At a Glance
A small Catholic elementary on an eight-acre Bronx campus where the Congregation of Notre Dame tradition meets a remarkably affordable tuition.
Best suited for
Bronx families seeking a small, faith-based elementary with an unusually rich outdoor learning environment — and a tuition that doesn't require a six-figure household budget.
What stands out
- An 8-acre campus with a working garden, greenhouse, and dedicated outdoor classroom — extraordinary real estate for a New York City elementary school.
- A flat $7,712 tuition makes Villa Maria one of the most affordable private elementary options in New York City, with no tiered pricing.
- A 13.7:1 student-teacher ratio in a 239-student school means teachers genuinely know every child.
- Spanish instruction begins in kindergarten and continues through the upper grades, paired with a STEM and humanities curriculum.
- Middle States accreditation signals a school that meets recognized standards of academic quality and institutional review.
Things to consider
- As a Catholic school, daily prayer, religious instruction, and the rhythm of the liturgical year are part of the program — worth a visit if your family is exploring faith-based education for the first time.
- The school only goes through fifth grade on this campus, so families will face another transition for middle school.
- With no subway within an 18-minute walk, the commute realistically requires a car, school bus, or a longer multi-leg trip on the 6 line.
- The November 5 application deadline is early — families interested should plan a visit the fall before they intend to enroll.
- The 3.3 rating from 59 parent reviews is middling, but parent comments skew positive around atmosphere and individual attention.
Identity
Villa Maria is a coeducational Roman Catholic elementary school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, founded in the tradition of the Congregation of Notre Dame, a religious order long associated with the education of girls and underserved communities. The school describes its mission as a "liberating education" that respects the uniqueness of each child within a nurturing Catholic community. Daily life is shaped by Catholic values, but the school is coed at every grade.
Community
With 239 students total, the community is small enough that most families know one another. Demographically, about 62% of students identify as white, 28% as Hispanic, and the remainder across Asian, Black, and multiracial categories, giving the school a moderately diverse profile within a fairly residential part of the Bronx. The small size and family atmosphere are recurring themes in parent reviews.
Neighborhood
The school sits in the Pelham Bay–Country Club–City Island area, one of the Bronx's most suburban-feeling neighborhoods, where median household income is around $84,669 and just over a third of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The surrounding blocks have a quiet, almost small-town character unusual for the city. This is the part of the Bronx where many families drive rather than subway.
None of the nearest stations — Pelham Bay Park, Buhre Avenue, and Middletown Road on the 6 line — are closer than an 18-minute walk, so most families will drive, be dropped off, or use a bus connection.
Notable Programs
What Parents Are Saying
Parents praise the family atmosphere, strong curriculum, beautiful campus, and individual attention; rated 3.3 out of 5 based on 59 reviews
Synthesized from public parent reviews · Apr 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is VILLA MARIA ACADEMY a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for VILLA MARIA ACADEMY yet on Motley. It's a private school serving grades Pre-K to 5 in Pelham Bay-Country Club-City Island.
- What grades does VILLA MARIA ACADEMY serve?
- VILLA MARIA ACADEMY serves grades Pre-K to 5.
- How do students get into VILLA MARIA ACADEMY?
- VILLA MARIA ACADEMY runs its own private admissions process — typically an application, a visit, and sometimes testing.
- Is VILLA MARIA ACADEMY public, charter, or private?
- VILLA MARIA ACADEMY is a private school.
- What neighborhood is VILLA MARIA ACADEMY in?
- VILLA MARIA ACADEMY is in Pelham Bay-Country Club-City Island, Bronx.