At a Glance
A Small, Intimate Elementary Community on the Upper East Side
Families who prioritize extreme school smallness and personalized attention over diversity or progressive philosophy. This works best for parents who want a traditional, academically-focused elementary experience in a quintessential Upper East Side setting — and who can afford the premium tuition that comes with it. The intimate scale is the primary draw; everything else is conventional.
- Tiny scale: only 340 students across pre-K through 5th grade creates genuine intimacy
- 8.5:1 student-teacher ratio — among the lowest ratios in Manhattan private schools
- Nonsectarian: no religious affiliation for families who want private education without denomination
- Upper East Side location: walkable neighborhood with Central Park access and high family density
- High tuition: UES private schools are among the city's most expensive — expect costs well above $50K annually
- Homogeneous community: the student body is nearly 80% white; families seeking diverse environments may look elsewhere
- Traditional approach: no progressive or alternative pedagogy advertised — this is conventional academics
- Very small means limited resources: no大型 athletics programs or extensive arts facilities
Windward operates as a traditional, academically-oriented elementary school with a nonsectarian approach. The school keeps things small by design — only 40 teachers across eight grade levels creates real intimacy. There's no religious affiliation or progressive ideology baked into the curriculum; this is a straightforward academic environment focused on fundamentals.
This is a notably homogeneous student body. Nearly 78% of students identify as white, with another 16% multiracial. Asian, Black, and Hispanic students each represent single digits. The diversity index of 0.4554 sits below the citywide average for private schools, reflecting the Upper East Side's demographic patterns rather than any intentional enrollment policy.
Windward sits in the heart of the Upper East Side — one of Manhattan's most family-dense, affluent, and established neighborhoods. Third Avenue shopping, Central Park proximity, and access to some of the city's best private school networks define this area. It's walkable, safe, and packed with families — the neighborhood scores a perfect 100/100 on family density.
Excellent walkability. This is a quintessential UES residential block — tree-lined, safe, and easy to navigate on foot. Families can expect short commutes from nearby apartments and townhouses.
Notable Programs
What Parents Are Saying
Parents describe school as a 'safe haven' with strong academics, prompt attention to concerns, and high level of care and support; gratitude for transformational impact on children
Synthesized from public parent reviews · Apr 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is WINDWARD SCHOOL - NYC a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for WINDWARD SCHOOL - NYC yet on Motley. It's a private school serving grades Pre-K to 5 in Upper East Side-Yorkville.
- What grades does WINDWARD SCHOOL - NYC serve?
- WINDWARD SCHOOL - NYC serves grades Pre-K to 5.
- How do students get into WINDWARD SCHOOL - NYC?
- WINDWARD SCHOOL - NYC runs its own private admissions process — typically an application, a visit, and sometimes testing.
- Is WINDWARD SCHOOL - NYC public, charter, or private?
- WINDWARD SCHOOL - NYC is a private school.
- What neighborhood is WINDWARD SCHOOL - NYC in?
- WINDWARD SCHOOL - NYC is in Upper East Side-Yorkville, Manhattan.
Get the complete picture
Motley pulls together data from across New York City so you don’t have to. One free account, every school.
No credit card required
Get all this when you sign in
Survey data, program listings, admissions stats, and the full editorial profile — free, no credit card.
Full School Profile
Skip the tour guessing game. Get the standout features, honest trade-offs, and whether your kid will actually thrive here — before you visit.
Survey Results
See what 2,600+ schools’ own families and teachers really think — trust, safety, instruction quality — so you walk in with the truth, not the brochure.
Programs & Activities
Stop Googling program lists. AP courses, STEM labs, dual-language tracks, sports teams, arts — all categorized so you can compare schools in minutes.
Admissions Demand
Know your odds before you apply. Apps-per-seat ratios, offer rates, and fill data — so you don’t waste your top choice on a long shot.
Economic Need & Special Populations
Find out if the support your child needs is actually there — IEP enrollment, economic need index, and the demographics no other site surfaces.
Discipline
One bad year doesn’t tell you much. Three years of state-verified suspension data shows whether things are getting better or worse.