Private School Review - Established 2003

Norfolk Academy

5.00 (1 review)
1585 Wesleyan Dr Norfolk, VA 23502
Tel: (757) 455-5582
www.norfolkacademy.org

Quick Facts (2026-27)

  • Top Ranked VA School
  • Grades: 1-12
  • Enrollment: 1,208 students
  • Yearly Tuition: $22,800
  • Acceptance rate: 100%
  • Average class size: 18 students
  • Application Deadline: Dec. 15
  • Source: ✓Verified school update
Norfolk Academy Photo #1 - Norfolk Academy's Wynne-Darden stadium features a turf field for football and lacrosse. The school has more than 70 athletic teams, and the majority of students participate in at least one season of athletics. Facilities include multiple playing fields, several gymnasiums, a weight room, and an indoor pool.
Norfolk Academy Photo #2 - Norfolk Academy is a private, coeducational day school serving students in grades 1-12. Founded in 1728, the school has an exciting history and many traditions that shape the student experience. The most important of these is the student-led Honor System, which shapes school's community of trust.
Norfolk Academy Photo #3 - One of the school's most cherished traditions is family-style lunch. Teachers and students sit together at tables in the refectory, offering time for sharing stories about the day. The meal includes an array of options, from a hot meal to an expansive salad bar and deli sandwiches.
Norfolk Academy Photo #4 - The newly expanded Lower School (grades 1-6) includes a greenhouse, a courtyard garden with plants native to Virginia, and new classrooms for our signature Engineering, Design, and Innovation program, art and music, and rehearsal spaces for orchestra, band, and chorus.
Norfolk Academy Photo #5 - Our school's teacher-coach model shapes each student's journey through Norfolk Academy. The teacher who inspires passion for an academic subject brings that same enthusiasm to coaching one of our 74 athletic teams, as well as our extracurricular activities. Many of our teams achieve regional and state championships, such as field hockey, pictured here.
Norfolk Academy Photo #6 - Band, orchestra, and chorus are offered from Lower School through Upper School. Many students also take private lessons, including strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion instruments, as well as piano, with experienced teachers who meet with students in the school's numerous practice rooms.
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Quick Facts (2026-27)

  • Top Ranked VA School
  • Grades: 1-12
  • Enrollment: 1,208 students
  • Yearly Tuition: $22,800
  • Acceptance rate: 100%
  • Average class size: 18 students
  • Application Deadline: Dec. 15
  • Source: ✓Verified school update

School Rankings

Norfolk Academy ranks among the top 20% of private schools in Virginia for:

Category
Attribute
SAT Score
Highest average SAT score
Student Body
Largest student body
Sports offered
Most sports offered
Extra-curric.
Most extracurriculars offered
School History
Oldest founding date
School Resources
Largest endowments

School Facts

Religious Affiliation
Nonsectarian
Grades Offered
Grades 1-12
Students By Grade

Distribution of Students By Grade

GradeNorfolk Academy
178
271
380
480
585
6106
7108
8110
9127
10119
11111
12133
Download Table: Download as CSV | Download as XML | Download as JSON
Download Full School Data: Full School Dataset XML | Full School Dataset JSON

Note: Data may not be displayed on any public-facing website or service that replicates or resembles a school search or review portal without prior written permission. See our Terms of Service.

Year Founded
1728
Summer School Offered
Yes
Summer Program Details
View Summer Program Details
School Calendar
View School Calendar
Campus Size
72 acres
School Motto
Educating Confident Leaders

Student Body

Total Students
1,208 students
Student Body Type
Co-ed
% Students of Color
17%
State avg.: 31%

Academic Profile

Total Classroom Teachers
104 teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
12:1
National avg.: 11:1
% Faculty w/Advanced Degree
75%
Average Class Size
18 students
Average SAT score
1344
(Out of 1600)
Average ACT score
28
(Out of 36)
Matriculation DataMatric. Data
View Matriculation Data
Classroom Dress Code
Casual
Neat school attire; ties for boys in grades 7-12
Number of AP Courses
16 courses
List of Courses Offered
Link to List of Courses
School Membership(s)School Assoc.
National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS)
Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS)

Tuition & Financial Aid

Admission Deadline
Dec. 15
Yearly Tuition Cost
$22,800
View national tuition avg.
Tuition Notes
Tuition is tiered from $22,800 to $28,200. Need-based financial aid is available.
Summer Program Cost Notes
Summer at the Academy has weekly camps and prices vary, depending on the camp; the program is open to all students.
% on Financial Aid
20%
Acceptance Rate
100%
National avg.: 82%
Admissions Director
Sarah Smythe
Admissions Associate
Brian Jarvis
Application URL
Online Application
Endowment Size
$85 million

Extracurriculars

Total ExtracurricularsTotal Extra-curric.
16 extracurriculars
ExtracurricularsExtra-curric.
Club or Organization:
Athletic Broadcasting TeamBatten Civic and Global Leadership Program
Community Service BoardForensics (Public Speaking) Team
Happy Club/Operation SmileHonor Council
Literary MagazineMedical Scholars Program
Peer CounselorsRobotics Team
Student Council AssociationWorldQuest


Arts and Music Programs:
Band/Jazz BandChorus
Fall Play/Winter MusicalOrchestra/Strings

School Notes

  • Since our 1728 founding, Norfolk Academy has existed for the transformative education of children in Hampton Roads.
  • As the nation's eighth oldest school, we carry that historic mission into today.
  • Trusted and reciprocally empowering relationships form the bedrock of the Norfolk Academy experience.
  • The inspiring relationships we forge with one another underlie our college-prep curriculum, our innovative programming, and our time-honored traditions, such as the Honor System, our speech program, and our senior-first grade buddy program. No exciting discovery, no personal breakthrough, no learning epiphany occurs without the inspiring and perspective-shifting relationships that students build with one another and with their teachers-who also serve as trusted coaches and wise advisors.The relationships we begin building in grade one-and that grow in complexity all the way through grade 12-make possible both the authentic kindness and the outsized accomplishments of our students.
  • Years after graduation, Norfolk Academy students still count their friends and teachers here as the largest influences on their entire lives.
  • Norfolk Academy-Virginia`s oldest independent school-combines deep pedagogical experiencewith judicious curricular innovation.On our 72-acre campus,we advance children from across Hampton Roads through a carefully calibrated,expertly monitored, and relationally richtwelve-year continuumthat develops capable studentsinto responsible and responsive citizen-scholars.
  • As you explore a potential match between your family and Norfolk Academy,please call our Admissions Office at 757-455-5582to learn more, arrange a visit, andapply.
  • Sample of notable school alumni/alumnae:
    • Glenn Youngkin '85 - Governor of Virginia
    • Pete Wisoff '76 - NASA astronaut and American physicist
    • Angela Hucles Mangano '96 - Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist for Women's Soccer, president of Women's Sports Foundation
Source: Verified school update
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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Norfolk Academy cost?
Norfolk Academy's tuition is approximately $22,800 for private students.
What schools are Norfolk Academy often compared to?
Norfolk Academy is often viewed alongside schools like Norfolk Collegiate School by visitors of our site.
What is the acceptance rate of Norfolk Academy?
The acceptance rate of Norfolk Academy is 100%, which is higher than the national average of 79%.
Who are famous alumni from Norfolk Academy?
Norfolk Academy famous alumni include: Glenn Youngkin '85, Pete Wisoff '76 and Angela Hucles Mangano '96.
Does Norfolk Academy offer a summer program?
Yes, Norfolk Academy offers a summer program. Visit their summer school page for more information.
What sports does Norfolk Academy offer?
Norfolk Academy offers 20 interscholastic sports: Baseball, Basketball, Cheering, Crew, Cross Country, Dance, Diving, Field Hockey, Football, Golf, Lacrosse, Sailing, Soccer, Softball, Swimming, Tennis, Track and Field, Volleyball, Winter Track and Wrestling. Norfolk Academy is ranked as one of the top 20% of private schools in Virginia for most sports offered.
What is Norfolk Academy's ranking?
Norfolk Academy ranks among the top 20% of private schools in Virginia for: Highest average SAT score, Largest student body, Most sports offered, Most extracurriculars offered, Oldest founding date and Largest endowments.
When is the application deadline for Norfolk Academy?
The application deadline for Norfolk Academy is Dec. 15.

School Reviews

5  
Norfolk Academy was instrumental in preparing me to be successful in life through its rigorous academic program, its sports program and its honor system.
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Did You Know?

The average private school tuition in Norfolk, VA is $16,324 for elementary schools (read more about average private school tuition across the country).
The average acceptance rate in Norfolk, VA is 78% (read more about average acceptance rates across the country).

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