SCH Academy | Private Preschool - High School

Explore SCH

Early Childhood

Coed

EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER (ECC) offers a warm and stimulating entry into the world of learning for children 18 months to 4 years old. Using the internationally recognized Reggio Emilia approach, ECC aligns with SCH's mission to inspire unbounded curiosity and independent thought. As SCH's youngest students, we have taken tremendous care into crafting a private preschool experience unlike any other for these little learners. Housed on the SCH campus in a safe area surrounded by a grove of trees, ECC children will have amble access to nature, playscapes, and an unlimited resources offered on our historic, 62-acre campus.

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Lower School

Single-sex

Single-sex education offered in our Lower School is a specifically designed learning experience that gives our elementary-aged students the freedom to learn, explore, and discover with freedom, opportunity, and joy.The Lower School classrooms at SCH are the heart of our program. Our Pre-K to grade 4 students explore ideas with unbounded curiosity and are encouraged to think independently. Within the walls of our state-of-the-art private elementary school in Philadelphia, McCausland Lower School, or outside in the neighboring woods, we provide single-sex learning environments for our young boys and girls.

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Middle School

Single-sex

The Middle School hallways at SCH are filled with joy, energy, and academic passion. We are committed to a single-sex academic experience in grades 5-8, while also carving out opportunities for boys and girls to work together in purposeful ways. From weekly service projects to academia that prepares them for Upper School and beyond, learn why our Middle School faculty fill our students with purpose and passion. Hear from our students why SCH is their home away from home.

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Upper School

Coed

Both inside and outside of the classroom, Upper School students at SCH develop the intellectual discipline, skills, and self-confidence that ensure their readiness for whatever challenges they may face, in college and beyond. At SCH, our students are taught to "kindle your own fire". This message is carved into the mantle of the Upper School Henry Library fireplace, reminding students that the passion to learn, explore, discover, and lead comes from within. SCH is a private high school in Philadelphia that allows freedom to pursue dreams guided by the talents of our teachers and robust 62-acre campus.

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What makes an

SCH education?

Entrepreneurship

In SCH’s Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (CEL) program, students build their entrepreneurial mindset—our school’s unique approach to creative problem solving. The curriculum, integrated throughout the Pre-K to 12 experience, encourages students to take on challenges related to their passions. When they graduate, they have a competitive edge and a drive to “build the future.”

PACE by Zarin DeVeaux '25 and Layla Shands '25 CEL Capstone 2023

Single-Sex to Coed

At SCH, our students learn in a single-sex elementary and middle school environment followed by a coed high school experience. This allows our youngest students to be free from gender stereotypes while preparing them for the world beyond as they transition to Upper School.

Elementary School Spirit Girl Confidence Strength

Outdoor Program

Not all classrooms have walls and nature is always knocking at our back door. With the Wissahickon only a stone's throw away, our curriculum finds innovative ways to incorporate the trees, rocks, streams, and wildlife into everyday lessons.

Arts & New Media

Writing your own musical score? Making a 1-minute movie? Laser-cutting sea turtle necklaces out of wood? All can be accomplished in SCH’s new media curriculum taught in our fabrication studios, maker spaces, or recording and editing studios.

Alice in Wonderland Adventures at SCH's Middle School 2023

Robotics

SCH didn’t become the 2019 World Champion Robotics Team just by building a robot or engineering an airplane. Our passionate students learn through teamwork, collaboration, and lots of trial and error—both arriving early to work on extracurricular projects before school and staying late to finish them.

Athletics

SCH students enjoy one of the most outstanding athletic facilities of any independent school in the area and compete at the highest level as part of the prestigious Inter-Ac League. Competition and spirit run high here at SCH; however, our coaches’ core goal is to teach the principles of good sportsmanship alongside confidence, decision-making skills, a sense of responsibility, and leadership.

Varsity Tennis in Fall 2022, photo by James Quinn

Our Campus

Access to Woods

Nestled next to the Wissahickon Watershed, SCH's location provides students and teachers quick access to nature's outdoor classroom. Throughout its history, SCH has been a strong advocate of natural and sustainable environments, creating a long-standing partnerships with agencies that support the PA wildlife and their natural habitats.

111 zip codes

Drawing from the Greater Philadelphia and New Jersey regions, SCH attracts families that live as far north as Bucks County and as far east as the Atlantic. With multiple transportation options and a bucolic campus to call home, students and faculty find themselves drawn to everything that SCH has to offer.

20 minutes

Located in the heart of Philly's Chestnut Hill neighborhood, SCH is a quick 20-minute train ride from Center City. Hop on the Chestnut Hill West line and get off at St. Martin’s just one block from campus. Within five minutes, you can walk to SCH's stadium, fields, robotics labs, and the historic Wissahickon Inn—home to our Upper School students.

62 acres

Situated in the northwest corner of Philadelphia, SCH is lucky to call this 62-acre grounds its home. With 10 acres of woods and an expansive college-like campus, SCH strives to develop a forward-thinking environment that stays ahead of an ever-changing world and empowers students to shape the future.

14 bus routes

Across 111 zip codes, SCH uses district and Philadelphia city busing to get students picked up and dropped off safely. Our Center City students are provided a SCHuttle option that picks up downtown and drops off at SCH Academy's doorstep.

Philadelphia