Fast Facts

The admissions process typically begins when parents either attend an Open House or schedule a private tour. Once an application is submitted, students are invited to a classroom visit. Required supplemental materials vary by grade. Please visit Admissions Process for more information.

WES’s open admission policy does not discriminate on the basis of race, color or national origin, religion or creed, gender, sexual orientation, family composition, economic status, age, or disability.

2021-2022 Application Deadline: The formal application deadline is Saturday, February 1, 2021.

Families are encouraged to apply in the fall of the year preceding the year they would like to enter the school.

WES has select openings in a few grades for 2020-2021. Please contact the Office of Admission at admissions@w-e-s.org to inquire about applying late.

No formal testing is required for applicants to Nursery (age 3) or Pre-K (age 4). The WPPSI-IV is optional for applicants to Kindergarten and Grade 1, the WISC-V is optional for entry to Grades 2 – 5, and the SSAT or ISEE is optional for Grades 6 – 8.

The Office of Admission will log every component of your application online as it arrives into the office. Your online account will reflect the receipt of each component with a green check.

Yes. WES offers a breadth of financial aid grants each year to a range of qualifying families. Parents must file a Parents’ Financial Statement (PFS) with School and Student Services by NAIS (SSS). Click HERE to apply online. To schedule a consultation with WES Director of Admission and Financial Aid Director Kim Bair about the Financial Aid process and/or for general questions about qualifying for financial aid please email kbair@w-e-s.org.

Nursery is one section of 10-14 students. Pre-Kindergarten is two sections of 10-14 students. Kindergarten-Grade 8 have two sections each of 16-18 students. Most years, each section of Early Childhood has two full-time teachers.

Our overall student-to-teacher ratio is 6:1.

Over 65% of our faculty members have completed post-graduate degrees.

Students in Pre-Kindergarten-Grade 8 have a choice of either Spanish or French. Latin is required in Grades 6-8. WES also regularly offers additional language offerings in the school’s After-School Enrichment Program.

The time schedule of classes during a normal school year is as follows:

Nursery (age 3)
Core program:  9 a.m. – Noon
+ optional afternoons:  9 a.m. – 3:25 p.m. (Mon. – Thurs.)
9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.  (Fri.)
+ optional early arrival: 7:50 a.m.
+ optional extended day: until 6 p.m.

Pre-K (age 4)
Core program:  9 a.m. – 3:25 p.m. (Mon. – Thurs.)
9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. (Fri.)
+ optional early arrival:  7:50 a.m.
+ optional extended day: until 6 p.m.
+ optional early dismissal: Noon (Fri.)

Kindergarten-Grade 8
Core program: 8 a.m. – 3:25 p.m. (Mon. – Thurs.)
8 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. (Fri.)
+ optional extended day: until 6 p.m.
+ optional Kindergarten early dismissal: Noon (Fri.)

Extended Day
Daily until 6 p.m. for Nursery-Grade 8

Although we are operating on a different schedule this year due to COVID-19, we hope to resume our normal schedule next year.

There is no uniform for children in Nursery, Pre-K, or Kindergarten. Students in Grades 1-8 do wear a school uniform. There is also a required uniform for PE for Grades 2-8. Please click HERE to learn more.

In a non-COVID year, students may arrive at school as early as 7:40 a.m. for supervised drop-off and attend the extended day program as late as 6 p.m. There is a separate fee for aftercare. Students in Grades 1-8 may participate in Open Gym which is free and runs from 7:25-7:50, Monday-Friday (no registration required).

Our school buses are used to transport our students to sports events and some field trips. We encourage families to carpool as we do not offer transportation to and from school. WES is located by the T2 Metro Bus Line. Visit https://www.wmata.com/schedules/trip-planner/ for public transportation.

We have approximately 280-300 students in Nursery-Grade 8.

We believe students benefit from being in a classroom with their peers, particularly in the early years when children develop rapidly. Nursery applicants should be turning 3 by September 1 of the year they plan to enroll; Pre-K applicants should be 4; Kindergarten applicants should be 5. If your child has a birthday around September 1, we will work with you to determine the best placement for your child.

WES is committed to creating a diverse community in which students and families from all backgrounds will feel welcomed and accepted. Approximately 30% of our students are children of color. One-quarter of our students come from international families. Our students also come from a broad range of faith traditions and socio-economic backgrounds.

WES is enriched by many faiths. We welcome both students of faith and students without a faith tradition to seek clarity about their own beliefs and to honor those traditions more fully and faithfully in their lives. Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and more than 16 Christian denominations are represented in the WES community. For specific questions regarding religion at WES, please contact our Chaplain, the Rev. Kristen Pitts.

Decision letters are mailed in early March. Families typically have two weeks to accept the offer of admission.

WES alumni attend over 30 different high schools around DC, as well as several boarding schools. We are dedicated to ensuring that each child matriculates to a school that is a good fit for him or her.

Click HERE to view the list of the secondary schools are students are currently enrolled.