Resources

Refine Search

State: Base: Miles from base:

Search by school name:

Address Lookup:
Miles from address:

Advanced Options

Home Search

Southern Wake Academy

Holly Springs, NC 27540

Phone: (919) 567-9955
Fax: (919) 567-9956
District: Southern Wake Academy School District

School Review
GreatSchools Reviews
Nearby Neighborhoods
Nearby Areas
Nearby Bases

GreatSchools Rating

charter • Grades 6,7,8,9,10,11,12 • 579 students

Southern Wake Academy, a charter school located in Holly Springs, NC, serves grades 6-12 in the Southern Wake Academy School District.It has received a GreatSchools Rating of 3 out of 10, based on a variety of school quality measures.

Southern Wake Academy is a charter school located in Holly Springs, NC. 579 students attend Southern Wake Academy.

School Ratings

Category	Rating	Details
Test Scores	5/10	The Test Score Rating examines how students at this school performed on standardized tests compared with other schools in the state. The Test Rating was created using 2025 North Carolina End-of-Course Tests data from North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, and using 2025 North Carolina End-of-Grade Tests data from North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
College Readiness	3/10	The College Readiness Rating uses this high school's graduation rates, college entrance exam participation and performance, or AP, IB, or Dual Enrollment participation to determine how well schools are preparing students for success in college and beyond. The College Readiness Rating was created using the following data from the 2021 Civil Rights Data Collection: percentage of students enrolled in IB, AP or Dual Enrollment classes in grades 9-12, using 2025 4-year high school graduation rate data from North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, using 2025 Average ACT score data from North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, using 2025 ACT percent college ready data from North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, and using 2025 demographic data from North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
Student Growth	1/10	The Student Progress Rating measures whether students at this school are making academic progress over time based on student growth data provided by the Department of Education. Specifically, this rating looks at how much progress individual students have made on state assessments during the past year or more, how this performance aligns with expected progress based on a student growth model established by the state Department of Education, and how this school's growth data compares to other schools in the state. The Growth Rating was created using 2024 Student growth data from North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

Posted: June 1, 2026

I have two high school children at this school. They have both been at SWA since the 6th grade. The school is small and personalized with the average class size around 13 students. The teachers are able to provide individualized attention to the students. SWA has a great selection of sports for all grades from middle school through highschool the students can participate in. We are highly satisfied with the education our kids are receiving.

Posted: February 10, 2026

There has been a significant change of staff and administration since I started attending my sophomore year. SWA is a bittersweet experience.

Little to absolutely no ACT, SAT, or college prep, but the school did assist me to be a part of the local community college dual-enrollment and have given some accommodations for it. Nonetheless I enter my senior year I am feeling the effects of having no guidance or preparation incentive, even as an honors student.

Substitutes hires are not there to actually guide the class or supervise- they are there to fill a chair. Actual teachers and TAs, however, are the most exceptional I have ever worked with in any highschool I have attended. Healthy mix of seasoned & fledgling teachers who genuinely care for your success from all sorts of perspectives.

Athletics are extremely few and far inbetween. This is made up for an amazing mens basketball and womens volleyball team; but as a former student athlete I was not able to continue my career in swimming due to lack of school interest.

Bullying is very prevalent here, though the school being so tight-knit makes (ironically) it very difficult to distinguish playful banter and harmful behavior. Very, very clique-y student body. Before admin changes, my own personal and others experiences with group harassment led to legal action. Many students left due to bullying from (mainly) the cheer team at the time.

Event management is sub-par at best. Short notice for many events & really only priority for the sports teams, but this is more of a staffing issue in events. Good luck on getting anyone to attend, let alone hear about, your event or club.

This is not the school for AP prospective students, less than 2 AP classes offered per year due to poor interest. Unless you are extremely self motivated and are able to do extra schooling via NCVPS or dual-enrollment, you will not have an exceptional choice in classes for gifted students or those wanting a challenge.

Spec-ED and disability accommodations here are disgustingly below average. Those with intellectual disabilities or otherwise are kept almost for the entire day in a singular classroom without much support or engagement beyond one incredibly kind teacher. There is no recognition or engagement from or for SWAs disabled students, & IEP/401 staff is iffy in terms of availability and scope.

TLDR: great basketball team. Teachers are amazing. Admin & spec-ed very poor. Tight knit, but messy.

Posted: November 19, 2025

This place is great. I've been here since 6th grade, and I'm still loving it. I do recommend this school to any upcoming high school/middle school students!

Posted: May 27, 2025

Worst school I ever could have sent my done to. Unaddressed bullying that was not rectified and followed through for a year and a half. Teachers do not have to have teaching degrees. What else do you want to know?

Posted: July 30, 2024

As a student at Southern Wake Academy, I feel the way the school handles things is very unprofessional and non-productive. The administration does not do anything to resolve any issues between the students unless the situation becomes physical. The teachers are rude and show lack of enthusiasm while teaching. The college readiness/preparation is so ineffective, you might as well learn it on your own. The classes that the school offers are strictly limited and they sacrifice the school subjects that are most popular and most advantageous to the students who try to prepare for college. The school does not prioritize the student's mental health, the counselors are insufficient, in that, they don't rectify the situation and say "Well, just ignore it" even when it gets to the point where the situation is more serious and can't be ignored. I would not recommend sending your child to this particular charter school.

Posted: July 20, 2024

As a student at southern wake academy, they way they handle things with the students are very poor and unprofessional. The administration does not do anything unless its about a school fight. The teachers are rude, horrible and don't know how to teach. The college readiness/preparation is horrible, might as well do it your self, and the classes the school, offers are not the best. The school gets rid of the good teachers and the good electives that look good on college resumes because of the budget. They don't prioritise students mental health, the counsellors are just horrible, don't do anything to help the students, they only say "well just ignore it" but it gets to the point that ignoring is not an option. If you are thinking about sending your child here for school, i would not, i would just send them to a private school, or another academy.

Posted: February 24, 2023

Do not send your kids to southern wake academy because it is a bad school and unorganized school and bad teachers.

Posted: November 15, 2022

The school has gone through a lot of changes in the past few years, including personnel changes. It seems like things are getting on track and problems that had previously existed have been addressed and solved. What's really important to me is how the teachers treat their students, and that's always been a strong point of the school. The classes are small enough that teachers get to know their students really well, and are invested in them. This is very important for those quiet students especially, who may be overlooked in larger schools. I also know that many of the teachers have advanced degrees, and they know what they teach really well.

Posted: June 13, 2022

The new leadership is moving the school in the right direction. The teachers are very effective. Teachers are caring and find ways to accommodate students. The EC department is AMAZING!!

Posted: June 13, 2022

The family / community atmosphere at the school is amazing and unique! My students love going to school, and have great relationships with the teachers and staff. This past year, there has been a huge shift in morale of students and staff. This school is going places!!

Posted: November 5, 2021

the students here teach you like trash. if you dont look a certain way, and if you are too short your made fun of, if your overwight your made fun of, but if your tall students praise you and ive seen this with teachers too. plz fix your school its falling apart.

Posted: November 5, 2021

Posted: July 14, 2021

Unfortunately, this school is falling apart. It is all unraveling from the top. The teachers are fantastic in terms of their passion, expertise, and qualifications, but the administration does not value that and instead micromanages and drives the faculty away which in turn leads to the bad results. The EC program also has made big changes which are not in compliance with state laws/regulations or best practices. I cannot recommend this school to parents, students, or potential teachers.

Posted: July 14, 2021

Posted: July 5, 2020

They create a toxic school culture and do not lead best for the students or staff. They are more concerned about themselves.

Posted: July 5, 2020

I was a teacher a this school and they recently had a large shift in leadership. They brought back an AP who is well know to have discriminated against teachers of color and bullied those who she did not like. She made students few similar. The board and the superintendent do not run this school well, they have made uninformed decisions and most of the staff have left in the past year because of it.

Posted: July 5, 2020

Posted: May 8, 2018

Ride to students. No structure to curriculum in 7th grade social studies or science classes.

Posted: May 8, 2018

How can the staff encourage students to be respectful when they dont exhibit respectful behavior themselves?

Posted: May 8, 2018

Never got back to me on serious issue concerning bullying and constant access to inappropriate content on school computers that students are freely given access to.

Posted: May 8, 2018

Gives lip service to promoting a nurturing and accepting environment whilevturning a blind eye to bullying. Also, not timely with IEP meetings. No end of year review was ever done, and teachers do not follow the IEP, so its pretty useless.

Posted: May 8, 2018

Most teachers refuse to update Google classroom

Posted: May 8, 2018

Terrible. Unsupportive, not caring, and overall ineffective.

Posted: April 20, 2018

Very little homework, however it is very useful in the way its teaching

Posted: April 20, 2018

I would give it a 11/10 great school!!

Posted: March 21, 2018

Absolutely 100 percent terrible and disappointing due to terrible teachers and staff.

Posted: July 16, 2015

This is a great school if your child has "social problems" or has experienced bullying. School has a reputation as a good place for kids who would struggle in a traditional school environment. Smaller class sizes and more attention for the students. Not a school to consider if academics are a priority, again this school is more geared towards the child who "does not fit in" or struggles with their peers, has an accepting atmosphere for kids who are a bit "different".

Posted: April 11, 2014

We love Southern Wake Academy. The small class size and teacher to student ratio works rather well for our family. My child loves being able to be part of the sports programs. We love how supportive the staff is and how engaging they are towards teaching students and being involved with their lives in a professional manner. As a parent I think the children learning about jobs through job shadowing is very important and helpful for students to learn their likes and dislikes about the real world. Teaching the kids to be a supportive part of a community is also a great part of their learning experience. I am so glad we found Southern Wake Academy, it has been a blessing to our family.

Posted: April 9, 2014

My son is in 7th grade and really likes the school. The smaller environment has been ideal for him, both academically and socially. The teachers and administration are very communicative, responsive, caring, supportive, and helpful. Would like to see a few more extra curricular opportunities and/or a music program.

Posted: April 8, 2014

My school is wonderful for some many reasons - the teachers are fabulous, caring, patient and they treat our children as their own. My son loves going to school everyday and being a part of all that Southern Wake Academy offers.

Posted: April 8, 2014

My family and I love this school. It is a great alternative to regular large high schools in the area. We love the job-shadowing and community service requirements as it gives our children opportunities to look to the future and learn their career likes and dislikes. We do love the teachers, who are well qualified to teach our children. We love the fact that the school is so small--maybe 250 students at present. We homeschooled our children prior to there acceptance and SWA helped it be an easy transition. We are looking forward to the new school being built!

Posted: April 7, 2014

Southern Wake Academy in Holly Springs has been a wonderful school for my children. The smaller school environment and more personal attention of teachers have allowed my children to grow in self confidence and to shine. The teachers really care about the students as individuals. I hope that the school will provide more extra curricular activities for the middle school students as this would truly round out their program. I am happy that my children are attending Southern Wake Academy.

Posted: April 7, 2014

SWA has been making steady progress over the last several years. The small class sizes permit the teachers to get to know their students. The teachers are accessible and to a large degree are excellent educators. With the small size of the school your child doesn't feel like a number there. We do like the community service and job shadowing emphasis of the school. No school is perfect and neither is SWA but our kids will be back for another school year in the fall. I do believe they care for our children's best interests and education. The PTO is also getting more organized so hopefully parental involvement will continue to improve as well.

Posted: April 7, 2014

Southern Wake Academy is a small but growing charter school. They focus primarily on enrichment of our children as well rounded people and not just academics. With a child with special needs, I sought out such a school in order for my child to be able to thrive in the school environment instead of suffocate.

Posted: April 7, 2014

We have love the individual attention our boys have gotten at Southern Wake. They have participated in extra curricular activities including sports that they wouldn't have been able to in a larger school. I would love to see a music program added.

Posted: April 7, 2014

Southern Wake Academy takes a personal approach to each student, takes time to learn your child's needs and has small classroom settings. My kids have gone to this school for the past few years and have truly benefitted from the school's leadership and commitment to the students.

Posted: April 7, 2014

We need more schools like Southern Wake Academy (a charter school). There are NO other viable alternatives to the public school system in the Holly Springs/Fuquay area, which public schools have sadly become so overcrowded and unsuitable environments for quality education. I withdrew my child from HRMS and enrolled her in SWA. She quickly became confident and is now eager to participate in her education. The smaller class setting allows SWA teachers to actually supervise and help students in need. The uniform/dress code provides opportunity for kids to focus on education, not clothing or status quo. The school has a zero tolerance towards bullying, which has plagued public schools. The bar is set higher for quality learning, good conduct, leadership, and respect. I am truly impressed. Wake County should take notice and bring more charter schools to our community similar to Southern Wake Academy.

Posted: March 24, 2013

Small class sizes and motivated teachers - great for students with disabilities, who have struggled in the traditional setting, or are just looking a good support network of teachers, and a low drama population of students.

Reviews provided by GreatSchools^™

#	Name	Type	City	State	Distance
1	Eagle Ridge	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Raleigh	NC	8.9 mi
2	Winston Pointe	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Clayton	NC	17.2 mi
3	Hedingham	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Raleigh	NC	20.5 mi
4	Forest Oaks	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Bunnlevel	NC	22.6 mi
5	Anderson Creek Club	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Spring Lake	NC	23.9 mi
6	The Summit	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Sanford	NC	24 mi
7	Sunset Ridge	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Sanford	NC	24.4 mi
8	Overhills Creek	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Spring Lake	NC	25.9 mi
9	Ellerslie Subdivision	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Fayetteville	NC	26.8 mi
10	Carolina Seasons	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Cameron	NC	27 mi
11	Castlebrooke	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Linden	NC	27.4 mi
12	Forest Ridge	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Cameron	NC	27.8 mi
13	Deerfield	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Spring Lake	NC	29.9 mi
14	Kings Grant	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Fayetteville	NC	30.5 mi
15	Stonegate Apartments	Apartment Complex	Spring Lake	NC	31.6 mi
16	Inverness	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Fayetteville	NC	31.8 mi
17	Patriot Park Village	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Fayetteville	NC	31.9 mi
18	Kinwood	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Fayetteville	NC	32.8 mi
19	College Lakes	Area of Town	Fayetteville	NC	33.2 mi
20	Woodlake	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Vass	NC	33.5 mi

#	Name	City	State	Distance
1	North Ramsey Road	Fayetteville	NC	28.6 mi
2	Spring Lake	Spring Lake	NC	31.7 mi
3	Spring Lake by Ft Bragg Base	Spring Lake	NC	32.1 mi
4	Eastwood Ave & Kentberry Ct.	Fayetteville	NC	35.7 mi
5	Vass	Vass	NC	35.8 mi

Base	Distance
Raleigh National Guard	15 mi.
Pope Field	32.2 mi.
Fort Bragg	38.3 mi.

Refine Search

State:

Base:

Miles from base:

Search by school name:

National Ad

Southern Wake Academy

Holly Springs, NC 27540

School Ratings

Refine Search

National Ad

Email Address *

*We take your personal information very seriously and will never give it to a 3rd party. If you don't enjoy the email series, you can always unsubscribe at anytime.*

We take your personal information very seriously and will never give it to a 3rd party. If you don't enjoy the email series, you can always unsubscribe at anytime.