Child's Primary, The School

We have two children at TCPS and could not be happier. Some of the things we love - TCPS teaches kids 'how to learn'. They learn critical thinking research abilities and how to express thoughts/ideas. Graduating students are usually accepted to top private schools charter schools or honors programs at local high school. - The school reinforces the importance of being thoughtful when to lead and when to follow. It also has a very real world feel diversity down-to-earth) yet our children do not have to deal with many of the environmental challenges at most schools. Don't want to shelter them but less negative influences can be good. - Grades are limited to 12-14 students; ensures students get individual attention they need to reach their potential. Our kids LOVE going to school (1 elementary 1 middle). Best best kept secret in San Diego...families love it and half the cost of many other top private schools. That said the school is for families that highly value a place is focused on the kids. If you are looking for a private school that will enrich your personal social life/status you will not like what they find. Which is part of why the culture remains so great -)

My child is in seventh grade and has been here since 3rd grade. The school philosphy of instilling the love of learning really shows. When my child arrived he had hated school due to some very bad teachers at his last school. they worked hard with him and within months he was eager to go to school. Not only is he learning great academic skills he is learning how to learn. The writing and research program is unbelievable.

We moved our son here mid-year in Kindergarten after leaving another private school. He is now in 1st grade. Our son LOVES his new school. There is a strong sense of community across the grade levels. Students are engaged and inspired. The class sizes are small allowing children to get individualized attention. The teachers are phenomenal. TCPS focuses on the whole child and has a strong social-emotional curriculm.

I have two kids in this school. We have been here since the oldest was in Kindergarten and now she is a middle schooler. I have never for one moment regretted the money we have spent to send them here. I truly believe this is the best school in San Diego. The small classes the individual attention the cross-age learning the social-emotional curriculum all of it is amazing. The teachers are all top-notch devoted professionals who care about all the students and their success. Even more amazing every year the school gets better. Administrators and the board actively seek parent input on ways to improve the school and act on that input. My kids have been so happy here and have learned not just the material to pass a test but how to be a good person a good student and a good member of a community. I saw the review from a concerned uncle or aunt and I can't even imagine how they could be describing this school. My only conclusion is that they made a mistake in the school they were reviewing. At TCPS if your child is having a problem in the classroom the teachers will work with you and your child to resolve it. Awesome school!

My niece went to this school and the lack of teacher control was startling. Her class was able to do whatever they wanted and no discipline was instated due to the fact that the teachers want the students to be "free" in their actions. Such a joke. There was no accountability for their actions which made the environment for the niece incredibly uncomfortable. I do not recommend this school to anyone looking for more than a expensive unstructured daycare.

TCPS is THE school we were looking for. My son is thriving there. We have been with them for 2 years now. We could not ask for anything more in a school. They have a great philosophy and they are what they say they are. The teachers are awesome loving and caring. One on one attention is great due to small class size of 12 students per class. My son does not want to leave school when I go to pick him up. After school daycare is great too. Very creative activities in after school daycare for the kids to be busy. Best part about TCPS is that - My son is excited to go to school every single day!!!!!

TCPS is an excellent school. My kids work hard but they enjoy every minute of it. This is a school where my kids feel comfortable to be themselves. The science program is amazing!! Don't be put off by the looks of the campus it's what's going on inside that counts!

Very well-rounded school. Challenging academics social and emotional program is great! I would recomend it to any parent looking for a great education with small class size for their child.

Absolutely the best school in San Diego. Excellent academics coupled with outstanding social/emotional skills. All the kids know each other as well as all the teachers and staff and vice versa. People often tell me just how impressed they are with my son and I recently saw him sit infront of a group of my peers at a seminar and freely comfortably and communicate with 30+ adults articulately and easily - even I was impressed. I've heard from other parents about cliques criticisms (bullying) at other private schools. At TCPS this is non-existent - everyone is not only respected but embraced for who they are. Our only regret is that this is a K-8 school only. I highly recommend this school to any parent who wants a fabulous education as well as a fabulous experience for their child.

This school is a nurturing creative environment where children actively participate in the learning process and truly learn to think discern and evaluate Real life skills for whole people! the year I spent working at this school was one of the best teaching experiences I have ever had.

This is a small school in which each child is respected as an individual and respects appreciates and accepts their class mates as well. The staff is inspiring and creative. The kids uniformly love going to school. Getting them to leave at the end of the day however can be more of a challenge. My daughter has been challenged stimulated and taught as much about creativity caring and compassion as academics.

Our only regret is not having sent our daughter to TCPS from day one. It is a remarkable school that consistently achieves success in a truly caring & peaceful environment. We couldn t be more grateful to TCPS & we miss it greatly.

Our daughter attended what we thought was a top-notch private school K-6. Then we applied to several private schools for her 7th grade year. The Bishops School recommended TCPS as an alternate. Wow! The level of personal attention students receive at TCPS is unequalled. Each student is simultaneously supported & challenged. Our daughter progressed rapidly she blossomed academically but more important personally. She was not overworked or subjected to the intense pressure & peer competition inherent in other top-performing schools. Two years later she was accepted by some of the best & most exclusive high schools in the nation and she has continued to excel thanks to TCPS. Our only regret is not having sent our daughter to TCPS from day one. It is a remarkable school that consistently achieves success in a truly caring & peaceful environment. We couldn t be more grateful to TCPS & we miss it greatly.

After an exhaustive search of private schools in San Diego we feel so fortunate to have found The Child's Primary School for our Kindergartener. The building itself isn't much to look at but we ignored our first impressions and decided to give it a try anyway. As soon as we met the school staff we knew that we had found the perfect school for our son. Since joining the school our son is thriving both academically and socially. The small class sizes have afforded him so many opportunities! He attends art and music classes practices everything from tennis to tag during PE visits the school library and has 7 new best friends (his classmates). He is learning creative ways to solve conflicts with peers how to take responsibility for his actions and how to be part of a team/community. Maggie Price (the kindergarten teacher) is phenomenal! She does a wonderful job integrating the kids at the beginning of the school year making students (and parents) feel at ease. The school really feels like a big family! TCPS has far surpassed our academic expectations as well. It has been such a joy to watch our son's enthusiasm for learning as he reads us a bedtime story or pulls out our dusty globe to explain the geographical features of the continents. His teachers are constantly coming up with new and creative ways to spark his interest in learning. Their expertise and dedication to the children at the school is unlike anything we have ever seen! Other pros of the school - Hot lunches available - Affordable before/after school care (no reservations required) - No pushy fundraising schemes - Low tuition & monthly payment plans - Lots of parent involvement (including opportunities for working parents to help out). - Lots of community involvement - Awesome library (and a hip librarian who never tires of helping the kids find whatever books they like). - Park beside the school gives kids extra room to play - Fun and creative place to learn Bottom line Even in tough economic times we feel that this is one of the best investments we have made in our son's future. Tour the school and we think that you'll agree with us.

I was a student at tcps for a year and the teaching quality was definitely below average the children lacked cultural experience and the school had little to no resources not to mention the total lack of extracurricular av=activities

This school does not teach only the basic skills it teaches the Students how to be better people while giving them the tools to succeed.

Everything we were looking for. This azing school had been rated down slightly in the past for extracurricular activities but in 2005-6 they started a basketball team and a soccer team. The coach is incredible the kids love it and the parents very involved. Next year they're going to have baseball as well. In addition to the wide variety of after-school activities they already had this completes the full picture to bring the TCPS experience to near perfect

My son has been with TCPS since Kindergarten and is now in the 5th grade. I wanted a place where he could develop in a kind and responsive social environment and not get lost in the crowd --- and this is what we've found at TCPS. Their cross-age activities prove to be very valuable to social development as well. The curriculum is advanced but allows each child to work within their level without being left behind or lacking stimulation. The teachers and staff are outstanding and really prove to make the school a special experience.

The Child's Primary School is a remarkable place. It truly is the best thing going in San Diego for elementary and middle school education. Within these walls students are challenged academically and socially. The academic curriculum is rigorous and engaging. However the more important strength of the school is the way they teach the students to be people of character. Lots of schools have 'character posters' around the campus. At T.C.P.S. these words are not hollow. Students who struggle with socially accepted behaviors are guided and encouraged to learn better more peaceful ways to manage themselves. The expectations of integrity and hard work are equally high. My children are thriving and flourishing in this emotionally safe academically challenging school.

The Child's Primary School is a fantastic school. Classes are small--only 12 children so your child gets alot of attention. The staff are very creative and find interesting innovative ways to teach and foster a strong sense of community. Kids interact in groups between the grades K - 8. There are special teachers for all grades in music Spanish science math and PE (where they learn real sports). The true test the kids love school! My son is thriving in 2nd grade. The philosophy is 'the child is primary'. There are wonderful special programs like The Big Event (an annual school-wide 'event'--sometimes a show but not always) and the Thanksgiving Feast that the children put on themselves and work together to complete. This school really strives to foster a sense of community and family. Children are nurtured and encouraged to explore education and grow to their fullest potential. We love it!