Admissions FAQ
About the School
What is classical Christian education?
It is the way Christian schools taught for most of the Church’s history: grounding children in language, memory, and the great works of the past, and forming them in wisdom, virtue, and worship rather than simply transferring information. In practice that means phonics, recitation, Latin, great literature, history taught as a story, and a school day ordered around prayer.
Do we need to be Anglican to attend?
No. Canterbury is the parish school of Saint Paul’s Anglican Church, and our worship follows the Book of Common Prayer, but our families come from many Christian traditions. We ask that families support the school’s Christian mission and the formation it provides.
How large are classes?
Never more than sixteen students in any classroom, at any grade.
Do you use technology in the classroom?
Very little, on purpose. Our classrooms are teacher-led and deliberately low-tech. Children learn to read from books, write by hand (including cursive), and pay sustained attention, all habits that screens tend to erode.
Is Canterbury accredited?
Yes. Canterbury is accredited by the Anglican School Association.
What does a typical day look like?
The day begins with chapel, then moves through a consistent rhythm of structured instruction, recitation, practice, and review. Kindergarten runs from 8:15 AM to 3:00 PM, with specials rotating through music, chess, library, PE, and science enrichment.
Do students wear uniforms?
Yes. Uniforms promote modesty, order, and a shared sense of purpose, and they remove distraction and competition. Families receive detailed guidelines at enrollment.
Is after-school care available?
Yes. Extended Care runs from 3:30 to 5:30 PM in two one-hour blocks, billed at $15 per hour.
After 6th Grade
Why does Canterbury end at 6th grade?
Because that is the season we exist to serve. Classical education divides childhood into stages, and the years from four to twelve, the grammar stage, are when children memorize, imitate, and build habits most readily. Rather than spreading ourselves thin across thirteen grades, we give everything to the foundation: Kindergarten (K4 and K5), Grammar School (1st–5th), and Logic School (6th), where students begin the formal study of argument and reasoning that prepares them for secondary school.
Where do Canterbury graduates go next?
Our graduates go on to a range of secondary schools, prepared with strong habits in reading, writing, grammar, and Latin.
Admissions
How do I apply?
Book a tour, then complete the online application through FACTS. Your child will then complete a readiness or academic assessment, and you will hear back within one week. Applications received by December 18, 2026 receive priority. See the full process on our Admissions page.
Does my child need to be reading before Kindergarten?
No. Our Kindergarten teaches reading through intensive phonics. The brief readiness assessment looks at phonemic awareness, attention, fine motor skills, and the ability to follow instruction: whether a child is ready for a structured, academic day, not what they already know.
What are the age cutoffs?
K4 applicants must turn four, and Kindergarten applicants must turn five, by November 1 of the school year.
Is financial aid available?
Yes, need-based aid is available through FACTS Grant & Aid. See Tuition & Financial Aid.
Can my child join mid-year or in an upper grade?
Yes, as space allows. Applicants to 1st–6th grade complete an academic assessment so we can place them well and identify any areas to strengthen, such as Latin, before they start.
Still have questions? Call (650) 949-0909 or email the office.