Wesley International Academy

Posted: May 21, 2026

I DEFINITELY would not recommend this school. I’m happy this school year is over. My children reported a lot of fights, bullying and behavioral issues from other students.

Posted: May 21, 2026

Posted: September 11, 2025

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Posted: September 11, 2025

This school was a life saver for us when we first moved to Atlanta. We were just coming out of Covid and were terrified of in-person school. The staff eased everyone into it (it wasn’t an easy task) Every school has its challenges and Wesley is not without them, but truth be told Wesley is a gem. They are very inclusive of all kids and if your child is struggling they will reach out to you with solutions. I have one child who had major anxiety and they worked with us to help her. The other child thrived by learning Mandarin, playing volleyball and getting involved in student government. I want to give a huge shout out to one of her biggest heroines, Mrs Haircrow. She made sure her students really learned advanced math. My daughter is now attending a private high school and she was shocked at how some of her new peers (who have always attended private schools) were not equipped for Advanced math. Mrs Haircrow made sure my daughter really understood the material. She set her up for success. We are also so grateful for the sweet memories of our time at Wesley. The school plays, science club, nerd club… The sports programs are all run by passionate coaches. This is a nurturing environment. You will not regret sending your child here.

Posted: March 12, 2024

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Posted: March 12, 2024

Posted: March 12, 2024

We have been at Wesley for two years now and we are really pleased. We have seen our son just blossom since he first started there in kindergarten. The school has a really nice culture, everyone knows your kid's name and is happy to see them. The curriculums used are evidenced-based and the hands-on activities and learning in kindergarten were phenomenal. Our son has been involved in tons of activities too (Mandarin club, tennis, dance performances, and garden club). A lot of the administration started the year we did (though the principal has been at the school for years in other roles) and we have been really pleased. Everyone is very responsive if you need anything and you interact with the administrators regularly at school events, carpool, etc. I have not had much exposure to the middle school, but the middle school students help with the book fair and visit the elementary school students to see their projects (like during the history "wax museum") and it seems really nice. We do not have an IEP, so I can't speak to special education either. So far, our experience with the school has been great.

Posted: January 28, 2020

Starting off kids with solid course curriculum in K is superb.

Posted: January 28, 2020

Posted: January 28, 2020

Posted: January 28, 2020

Very engaged, and working hard to continue to be the best in Atlanta.

Posted: January 28, 2020

Posted: January 28, 2020

amazing job of teaching anti-bullying and living their values.

Posted: January 28, 2020

Absolutely amazing. We continue to see our child flourish, and he absolutely loves his teachers. They are caring, loving, and tough all at the same time.

Posted: November 14, 2019

Disappointed. Used to be a good school with lofty goals. Now just another place struggling to meet milestone compliance to hold onto its charter.

Posted: November 14, 2019

Posted: November 14, 2019

Variation is extreme. Children of PTA and teachers get experienced, trained, and certified teachers. Others and disgruntled get rookie teachers. Classes grouped by IEP in one class, GATE in another. If you speak out your child gets shafted and stuck in tough class groupings.

Posted: November 14, 2019

Arrogant, myopic, and singular focus on test scores only, at detriment to overall educational experience and morale of the school for children. If you love test prep, worksheets and no field trips you will love the administration.

Posted: November 14, 2019

Undestaffed. Some kids did not get IEP support for weeks at a time. Parents need to police the school to ensure their child is served properly.

Posted: November 14, 2019

Posted: June 18, 2019

It depends on the grade and teacher. Some teachers are reasonable and some are not.

Posted: June 18, 2019

Posted: June 18, 2019

Posted: June 18, 2019

When my child was in elementary, he was bullied and it was dealt with as much as they can. In middle school, there seems to be much more bullying. There needs to be more support for middle school as some of the bullying is more serious (cyber-bullying).

Posted: June 18, 2019

For the most part, the school has been very good. However, in the last few year it feels like the school has lost it's identity of what made it great (it's good but not great). There use to be more community, more caring about children but now it's mostly pressure on teachers and students to concentrate on test scores. I hope this changes. They've cut back on field trips significantly and cut back on field day events - basically taking the fun out of school. They use to have a very active after school program with lots of classes you could sign your child up for like tennis, martial arts, yoga, tutoring, etc and all of that has been cut to bring in some corporate after care program that is expensive. There are hardly any clubs for middle schoolers and what they offer is mostly sports that you need to be selected for. For a school so focused on test scores, you would think they would have more STEM clubs. They do have a wonderful Robotics club but there should be more. My child does like Wesley and we like that the school is much smaller than other schools, and goes from K to 8th. I think if they can look at things holistically (academics/extracurricular activities/community) it could be a great school.

Posted: March 21, 2019

never had issues with this with our kids

Posted: March 21, 2019

Most teachers are very helpful in accommodating your family's needs with regard to homework. I will say though that my younger child has way more homework than my middle schooler

Posted: March 21, 2019

Posted: March 21, 2019

School atmosphere has tanked since new admin came on board. Sure, test scores have gone up *marginally*, but everything else has fallen apart. Rude, condescending and uninterested in parental input. they are all about appearances and how the school looks to outsiders. run it like a prison. no joy, no excitement about learning, just kill and drill for The Almighty Test. board and admin are way too close.

Posted: March 21, 2019

if you get the right teacher, you're good. as far as IEP kids, no updates on progress or methods, no discernible improvements in child after getting services; no communication

Posted: March 21, 2019

Used to be a great place. Warm, family-centered, welcoming, fun, engaging. We were all in. My kids loved it. now? they can't wait to leave. woe to any parent who doesn't toe the line and kiss admin or the board's butts. board and executive director are far to close for any semblance of accountability. all they care about are the test scores. no love for learning, high pressure environment to make the grade for the standardized test; teachers leave in droves and confide regularly to parents that they get no support and the whole environment is toxic. Then admin tells you fake reasons for them leaving. Teachers get shunned for speaking up, as do parents. And don't believe them when they tell you it is an IB school. Only in name....

Posted: August 7, 2018

Overall, I enjoy the parent involvement and those dedicated sincere educators that love what they do and genuinely care about the students. The administration is fair, I think, but can be more effective in support in the teachers and coming up with more ways to be engaged.

Posted: August 7, 2018

Homework wasn't too much for our family coming from a private Pre-K that had homework weekly.

Posted: August 7, 2018

My experience with the teachers have been ok, but majority are, in my opinion judgmental and discovered very gossipy. I've over heard them talking about parents and their children and even told a group of boys that other teachers didn't want them in their classroom the following because of their behavior. Teachers should be encouraging, not discouraging and want and believe in the students. I believe it's harmful to kids that are developing and trying to figure out life, when you have your teacher not highlighting your potential instead of your flaws.

Posted: August 7, 2018

This is definitely true and one of the schools strong points. However, going back to the teachers effectiveness, if a student see a teacher saying how they "get on their nerves" , or the next teacher " doesn't want them in their classroom", it doesn't show good examples.

Posted: August 7, 2018

In my 3 years, I really haven't seen effective engaged leadership.

Posted: August 7, 2018

Can't say I know anything about this.

Posted: August 7, 2018

Posted: February 2, 2018

the schools wants you to have respect close to none of type any fights. they are kind to each other and treat each other like they are family.

Posted: February 2, 2018

leader ship is really high here and they care that you lead yourself and don't follow bad decisions.

Posted: February 2, 2018

yes because they want everyone to graduate and go on to the next level no matter what way they have to do it.

Posted: February 2, 2018

if you are to tell a teacher or if a teacher sees it happening they will quickly stop what the bully is doing and make sure that the person who is being bully is safe and good.

Posted: February 2, 2018

my experience was awesome because of the people i met. and in class they help you. they want you to have fun but also wants you to do amazing in school. also they teach a different language than Spanish, which is mandarin Chinese so it gives your children a higher chance to going into great colleges and high schools because you learned something no one else did. you should try to get your children in that school because i promise you that you will like it.

Posted: February 2, 2018

home work was given often and they expected you to complete it and if you didn't under that you ask for help.

Posted: February 2, 2018

the teachers care for you and your well beings. also care about your academics because they are trying to prepare you for going to high school.

Posted: August 26, 2017

Please see above. The rating explains our experience.

Posted: August 26, 2017

There is no consistency amongst grade levels and no true accountability for students to complete.

Posted: August 26, 2017

Many of the teachers are not trained in early childhood education or have not had strong, continual professional development. From what I recall the administration made genuine attempts, but many students were/are failing. Best practices are not understood.

Posted: August 26, 2017

Posted: August 26, 2017

Many of the current leaders attempt to assist, but fall short. There is a high turn over rate of teachers and a lack of control in terms of student discipline.

Posted: August 26, 2017

The early intervention program is severely lacking and teachers do not get the assistance needed to ensure all of their kids are being served.

Posted: August 26, 2017

Posted: April 18, 2017

As a new kindergarten family we were welcomed in with open arms. During the school year the teachers were very attentive and recognized learning weaknesses with my daughter and immediately began working with her to strengthen them. I would always reach her teacher would is extremely responsive to questions. I could not be more pleased with our academic year.

Posted: December 10, 2016

They do not tolerate bullying and expect the Wesley Way behavior from all students.

Posted: December 10, 2016

Posted: December 10, 2016

We have a new executive director this year but so far he is great.

Posted: December 10, 2016

Integrity, passion and respect are definitely instilled in the WIA students. I saw it immediately when my son started. He would talk about it often.

Posted: December 10, 2016

Posted: December 10, 2016

We do have more homework than some schools but I fell like it helps our child. In Kindergarten I was sharing our homework matrix with a friend that has a child that attends a school a few miles away. Their teacher did not give any homework and she wanted some additional activities for her child.

Posted: December 10, 2016

Our son loves Wesley. This is his third year. I am so thankful for the IB curriculum and the great teachers. My son has learned to be a thoughtful, open minded, global individual.

Posted: October 13, 2016

We are a new Wesley Family and have nothing but positive feelings about this school. My daughter absolutely loves her school, especially the Chinese instruction she receives daily. The staff and teachers are professional, loving and always cordial. We are greeted with smiles always and truly feel a sense of family and community from top administrators down to all students. When we did have an issue, it was addressed and handled immediately. As an educator myself, I have very high expectations and so far WIA has met those expectations.

Posted: August 13, 2015

Teacher turnover rate is extremely high, administrators are not supportive or some say nice to staff members, and teachers don't belong to any of the cliques are being treated badly, they are pushed out of the school. School operations is a total mess, as a parent, you will hope the school will learn from their mistakes from the past years, it is not happening here, they are not prepared period. All the things they had to offer such as Chinese, IB, single gender are not implemented as it should, you kids may take Chinese everyday for eight years, but they learn so much as a first year or second year student in other well-structured program. Every year many new teachers are asked to teach IB when they are not trained or supported throughout the way. It is such a disappointment all in all

Posted: August 13, 2015

Some teachers work really hard, while others couldn't even make it to work on time, not to mention to be prepared for a full day instruction.

Posted: August 13, 2015

Posted: August 13, 2015

Posted: April 12, 2015

From the smiles on the way to school, the greetings by the teachers when arriving, the positive reports when our kids get home, to the great education we believe our kids are getting - this school is great. It's rare in Atlanta, or anywhere, to get a truly diverse school and we appreciate that about Wesley so much. The Chinese program, single-gender education, commitment to diversity, and it's IB focus makes this a really unique school.

Posted: February 8, 2015

It makes me sad to read the positive reviews. Most date back to 2012-13 or the beginning of the 2013-14 school year. Parents hadn't realized how many of teachers had already left or were in the process of being pushed or harassed out. With increasing barriers to parent involvement and high teacher turnover, the community feel has evaporated. Meanwhile, test scores haven't really improved, so it feels like a loss not an improvement.

Posted: November 4, 2014

This school sucks !!! They only push Chinese .the teachers act like teenagers . No hard core instruction .they give homework But my children act like they never saw it .

Posted: November 2, 2014

Wesley is very good about teaching discipline. They are very focused on test scores but not as much on the actual education of their students.

Posted: May 15, 2014

Lack of caring administration Not allocating funds appropriately Students are not heard Student achievement takes a back seat to uniforms and assemblies. Students are pulled during instruction without notice Lack of functional resources Total confusion and miscommunication Previous 8th grade students were struggling first year of high school in Math

Posted: October 2, 2013

Wesley International Academy has come a long way under the leadership of the new principal, Mr. Bradley. My niece recently relocated to another state after being at Wesley only 3 years. We were never quite sure how Wesley's kids stack up. I am proud to say she was moved to the gifted program for Math (this is a very affluent area public school) and is above all of her peers academically. The school kept asking where she came from and my sister was proud to say Wesley!!!

Posted: September 19, 2013

Wesley is an exceptional school! I am impressed with the overall academic program and the Chinese language instruction. Also impressive are the credentials of some of the educators from various countries and states. Their experiences and backgrounds, I believe, enhances the learning process for the students. The Wesley student, as a result, has the opportunity to navigate subject matters in a broader and more thoughtful manner.

Posted: August 13, 2013

(continued from earlier review) The Chinese language program is also incredibly impressive. With 7 full-time language instructors, each student studies Chinese daily. From learning basics and lots of music in the lower grades, to conversation and composition in the upper grades. Wesley is a charter that enrolls students from the entire district, enhancing our diversity. Parents are active and engaged, staff and instructors are committed and creative, location is central. We highly recommend Wesley to any family interested in providing their child(ren) with a top notch education and their family a fun community to be a part of.

Posted: August 11, 2013

I absolutely love this school. The teachers and administration are committed to the success of our children. I know that my children are receiving a quality education!

Posted: August 11, 2013

This is our third year at WIA and we love it. Great school that faces challenges head on; solves problems; passionate staff and parents; strives for community involvement and has a unique mix of creative people. I think what's most important is that my son says he 'loves school' and has many things to talk about everyday when I pick him up. When a child loves school, that's really what's important.

Posted: August 11, 2013

My husband and I are thrilled with the education our daughter is receiving at Wesley. She learned to read in kindergarten and was reading at a 6th grade level by the end of her first grade year. Mandarin is her favorite subject, and she loves being in a class with all girls. I highly recommend this school.

Posted: August 10, 2013

I love Wesley and so do my kids. They have learned so much in such a short amount of time, it's just amazing the difference. They offer single gender classrooms and they have 1 hour of Mandarin Chinese everyday starting in kindergarten. I recommend this school to everyone. I just can't speak highly enough!

Posted: August 10, 2013

Our public charter school (now located at 211 Memorial Drive) is a unique combination of international Baccalaureate eduction for both primary and middle years, single gender classrooms, and daily mandarin Chinese instruction. Uniforms allow children to have a sense of belonging to the larger school community and limit distractions. Our community is rich and vibrant, diverse in many ways, caring and invested. Our new facility allows much more adequate large group space than our previous location. Wesley's teachers are excellent educators who care about the students and the school community. Our family has had a great experience with our son (now a 3rd grader) and look forward to seeing him grow even more in the next six years at the school.

Posted: August 10, 2013

Wesley International Academy is an amazing, free, public charter school for children Kindergarten - Eighth grade. WIA has gender separated classrooms, daily Mandarin Chinese lessons, and is IB certified. Wesley is academically challenging, expecting great thinking and creative problem solving. The teachers and staff have the great ability to be firm yet caring. My daughter is in second grade, and all of her teachers thus far have been wonderful. We really love the gender separated classrooms, which gives my daughter an extra bit of confidence. I also really love the International Baccalaureate program. My daughter will spend hours working on her IB projects. She really enjoys the projects, and comes up with the most creative ideas. Wesley is the perfect combination of hard work and fun! It is an amazing school!

Posted: August 10, 2013

Love the daily Chinese! Love the IB curriculum! Love the families and the amazing diversity.

Posted: August 10, 2013

Our daughter is starting her second year at WIA and we could not be happier with this school and her experience. She had Ms. Rivers for Kindergarten and is now in Mrs. McConnell's first grade class. Both of these teachers have been excellent role models for the girls and have taken an active, committed role in their learning process. When she started Kindergarten, she could not read. This summer she read over 25 books, most on a second grade level! In addition, she has blossomed as a young citizen of the world through their curriculum and mission. The other parents of the first grade girls have been overwhelmingly involved and outgoing. This school has gone through many changes over the past 7 years but I think most of the issues have been resolved. One of the best changes was the new Prinicpal, Mr. Bradley, who started last year. I was a little hesitant last year bc our daughter also got into Drew Charter School and I was not sure which to choose. I know now that I made the correct choice - the IB curriculum is the best fit for our daughter along with the single gender classroom.

Posted: August 10, 2013

Wesley has been fantastic for our daughter. We have been thrilled with the teacher quality, IB curriculum and Chinese program.

Posted: August 10, 2013

Love the diversity of the school, the alternative language choice of Chinese and the growth I've seen in my children since day one. Wesley til the end!!!

Posted: July 29, 2013

I love this school so much I wish they had a high school I wanna go back but its time to move on its fun you can along with different cultures you learn Chinese the games be turned up you can learn very well get along with any teacher and etc!..

Posted: July 25, 2013

WIA is awesome! Our son is going into his fourth year. We love its diversity, academic rigor and community feel. We are looking forward to the new Cook facility this year as well. Go Phoenix!

Posted: July 25, 2013

Wesley is a wonderful learning environment in a diverse setting reflective of southeast Atlanta. As a parent, I have been continuously impressed by Wesley's teachers, leadership and parental involvement. It is a privilege to send my child to Wesley.

Posted: July 24, 2013

We love Wesley International Academy. Our son started in Kindergarten and will be in 3rd grade in a couple of weeks. The single gender classrooms, IB curriculum, uniform policy, and daily Mandarin Chinese lessons are what attracted us to the school and we have been very happy and satisfied with all of those aspects. In addition, we have found a strong, diverse community of parents/families, teachers, and administrators. The school has grown immensely and positively in its governance over the past several years and we now have an exciting new facility that will better serve our needs as a school. We've had a great experience so far and look forward to even better times ahead!

Posted: March 27, 2013

I just read a review that was posted this week and was exactly what I was going to post! They held their 2013 lottery a few weeks ago and they pulled actual names out of a hat, not assigned lottery numbers like other charter schools. Plus, they pulled the same names multiple times and when the lottery was over, they hadn't even called all the names for the wait list, so they were missing our child's name altogether than claimed it must have been our error. Someone within the DOE needs to keep a close eye on this school since they seem to play favorites ALL the time.

Posted: March 25, 2013

When choosing students in the lottery they use a pick out of a hat method ("random"). Most charter schools use a number method to curb cheating. When they were choosing the students in the lottery names came out of the hat twice. When confronted, the administration said it must have been an error due to a online application and a mailed in application. This is ridiculous. In addition there were students who applied who were not called . Students who were miscatagorized. I have to say the administration seems to be very disorganized.

Posted: December 5, 2012

I am pleased with WIA. The expectations are set high and that's what our children need. They are taught from an early age to be independent thinkers and problem solvers. My daughter has been enrolled at WIA since kindergarten and her teachers are all great. The work load is very demading but so is life! Great job WIA...

Posted: October 2, 2012

We were unsure of whether or not to send our daughter to Wesley. In the past, there was a lot of shake up with "management," upper level administrators, etc. I am pleased to say that so far, we are THRILLED with WIA. Parent/teacher communication is exceptional, parents, teachers, and students alike are engaged. The new principal seems excellent...so far. Work load is challenging, but rewarding. Overall, a great environment.