Parents throughout New York City have many choices when it comes to selecting an independent school for their child. One of the questions parents ask themselves is which school is best for their child - one that ends at fifth grade or eighth grade or twelfth grade.

Corlears was founded on the belief that a small school that focuses solely on the child from nursery through his or her elementary years provides the most benefits for the child. Here is why:

• The most critical years of your child’s education are those from preschool through grade five. It is during these years when the foundation of skills is built and a hunger for learning is carefully nurtured.
• When a school focuses only on children in their preschool and elementary years, it can devote all of its resources to providing a safe, wholesome, and rich environment for this age group only.
• At Corlears, these critical years are in the hands of great teachers. Every classroom has a head teacher with a Master’s Degree in early childhood education and an assistant teacher with a Master’s Degree or in the process of obtaining one. These teachers respect children as individuals who have their own unique strengths, talents, and interests. There is also a great collaboration among teachers as they create innovative curriculum and activities for the children.
• Children love to go to Corlears because they are given many opportunities to learn new skills while they explore their own ideas and discover their passions. A future determinant of success in life is a pursuit of these passions. Curiosity and creativity are celebrated at Corlears daily. Kindness, respect and integrity are integrated daily through children’s interactions with all members of the community – their peers, teachers, staff, and parents.
• Children at Corlears, like those at most small schools, love to go to school because they are learning in a personalized environment where everyone knows each other. In this caring community, children feel needed, important, and confident.
• As psychologist Michael Thompson has stated, “Safety and comfort of small schools promote learning and provide children with a sense of ‘my world as a place I can master and take risks.’”
• Children are allowed to be children at Corlears in a city where children are often pushed to grow up too quickly.
• Children graduate from Corlears as capable, passionate, and inquisitive learners who are well-prepared as they move on to new middle and upper schools.