warm & inviting to children. Her decorations around the room changes with the learning theme they are on at the time. It's different from most aces that are boring and business office environment. Since I have moved out of the area i have recommended many friends to go to Appletree. Thank you for all your hard work Ms. Thea!!!

We started our 3 year old there a few weeks ago and are super impressed with Ms. Thea and her…read morestaff, and the entire operation there. Our son was previously at (arguably) the best pre-k school in Indianapolis and we were concerned we'd be able to find a similar quality school here in NoVA, or at least one that had a reasonable wait list. We feel like we found a real gem at Appletree Montessori, which currently has a few more openings for kids aged 3-5 years old. You can find out more about the school here: https://www.appletreemontessoriva.com/

This place is always causing a significant traffic back up for the surrounding area. There is…read moreconstantly a quarter to half mile line of cars that are always delayed because the school needs its own separate traffic up. They really need to figure out a better way.

They failed during Covid. Kids for the same non existing distance learning as kids in FCPS this…read morepast spring. A lot of other moms have pulled their kids and switched to other private schools. It's costs too much money for what you get. Their administration is a joke too. It took me a week to get ahold of someone in admissions office, I tried calling, I tried emailing, I left multiple voicemails. I understand you are busy, and might be understaffed ( which is surprising for private school) but it's just simply rude to ignore parents like that.

calvary is a good school overall and Mr Lewis and his wife are amazing people here are my problems…read morewarnings all they do is not give kids ice cream but any kid with a warning can just go to the store and buy some and the teachers are focused towards girls and it is extremely unfair another complaint the bathroom door on one of the doors dosent lock people are extremely uncomfortable in there knowing any kid can open the door on them but the some of the teachers are amazing like Mr Mayer and dr elk too and Mrs Peffer and Mrs Lewis does his best because most pf this things are caused by kids but they still need to be fixed

We just completed our first school year at Calvary (1 son in kindergarten, 1 daughter in preschool…read more3). My son is excelling and I am very pleased with the school and the staff. My youngest daughter will join her older siblings in the fall.

My almost-four-year-old son currently attends Griffin Academy. We are working parents and needed…read morefull-day care, and we did a pretty exhaustive search in the area for an affordable preschool. I cannot BELIEVE how lucky we are to have found this place. Let me tell you why you should send your kids here. Even before I talk about my son's experience, I need to mention how well this program is run. Kristine Lee, the preschool director, is one of the warmest, kindest, most competent and professional humans with whom I've had the pleasure of interacting. She was so responsive and helpful throughout our enrollment process that we felt like we were already family members from the first contact. This was not our experience with other preschool programs. Many private preschools, like the one our older daughter attended, have strict arbitrary rules, parent work hour requirements, and intimidating admission processes that (for us) made us feel a tiny bit unwelcome. None of this from Westminster. This private school, with its classical focus, has managed to wrap us in its arms and surround us with a community of funny, warm, and down-to-earth people. It feels EASY, not stressful, to attend school here. As private school first-timers, we had to adjust to uniforms, but it's been no sweat. Teachers. We knew that our son liked his teacher, and that she (and all of the Griffin teachers) had been kind to him, and patient as he adjusted to a full day of school. We were so incredibly impressed when we met her in person at back-to-school night. Beyond having exactly the personality you would want for a preschool teacher (gentle, nurturing, and understanding), Miss Horner brings incredible expertise and professional knowledge to her job as classroom teacher. I myself am a board-certified teacher, so I have some clue about what they do, and my son's teacher is at the top of her game. Literally every aspect of her students' experience seems to have been designed with their development in mind. Everything in the classroom is accessible to the children, with the goal of fostering their independence, improving their fine and gross motor skills, and promoting harmony. The children are taught to greet each other respectfully, refer to their classmates as "friends", and express appreciation frequently. We toured other schools in our search, and at some well-known schools, we were dismayed to notice that the teachers did not seem to have a loving relationship with their students. My son's teachers LOVE him, and it shows. This was the single most important thing that we as parents were looking for. Every child deserves to experience preschool in a class like my son's, and we cannot overstate how fortunate we feel to have landed here. Here are some other fun things that we love: - They go on field trips (on the Westminster bus!) on almost a monthly basis. That is so many out-of-class experiences! - Each classroom has an imaginative play area that changes monthly (post office! garden! cave! grocery store!). - You can pack your child's lunch, OR order hot lunch from their service! Or both! - Excite Soccer offers a short after-school class on Thursdays, and our son goes to this and LOVES it. - French. Library. Music. Science. Our preschooler's schedule is as varied and rich as our 1st-grader's. My son is a wiggly little boy. Was I worried that he wouldn't have enough opportunity to move and play in the course of his rigorous classical education? I was. I've got one word for you: GYMNASIUM. If you can show me another preschool where kids get to run around a huge gym first thing every single morning, I'll be astonished. My guy comes home happy and tired every day. I'm typing all of this because when we were looking for preschools, there weren't a lot of parent reviews to read, and parents need to know that this wonderful option is available. Look no further!

Our son went to Griffin Academy for preschool and he attended some of the Griffin camps (winter,…read morespring, summer.) Griffin Academy is part of the Westminster School, however, it is on a different campus and it is run by a different headmaster. So first, I must say that this review is for Griffin Academy not Westminster as we do not have any experience with Westminster directly. The best part of Griffin Academy is the teaching staff (actually, all of the staff) and the facilities. If you take a tour of the facilities I have no doubt you will be very impressed. Having an indoor gym-type of space in the winter was hugely beneficial. Also, the teaching staff was excellent, and I mean really excellent. My son had a primary teacher who he adored and then he did rotate through other teachers who teach specialty subjects, and they all got to know him and I was really impressed with all of them. The expectations, educationally, were set very high which works well for my son and our family because I felt that he was pushed just the right amount. The class sizes are small so the teachers are really able to work with the kids at the level that they are at. They also worked a lot on his manners and his social interactions. My son came out of Griffin at age 4, able to sight read entire books on his own, silently, to himself. So educationally, I cannot fault Griffin at all; I was very impressed. Our son was definitely not bored, which is a big thing for us. The hours that they provide childcare/school for are also very good for working parents, as they provide a variety of options to allow the parents to be able to choose and manage the hours of school and childcare that they need. The price was also surprisingly much more affordable than a lot of other preschools. The only reason I am not giving the school 5 stars is because, just out of bad luck, is our son really didn't have that many other boys in his class, so unfortunately a lot of the stereotypical boy activities, he was not able to partake in to the fullest extent of what he would have preferred, so I ended up having to enroll him in some outside extracurricular activities (karate, etc.) just to kind of make up that deficit. The class he was in was almost all girls. However, as I say, I realize that experience was probably just unique to us and unfortunate due to the way the classes broke down. The reason that is a big deal to me is my son needs a lot of physical activity to get his energy out and that really requires him basically running around like a maniac playing soccer, etc. He is already at the age where he doesn't want to play what he thinks of as girly games so that was a bit of an issue during the school times, was not having enough physical activity for his liking. (***During the camps sessions it was a better mixture of boys and girls so this problem actually completely went away for us during all of the Griffin camp sessions.) The only other pretty minor complaint I had about the school was at times I felt they were a bit too strict on some things that I myself am pretty relaxed on - especially the "clean your plate" mentality, I am not really that into. On the flip side, his manners were much improved and he is able to do a lot more on his own and for himself than he was when he went into Griffin, so I have mixed feelings about that. All in all, I would really recommend Griffin, it is a very good preschool, and when our daughter is old enough we will probably be sending our daughter there.