My son has attended Pilgrim since kindergarten (rising 9th grader), and I could not have imagined my son at another school. Pilgrim has become our family and our community. The individualized attention afforded due to the small class sizes is invaluable - Comforting in the elementary years and crucial in the middle school years. And by high school, the kids are so at ease approaching and talking to adults, I have no doubt that they are well equipped to advocate for themselves in college. I recommend Pilgrim without reservation! read more

My son is a rising senior and has attended Pilgrim since kindergarten. The 3 schools within the school - elementary, middle school and high school are all unique and wonderful in their own ways. The elementary school (and pre-K) has a great creative vibe with caring teachers and staff. There's also a level of mentorship since the little kids get to see the older kids showcasing art, film, performances, and playing sports. There's outdoor education in Elysian Park where middle school students have elementary buddies which enables learning on both sides. The High School is great - interesting courses, sports, art, film and performance, and college admission rates are stellar. The small student body allows for personalized college admission counseling and planning. read more

Thank You! Very caring faculty and staff. I chose this school over many others because of the caring interactions we had with the faculty and staff. When we finally gave the ultimate choice to our kindergarten child I was happy she said pilgrim! She felt the love too! We attended the parents night where we ran through how a class is taught with our child's teacher. I feel we made the right choice. We just had our parent teacher meetings and I feel my we made the right choice. Thank You! read more

The school is amazing if you're a student here you are so blessed the play staff are soo nice and unlike other schools this school lets you do experiments in science class so if your looking for a school pick this school. read more

As a former student here, transferring to another school was one of the best decisions I've made. If you're not white or rich, you most likely won't enjoy your experience here. Some of the teachers here are amazing, but that doesn't make up for the horrible academics, athletics, and students. While this school claims to be a college prep school, it does nothing to prepare you for a university. The grading system makes it extremely easy to pass a class, even if you do not put in work. This school and the administration holds your hand throughout your time here, which can be helpful for some, but unfortunately is not how the real world works. This school is not for the overachiever. This is the school for the average kid whose parents have enough money to place them in a school that will make them feel like a winner. Students who have genuine interests in higher level academic subjects are disappointed by the lack of depth in Pilgrim's curriculum. Pilgrim offers no Honors classes, and limited AP classes. I've talked to a few fellow alums from Pilgrim, and they all describe how unprepared they felt for college. The athletics in this school are horrible. Due to the lack of kids who go here (averaging 20 per grade), you don't have to try out for sports teams, making the teams below-average in skill. The diversity in this school is awful, especially for being in LA. I was a minority in this school, and constantly felt like an outsider. I was called slurs, and when I brought this up to administration, I was told "that's just how kids are" and I was being sensitive. read more

My son is a transfer student, which means I have had the opportunity to get an upfront observation of what other private schools are like. We left our last school not because my son had any problems academically or socially, but rather because the teachers spent the majority of their time with the kids who needed the most help in these areas. It was ridiculous that I was spending $37k for my son to learn by doing worksheets on his own that were graded with a checkmark. The student in my son's Pilgrim class are well behaved and all of the kids receive individual attention. Reading, writing and math are all taken seriously but there is also plenty of fun activities. When I pick my 3rd grader up from school he uses words such as "amazing" and "fabulous" to describe his day. I have received personalized emails from his teacher that were not a response to something I had written. Whenever I am on campus, the teachers (homeroom, music, language, PE, etc.) approach me to chat. It really feels like a community. The administration makes the effort to know each individual child. There definitely isn't the attitude of "If you don't like it here, we don't care because there are a bunch of kids on the waiting list" attitude that I have seen at the westside schools. Social opportunities are robust both on and off campus. Many families live in the Silver Lake/Atwater/Downtown area, however there are also a number of us who live west of Pilgrim. Everyone I have been in touch with has been very responsive to playdate inquiries. My son is currently on the elementary school soccer team which is a co-ed team of 3rd-5th graders. Although he also plays on a club sports team outside of school, he is looking forward to continuing with other after school sports. I appreciate that students of different grades have opportunities to mix with each other during special programming. Teacher turnover appears reasonable. There are quite a few high regarded teachers who have been at Pilgrim for many years, but there are also some fresh faces too. From everything I have observed it is a good mix. The teachers appear to enjoy their jobs and to collaborate well with the administration. As far as religion goes, the school and the First Congregational Church are separate units. Morals and community values are stressed (the kids engage in various social activities such as collecting food) however there aren't any religious lessons. The only time "God" is mentioned is during the pledge of allegiance at the Friday assembly. We are not a religious family and yet we feel very comfortable at Pilgrim. I have explained to my son that a pilgrim is a person who journeys to a place for religious reasons. Originally the school was started by the church, hence the name. Finally, I would give Pilgrim a diversity grade of B. There aren't as many Black & Brown children as at some of the other schools, however my mixed race son isn't the only student of color in his class. We were pleasantly surprised at the number of same sex parents. Overall, I feel the Pilgrim community is welcoming to minority families. In conclusion, I would state that Pilgrim's small class size is a real asset for students. Although the class sizes are significantly less than average, the school isn't. There are theatrical performances, sports, a band, and after-school enrichment classes. Check it out and see if it is a good fit for your family. read more

No doubt a fine place for some who wear their uniforms well. I'll leave it at that...

This school is trash don't go here as a former student you learn nothing and when you try and leave the teachers attempt to guilt trip you to stay and say that they have "watched you grow so much and want to see it finish" they also don't teach any real math and the school just kinda sucks read more

Caring community, strong academics, teachers who are involved and really push themselves and their students. We are very happy with our girls who are now in first and fourth grade. The new soccer field is amazing and has become a place of gathering and joy. But our main love of the school is its warmth and friendliness. You notice it as soon as you walk in the halls. Paul Barsky, the new Head of School, has brought a new level of excellence to what was already a great community. Love it! read more

We have a son and a daughter for 9 and 4 years respectively at Pilgrim School. They both very much enjoy going to school and are getting an excellent education. The teachers are caring and communicate well with the kids and parents. The school provides a very supportive atmosphere for both kids and parents. The parents of other kids are awesome and there are plenty of birthday parties to join and celebrate throughout the years. Above all, the education the kids are getting is second to none. We are amazed how much our kids have learned and how well they do on standardized testing. If you seek a pretentious school with pretentious parents, then Pilgrim School is not for you. Pilgrim School is also not one that misleadingly touts massive student body demographic racial diversity via alleged diversity of students attending from different zip codes. The student body at Pilgrim School is actually highly racially diverse, and we truly want and like that for our kids. read more

George's son is in my daughter's class, so I can vouch for the school. George was too modest to mention that he designed Pilgrim's new Ahmanson Science Center. We've been through Pilgrim's many ups and downs, and even left last year for one of South Pasadena's vaunted public schools, but we came back because: 1) the curriculum is more rigorous; 2) class sizes are small, so you get to really know the other students and their parents (at public school, classes are so large that they're divided into color-coded groups that don't spend enough time on any given subject); 3) Dr Brooks has turned the school around -- amazing administrator and fundraiser, who genuinely cares for the kids; 4) the older kids act as mentors and buddies to the younger ones; 5) the historic campus is convenient to downtown, K-town, Los Feliz, etc. (the wedding scene in Spiderman 2 was filmed inside the church); 6) childcare is provided from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. -- a necessity for working parents. read more

My kids go here and they rock. They are also getting an amazing education. 100% of graduates go on to four year college. The other parents are easy and cool, not high strung, no overbearing "my kid is the best...", no student of the month stickers, they all are smart. You demand diversity, we are as diverse as the city itself. The headmaster is the best. I know not many of you yelpers have kids..yet...but if and/or when you do and live east of the west-side, live in Hancock Park or downtown you must check this school out. Preschool (that's 3 years old) through to 12 grade, one school does it all. read more

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I love this school! The administration, teachers, students et al. I work at a preschool and am often asked for a good private school recommendation. Pilgrim School is run by bright and kind professionals. Your child will get a great education and will get the warmth and attention that will help them flourish. Great building (think Hogwarts) with a tremendous art studio on top. The school is affiliated with a church next door that is so awe inspiring (in a gentle but real way) that I momentarily considered converting. If you live on the East side of LA....you must check this school out. You won't be disappointed. read more

If we had children of our own, Pilgrim School would be our first choice for their education. As a member of First Congregational Church, we get to see the faculty and staff in action at the next-door campus, meet many of the parents who are also members of the church and participate in functions (we recently participated in an arts workshop at the school). Our impressions have been very positive! read more

Pilgrim School - Dae Jung & Jennifer Graffius of Pilgrim School, seen at the Larchmont Village Family Fair - Elementary Schools Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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School is definitely focused more on receiving their payment for your child's "education" then actually educating your child.

We have three kids at Pilgrim; kinder, 5th and 7th grades. What I love best about the school is the community. From the beginning they have embraced us, all of us, from administrators to other parents. Other schools we visited made us feel hopeless by saying they just didn't have room for our kids. But Pilgrim was different, very welcoming and kind. The field of dreams is finally finished and it's beautiful! Tons of room to run around, the drop off/pick off is a dream and there's plenty of parking. The affiliation with the church is not overwhelming, and chapels (2x per month) focus on all religions, values and world events such as how to deal with tragedy. The academics are great, and the classrooms are intimate. The teachers send weekly emails and are always reachable. Pilgrim is a special place and I encourage anyone who wants a loving, warm environment for their kids to visit. read more

The school only cares about your kid because the parents pay so much for them to attend this pretentious school. This school is a waste of time and money. You can get a better education at a public school. read more

Great school for working parents. High teacher to student ratio. Nice variety of activities for our 3 year old; from yoga and dance to music and art. So far our son has loved his teachers and made good friends in school. For the sheer number of hours they will watch, entertain, and educate your pre-schooler during the workweek, it's a reasonable deal in terms of tuition for LA. read more

Both my daughter and my son enjoyed beautiful, safe learning years at Pilgrim. They always skipped in and bounced out just as happy. The teachers are dedicated to individual care and when we had challenges(as all kids do communicating and maturing as work increases) I felt I had the support of the entire school team; staff, administrators, counselors, clergy and heads. There are more rigorous school environments but none more genuinely driven to send educated, kind children to college and into the world. read more

If you like a nice setting this school is for you! But if you want strong academics and caring adminstrators then you should skip Pilgrim. Mediocre teachers, with some exceptions. They don't push the kids to their max or simply don't teach core subjects in depth. The kids are seen as $ signs. The minute the interim head, Ms. Kong knew we weren't coming back the following year she didn't even reply to my email. Such waste of money. The program my child attends now is much stronger and we don't break the bank. So happy we aren't paying for "the field of dreams" anymore and that our child is getting a proper academic education. read more

I can't praise this school, from administration to teachers, enough! Pilgrim accepts a wonderful variety of students and as an added bonus I met parents who shared my enthusiasm for the school and became friends in the process. I really like the opportunities for parent involvement and the myriad of cultural activities for the entire family. The small classes and quality teachers guarantee a custom approach to your child's unique learning style and I enjoyed the communication with my son's teachers as well.Best of all,Mark Brooks (head of school) is creative, warm and welcoming. He always left his door open and cared about our family. I can't imagine a better choice and I am extraordinarily particular! read more

We love this school. Caring teachers, great programs, and a wonderful community of families.

It's ok it's fun and you get to learn. I have a couple of friends there it's ok. My only complaint is the lunch program there I got food poisoning from them several times and the lunch people are very grumpy read more

Like a nightmare straight out of 1984, Pilgrim School is a terrible waste of money. Pilgrim School is privately owned institution that costs over 20,000$ a year. The students are given laptops that they use for school. These laptops are just another way to crack down on kids. Pilgrim school administrators constantly check through private social media profiles and justify a violation of privacy for the means of "security." We live in America where we have the freedom to respectfully share our different perspectives and views. In Pilgrim School if you're caught saying anything negative about the school even if it's just constructive criticism you're in trouble. Not only that, they butt in to these students' lives and lie to their students to get the "truth" on certain subjects. I was kicked out(not expelled) for a conspiracy in which they lied on the tests about. We had EVIDENCE that they lied about many things to us. The schools education is better than most public schools but it's not worth the money. They hire college graduates with no experience to teach kids. All they care about is money, because truthfully that's what their ambition to run a private school is all about. read more

My child transferred to Pilgrim from out of town while in high school. Now a senior I am extremely happy with the way things turned out. Though quite small, my son has never been unhappy and has been challenged by the AP work. The new college counselor was fantastic and our son will be attending a very elite university. From that side of things I think it's pretty fantastic that such a small school consistently places their seniors in top schools. If you want a traditional education with an unpretentious community of parents than this is the place for you. read more

Pilgrim has been an absolute match for our family! My sons have been there for middle and high school - so glad we made the choice to come here. The teachers, librarian, administrators, coaching staff and college counselor are all top-notch educators. They are also excellent human beings - mentoring our children in meaningful ways. read more

Love this school and Dr Brooks makes its special! Going on year number 3 and can't be more happy for my 7ear old! The new expansion of the school will make it the perfect size campus k-12th. I can't say enough about the staff, teachers, students and families! read more

I went to this school for 6 years and I never once was satisfied. This school is good for people who are strictly auditory and who do well with cliques. I was bullied by students and a teacher for a year and when the headmaster found out, he paid me off. I was given $150 and a brand new award where I was the first recipient. While the outside of the school is gorgeous and very well tamed, the students themselves do a fabulous job of putting on an act. Seeing as I was a student there, so many kids bullied others, laughed at others, talked back to teachers, brought drugs on campus and even got high on campus. If you like this school, good for you, but if you're someone with learning disabilities and someone who deals with depression, DO NOT GO THERE. Because of Pilgrim, I am on anti-depressants and it sucks. No one deserves to go through the shit I went through, but sadly there have been kids who have gone through worse. read more