Lower, Middle & Upper School for Girls in Pasadena, CA

All Girls School Los Angeles: Lower, Middle & Upper School

Three distinct divisions. One distinctive school.

Our unique, grades 4-12 program provides a carefully designed curriculum and relationships than span the division of the school, providing consistency in education philosophy, approach, and values. Teachers remain in contact with students across their time at Westridge and help other faculty understand individual learning strategies that have been successful. Yet within this common educational and relational framework, each of our three academic divisions—Lower School (grades 4-6), Middle School (grades 7-8), and Upper School (grades 9-12)—has its own developmentally appropriate program, pedagogy, physical space, and even personality.

Lower School (Grades 4-6)

Our Lower School starts in the 4th grade because it is then that differences in learning styles between girls and boys become more pronounced and a girl’s sense of self is taking root.

Girls are taught the power of a growth mindset in learning and are fully supported as they build confidence, develop a strong sense of self, and begin to look at the world around them in new ways. They trust that they can take risks in the classroom and they are trained to think like scientists, to write substantial narratives, and to empathize with their peers. They also learn people skills, and as a result they know how to be a friend and how to have a friend.

Learning is project-based with longer class blocks for collaboration and discussion (research-proven strategies for teaching girls). Our teachers place an emphasis on building a solid foundation for knowledge and skill acquisition and engage students in the learning process so that from a young age they have insight into their personal learning style and how they learn best.

Download Curriculum Guide

Middle School (Grades 7-8)

Westridge Middle School (grades 7-8) students are fierce learners. We challenge them with a curriculum that is project-centered, highly interdisciplinary, and grounded in the skills necessary for academic achievement, intellectual growth, and social, emotional, and physical wellness.

Students learn how to research, ask original questions, weigh evidence, analyze cause and effect, synthesize information, apply knowledge to new situations, read critically, and formulate and substantiate a thesis. And their academic and extracurricular lives expand with elective classes, competitive athletics, clubs, and service learning.

The Middle School is an energetic and nurturing community with students both silly and fun at school and ready for the more mature approach to learning. Our program embraces both characteristics to engage girls in learning and our teachers are inspired Middle School specialists who love working with and learning from early adolescents. Their teaching, support, and guidance enable students to enter the Upper School as confident, articulate, self-motivated learners.

Download Curriculum Guide
Download Catalogue of Courses

Upper School (Grades 9-12)

Imagine yourself thriving in a small class environment where girls eagerly engage with challenging curriculum and exchange ideas about the world around them. This is the Westridge Upper School experience.

In Upper School, girls begin their 9th grade year taking courses across the disciplines and spend time establishing community with each other and their teachers and advisers. Girls who are new to Westridge, as well as those who have been members of the community since Lower and Middle School, all meld together and form new friendship groups, making learning fun and school feel comfortable and safe—a home away from home.

In the years that follow, girls start to identify their key areas of interest, be it academic, artistic, athletic or civic. Outside of the classroom, girls begin working on their Community Action Projects—a four-year service and inquiry process that empowers girls to utilize their skills, talents and interests to improve the world around them.

Then in their final years of high school, students begin the college process. Guided by an amazing college counseling team, girls and families are supported through the college process from start to finish and find themselves leaving Westridge excited to begin again.

Download Curriculum Guide Download Catalogue of Courses

Curriculum Close-Ups

Discover our Upper School program through our "curriculum close-ups" video series, an introduction to our academic program featuring faculty members from every department!

Watch now

In This Section

Lower, Middle, & Upper School

Three distinct divisions. One distinctive school.

Lower School (Grades 4-6)

Middle School (Grades 7-8)

Upper School (Grades 9-12)

Curriculum Close-Ups