About Ambleside

Ambleside School is a private Christian school committed to providing a Charlotte Mason “living education” that nurtures the mind, heart, body and spirit. For over 25 years, we’ve combined academic rigor with joyful learning to help students grow in wisdom, think deeply, and live faithfully.

We strive to cultivate a love of God, delight in learning, and habits of lifelong virtue. Ambleside students are guided to see the world through the mind of Christ and to live in relationship with God, self, others, ideas, and creation.

Learn more about the Ambleside Difference here.

Living Books, Living Education

“The children must grow up upon the best. There must never be a period in their lives when they are allowed to read or listen to twaddle. There is never a time when they are unequal to worthy thoughts, well put; inspiring tales, well told.”

-Charlotte M. Mason

In a world rapidly forgetting the great ideas of the past, Ambleside students of all grades engage in the classical “Great Conversation” of Western civilization. Each child encounters the work of the Biblical writers, as well as the greatest poets, authors, playwrights and more.

By reading and discussing these “living books”, students cultivate relationships with the ideas, authors and the text itself. They develop a well-rounded life, stir their imaginations, and feast on the intellectual bounty that is their inheritance in Christ.

Learn more about a “Living Education” here.

Philosophy

“The question is not,––how much does the youth know? when he has finished his education––but how much does he care? and about how many orders of things does he care? In fact, how large is the room in which he finds his feet set? and, therefore, how full is the life he has before him?”

- Charlotte M. Mason

Inspired by the philosophy of British educator Charlotte Mason, we believe that children are not defined by their strengths or weaknesses. Nor should they be restricted by labels - “artistic”, “struggling in math” - or treated as mere information receptacles, memorizing facts only to forget them after the test. Real learning occurs when students encounter the breadth of God’s creation and take joy in what they find. When children are nourished through “worthy thought and worthy work” rather than intellectual “fast food”, without a competitive, grade-driven atmosphere, they thrive.

Learn more about Charlotte Mason’s philosophy of education here.

Testimonials

At Ambleside, our richly rooted community testifies to the value of Charlotte Mason’s approach to teaching children. Alumni, parents, faculty and more all agree that this Christ-centered, life-giving education is unlike any other. In the words of a longtime parent, “Ambleside is a hidden gem.”

“Ambleside’s Charlotte Mason method is excellent.  It teaches the child to love to learn.  We were so glad that Ambleside was an option for our daughter.  She has been taught by many wonderful teachers who have cared, not just for her education, but for her character, her habits, and her walk with Christ.”  Jeff & Heather B.

“At Ambleside, I grew in my love for God and how He had created me to be. I came to love learning and was challenged daily to be a better version of myself. When I got to college, I realized that I approached work differently than my peers. I wanted to understand the “why” behind all of the facts that were being presented to me. I wanted deep understanding and not just memorizing facts for a test. After graduating, I couldn’t help but want to be part of creating a space for children to have the same opportunity for growth that I experienced!” Audrey Voorhees, ‘09

“I came back to teach at Ambleside because I wanted to be part of a movement that valued growth over grades, gave grace when someone needs it, and inspired students with hope for and confidence in themselves.” Matt Wilcox, ‘08

Our weekly blog offers glimpses into the daily lives of our students, stories from our teachers, alumni highlights, community news, and reflections from our Head of School. Find insight into the beauty of a Charlotte Mason education, what it means to live a good life, how children truly flourish, and much more.