Welcome to The Children’s School

At The Children’s School, we ignite a lifelong love of learning. Located in Atlanta’s vibrant Midtown, our progressive, child-centered community serves curious minds from preschool to grade 8.

TCS focuses on the formative ages of 3 – 14 with a nationally recognized curriculum that incorporates play and project-based learning experiences to spark curiosity and foster understanding—not just rote memorization.

Through tailored learning journeys, we prepare students not only for high school but for a lifetime of exploration and discovery.

Campus diversity intentionally reflects our local and global communities, because learning with and from each other is critical to fostering the cultural fluency and compassion our future leaders need to take on the big global issues and thrive.

Our faculty is exceptionally gifted at recognizing unique strengths and bringing out the fearless, enthusiastic learner in every child. And our central location in Midtown provides an ideal launch pad for students to engage with the broader community.

Our 3’s/4’s classrooms have a student-teacher ratio of 8:1 and our 4’s/5’s classrooms have a 10:1 ratio. Kindergarten through grade 8 has a ratio of 12:1 – 15:1.

Our 3’s/4’s, 4’s/5’s, kindergarten and sixth grade classrooms are the starting point for many families.

However, there are varying entry points depending on the year and the particular grade for which you are applying. We accept applications for all grade levels.

It is best to begin the application process the year before you would like your child to enter The Children’s School. We highly recommend that you get to know our community by attending an event and/or visiting campus before submitting an application.

We highly recommend that parents visit the school on one of our designated dates for individual family tours. 

Once an application is submitted, prospective parents can schedule their parent one-on-one meeting with a member of our admission or administrative team.

The deadline to apply for the 2025-26 school year is Jan. 31, 2025 (Dec. 13, 2024 for Early Learning 3’s/4’s and 4’s/5’s early decision).

Recognizing that there are reasons why a family may need to submit an application after the January deadline, we do accept late applications. We cannot, however, guarantee that we will have openings beyond our initial round of acceptances, and inform families that we will be happy to consider their application if space becomes available.

Please contact Associate Director of Advancement Alison Schers (alisons@tcsatl.org, 404-873-6985) with questions about the deadline.

We require no standardized testing beyond what your child’s current school administers in the course of the year. We also do not require the JATP. If your child takes the SSAT or ISEE and you want to share the scores, please send them to admission@tcsatl.org.

We find it very helpful to receive all reports for applicants who have received psycho-educational testing. Please send these evaluations to admission@tcsatl.org.

Early Learning Program 3’s/4’s: Children must be three-years-old by the first day of school in August of the year they enter TCS. Children who turn three after the first day but before Sept. 30 can be considered for admission.  

Early Learning Program 4’s/5’s: Children should be four-years old by Sept. 1 of the year they enter TCS.

Kindergarten: Children should be five-years old by Sept. 1 of the year they enter TCS.

Each child’s developmental readiness is assessed in house during their virtual visit. When making an admission decision, we take into account developmental readiness, academic and social cohort groups, and the appropriate class placement for each applicant. 

TCS is proud to be a family school and we strive to keep families together. All applicants (regardless of family connection to the school) must apply for admission and are evaluated according to the same criteria, and all admission decisions consider the best interest of each individual child.

From the beginning, our founder, Lila McDill, made sure The Children’s School was open to all children, regardless of race, ethnicity, or religion.

Today, inclusivity remains core to who we are. Over half of our students identify as people of color, and we draw families from 50+ zip codes, with 25 percent receiving financial aid.

We believe that learning alongside peers from diverse backgrounds helps students value different perspectives. This builds strong cultural and global awareness, preparing them to engage thoughtfully with the broader community.

Our Learning Strategies and Academic Support Services (LSASS) program expanded in 2021 through a generous grant.

In 2023, LSASS began offering an enhanced, fee-based program with individual and small group support in literacy, math, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, and executive function coaching.

The LSASS team can support students with many different learning profiles; however, there are occasions when our program cannot adequately support a child’s needs and it will be in the family’s best interest to find another setting for their child’s success. These situations are approached carefully and thoughtfully in partnership with parents and with the school reserving the right to make the final decision.

Click here to learn more about the LSASS program.

At TCS, we don’t just prepare students for high school; we nurture lifelong learners. Our graduates leave with a love of learning and the confidence to advocate for themselves in any academic setting.

Equipped with strong skills and a passion for growth, they’re ready to thrive in an ever-changing world.

The school works closely with each eighth-grade family beginning in the spring of the student’s seventh grade using a highly individualized and collaborative approach that includes close partnerships with each student’s advisor and teachers.

Our graduates have been accepted to and thrive at range of secondary schools including:

Absolutely! There are many ways that families can choose to contribute their time, energy and talents to The Children’s School. All parents are members of our Parent Association (PA) which is involved with a wide range of programs and events.