The Nueva School in Burlingame, California

“My child attended Nueva for many years, and only one was worthwhile. Teaching is erratic, class management terrible, and money drives how a given student is treated. There are some amazing, dedicated teachers, but ongoing turnover. Great middle school facilities don't translate to a coherent education. I wish we had transferred earlier.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Nueva's asset is this simply: The students are taught to think, be curious and to be resourceful. If an individual is made to question, taught to find answers and encouraged to pursue knowledge... then the school has created an individual with a passion for learning and a life of interest and amazement. I loved Nueva (I am a graduate) and strongly disagree with some of the negetive comments from previous reviewers.”
This review was posted by a student.

“It's a great school for the gifted and highly motivated kids. It's a great place if your kids love school and want and know how to challenge themselves.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“I am currently a student at Nueva in the 6th grade. This is my first year as part of the middle school, and I am really enjoying the experience! Just a few weeks ago I had my first dance, a large success with me and all my friends. The school also provides kids wih laptops from 6-8th grade. Before you get your laptop, you spend a whole day learning about how to treat your laptop, different applications, safety on the internet (heavily enforced on the laptop.) I myself am not a musical player, but a lot of classmates are and are involved in the various music programs at Nueva. Another thing that Nueva excels in is having guest speakers come in. last year we had several guests including a cyberspace police officer, a professional cello player, and three different authors. Nueva is an awesome school!”
This review was posted by a parent.

“My child attended Nueva and is now a college graduate pursuing a higher degree. My knowledge is not current, however I would like to 'second' two concepts that appear in these reviews... first that the approach to learning is unstructured and may not benefit the student who is bright but needs consequences. Second, the music program was extraordinary. Simply incredible. Keep it up, Nueva.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“I am a former student of Nueva. The three years I spent there were, literally, the worst of my life. I came to Nueva looking for a school suited for advanced students, and found a place filled with students violent both physically and emotionally, incompetent students, weak lesson plans and a clueless administration that caters solely to those with money. My sibling, who attended the school for six years, had a similarly miserable experience. Please do not send your student to Nueva. It is not at all what the pamphlets promise!”
This review was posted by a student.

“I am a current student at the Nueva School, and I love it. The classes are not quite as unstructured as some believe, though they certainly leave a lot of room for students to choose their own way. The music program is exceptional, and the classes are so much fun, even those you would expect to be dull. A very unique aspect of Nueva is SEL, Social Emotional Learning. This is held as a regular class, starting at a very young age and continuing though eighth grade. In SEL, students learn cooperative skills, ways to deal with problems, and are invited to share their own problems anonymously with the class for support and guidance. The tuition is high, and on top of that my family has an hour commute to the school, but every cent and every minute is worth it. This is no ordinary school.”
This review was posted by a student.

“No longer the free-spirited institution it once was, Nueva still provides a quality education, but lacks the community spirit that once brought many through its doors. In short, learners' experiences at Nueva are dependent on the educator they end up with. High teacher turnover and an unstable administration require constant monitoring by parents to ensure that their child receives a consistent education. Nueva's setting continues to be a strong point, and with the expansion to include new classroom space the facilities continue to impress. It would be even better with a return to a more hands-on environmental science program, as that was always a selling point of Nueva's whole child education philosophy. If your child has learning differences, or trouble with social adjustment, Nueva might not be a good fit. While the SEL program is strong, educators and administration have difficulty providing the appropriate modeling and space for special needs kids.”
This review was posted by a former student.

“The academic environment at The Nueva School is nothing short of amazing. Students are actively engaged in the process of learning, and they are excited about getting to school in the morning. As a parent of a Nueva student, I have seen my child blossom in areas I would never have imagined possible. The connections that my child makes shows me that the teachers are teaching the children critical thinking skills, not just how to memorize information. Shortcomings? A couple. More physical education would be nice.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“I came to Nueva from a public school, at first it was very hard to adjust to only because I had no idea what to excpect. Overtime I loved Nueva more and more. Now I am leaving in a few months and I am off to a boarding school. Nueva was one of the best experiences I've every had, I would highly recomend it”
This review was posted by a former student.

“Nueva is an ok school for some kids and a terrible one for others. The teachers are friendly but not professional. They are often unprepared and, although they love kids, do not know how to guide them. Classes are too unstructured and the kids often get rowdy. I would not recommend it.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Nueva offers hands-on learning, instruction is individualized to the strengths (and weaknesses) of the child. Children actively participate. Little emphasis on memorization. Enthusiastic teachers. Emergent curriculum, i.e., builds upon the interests of students. Nueva students love learning.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Nueva is an extraordinary school. The teachers are fantastic. The curriculum is very progressive and allows for individual needs. They focus in early years on social/emotional development is exactly what the gifted child needs.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“This school is a good school for music students, because of its Menuhin-Dowling Music Program. The teaching tends to be a little soft on the kids, but overall it's a good school.”
This review was posted by a student.

“The musical program at this school is outstanding, and the students in Middle School do some community service. The tution is a little expensive, though.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“This has been an absolutely wonderful experience for my child. The curriculum has great depth and is presented in a creative and interesting way. The topics and homework are far more interesting than what my child was assigned in public school. The teachers and administrators care very much about the children. I would recommend this school to anyone with an intellectually curious child.”
This review was posted by a parent.