Phillips Brooks School offers a full-day preschool through 5th-grade learning community at the intersection of Menlo Park and Palo Alto, neighboring Stanford University.
By passionately pursuing core teaching beliefs that set us apart, we create the extraordinary every day at PBS. We guide children to cultivate their individual talents, explore, and dig deep while working and reflecting together.
In the process they discover their best selves they flourish.
Quick Stats (2025)
- Top Ranked CA School
- Grades: Nursery/Preschool-5
- Enrollment: 306 students
- Yearly Tuition: $36,475
- Average class size: 20 students
- Application Deadline: Jan. 9
- Source: Verified school update
Top Rankings
Phillips Brooks School ranks among the top 20% of private schools in California for:
Category
Attribute
Student Body
School Overview
Religious Affiliation
Grades Offered
Grades Nursery/Preschool-5
Year Founded
1978
School Calendar
First Day of School
Mon. Sep 1, 2025
Last Day of School
Wed. Jun 10, 2026
Student Body
Total Students
306 students
Student Body Type
Co-ed
% Students of Color
48%
State avg.: 51%
Students by Grade

Academics and Faculty
Total Classroom Teachers
24 teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
13:1
National avg.: 13:1
Average Class Size
20 students
Classroom Dress Code
Casual
Tuition and Acceptance Rate
Admission Deadline
Jan. 9
Yearly Tuition Cost
$36,475
Tuition Notes
Please note that the listed tuition is for the 2022-2023 school year. Prices are subject to change.
% on Financial Aid
11%
Admissions Director
Vanessa Ortega
Admissions Associate
Marcelino Perez
Sports
Total Sports Offered
2 sports
Sports
School Notes
- The Phillips Brooks School, founded in 1978, is an independent, coeducational day school located in Menlo Park, California. We enroll 280 students in preschool through fifth grade. By passionately pursuing core teaching beliefs that set us apart, we create the extraordinary every day at PBS. We guide children to cultivate their individual talents, explore and dig deep while working and reflecting together. In the process they discover their best selves they flourish.
- You can feel it the moment you step on campus: this is a place that`s open and vibrant, energized by students who are truly known by each adult and peer around them. Here you`ll find engaged children who are fulfilled as they probe meaningful interests and challenged as they apply academic and social learning strategies customized for their developmental trajectory. They emerge as skilled, independent thinkers and empowered community builders who thrive intellectually as well as socially. PBS students know how to be learners, how to relate to one another and who they are.
- Together with our inclusive, multi-cultural family community we create a dynamic atmosphere of collaboration and support. With an impressive roster of core and specialist teachers dedicated to pre-school through fifth grade, and no more than two classrooms per grade, every child and family is an integral partner in our community. There`s an excitement here, a liberating, exhilarating awareness that every day our students are journeying purposefully to become all they are meant to be. Inspired learners. Inspiring life. This is PBS.
Source: Verified school update
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Phillips Brooks School cost?
Phillips Brooks School's tuition is approximately $36,475 for private students.
What sports does Phillips Brooks School offer?
Phillips Brooks School offers 2 interscholastic sports: Basketball and Volleyball.
What is Phillips Brooks School's ranking?
Phillips Brooks School ranks among the top 20% of private schools in California for: Largest student body.
When is the application deadline for Phillips Brooks School?
The application deadline for Phillips Brooks School is Jan. 9.
In what neighborhood is Phillips Brooks School located?
Phillips Brooks School is located in the Sharon Heights neighborhood of Menlo Park, CA. There are 1 other private schools located in Sharon Heights.
School Reviews
5
As a parent of both a third grader and a first grader who have been at Phillips Brooks School since their time in the Early Learning Center, I can honestly say that this community has been one of the greatest gifts to our family. From day one, PBS has delivered not just an outstanding education but a deeply thoughtful, emotionally intelligent, and joy-filled experience that continues to exceed our highest hopes. The academics are top-tier—our children are thriving in reading, math, writing, and STEAM—but it's the way they're learning that makes the difference. They're engaged, curious, confident, and challenged in all the right ways. Every lesson feels connected to the real world, and the school has a way of inspiring a genuine love of learning that you can see in their eyes when they come home. The teachers at PBS are absolutely extraordinary. Each one seems to possess this magical mix of intellectual depth, emotional warmth, and seemingly infinite patience. They know our kids as whole people—their strengths, quirks, needs, and passions—and they tailor the experience accordingly. Whether it's helping our first grader work through early reading challenges or pushing our third grader to explore big ideas in project-based learning, the level of personalized attention is simply unmatched. We've also felt a remarkable spirit of partnership every step of the way. When a challenge arises, whether academic or social, the team is thoughtful, communicative, and always focused on what's best for the child. It never feels transactional—it feels like a genuine relationship. The school's commitment to diversity and inclusion is not just talk—it's real, and it's meaningful. Our children are growing up in a community where they are learning to see and value difference, speak with empathy, and show courage. The culture here is one of kindness, mutual respect, and deep intentionality. PBS doesn't just build good students—it helps shape good human beings. And the sense of safety, both physical and emotional, is palpable. I trust this school completely. Outside the classroom, the enrichment opportunities are just as thoughtful. Our kids have had the chance to participate in art, music, movement, after-school clubs, and more. Whether it's a coding club, science exploration, or collaborative art projects, the school ensures that every child can find something that speaks to their spirit. In short, PBS has become a cornerstone of our family's life. The communication from the school is world-class—we feel informed, included, and part of something truly special. We are endlessly grateful for this community, and we cannot imagine a better environment for our children to grow, learn, and thrive.
5 5/23/2025
PBS is a gem of a school, and we feel so fortunatethat our kids go there. The community is warm, close-knit, and welcoming -- from my son's first day at preschool, every teacher and administrator we met (or even just saw on campus!) wanted to know his name and learn about things that were important to him. And then the next day at dropoff, they remembered it all -- I don't know how they make every child feel seen and special, but they do. The academics are excellent, but what sets PBS apart in my mind are the focus on SEL, the deep care faculty and staff have for every child as a whole person, and the emphasis they place on child-centered and child-led learning. At PBS, my kids aren't just learning math and literac;, they're learning how to understand themselves and others, to love learning, to be engaged citizens, and to act with kindness and integrity.
5 5/23/2025
Coming to the end of my 9th year as a PBS parent, and I love this school and our lovely community. We have a very supportive and loving community of administrators, teachers, parents and kids.
5 5/23/2025
We've been at PBS for 6 years and I have fallen more and more in love with the school every year. Is it perfect in every way? No. Are they walkways trying to better themselves for the sake of the students? Yes. I am confident that my children will be able to have their pick of middle schools that are right for them when that time comes. I already know my kids will always have a large community of friends and adults who will love and look after them and their future success. It's been a privilege to have my kids attend PBS.
5 5/23/2025
It can be difficult to see how exceptional a school is until you have spent a couple of years in its community. This is a very nurturing environment for children where social-emotional learning is integrated seamlessly with academic rigor. In just two short years, my child has changed from tentative to confident and polished. He is fearless and even has fun public speaking in front of the whole school, and like all the children, he is known and appreciated by the whole community.
5 5/23/2025
PBS is a wonderful school that fosters a strong social emotional curriculum along with a deep rooted focus on academics. Our children have shown strong empathy, kindness and curiosity within our community and we couldn't be more proud. The faculty and staff are wonderful- they each go out of their way to ensure strong partnership with each family! We love the school and highly recommend it to others.
5 9/22/2023
I have two children in PBS, we are on our third year. Our youngest started in Pre-k and they truly did prepare her for Kinder and beyond (currently in 1st). All the teachers communicate and work together to make sure that each child is placed with the most suitable class the next year. They have specialists who are quick to provide any necessary resources your child might need. Both of my children have displayed an enormous leap in their confidence in speaking up, in developing friendships. It is so amazing to see how my children are truly cared for. My daughter still sees her previous teachers and gets excited to see them. We're really grateful to be a part of this community.
5 9/15/2023
We are so lucky to be a part of this incredibly warm, welcoming, and down-to-earth school community! This is our second year at PBS; our daughter started in pre-school last year and is now in pre-K. She is so excited to go to school every morning and is disappointed that she can't go on the weekend! The campus comes alive with students' joy as they arrive at school each morning and it is a pleasure knowing she is spending her day surrounded by caring, loving, and engaged teachers who truly know my child. SEL is thoroughly integrated throughout the curriculum and they truly "walk the walk." PBS students are genuinely kind and caring humans who love learning. What more could any parent ask for?!
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