Westlake Village is often cited as one of the best places in Southern California to raise a family—and for good reasons. Below is a detailed look at the schools and what makes Westlake Village a great place to live and enroll your children in school.
Key Schools in Westlake Village
Here are several public and private schools in or serving Westlake Village, with student counts, ratings, and distinguishing features.
| School | Grades | Approx. Enrollment / Students | Rating & Key Stats | What It’s Known For / Special Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westlake Elementary School (Public, Conejo Valley Unified School District) | K-5 | ~506-528 students | Very high: top 10% in California; math and reading proficiency well above state average; rating ~10/10 by TrueSchools | Strong academics, enriched arts programs, solid student-teacher ratio; it's a go-to for families wanting excellent foundational education |
| White Oak Elementary School (Public) | K-5 | ~371-523 students (public sources differ) | Also very strong: rating around 9/10; math & reading proficiency in 70-72% range; good ranking in CA; student-teacher ratio around 22:1 | Known for consistency, solid core academics; smaller size helps in community feel and individualized attention |
| Westlake Hills Elementary School (Public) | K-5 | ~558 students | Top-tier: 10/10 rating on TrueSchools; reading proficiency ~75%, math somewhat lower but above average; ranked around #824 among CA elementary schools | Excellent public school; balanced academic rigor; good staff; strong for families wanting high-quality public elementary education |
| Westlake High School (Public, Conejo Valley Unified) | 9-12 | ~2,083 students | High rankings: #1,089 in national US News rankings; #149 in California; strong graduation rate (~96%); good AP participation (~62%) | Known for its breadth of Advanced Placement (AP) courses, strong science offerings (new facilities reported), and good extracurriculars (sports, arts) |
| River Oaks Academy | K-12 | Smaller (grades vary, high school ~104 students in one stat) | Rated lower compared with the top public schools; student-teacher ratio relatively high (~29:1 in HS-grade stat) | A private option; smaller class sizes (though ratio suggests upper grades may be large in some contexts); can be attractive if you’re looking for non-public school alternatives |
| Other Schools: Colina Middle School, Lindero Canyon Middle School, Agoura High School, and private schools (e.g., Carden Conejo) also serve the region. Colina is notable as a National Blue Ribbon and California Distinguished Middle School. |
Why Westlake Village Is a Great Place to Live & Send Your Kids to School
Here are the reasons many families choose Westlake Village: combining quality of life, amenities, school excellence, and community features.
Education Quality & School Options
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High Academic Standards: The public schools in the area tend to outperform California averages in both reading and math. Schools like Westlake Elementary, White Oak, and Westlake Hills are consistently rated very highly.
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Extracurricular & Enrichment Programs: Schools offer strong arts programs (e.g., visual arts, music), athletics, AP classes at the high school level, outdoor science school, and life lab concepts in younger grades.
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Variety of Schooling Types: Public, private, independent (e.g, Carden Conejo), K-12, etc., giving parents a choice depending on their educational philosophy.
Amenities & Outdoor Lifestyle
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Outdoor Spaces & Nature: Westlake Village is surrounded by open space, trails, parks, hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains, etc. The lake (Westlake Lake, about 125 acres, 8 miles of shoreline) is a centerpiece.
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Recreation: Golf courses, tennis, sailing clubs, equestrian options, fitness centers. Also walking & biking paths, greenbelts, parks—which is great for families wanting active, outdoor lifestyles.
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Shopping, Dining, Community Life: Retail centers like The Shoppes at Westlake Village, The Promenade; a good range of restaurants; access to cultural events; general safety; well-maintained neighborhoods.
Proximity & Convenience
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Commute / Access: It’s about 8 miles from the Pacific Ocean; about 38 miles from downtown LA. Location offers a somewhat quieter, more suburban environment but is still commutable to major job centers.
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Walking Distance & Neighborhood Reach: Some neighborhoods are more walkable than others. Many amenities (shops, restaurants, parks) are within short drives. Walking to school depends heavily on which school and which neighborhood—some are nearby, others less so. A lot of students likely walk or bike to nearby schools in certain zones.
Community & Quality of Life
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Low crime, clean neighborhoods, well-maintained public infrastructure, and good healthcare access.
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Family-friendly: Many community events, parks, and youth programs. The social fabric supports families.
Things to Consider / What Parents Should Think About
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School zoning: Which school you will attend depends heavily on where you live in Westlake Village. There are multiple school districts overlapping parts of Westlake Village (primarily Las Virgenes Unified, but also Conejo Valley Unified, Oak Park Unified in some parts). So homes in different neighborhoods may be zoned to different schools.
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Class size / student-teacher ratio: While many schools have good ratios, some upper grades / private/charter schools may have larger class sizes or fewer resources depending on enrollment.
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Commuting & traffic: If you or your children regularly need to go “outside” Westlake Village (for work, extra-sports, etc.), traffic can play a role.
Best-In-Class Schools & What They’re Best Known For
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Westlake High School stands out for its AP curriculum, strong graduation rate, and good performance in both academics and extracurriculars (athletics, arts).
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Colina Middle School is particularly well-regarded, awarded a Blue Ribbon, and distinguished status.
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Westlake Elementary / White Oak / Westlake Hills: excellent public elementary options, strong in core academics, also engaging enrichment and arts.
Summary
Westlake Village offers a rare combination: high-performing schools, beautiful natural surroundings, a strong sense of community, and amenities that support both academic and personal growth for children. If your priority is an environment where your child can thrive academically, have access to outdoor and cultural enrichment. Where the neighborhood is safe and stable, Westlake Village is among the top choices in the region.
