Whitby School

Whitby is a wonderful little school tucked away in backcountry with the most amazing faculty and staff. The school's campus is intentionally unassuming and most importantly, my children wake up excited to go there each day. The Montessori Children's House may be Whitby's crown jewel - from the moment my children enrolled (at around 2 years old) their worlds expanded, as they were offered control of choices that as parents we don't consistently have time to give them at home. From their toddler years and now on to pre-school and Kindergarten, I've had the joy of watching this newfound independence grow. Our family is excited for Whitby's bright future and our children's place in it.

I'm delighted to recommend Whitby School in Greenwich, Connecticut, where my daughter has thrived in an exceptional learning environment from grades 1 to 4. The school's intimate size creates a close-knit community where students receive personalized attention, with two lead teachers in each classroom who support every child's growth and development. This nurturing approach has allowed my daughter to build meaningful relationships with her teachers while developing confidence and independence as a learner. What sets Whitby apart is its commitment to the International Baccalaureate (IB) program and inquiry-based learning model. Rather than relying on traditional textbooks and rote memorization, students engage in cross-disciplinary units of inquiry where they collaborate with teachers and peers to explore meaningful questions and direct their own learning journey. This approach has sparked my daughter's natural curiosity and taught her to think critically, make connections across subjects, and take ownership of her education in ways that will serve her throughout her life. The school excels across all areas of the curriculum, offering outstanding programs in mathematics, science, and languages, while also providing robust opportunities in athletics and the arts. Whitby has given my daughter a love of learning that will prepare her for success in an ever-changing world. I wholeheartedly recommend Whitby School to any family seeking a nurturing, academically rigorous environment where children can truly flourish.

Actually, I am the grandparent of two students at Whitby School. . My background is in education as a teacher and guidance counselor for 28 years. I have very high standards and Whitby has been a most impressive experience for my 1st and 6th graders. Teachers have always been engaged with all students and seem to get the most out of each lesson. The classes I have observed are extremely well taught and students were interested and engaged which is key to learning. I'm impressed with teachers meeting each student on their level and getting the most out of all interactions during lessons. The school has a wonderful environment that safe, inviting and warm! It's difficult for an "institution" to achieve that but Whitby School does!! Add educational excellence and you have a great school. That's Whitby!

Our children have been at Whitby for six years, and we absolutely love the school! Its unique combination of the Montessori preschool program and the International Baccalaureate curriculum for Grade 1-8 is truly second to none. The teaching and care provided by the faculty are outstanding, and the school fosters a diverse and incredibly welcoming community. Beyond academics, Whitby nurtures the whole child-encouraging curiosity, independence, and confidence-which we have seen shine through in our children every year. The leadership is thoughtful, communication with parents is excellent, and the wide range of enrichment programs provides something for every child. We could not be happier with the education and experiences our children are receiving, and we wholeheartedly recommend Whitby to any family seeking an exceptional school.

Whitby stands out amongst the schools in Fairfield County for having incredibly thoughtful teachers who are guiding our children through a journey of loving learning, creative thinking and open-minded problem-solving. Kids learn to be incredible public speakers, risk takers and advocates for themselves when they need support. We love that Whitby has an involved and caring parent community, and our girls feel excited to go to school each day. Both Montessori and IB accreditations put Whitby in a league of its own in terms of excellence in curriculum and innovative learning. Extracurricular activities, like the sports teams, musicals, debate team and class trips, provide incredible opportunities for children to explore all sides of who they are as learners and participants in their community. Whitby is simply a magical place for both kids and families to learn, grow and flourish!

My child has been attending Whitby for 6 years and is performing above grade level in the areas of reading, word analysis, and math. He recently took the SCAT test as a high number of children attending Whitby are in the John's Hopkins Center of Talent Youth program. If you want your child to "love learning" send them to Whitby. The tuition you spend goes into the education of your child, not fancy facilities nor the high expenses required for running a high school. Children graduating from Whitby go on to not only attend high level high schools but sit as the highest performers within the programs. If you talk with admission advisors at other schools, they all rave about the children they get from Whitby. The parents here have a strong view of education and accelerated learning.

Our daughter has had such an amazing experience at Whitby. The thoughtfulness of curriculum design for pre-K is evident and based on a really deep understanding of the skill and brain development. I love our engagement with the teachers, who offer us advice and techniques to reinforce at home that would not have occurred to me - things like storytelling without books to reinforce conceptual and abstract thinking. The multi-year classroom dynamic also creates a wonderful social opportunity for the young children to experience different roles - as a younger student, learning and following, and then as an older student, mentoring and building confidence. I think this really helps young children gain social flexibility and avoid being locked into a dynamic that can form too early. I think the individualized attention and academic tracking even from a very young age have been so helpful in building on early strengths and bolstering development areas. And the parent community is so welcoming - a diverse group of parents all focused on helping their children truly love learning.

My family has been at Whitby in the past two years. We have one child in Stepping Stones and another in the Primary program. We absolutely love the school. Our kids are so engaged in learning and that translates into curiosity at home, and an ability to connect concepts at such a young age. My kids literally run into school every morning and come home telling us about singing Mandarin songs while playing instruments, how they learned pointillism, how they did historical recreations of famous books, etc. The teachers are world-class and we really feel this is the best education for our children. We also love the parent community as they are so open with so much to do to connect with our kids' school.

Our family has been part of the Whitby School community for 9 years. We have a 6th grader, and a daughter who graduated last year and is now a freshman in high school. I could not more highly recommend the school. As an International Baccalaureate (IB) school it attracts families from many different countries, culturally making it wonderfully diverse. The IB curriculum and inquiry-based learning platform makes me wish I had been educated that way myself! I have also embraced the advantages of a school that finishes in 8th grade. It afforded my daughter the opportunity to reflect on her strengths and the things that she valued most in her education. The experience she gained in the application process, standardized testing, and interviews will make the college application process so much easier! She was also able to pick the high school that was the best fit for her. The transition has been seamless, as she found the perfect school and was more than adequately prepared educationally and socially. Thank-you Whitby, and your exceptionally caring faculty and staff! :

We have an eleven-year-old daughter and a two-year-old son. They both have a passion for learning and they both LOVE spending their days at Whitby. We are grateful to be members of Whitby's learning community, a place where children have a strong voice and everyone is working together to get better.

I wish I had gone to Whitby!I love how the school lets the students be children ,each with a unique perspective by creating space for them to express themselves , giving value to their opinions,encouraging them to ask questions and helping them nuture independance through responsibility.The continued education of the staff and teachers (and indeed the parents too!)under the steady leadership of the Head makes for an exciting,caring and dynamic learning environment.

we are an expat family from Argentina. I have an 11, 7 and 4 yo children. I have been at Whitby for nearly a year now and I can say that it hasnt dissapointed me not even once. I am in love with the school. My three kids are thriving, learning whilst having fun, enjoying every minute they spend at school. Caring, motivating, stimulating, I wish all my 3 kids could spend as much time in this school as possible - no doubt its the best school they have attended.

We are currently in our third year at Whitby and my children (pre-K and 1st grade) could not be happier. They love going to school! Their teachers over the years have nurtured them, each according to their individual needs and passions, and remain dear friends as they have moved on from year to year to other classrooms. The learning is fun, exciting and they are challenged to the best they can everyday. We as parents, could not be more pleased with our children's progress academically, socially and their love for their school community. We love it as well and have made dear friends for life. We are grateful that we found Whitby when we did and feel it is indeed a very special place.

Whitby is a unique school where everyone has a place. It's small enough that everyone knows one another, but not so small where students can't find their niche. My children have thrived there for the last four years. While a day off is welcome, they don't complain about school and they truly enjoy their friends, teachers, and their learning. The school is innovative, but still requires a lot within each "core" curriculum. The lower school is more nurturing and appropriately so; the Upper School moves children towards further independence and the expectations are appropriately higher in that way. Children have easy access to teachers and student/teacher relationships are forged and problem solving is encouraged via the student (before the parent). I feel this is very important as our kids need greater independence and the ability to take on challenges. That said, for the few "consults" I've wanted, I have never had an issue contacting a teacher and getting feedback. I feel proud that my children focus on the work in it's entirety and not just "I got an A or B on an assignment." I feel the school always focuses in on rubric that covers their aptitude in multiple ways. Your student's idea may be bold and unique, but they are also taught that they have to consider the rubric (criteria) for an assignment in order to achieve at a higher level. I feel there is a helpful mix of both group and individual assignments and an acceptance of diversity and individual thinking and learning styles. I also feel they have an excellent mix of computer relate assignments, written work, and many speaking opportunities and opportunities that interface with a variety of students and faculty. Our school campus is warm and inviting and I feel its size helps foster the overall sense of community. I'm so glad we chose Whitby!

We have had two children at Whitby from pre-k to 4th grade. We simply can not say enough about what an extraordinary school Whitby is. One of our children is a voracious learner who thrives with Whitby's practice of letting her continually advance. Our other child also loves the high volume learning, but needs more structure and support, and Whitby's great staff and teachers seamlessly offer that as well. Teaching is advancing as rapidly as everything else in our lives. We are so excited to be at a school where the leadership and teachers constantly study, learn and implement the best, proven teaching practices. All with tremendous love and care. This is an amazing place.

Whitby has always been known for its preschool and early elementary years excellence, but it is, in recent years- with its integration of the International Baccalaureate program and the recent arrival of the new Head of School (one of the leading educators in the IB world) -becoming a leader in upper elementary and middle school education in the Greenwich area. Our son, now in third grade, has been at Whitby since preschool and has experienced not only the best in academic teaching (tailored to his specific need for exceptional challenge in the classroom), but his teachers also have provided for him a warm environment that has led to extraordinary social development. The athletics program has undergone a complete overhaul in recent years, and we have been able to watch exceptional athletic team performances over the last several weeks. Any family that values an outstanding and challenging academic curriculum, emphasis on teamwork both on and off the field, and an unsurpassed welcoming sense of community should consider Whitby. It is well worth the investment!