At a Glance
Christ-centered learning with a personal touch in Washington Heights
Best suited for
Catholic families in Washington Heights — especially working- and middle-income households — who want an affordable, faith-centered elementary education with small classes and a tight parish community.
What stands out
- An unusually affordable flat tuition of $6,000 for all grades — significantly below most NYC private elementary schools.
- An 8.6-to-1 student-teacher ratio that allows real individualized attention in a school of just 164 students.
- Accreditation from both the National Catholic Educational Association and the Archdiocese of New York, signaling institutional stability.
- A parish-school model that integrates faith formation into the daily routine rather than treating it as an add-on.
- A small, multigenerational feel where many families stay connected to the parish long after their children move on.
Things to consider
- The student body is almost entirely Hispanic, which some families will see as a strength and others as a limitation in exposure to diversity.
- Enrichment offerings are modest — art, music, computer, yearbook, and recycling club — without the sports teams, languages, or STEM labs found at larger private schools.
- Independent parent reviews are limited, and online ratings for the school appear to conflate it with a different location, making word-of-mouth and a personal visit especially important.
- Only goes through fifth grade, so families will face another middle-school transition.
Identity
A coeducational Roman Catholic elementary school serving preschool through fifth grade under the Archdiocese of New York, with a Christ-centered philosophy aimed at developing the whole child — intellectually, spiritually, morally, and socially. The school holds accreditation from the National Catholic Educational Association, grounding its work in traditional Catholic educational practice. Its small size and parish-school identity shape a community that feels more like a family than an institution.
Community
The student body is overwhelmingly Hispanic, reflecting the surrounding Washington Heights community where the school sits. With a diversity index of 0.08, the population is among the most homogeneous of any NYC private school — practically every family shares a similar cultural and linguistic background. For families who value that shared experience, it creates an unusually cohesive community; for those seeking broader exposure, it's a real consideration.
Neighborhood
The school sits in the southern half of Washington Heights, a working-class neighborhood where the median household income is around $55,800 and roughly a third of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The surrounding blocks are dense, residential, and unmistakably Dominican — a context that mirrors the school's own student population and gives families a strong sense of local belonging. Parish life and small businesses frame the daily rhythm of the area.
Transit is convenient: the A train at 175 St is about a 6-minute walk, the 1 at 181 St is about 7 minutes, and the A/C at 168 St is about 7 minutes.
Notable Programs
What Parents Are Saying
Limited parent reviews are available; 14 reviews show a low rating, but the listing appears to reference a different location.
Synthesized from public parent reviews · Apr 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is INCARNATION SCHOOL a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for INCARNATION SCHOOL yet on Motley. It's a private school serving grades Pre-K to 5 in Washington Heights (South).
- What grades does INCARNATION SCHOOL serve?
- INCARNATION SCHOOL serves grades Pre-K to 5.
- How do students get into INCARNATION SCHOOL?
- INCARNATION SCHOOL runs its own private admissions process — typically an application, a visit, and sometimes testing.
- Is INCARNATION SCHOOL public, charter, or private?
- INCARNATION SCHOOL is a private school.
- What neighborhood is INCARNATION SCHOOL in?
- INCARNATION SCHOOL is in Washington Heights (South), Manhattan.