The Children’s School has a proud history as a pioneer in progressive education. It was founded in 1972 by a group of educators as a child-centered school that focused on developing the whole child. The founders believed in accomplishing this through a hands-on curriculum rich in academics, social development, art and physical education.
The school’s curriculum and educational philosophy drew inspiration from the work of numerous scholars including John Dewey, Jean Piaget, Erik Erikson, Lev Vygotsky, and Howard Gardner. This approach to education distinguished the school from traditional public and private schools, and remains a hallmark of the school to this day.
Originally housed at a church in Point Loma, the school was relocated to Sorrento Valley in the mid-1970s where it enrolled children from toddlers to the eighth grade.
In 1983, the school moved to its present location in La Jolla. It operates in its current location under a lease from San Diego City Schools.
Along with the move to La Jolla came an expanded commitment to the school's social curriculum and its parent education programs. TCS’s parent-toddler program, which was based on a model from Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena and includes a parent education component, was expanded to include parents of children of all ages.
In the late 1980s, as the middle school movement grew in popularity, TCS dropped its seventh and eighth grade program. Current research, however, shows that students do best in an elementary school that goes through grade eight, and The Children’s School will return to a toddler to eighth grade program by 2010-2011.
