At a Glance
A tiny, mission-driven elementary school in Forest Hills with an IB candidate mindset
Best suited for
Families seeking a small, diverse, values-driven elementary education for grades PK-5 — particularly parents who want their child known personally by teachers, value an inquiry-based and internationally-minded curriculum, and want an alternative to larger institutional schools without leaving the borough.
What stands out
- Exceptionally small — 208 total students means every grade is intimate and the community feels tight-knit
- Student-teacher ratio of 6.4:1, which parents repeatedly cite as a major reason for choosing the school
- IB World School Candidate for both PYP (Primary Years) and MYP (Middle Years), signaling a globally-minded, inquiry-based curriculum
- Required two years of visual and performing arts, treating creativity as a core part of the program
- A diversity index of 0.98 — one of the most integrated private school communities available
- Single flat tuition rate ($31,500), which removes the guesswork around hidden fees or sliding scales
Things to consider
- Tuition of $31,500 is a significant commitment, and being a small independent school there is likely limited financial aid
- At 208 students total, the peer group is small — families who want a larger elementary network may find this too intimate
- IB candidacy is not the same as full authorization; the school is still in the process of earning that designation
- Grade range is PK-5 only based on current data, so families will need to plan a separate middle school transition
- December 15 application deadline is earlier than many private schools, with rolling admissions after that point
Identity
A small, independent nonsectarian elementary school (PK-5) that frames itself as a college-prep foundation, anchored by its IB candidate status and a values-driven mission around equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Community
A genuinely mixed community. With a diversity index of 0.98 (essentially as diverse as it gets), students come from a wide range of racial and ethnic backgrounds — roughly 27% white, 23% Asian, 18% Black, 13% Hispanic, and 19% multiracial or other. Parents reviewing the school consistently describe it as nurturing and engaged, and many note how much smaller and more personal the classes feel compared to local public schools.
Neighborhood
Forest Hills is a stable, family-oriented Queens neighborhood with a median household income around $104,000 and a bachelor's-or-higher rate of about 61% — solidly middle-to-upper-middle class with strong educational attainment. The 7.8% poverty rate is low for the city, suggesting a comfortable, established residential feel rather than a rapidly gentrifying one.
The Kew Gardens-Union Tpke station (E and F lines) is about a three-minute walk away, and 75 Av (E and F) is roughly eight minutes on foot. That's a strong subway connection for families commuting from Manhattan, Brooklyn, or elsewhere in Queens.
Notable Programs
What Parents Are Saying
Positive reviews praise small class sizes, attentive staff, varied and interesting curriculum, nurturing environment, and happy engaged children. Multiple parents note the student-teacher ratio is wonderful compared to public schools. Rating: 4.6/5.
Synthesized from public parent reviews · Apr 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is KEW FOREST SCHOOL a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for KEW FOREST SCHOOL yet on Motley. It's a private school serving grades Pre-K to 5 in Forest Hills.
- What grades does KEW FOREST SCHOOL serve?
- KEW FOREST SCHOOL serves grades Pre-K to 5.
- How do students get into KEW FOREST SCHOOL?
- KEW FOREST SCHOOL runs its own private admissions process — typically an application, a visit, and sometimes testing.
- Is KEW FOREST SCHOOL public, charter, or private?
- KEW FOREST SCHOOL is a private school.
- What neighborhood is KEW FOREST SCHOOL in?
- KEW FOREST SCHOOL is in Forest Hills, Queens.