Westtown School

Founded in 1799 by the Philadelphia Quakers, the school is rooted in the values of the Religious Society of Friends, including simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship. The educational approach is guided by the belief that there is "that of God in every person," and the school seeks to challenge students to realize their individual gifts while living in a diverse community. The mission emphasizes preparing students to be stewards and leaders of a better world.

The academic program is divided into Lower School (PreK-5), Middle School (6-8), and Upper School (9-12). The Lower School curriculum includes computational thinking, Spanish, and project-based learning. The Middle School offers core subjects such as English, science, math, social studies, and world languages, supplemented by skill-building modules. The Upper School provides a rigorous college preparatory curriculum including engineering, computer science, history, religion, and language immersion programs, alongside specialized pathways like the Deep Dive Certificate Program, social entrepreneurship, and sustainability leadership.

Westtown School is a college preparatory institution that prepares its graduates to be stewards and leaders. The school maintains a 100% college placement rate for its graduates.

The school provides student support services across all divisions, including social-emotional learning in the Lower School and academic support in the Middle and Upper Schools. College counseling is a dedicated program for Upper School students to guide them through the university application process.

Westtown School enrolls students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The application process involves an inquiry, a campus visit, and the submission of an application, with first-round deadlines for all divisions on December 1, and an additional January 15 deadline for Upper School boarding applicants. The school provides over $11 million in merit and need-based financial aid to nearly half of its student body, utilizing a third-party tool to assess financial circumstances. Transportation is available via 13 local school districts or through the school’s own fee-based service.

The school operates on an academic calendar that includes a summer program featuring academic courses, day camps for pre-K through 9th grade, and an accredited swim program. The academic year is structured to support the school's college preparatory mission.

The 600-acre campus features a 14-acre lake with a boathouse, an arboretum, natural forests, and an instructional organic farm. Athletic facilities include a gymnasium, a field house with three basketball courts and an indoor track, a wrestling center, a 25-meter swimming pool, a weight training center, 13 playing fields, 14 tennis courts, and a 27-element ropes course. The Center for the Living Arts houses the Barton-Test Theater, digital music and production labs, and visual arts studios. The campus also includes a wellness center, a library and archives, and a solar array that provides up to 91% of the school's electricity.

Students participate in a wide range of activities, including clubs, affinity groups, and work and service programs. The school offers competitive athletics, including varsity teams in soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, softball, and wrestling, supported by an extensive athletic complex. Arts programming is central to student life, encompassing theater, dance, visual arts, and music, with opportunities for performance and exhibition in the Center for the Living Arts. Outdoor education is integrated into the curriculum, utilizing the campus's 600 acres, lake, and ropes course.