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GreatSchools Rating

Kensington Elementary School

Public | K-5 | 743 students

Last modified
Community Rating

4 stars

Community Rating by Year
2013:
No new ratings
2012:
No new ratings
2011:
No new ratings
2010:
Based on 2 ratings

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12 reviews of this school


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Posted June 7, 2010

I have 3 children with varying academic needs and Kensington has done an excellent job with all of them. The program for Academically Gifted children is amazing andeveryone is very happy!
—Submitted by a parent


Posted March 18, 2010

Kensington is a wonderful school with a fantastic group of parents and kids!
—Submitted by a parent


Posted September 10, 2009

My child went to Kensington for three years and we were very pleased. She is now in middle school and is doing very well, so Kensington and its teachers definitely prepare their children.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted May 27, 2009

My children are just finishing up their first year at Kensington and I am so pleased with the quality of education they have received there. The school has a strong plan for instruction for each grade level and the faculty works hard making sure the students master their skills. Assessment is a key element and they use it to plan for instruction. They also use a type of instruction called 'round table' where the students are grouped according to skills they need to work on, and then are instructed in those specific skills. As an educator who spent years training teachers on effective techniques and strategies to use in their classrooms, I was thrilled to see many put to use at Kensington.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted May 16, 2009

I think this school is terrible. We pulled our daughter out and put her in catholic school because she was not getting the accelerated reading help that she needed and the math program was laughable. She has done beautifully in her new school environment. I also feel that the principal is lacking in any educational direction for the children. Some of the teachers were good but it was the luck of the draw and if you did not like the teacher that you had, any comments (positive or negative) were not looked upon in a favorable light. I agree with the other posting, do not be fooled by this school being in the Union County District. This principal runs her school to cater to mediocrity and there is no push for any of the kids to go beyond what is needed to have mid-line test scores.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted October 16, 2008

We started our daughter at Kensington this fall and couldn't be happier. Her teacher was a good find, and our daughter cannot wait to getup in the morning to go to school ... says a lot about the atmosphere there. Recommend it without hesitation!
—Submitted by a parent


Posted September 11, 2008

I have two children at Kensington and have been with the school since it opened in 2005. The school has come a long way --it grew to become a School of Excellence in 2007, expanded enrollment to over 700 students, and added a number of talented teaching staff as well as a variety of programs to better meet the needs of students with a range of academic abilities. I have been very pleased with the teachers who seem to really care about our children and work very hard to meet individual needs. I have also been impressed with the level of parent/PTO involvement in creating a supportive partnership with the school.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted January 21, 2008

My children both attend Kensington. I have one child that is gifted and one child that is an average student. There is a lot of parent involvement in the school. In my opinion there are too many parents in the school at times. I would rather have my children surrounded by teachers who are there to educate the students and keep the nosey parents out of the classroom. Other than that I a very pleased with the school.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted January 4, 2008

My daughter is a kindergartner at Kensington and we have had great experiences with all aspects of the school thus far. We moved from a school district in NJ with highly rated schools, and what our NJ friends are now learning in first grade, the kindergartners are learning at Kensington. There is a very active PTO committee, high parent involvement and caring staff at Kensington. Very happy with this school thus far.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted November 10, 2007

Kensington was rated Honor School of Excellence (10) for the most recent school year. Tremendous progress was made in all areas of performance in their third year of operation. The teachers are extremely caring and talented. Parent contribution in this school is second to none. Simply a great school for all grade levels!
—Submitted by a parent


Posted May 8, 2007

This school lacks a good Academically Gifted Program, lacks a Principal who values education and challenge as well as parent contribution in the classroom-- don't be fooled by Union County Schools... they are not equal to other states academic rigors. Change should be demanded by parents in this school or property values will continue to suffer.
—Submitted by a parent


Posted March 13, 2007

My children transferred midterm to Kensington and in comparison to their old school this school is lacking in many ways. My children were constantly challenged by their teachers in their old school; here they seem to be over looked. So far I am very concerned at the level of education my children are receiving. I was assured that Kensington had high standards on educating their students, but I ve yet to see it. I Hope that it gets better.
—Submitted by a parent


Community ratings and reviews do not represent the views of GreatSchools nor does GreatSchools check their accuracy or verify the reviewers' identities. Use your discretion when evaluating these reviews.

About these ratings

The Community Rating is the school’s average rating from its community members (e.g., parents, students, and school staff). The highest possible rating is five stars; the lowest is one star.

The test results by subgroup show how the designated group of students is performing in comparison to the general population.
Math

The state average for Math was 83% in 2012.

126 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
>95%

2011

 
 
>95%

2010

 
 
>95%

2009

 
 
93%
Reading

The state average for Reading was 69% in 2012.

126 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
89%

2011

 
 
92%

2010

 
 
86%

2009

 
 
89%
Scale: % at or above proficient

About the tests


In 2011-2012 North Carolina used End-of-Grade (EOG) tests to assess students in grades 3 through 8 and 10 in reading and math, and grades 5, 8, and 10 in science. The EOG is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of North Carolina. Students must pass the grade 8 EOG test in order to graduate from high school. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level on the tests.

See North Carolina's state standards

Source: North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

Math

The state average for Math was 85% in 2012.

145 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
>95%

2011

 
 
>95%

2010

 
 
>95%

2009

 
 
>95%
Reading

The state average for Reading was 72% in 2012.

145 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
92%

2011

 
 
88%

2010

 
 
93%

2009

 
 
93%
Scale: % at or above proficient

About the tests


In 2011-2012 North Carolina used End-of-Grade (EOG) tests to assess students in grades 3 through 8 and 10 in reading and math, and grades 5, 8, and 10 in science. The EOG is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of North Carolina. Students must pass the grade 8 EOG test in order to graduate from high school. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level on the tests.

See North Carolina's state standards

Source: North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

Math

The state average for Math was 82% in 2012.

156 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
>95%

2011

 
 
>95%

2010

 
 
>95%

2009

 
 
>95%
Reading

The state average for Reading was 72% in 2012.

156 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
91%

2011

 
 
94%

2010

 
 
93%

2009

 
 
94%
Science

The state average for Science was 76% in 2012.

156 students were tested at this school in 2012.

2012

 
 
90%

2011

 
 
94%

2010

 
 
88%

2009

 
 
83%
Scale: % at or above proficient

About the tests


In 2011-2012 North Carolina used End-of-Grade (EOG) tests to assess students in grades 3 through 8 and 10 in reading and math, and grades 5, 8, and 10 in science. The EOG is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of North Carolina. Students must pass the grade 8 EOG test in order to graduate from high school. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level on the tests.

See North Carolina's state standards

Source: North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

Math

All Students>95%
Female>95%
Male>95%
Black90%
Asiann/a
Hispanic>95%
Multiracialn/a
American Indiann/a
White>95%
Economically disadvantaged93%
Not economically disadvantaged>95%
Students with disabilities80%
Non-disabled students>95%
Limited English proficiencyn/a
Proficient in English>95%
Academically giftedn/a

Reading

All Students89%
Female92%
Male86%
Black80%
Asiann/a
Hispanic>95%
Multiracialn/a
American Indiann/a
White89%
Economically disadvantaged79%
Not economically disadvantaged90%
Students with disabilities40%
Non-disabled students93%
Limited English proficiencyn/a
Proficient in English89%
Academically giftedn/a
Scale: % at or above proficient

About the tests


In 2011-2012 North Carolina used End-of-Grade (EOG) tests to assess students in grades 3 through 8 and 10 in reading and math, and grades 5, 8, and 10 in science. The EOG is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of North Carolina. Students must pass the grade 8 EOG test in order to graduate from high school. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level on the tests.

The different student groups are identified by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. If there are fewer than 10 students in a particular group in a school, data for that group is not reported.

See North Carolina's state standards

Source: North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

Math

All Students>95%
Female>95%
Male>95%
Black>95%
Asiann/a
Hispanic83%
Multiracialn/a
American Indiann/a
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islandern/a
White>95%
Economically disadvantaged91%
Not economically disadvantaged>95%
Students with disabilities86%
Non-disabled students>95%
Limited English proficiencyn/a
Proficient in English>95%
Academically gifted>95%

Reading

All Students92%
Female92%
Male92%
Black77%
Asiann/a
Hispanic83%
Multiracialn/a
American Indiann/a
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islandern/a
White93%
Economically disadvantaged73%
Not economically disadvantaged93%
Students with disabilities14%
Non-disabled students>95%
Limited English proficiencyn/a
Proficient in English92%
Academically gifted>95%
Scale: % at or above proficient

About the tests


In 2011-2012 North Carolina used End-of-Grade (EOG) tests to assess students in grades 3 through 8 and 10 in reading and math, and grades 5, 8, and 10 in science. The EOG is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of North Carolina. Students must pass the grade 8 EOG test in order to graduate from high school. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level on the tests.

The different student groups are identified by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. If there are fewer than 10 students in a particular group in a school, data for that group is not reported.

See North Carolina's state standards

Source: North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

Math

All Students>95%
Female>95%
Male>95%
Black88%
Asian>95%
Hispanic90%
Multiracialn/a
American Indiann/a
White>95%
Economically disadvantaged91%
Not economically disadvantaged>95%
Students with disabilities64%
Non-disabled students>95%
Limited English proficiency80%
Proficient in English>95%
Academically gifted>95%

Reading

All Students91%
Female93%
Male89%
Black77%
Asian>95%
Hispanic90%
Multiracialn/a
American Indiann/a
White93%
Economically disadvantaged73%
Not economically disadvantaged94%
Students with disabilities36%
Non-disabled students>95%
Limited English proficiency60%
Proficient in English92%
Academically gifted>95%

Science

All Students90%
Female87%
Male93%
Black65%
Asian>95%
Hispanic90%
Multiracialn/a
American Indiann/a
White94%
Economically disadvantaged64%
Not economically disadvantaged95%
Students with disabilities36%
Non-disabled students95%
Limited English proficiency60%
Proficient in English91%
Academically gifted>95%
Scale: % at or above proficient

About the tests


In 2011-2012 North Carolina used End-of-Grade (EOG) tests to assess students in grades 3 through 8 and 10 in reading and math, and grades 5, 8, and 10 in science. The EOG is a standards-based test, which means it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of North Carolina. Students must pass the grade 8 EOG test in order to graduate from high school. The goal is for all students to score at or above the proficient level on the tests.

The different student groups are identified by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. If there are fewer than 10 students in a particular group in a school, data for that group is not reported.

See North Carolina's state standards

Source: North Carolina Department of Public Instruction

Breaking down the GreatSchools Rating

GreatSchools Ratings are based on the most recent standardized test results for schools. Use the breakdown ratings below to compare types of students at this school. Learn more »


Student ethnicity

Ethnicity This school State average
White 87% 54%
Black 8% 31%
Hispanic 3% 11%
Asian/Pacific Islander 2% 2%
American Indian/Alaska Native N/A 1%
Source: NCES, 2008-2009

Student-teacher ratio

  This school District averageState average
Students per FTE teacher 16N/A15
Source: NCES, 2008-2009
Notice an inaccuracy? Let us know!

8701 Kensington Drive
Waxhaw, NC 28173
Website: Click here
Phone: (704) 290-1500

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