At a Glance
A century-old progressive school where social studies — and social responsibility — are at the heart of learning.
Best suited for
Families who want a small, progressive elementary school with deep roots, a child-centered classroom culture, and a community that takes social-emotional growth as seriously as academics.
What stands out
- The Blocks Program uses the wooden unit blocks invented by founder Caroline Pratt — a hands-on math and spatial-reasoning tool that has been central to the school for over a century.
- Social studies is the organizing core of the curriculum, an unusual choice that frames academic subjects as tools for understanding the world rather than ends in themselves.
- The Jobs Program gives older students real responsibility running parts of the school community, putting democratic values into daily practice.
- Founded in 1914, City & Country is one of the oldest continuously operating progressive schools in the country.
Things to consider
- Tuition ranges widely from $36,950 to $64,950, so families should ask exactly what each grade level and program costs.
- The school only goes through grade 5, so families will face another middle-school transition and admissions process.
- Progressive education is a real philosophy fit — families who want a more structured, traditional classroom may find the open-ended approach unfamiliar.
- The December 9 application deadline is earlier than many city families are used to planning for.
Identity
Founded in 1914 by Caroline Pratt, City & Country is one of New York's oldest progressive schools, built on the principle that education is fundamentally a social process. The curriculum centers on social studies, with math, science, literature, and the arts woven around it, and teachers guide learning through open-ended questions rather than direct instruction.
Community
Parents consistently describe a warm, inclusive community with exceptional teachers who know children deeply. The school makes a public commitment to inclusivity through its antiracism and social justice work.
Neighborhood
The school sits in the West Village, one of Manhattan's most storied and affluent neighborhoods, where household incomes are well above the citywide median and most adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The streets around the school are quiet and leafy, a notable contrast to the busier corridors a block or two east.
Commuting is easy: 14 St (1 2 3) is about a 2-minute walk, 6 Av (L) about 3 minutes, and 14 St (F M) about 4 minutes.
Notable Programs
What Parents Are Saying
Overwhelmingly positive reviews praising warm, inclusive community and exceptional teachers. Parents highlight hands-on experiential learning, emphasis on creativity, critical thinking, and social-emotional development. Multiple reviews describe school as transformative with children who are happy, well-adjusted, and confident. One negative review from an alum regarding administration.
Synthesized from public parent reviews · Apr 2026
Make this school part of your plan
Everything on this page is yours to read. An account keeps your research in one place.
No credit card required
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is CITY & COUNTRY SCHOOL a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for CITY & COUNTRY SCHOOL yet on Motley. It's a private school serving grades Pre-K to 5 in West Village.
- What grades does CITY & COUNTRY SCHOOL serve?
- CITY & COUNTRY SCHOOL serves grades Pre-K to 5.
- How do students get into CITY & COUNTRY SCHOOL?
- CITY & COUNTRY SCHOOL runs its own private admissions process — typically an application, a visit, and sometimes testing.
- Is CITY & COUNTRY SCHOOL public, charter, or private?
- CITY & COUNTRY SCHOOL is a private school.
- What neighborhood is CITY & COUNTRY SCHOOL in?
- CITY & COUNTRY SCHOOL is in West Village, Manhattan.