Carden Hall has been such a gift to our family. Our oldest daughter started there in 2016 and graduated in 2025 and we currently have both a daughter and a son enrolled. We couldn't be more thankful for the role this school has played in their lives. Carden Hall lives up to being an island of good. The focus isn't just on academics but on shaping the whole child... strong character and confidence, That kind of environment is rare and it shows in the students. When our daughter moved on to high school it was clear how well prepared she was. She had a solid academic foundation strong study habits and the confidence to handle new situations. That preparation was from the care and consistency of her teachers at Carden Hall. They know these kids so well, support them, and want them to succeed both in and out of the classroom. As parents that kind of genuine investment means everything. We feel incredibly fortunate to be part of the Carden Hall community read more

Carden Hall is truly a remarkable school--one that not only educates children, but genuinely shapes children into confident, compassionate, and capable young people. It has been the perfect fit for my two daughters and I have witnessed this in the 10 years our family has been there. From the moment you step onto campus, you feel a sense of warmth, structure, and tradition that is increasingly rare in today's world. The teachers at Carden Hall are exceptional. They know each child as an individual, and you can feel their dedication in everything they do--from the thoughtful way they teach core subjects to the gentle but firm guidance they give in character and manners. The academics are rigorous without being overwhelming, and the curriculum builds such a strong foundation in writing, reading, and critical thinking that you can see the growth in your child almost immediately, not to forget the incredible time management and organizational skills that are instilled. What I believe truly sets Carden Hall apart is the environment. The school intentionally cultivates kindness, respect, empathy, patriotism and personal responsibility. I see it in my daughters --how they greet adults confidently, how they treat each other with courtesy, and how they carry themselves. It feels like a partnership between school and home, both working toward the same goal: raising well-rounded children who excel academically and personally. In every way--academics, character development, community, and overall child enrichment--Carden Hall has exceeded our expectations. I have seen this first hand as my older daughter has transitioned into high school, well prepared and confident. Choosing Carden Hall is one of the best decisions our family ever made. read more

We absolutely love Carden Hall! My two children have very different personalities and learning styles, yet both are thriving here. The academics are strong, the social environment is warm and positive, and the focus on manners and age-appropriate development shines through every day. The teachers genuinely know and care about each child, and it shows by how much they love school. We couldn't be happier with the growth and confidence we've not just seen but experience day to day. Highly recommend! read more

The most wonderful school for PreK through 8th. My son attended all 10yrs and my daughter is still in the Junior High. I have had nothing but an amazing experience for both of my children. The structure and discipline very much prepared my son for high school. Not to mention excellent work ethic and study skills. The character building they teach has enabled both of my kids not only to be well mannered and polite, but comfortable with adults. The best thing I found is the amazing sense of self my kids have been able to develop. The structure actually gives them the ability to figure out who they are individually. Sounds counterintuitive but from a mom of 2 very different kids I've seen it in them first hand. They can advocate for themselves which I feel is ultimately what every parent wants. Best investment you'll ever make. read more

First and foremost, Carden Hall falls short in Mathematics and Technology, and their French curriculum will not produce a fluent speaker in French. If you want your child to be fluent, they will have to take courses outside of CH. "My daughters both started attending Carden in 4th grade and at first, they thought it was a positive change from public school. However, things began to change when Ms. Dablow resigned from Carden Hall. We noticed that the lower and upper-grade directors were changing often, and the directors showed less compassion. There was also inconsistency in how other kids were treated. Even if your child was kind, generous, and caring, showing respect to others, respect was not always returned. My oldest daughter was constantly harassed by middle-school boys and treated poorly by the few girls in her grade. Middle school became very cliquey, and my daughter was treated like an outcast among the small group of girls in her grade during middle school. During middle school, instances of sexism and objectification of girls become more prevalent. For example, during a trip to France, my daughter and her friends were excited to take cute photos on top of rooftop in Paris, wearing matching "Skort Jumpers" when they entered an elevator with a male teacher and some male classmates. The teacher made inappropriate comments about their outfits not complying with the Carden Hall dress code and showing too much leg. The girls were shocked and embarrassed and ended up retreating to their hotel room in tears. Carden does not have an enclosed auditorium, so all performances were outside in the open courtyard. In the past, girls were mandated to wear skirts and thin jackets even in freezing weather during assemblies or performances. One year, a concerned adult arrived at the school and pointed out that this policy of girls only wearing skirts, including the female staff, was discriminatory and could lead to legal consequences. In response, the school quickly revised the dress code to allow female students to wear "boys" cargo trousers if they wished to do so. However, despite this change, none of the girls were interested in wearing boy cargo pants, resulting in them having to stand outside in bad weather during fall and winter, which ultimately led to them getting sick. The teachers and front desk staff reprimanded my daughters if their skirts were not the standard three inches above their kneecaps. Despite my ongoing efforts to do alterations for my growing girls who had small waistlines and long legs, other girls would have very short skirts and wear full makeup, which clearly showed their inconsistency with their dress code or what I would consider favoritism. The teachers frequently praised my daughter for her sweet and kind demeanor. However, they failed to take any action when others were cruel to her. This led to my daughter developing anxiety, which was caused by the behavior of both the staff and students. When I spoke to the director about this, she shifted the blame onto my daughter's supposed lack of social skills, suggesting that it was the reason why she was unable to form connections with others. A teacher commented to my daughter for her nonparticipation in 8th grade parties held outside of school premises in front of classmates causing her distress. On her last day of 8th grade parents paid for an elaborate graduation party in which we did not participate instead we celebrated with family. Later that day when all 8th graders were supposedly enjoying a party Ms. Peters's son phoned my daughter and said mean things that I will not repeat. I later called CH because she was a teacher at their school who never apologized nor her son for what he said. My request fell on deaf ears at Carden Hall. On the day of my oldest daughter's 8th-grade graduation ceremony, I received a call from front desk staff. She informed me that my second daughter had a "gel French manicure," which was not allowed per the school's policy on nail polish. Although the girls were allowed to wear light/natural nail polish, the gel was not permitted. I was instructed at 3 pm, graduation starts at 6 pm, to remove my 7th-grade daughter's gel, or she would not be allowed to attend her sister's graduation. If you are wondering why we continued at this school, I gave my oldest the option to leave, but she truly believed she was receiving a good education, and despite all the drawbacks and no friendships, she stayed. However, later, we found out that some students from her new public high school had already taken advanced math courses or AVID during middle school and were ahead of her in some ways. But, with additional tutoring, she was able to excel in her Honor course and AP course. She is thriving with more advanced courses, no more anxiety, and many friendships at her High School. My second daughter did not remain at Carden Hall for 8th grade. I hope more parents speak out about Carden Hall. read more

Would never recommend. My 3 kids attended for 6 years and were constantly stressed out. I didn't want to pull them out of school because I feared the change but upon reflection, I should have made the move much sooner. The school is far behind when it comes to technology. It's impossible to communicate with teachers unless you make a formal request for a meeting. Virtually no teacher/parent communication. Many of the teachers are downright cruel. I would describe this school in one word as "militaristic." Very old school and behind the times. We switched to another more modern private school and my kids have never been happier. They went from having panic attacks to enjoying school. read more

My 2 adult children attended Carden Hall, one attended MIT, the other is an international tax attorney. They are genuinely very good people too. Carden Hall was instrumental in helping develop my two children into the people they are today! read more

My son is now in public high school, taking AP classes and he still has nightmares and tells me about his negative experiences, issues of unfairness and nepotism at while at Carden Hall. After graduating from Carden Hall, he was so behind as a high school freshman in comparison to his public school peers that we had to hire several private tutors to get him to catch up academically. I feel awful for sending him there for so many years and our younger children, our friends' children and future grandchildren will NEVER attend. I hear stories now that some teachers are inexperienced and less educated than the students, often times using Siri to spell words because they didn't know how to spell or even perform elementary math problems. I wish this were untrue, but it has been verified by my son and his former Carden Hall classmates who laugh and joke about it frequently. No differentiation for those students who are high-achievers. This school is not competitive by current standards whatsoever. We were forced to hire tutors to supplement our sons education because he was so behind compared to his high achieving peers who attended public schools, but now he has caught up thanks to tutors. Bottom line: We do NOT recommend Carden Hall in Newport Beach. It's a waste of time and money. read more

Amazing school right on the bluffs of Newport Beach. The directors have an excellent modern vision while balancing in traditional etiquette and manors. read more

Update the teachers teach curriculum From a woman who created it in 1950 and don't update it. 2 they have no technology liek smart boards or anything which parents are probably duped thinking they do so much because they don't have smart board. It's bc they are too cheap to install smart boards/ technology and their teachers have no idea how to use it! Just means your children are sitting doing meanigless worksheets and busy work read more

Please don't send your kids here mine went for a year and my nine year started having panic attacks and my 12 year old was mentally overwhelmed crying almost every day because her teacher would yell at her. they do not care about bullying and the principal threatened my daughter multiple times saying things like we will kick you out of the school because you a got a 68% on a test or can't you try harder your just not trying when me as a grown adult could barely understand the questions, and I studied everything with her every single day. At her two previous schools she was almost a straight a student. But to them at Carden Hall she was just a failure because she flipped one test she has ADHD a focusing disorder they did not care and basically told her she was just dumb read more

As a former graduate of Carden Hall, I feel knowledgeable in my review. What may have once been a top-notch private school is now an emotionally abusive institution with no oversight from the administration. Many parents & staff I talked to have watched the quality and education of teachers diminish over the years. I agree with the other parent's Yelp review who said that there is no oversight from administrators. Teachers have no oversight and work with autonomy, and asking questions or questioning them is frowned upon, even if something is objectively proven wrong. Your child will pay the price if you question this authoritative institution. Some of the older teachers who work there have echoed this as they agree that this school is no longer the high quality institution it used to be. The leadership has changed for the worst and so have the teachers. Some teachers are promoted to teach subjects in which they have no background, education or experience (just to fill a vacancy). I cannot emphasize enough how inferior their curriculum is when I compared it to other public and private schools. My friend also just pulled his two young kids out last year for these reasons. read more

When my child began attending Carden Hall six years ago I loved the attention given to not just academics but to being respectful and having manners. Very old school which was refreshing. Mr. Jones, who recently passed away was a role model and leader. Now that this wonderful man is gone the school seems to be lost. What really bothers me is the lack of a board of directors to provide guidance to the school. All decisions appear to be made unilaterally and not in the student's best interest. If my child was not graduating next year I would definitely move to another more open-minded school. read more

We have 2 boys who have attended here for the past 6 years. Prior to CH, they were in Montessori & we tried 1 yr in public school. Considering private school was never on our family's radar until we experienced what public school has become. CH provides our kids with a safe, morally grounded & wonderful environment where they have absolutely excelled. We write 1 tuition check & there is no fundraising or hidden costs like so many of the other schools. Our family has more time together in part b/c the kids don't have homework until after 4th grade & we get about 3 weeks more vacation time every year. Academically CH is very strong, principled, and purposeful in their approach. Our kids are happy & better people when we pick them up after school - we don't know what more we could ever hope for. I've heard SO many positives about CH students in the community. CH students leave prepared for high school, college and to be successful adults. There is SO much more to CH than first meets the eye as it is truly understated and a beautiful diamond in the rough. There is a rich history in the 50+ yrs of CH. It's not the "flashy" Newport, it's "Classy" timeless Newport Beach that is simple, clean, pure and rich in character and tradition. CH has made us a better parents and a better family. I encourage everyone to check out the other schools as we did b/c CH isn't necessarily the right fit for everyone. read more

BEST SCHOOL EVER! Worked out wonderfully for my Son. Would highly recommend it. Great all around school. Education, friends and felt like family. read more

I attended Cayden hall 20 plus years ago. I was blessed to have attended. It was a very challenging school. I think I did more homework at Carden Hall, than I ever did In high-school. I received a very strong educational foundation when I left, and ended up graduating early at 16 in the top 90 percent of high school graduates.I plan on sending my son to this school in a few years. read more

Carden HAll is the best decision our family has ever made. The character building that happens daily within the classroom alone sets the tone for an incredible learning experience. Some people like to focus on "THE BOOTH" . The Booth should be every parents favorite part of the Carden Method. The Booth is a place to think about your behavior. The kids that go there, usually do not have too many return trips. Its a learning experience. Its a place that you reflect on the incident that occurred and then discuss with the Director. When you drop your children off at Carden Hall, I guarantee you when you pick them up, their shoulders are rolled back, they have confidence, they are smiling. It is an atmosphere of LEARNING. Yes, it is strict. And yes it builds character. Is that not WONDERFUL. Please make an appointment to walk thru the halls of this amazing school. Whats happening in the Public schools in our neighborhood is not getting better. Some close friends would say, "wow, you guys can afford Carden?" we say "WE CANNOT AFFORD NOT TO" Its our children, its their CHARACTER, its our most prized possession. I could go on and on. read more

Consistent, high quality, and reassuringly effective education! My son loves the school and my husband and I do too! They are strict and definitely have high standards. This keeps you on your toes through your children, but is what makes it a school worth paying for - they take the job of shaping and preparing your children seriously. I can't thank them enough for the impact they are having on my son and hopefully for my daughter in the future! read more

My daughter graduated from Carden Hall just two days ago. Best investment we ever made. Our three oldest children attended Newport Heights and then ensign middle school. After a few months of our youngest starting kindergarten at Newport Heights, we started looking at alternatives. Three children including our daughter from this initial class at the heights transferred to Carden and this was possibly the best decision I have ever made. Go visit Carden Hall so you can see for yourself. Meet the faculty and staff, take a tour. You too will be amazed! read more

We love Carden! We enrolled our oldest daughter at Carden Hall in first grade (she will be an 8th grader next year!) after we attended their open house. What really sold us was the students we talked to, not the teachers at the open house. These kids were bright, confident, and well spoken. They were anything but shy when speaking to us adults and loved sharing stories about their Carden years. After a rough start in another school, our daughter thrived at Carden. The small classroom sizes, Carden Method and exceptional staff are top notch. Our younger daughter started there in kinder and loves it too. I could go on and on about the wonderful things at Carden, but my favorite thing is how equally treated I feel each student is.... Without fundraising or having to compete with big school donators there is equality amongst everyone. We all pay the same amount, there are no buildings built because a family has donated this or that... it is the children's school. It belongs to them. read more

my kids went for several years, then we moved to another part of the county and switched to another school that was closer to our new home. Ok for lower grades but they teach math in a kind of weird way with carrying digits over, etc. had to un-train my older kids when we left that school. Mr. Jones (is he still there?) is a solid, permanent fixture, ex marine? and inspires kids and parents. office staff a little too controlling but maybe they mellow out as your kid gets older. we didnt' stay long enough to find out. good basic education and sweet kids. recently found out that John Wayne's grandkids went there FWIW. read more

I have three daughters who have all attended Carden Hall. We have been there for a total of 19 years between the 3 girls!!!! It's a wonderful school which takes pride in character building and fairness in treating students equally regardless of the wealth and status of the parents, a rare quality for a private school in such an affluent city. What I love the most about it, is the fact that they keep parents away. In most cases and especially in private school environment. Parent involvement can lead into favoritism and hypocrisy. Carden Hall operates with integrity and high morality, characteristics that are passed on to their students. I'm grateful to the Jones family for the excellent education that my children have received. read more

We were fortunate to find and send our two children to Carden in the 80's - what i would consider "the Mr Jones years" - You build a foundation of education and character for your children by investing in their schooling. Carden and Mr Jones never let us down and proved to be the best investment we could have made for my son and daughter. I considered Mr Jones my friend and share many positive memories of our years at Carden. My son's first Carden hoodie hangs in my apartment today with the little sticker they gave him when he tested to gain entrance. It took some planning and effort to get them to school from Laguna Bch - but i believe its the Carden foundation that allowed them to maintain a positive course through Laguna Bch Highschool during a time when the school was the subject of a reality show on TV. I feel you will not make a better investment into your child's future than Carden Hall. read more