Our Lady of Fatima Parish School in San Clemente

Posted: June 3, 2026

Beautiful school both inside & out with loving nurturing teachers who have children at the school. Their commitment to the children shows in every child. We came to this school years ago after experiencing large classrooms where it was obvious our child was just a number. We have seen huge score improvement since and couldnt be more grateful. We are incredibly grateful the disgruntled toxic parent that caused a lot of problems for the school leading up to this new year has left and taken their toxic behavior with them.

Posted: June 3, 2026

Posted: May 31, 2026

In Orange County there are a lot of private schools. This one is a true GEM. The community and the families make it so special. The admin approach to learning helps the children gain confidence and nurtures them. Strong values and faith based community.

Posted: December 16, 2025

Our child has been attending this school since kindergarten, and we could not be happier with our experience. While it is a small school, it is truly exceptional. The teachers know every student by name and genuinely care about their academic growth and personal development.

The school not only excels in academic standards but also places a strong emphasis on moral character, faith, and being a positive, contributing member of the community.

Parents are actively involved, which further strengthens the sense of community. The school is also constantly enhancing its curriculum and continues to invest in improvements to the playground and sports areas, showing a clear commitment to growth and student well-being.

We are grateful to be part of such a nurturing and dedicated school community.

Posted: December 16, 2025

Posted: December 12, 2025

We are loving our time at OLF. Our daughter has really grown at her time there and her excitement for school and the church is wonderful!

Posted: December 12, 2025

This is the BEST school! We have had the most amazing experience at OLF. This school is all about making you feel like family and every faculty member is invested in helping your kid. There are so many great programs and the level of academics have been very impressive. Our principal knows every child and family and is extremely present on campus. She is an incredible leader. Highly recommend this school.

Posted: December 12, 2025

Posted: December 11, 2025

This is the sweetest school!!! We are SO happy we left our public school and put our son at OLF. The teachers and admin and all the staff are so loving and truly care. He gets so much individualized attention and comes home happy everyday! What a gift!! And hes learning SO much!! Hes never been more excited to go to school and then come home and share what he learned!! We love this school!

Posted: December 11, 2025

I wish we found OLF sooner so both of my kids could have attended this amazing school. We spent 9 years at a large Catholic school nearby that is supposed to be the best - and luckily, we transferred to OLF where my child found teachers who love their jobs and WANT to teach the students and see them thrive; friends who are kind and accepting and eager to welcome new faces; a focus on faith that is supported by faculty, a deacon and priests who want to be involved in the school and a beautiful community that feels like you are in a bubble of safety and love. I am grateful every day I drop off my child at school. The academic curriculum is far more rigorous and appropriate than our experience at her previous school. The extra activities included in the classroom (e.g., actual science experiments and individual projects, baby chicks in the classroom, student council activities, community service projects) show OLFs commitment to help the student grow in ways beyond the classroom. The activities afterschool promote inclusion and development for all ages and go beyond one Christmas program a year. OLF is a hidden gem and I hope more people take the chance to make a change - I promise - you wont be sorry.

Posted: December 11, 2025

Posted: December 6, 2025

This school is not what is used to be after the last administration change. The administration is incredibly unprofessional (name -calling students is one of many examples) My child ended up needing extensive therapy because of his experience at this school and inaction by the administration. If you bring up a serious issue, be prepared to get ignored and retaliated against.
My children joined this school in 2017 and it was such a warm, friendly and caring environment with a strong sense of community. It is nothing like what it used to be. The enrollment speaks for itself plummeting in the last couple of years. After we left, I encountered multiple families who left because of rude, mean-spirited experiences with the administration. It's really unfortunate what has happened to what once was a gem of a school.

Posted: December 6, 2025

Posted: November 30, 2025

With over thirty years of experience as both an educator and a parent in Orange Countys public, private, and charter schools, I can confidently say that OLF Academy is an exceptional place for children to learn and grow. I am grateful to teach at OLF alongside a team of highly qualified, caring professionals who are dedicated to maintaining high academic standards while creating meaningful, engaging, and motivating learning experiences.

What I value most is the genuine kindness and commitment of my colleagues. Each staff member works to support the spiritual, academic, social, and emotional needs of every child, ensuring that students feel both challenged and deeply cared for.

The OLF community is incredibly active, bringing learning to life through joyful celebrations, traditions, assemblies, and schoolwide events that strengthen our sense of family. This year alone, my class has enjoyed multiple field trips and a memorable Catalina science camp. Our assemblies have celebrated Native American Heritage Month with storytelling and basket weaving, hosted a beloved Pumpkin Derby and Color Run, and honored Grandparents and Special Persons Day, among many other highlights.

Service is also central to our mission. Throughout the year, students participate in charitable activities that support local food banks, military families, and other community organizations, teaching them compassion and responsibility.

Students academic success is evident in their strong preparation for high school and their joyful love of learning. Every morning, I am welcomed by the bright smiles of students who eagerly enter our beautiful seaside classroom ready to learn. Their enthusiasm is a daily reminder of what makes this school so special.

Choosing OLF Academy means choosing a warm, faith-filled, academically strong environment where children are known, supported, and inspired. It is the beginning of a truly priceless educational journey.

Posted: November 30, 2025

Posted: September 30, 2025

This school has changed. With multiple administration changes and leadership that is often rude and disrespectful, the stability and values we once relied on have been lost. Unlike its motto, this school is no longer best known for its Catholic identity or its family atmosphere. Its disappointing to see such an important part of our community move so far away from what it once stood for.

Posted: September 30, 2025

Posted: September 28, 2025

After many years at this school and multiple principals this school has gone down hill! Their principal is horrible the staff is completely burnt out wearing multiple hats because they cant hire enough staff, so much bullying, the church doesnt care that the school is constantly losing kids. Class sizes were already small and grades are becoming non existent. My recommendation look at another private school!

Posted: September 28, 2025

Posted: May 18, 2022

I can't say enough good things about OLF! We have had four kids go through this school. All have been well-prepared for high school/college. One was a Full IB student at Santa Margarita and graduated from a UC, 2 are in college and are doing well, and the last one got into JSerra during a very competitive time. All our children are grateful their education, the teachers, the staff, and the OLF community. All have been altar servers at OLF, and we remain close friends with the alumni families.

Certainly, there have been trying times during the years, but regardless of the principal, the teachers, (lack of) resources, school discipline, etc., OLF overcomes many issues because the school is small (one class per grade) and it is easy to know the families in the community. The strength of this school is the accountability that the teachers and staff have. I have always been able to reach a teacher or principal directly and in-person. I have never left a meeting that did not get an objective accomplished.

At one time I had all 4 kids in the school. It was difficult to manage financially, but OLF was extremely supportive in allowing financial flexibility in not only getting financial assistance, but also in allowing me to juggle payments when finances were low.

I can't say it's always been easy, or that I have had all the answers, but I have trusted this school and community, and I feel that I am reaping the benefits.

Posted: May 18, 2022

Posted: May 5, 2022

This school has requested a family to not bring their children to school until they make a payment. The family is going thru major problems. They have denied assistance. Not cooperating to even a payment plan. The kids have missed school due to this and the staff is definitely not people of god. This is not a catholic school. Not even mentioning how many times the older boy has come home saying he gets bullied in the boys bathroom. This are children of god and the school has given them and the parents a very poor treatment.

Posted: May 5, 2022

Posted: March 15, 2022

Our Lady of Fatima is a school I've been attending for multiple years, but the same problems have been occurring ever since my enrollment.

Although some teachers are amazing (namely certain middle school teachers), others fail to meet normal expectations that teachers at others schools usually meet. Some teachers single out students and target them during any incidents like misbehavior, giving them punishment when it wasn't just them. Certain teachers have also punished students severely when they don't even do anything worthy of punishment (and even sometimes when they don't do anything). Many teachers have left as of recent due to the principal who is very unpleasant. There is another review relating to her from a parent, so I won't go into details. Just read that one. ALSO during the mask mandate, many teachers wouldn't even have their masks on.

Like I said earlier, teachers either are good or very bad. Homework depends on the teacher, where some are good assignments and just what is needed to add to education, while some homework is purely busywork that doesn't even add to anything??? It doesn't make sense?? what.

OLF has a student-run student council, which is made up of 7th and 8th graders. They don't really enforce anything and just lead like morning announcement stuff. They do occasionally do fun stuff though, so that's cool. The principal still sucks though.

Like basically every kid in Orange County, many kids are entitled and such. They disrespect certain teachers, which can cause CERTAIN teachers to react very poorly- even if it was something small because I guess the teachers are just fed up with kids. They still shouldn't react that much- especially if it was something simple. They do that anyways. During the mask mandate, most kids wouldn't listen to teachers when they were told to put their masks on- and would take them off right after they were told to put them on.

I am close to someone who struggles at school that goes to OLF, and she isn't supported much. Sure, there's a teacher that supposedly helps (I haven't seen that but then again I don't know her well), but my friend still has bad grades due to not being able to come to school from personal problems. She isn't supported by most teachers and can't learn well.

There isn't much obvious bullying, so there isn't a way to deal with it. There is bullying but many times it's light-hearted. Mostly. Like all schools, you need a good appearance.

ran out of words uhhhhh

Posted: March 15, 2022

Posted: September 25, 2021

While we loved the school and families, the current principal is absolutely horrible. She doesn't seem to like kids or people and certainly doesn't act like a Catholic. Very uncaring and unkind. She is a rude bully with a power trip and tries to rule the school by fear. She does not respond to parents, singles certain families out to bully them, and bullies the teachers. Several teachers have left due to her. We were told we would be joining a supportive, close environment & build a community and we found the exact opposite to be true due to the environment the principal creates. She did not care to get to know us or our child. Our child's class was filled with children who do not belong in a regular classroom and she would not listen to concerned parents or even listen to the concerned teacher. The teacher repeatedly asked for more support but was instead bullied by the principal. The principal repeatedly ignored some truly appalling behavior due to the parents donating large amounts of money. You can not speak to her about anything due to fear of retaliation from her. Several families would like to leave but don't know where else to go and also fear retaliation by the principal. I could go on and on with examples of her outrageous behavior. While the school itself is great, I would stay far away from here until the principal is no longer working at this school.

Posted: June 26, 2018

We transfered from out-of-state and were welcomed warmly. Our transition has been effortless and my child feels like he's with family. Teachers have kept him challenged in academics, faith, and discipline. He has become a leader in this positive environment and self-confidence is balanced.

Posted: June 26, 2018

Posted: February 9, 2018

Wonderful! My son went on to a large public high school and has placed in all honors classes and is above in math! OLF built his foundation and he was able to place in advanced classes from the start! OLF is not just a school it is the Family we got to choose.

Posted: January 31, 2018

no they ignore it and pretend its not happening

Posted: January 31, 2018

there is no homework or consequences for not doing homework.

Posted: January 31, 2018

The teachers are great to a point the curriculum and class schedules are prehistoric and students are not challenged

Posted: January 31, 2018

not very christlike at all when families are in crisis

Posted: January 31, 2018

Very Very under educated leaders here definable should replace all the administration it is the core problem here

Posted: January 31, 2018

no not at all if you ask for extra help for your student it is ignored if your kid needs discipline the kid needs to commit a crime to get in trouble..

Posted: January 31, 2018

horrible my kids begged to leave the school

Posted: May 19, 2017

Here at OLF you not only receive a quality Catholic education the children feel safe, and as if we are all family. The teachers are wonderful and always making sure your child is being challenged. We have a principal who listens and always has her door open for you to come in. Our child has been a student for 9 years and will be moving on to high school, But will forever be a Falcon!!

Posted: May 15, 2015

Our Lady of Fatima provides an excellent education for students Pre-k through 8th grade. Our Family has been there for nine years and have been extremely happy. I have one daughter who graduated and was well prepared for High school. The teachers are committed to providing students the skills necessary to succeed academically, socially, and spiritually.

Posted: November 4, 2014

I know Our Lady of Fatima Parish School is best school for us. I have two children attend and it was the best experience for everyone. The reason I sent my children was for the faith formation but soon discovered we got more than that! I received a warm welcome from the school and school families. This is a loving community and we have all the same goal for our children which is, love to learn and learn to love. My children received an excellent education and graduated being ready for high school. I was very proud of how my children were groomed for high school. I felt confident they would succeed in their goals and be good faith filled citizens of our community.

Posted: November 3, 2014

My daughter started OLF in Kindergarten last year and is currently in the first grade. She loves going to school everyday and I believe that most of this is due to the sense of community she feels at school. The small class size gives the teachers the opportunity to really know each student's strengths and interests. This provides a great environment for her to grow in her academics as well as in her Catholic faith. I continue to be impressed by how much she is learning in all subjects and how much she loves it. I am thankful that the school is able to do this while also making sure her faith is reflected in the daily routines and activities.

Posted: October 27, 2014

My son started the TK program mid-year, after we moved to the area. The staff at OLF could not have made his transition easier. First, they were so patient with us and made the admissions process so easy. They never pressured us to send our son to the school. To the contrary, their first area of concern was whether OLF would be a good fit for my son. Second, I was pregnant with my third child and had a complicated pregnancy. Everyone at OLF, from the principal to the parents did everything they could to help us out and accommodate my situation. I felt they genuinely cared about me and my family. Lastly, and most importantly, my son thrived in TK. He went from being unable to write his name, to writing it, and scribbling, to coloring in the lines. His learning curve shot way up and we were surprised and impressed at his progress in only a few short months. Although we had thought about sending him to public school for kindergarten, we were so pleased with his progress and the intimate feel of the school that we decided to continue his enrollment at OLF. It truly is a great Catholic school that teaches religious values and the curriculum in a cohesive manner.

Posted: October 25, 2014

There is so much to love about Our Lady Of Fatima. Students who attend this school are blessed with an abundance of care and support from the teachers, their principal, parents and even the sweet ladies in the office. Our Lady Of Fatima is a small school with a huge sense of family. Seeing my child academically thrive and grow in faith every year makes me thankful to be a part of this amazing school. I honestly can't imagine a better school for my children to attend.

Posted: December 5, 2013

Our Lady of Fatima Parish School is a 21st Century Learning community founded in 1965 that has educated students in South Orange County for nearly 50 years. Nestled among the rolling hills of San Clemente, the school is fully accredited and staffed by an outstanding team of nurturing and dedicated teachers. The campus offers a welcoming learning environment for all students that pervades on the value of family. OLF is a dynamic, technology-driven institution of learning that prides itself on academic rigor and high student expectations that empowers today s children to promote tomorrow s leaders. OLF s students are committed learners who demonstrate excellence in academic expectations, technology acquisition, and service to their community. The cross-curricular/cross-cultural approach to instruction gives students differentiated opportunities to explore, investigate and demonstrate understanding by means of a hands-on approach to learning. Academic rigor aligned with innovative electives creates faith-filled student gains a love for life-long learning, becomes an effective communicator and a globally responsible citizen.

Posted: September 19, 2013

Our son has been at Our Lady of Fatima Parish School since Kindergarten. He is now in 5th grade. We truly feel OLF is a part of our family. The approach to teaching the students to be courteous, kind and caring Catholics is what sets OLF apart. We have many friends that have their children at OLF and each one says the same thing, they love it!

Posted: September 16, 2013

Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School is the hidden treasure by the sea. I have had both of my children attend OLF since Kindergarten and now my oldest is in college graduating last year from Jserra. My children have loved learning and attending this small loving school. You should be aware that this school is small and able to attend to your child needs with small classroom sizes. My children have faith and reflects on their actions on a daily basis. The teachers are wonderful and attentive. What I like most is the family environment that is here. I have beautiful kind hearted friends that I extend to after school hours and cherish for life. I recommend OLF to you and your family. Go and visit the school and you will understand who we are and get the same feelings.

Posted: September 16, 2013

I can't imagine being at any other school. I always knew there was a reason we switched to Fatima 2 weeks before Kindergarten started for my daughter 5 years ago. And the affirmations just keep coming. The latest being the constant love and support the entire student body, the staff and the families have shown our family after my daughter experienced a traumatic injury resulting in having to withdrawal from school for now. They keep her present in their hearts and prayers and make every attempt to make her feel included in school activities. They have also rallied around my younger daughter ( 2nd grader) with love and support as well. God had a plan for us to be in this little pearl in the ocean we call OLF.

Posted: September 15, 2013

Our Lady of Fatima School Teachers and parents are amazing. I walked on to this campus 11 years ago when I was invited to Special Persons Day. I was treated with such kindness it felt as if it was Family. When I went home I told my husband of how it was and that if we had children I would want them to attend OLF. Well a year later we had our son and before he turned 2 we moved from San Diego County to San Clemente so our son could go to OLF. He is now in 5th grade. We have a wonderful new Principal, Mrs. Joanne Williams, who we love. We also have Mrs. Clark, which there are not enough words to say just what she means to all of us at Our Lady of Fatima.

Posted: September 15, 2013

We absolutely LOVE Our Lady of Fatima. When we relocated we knew we wanted our daughter to attend a Catholic school just as our son did. We were pleasantly surprised the instant we met Cindy Clark. She greeted us with open arms and made us feel welcome. Our daughter started in kindergarten and is currently in 5th grade. I have all of the confidence that she is getting a quality education taught by teachers who are loving and dedicated.

Posted: May 26, 2013

This school is good but the warm christian atmosphere outshines the academics and quality of teachers. My son was primarly taught by a teachers assistant and I have come to know that the art program was taught by parents Who are not teachers. There is a new principal that favors certain Families according to the amount of money they donate. Some of the teachers are not concerned with one on one teaching and my son also had experienced bullying to which was allowed to continue despite numerous efforts to communicate to teachers and the unconcerned principal.

#	Name	Type	City	State	Distance
1	Whispering Winds Apartments	Apartment Complex	San Clemente	CA	1.5 mi
2	Montecito village apartments	Apartment Complex	Oceanside	CA	22.8 mi
3	St. Cloud	Condominium/Townhouse	Oceanside	CA	23 mi
4	Copper Canyon	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Murrieta	CA	23.2 mi
5	The Ranchos	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Murrieta	CA	23.8 mi
6	Mira Costa Estates	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Oceanside	CA	23.8 mi
7	Amberwalk Townhomes	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Murrieta	CA	24.6 mi
8	Palisades Pointe	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Carlsbad	CA	25.3 mi
9	Shadowridge	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Vista	CA	27.6 mi
10	Windsor at Aviara	Apartment Complex	Carlsbad	CA	29 mi
11	Redhawk	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Temecula	CA	29.7 mi
12	La Costa	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Carlsbad	CA	30.1 mi
13	Rancho Carrillo	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Carlsbad	CA	30.4 mi
14	Torrey Highlands	Neighborhood/Subdivision	San Diego	CA	41 mi

#	Name	City	State	Distance
1	Downtown	San Clemente	CA	0.6 mi
2	Downtown Oceanside	Oceanside	CA	20.9 mi
3	Carlsbad	Carlsbad	CA	24 mi
4	West Side	murrieta	CA	24 mi
5	Lake Rancho Viejo	Fallbrook	CA	27.2 mi
6	Murrieta	Murrieta	CA	27.7 mi
7	Temecula, California	Temecula	CA	29.3 mi
8	Murrieta, California	Murrieta	CA	29.6 mi
9	Encinitas	Encinitas	CA	32.7 mi
10	Torrey Highlands	San Diego	CA	41.1 mi
11	La Jolla	La Jolla	CA	44.6 mi

Base	Distance
Camp Pendleton	13.2 mi.
Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station	35.3 mi.
March Air Reserve Base	37.9 mi.
Los Alamitos JFTB	40 mi.
Miramar MCAS	47.2 mi.

Our Lady of Fatima Parish School

San Clemente, CA 92672

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Our Lady of Fatima Parish School

San Clemente, CA 92672

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