Falls Church High School

Posted: October 2, 2025

This school does a horrible job at supporting its students. So many of the students aren’t engaged in learning and fall behind.

Posted: October 2, 2025

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Posted: August 25, 2025

terrible school, I have never felt less supported in my life at a school, almost every test we take matches nothing we learn, the environment is horrible, and the new phone law makes students feel even more scared to go to school. 0/10 this school has ruined my life and made me feel terrible about myself.

Posted: August 25, 2025

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Posted: September 17, 2024

We have been part of FCHS for 9 years. It is a wonderful place where students are challenged and supported at the same time. It's a great place! The principal is exceptional. If students do not have to work or tend to family, there are countless opportunities for students - performing arts, sports, clubs, etc. It is also a wonderfully diverse community!

Posted: September 17, 2024

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Posted: July 27, 2022

I have two daughters who attended FCHS. They both received excellent educations from caring teachers. The staff turnover is low. Both my daughters went on to graduate from state schools in Virgina. One daughter also went on to law school and is a practicing attorney. The other is a teacher. The school is currently being renovated, which is the only reason for not giving five stars.

Posted: July 27, 2022

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Posted: May 10, 2022

This is a smaller school that affords our kids a great education with the clubs and varsity sports teams that are oftentimes inaccessible at the larger schools in Northern VA (Lake Braddock and Woodson). Very diverse student body that is important to us to expose our kids to different cultures and viewpoints.

Posted: May 10, 2022

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Posted: February 24, 2022

We moved from a high pressure school nearby in order for our kids to have a well rounded HS experience and we never once regretted it. FCHS is a fabulous school with administrators and staff who value kids being kids while expecting great things of them. It us extremely diverse with many opportunities for those who choose and are able to participate. Our children take AP classes, are involved in multiple sports and the performing arts. The teachers care deeply about their students. We love FC!

Posted: February 24, 2022

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Posted: August 6, 2020

My child loved her time at FCHS. She is academically gifted so she would have done well anywhere but the intangibles she got at FCHS were what has really helped her be the cultured, confident leader that she has become. She’s currently a senior student athlete in college who is going on for her PhD in psychology.

Posted: August 6, 2020

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Posted: July 18, 2020

excellent. kid was accepted to all colleges (UVA, Tech, JMU, VCU, Radford and a few out of state) and got a full scholarship based on academics.

Posted: July 18, 2020

don't recall every having an issue with homework, even with a few AP classes in a year it all got done and wasn't terribly stressful for kid

Posted: July 18, 2020

the leadership seems to give teachers the room to manage their classrooms as they see fit, smaller classes help too

Posted: July 18, 2020

taught responsibility and accountability, allowed enough room for kid to figure things out, but always offered support

Posted: July 18, 2020

very good leadership, especially dealing with an extremely diverse, especially socioeconomically diverse, population

Posted: July 18, 2020

didn't participate in any of these programs, but others have said they're good.

Posted: July 18, 2020

didn't have any experiences or issues with bullying

Posted: April 8, 2020

Sending my daughter here was one of the worst decisions of my life. She went from an all A student who received in the 1500s on her SATs without taking a class or studying to now hanging out with a very bad crowd, taking only a few classes, and no longer planning to go to college. This school ruined her life. I will forever regret moving into the Falls Church High School district. The rumors about it are all sadly true.

Posted: April 8, 2020

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Posted: November 4, 2019

Posted: November 4, 2019

Posted: November 4, 2019

Posted: November 4, 2019

Posted: November 4, 2019

Posted: November 4, 2019

Posted: November 4, 2019

I had 3 children go through this school. They spanned the years 2004 - 2019. This school is a gem. It continues to surprise the people who end up attending here because everyone outside of the pyramid warns people to not attend. Like so much of our education system, people are overly obsessed about scores and the measurable standards that our pretentious culture has convinced us to care about. Meanwhile, you ask almost any student at Falls Church High School if they like their school and their answer is almost always yes. The teachers overwhelmingly love this school (look up survey from 4 years ago) - and there is a warm, caring feeling inside these walls that has existed long before people realized the effects of bullying. My youngest is now at UVA - doing well, so that addresses for me whether the education that she received was adequate, and my two older children are gainfully employed, attributing much of their success to the FCHS culture that they were lucky enough to have influence them. What a joke to see 3/10 - where can we rate Great Schools - the website that probably has done more damage to our students by ranking schools on scores.

Posted: November 4, 2019

The school is recognized for its broad diversity and success across its diverse school body.

Posted: November 4, 2019

Anti-bullying education and communication seeks to encourage respect for individuals and steps for intervention when necessary.

Posted: November 4, 2019

Superlative. A relatively small school in Fairfax County, but large compared to other regions of the country, provides ample opportunities for leadership development, athletics and clubs.

Posted: November 4, 2019

Our Virginia Tech freshman and senior, engineering and business students, respectively, attended and excelled at FCHS, participating in athletics and took many AP and dual enrollment courses. Great school!

Posted: November 4, 2019

Teachers are dedicated to working with your student and have a cooperative, supportive administration.

Posted: November 4, 2019

The culture of the school encourages respect and grit.

Posted: November 4, 2019

From the Principal Dr. Nowak to the Assistant Principals, staff and teachers, the school is focused on continual improvement and student achievement. Academics is the primary focus, and Athletics, the Arts, and other programs seek to encourage excellence in academics.

Posted: November 3, 2019

These ratings sites are no indication of what is going on at the school and how well students at Falls Church HS do in college. Students are prepared for college and the experience they have at Falls Church gives them confidence to succeed. Please don't worry about what sites like this rate them. I would choose Falls Church HS over any other high school in Fairfax County. It is not as stressful, but if you have a students who want to be challenged the school offers courses for them. If you have a student who wants to have a well-rounded high school career by participating in sports and activities while taking advanced courses, this is the place. It is definitely a hidden gem. AND it will be completely renovated in about 3 years!!

Posted: November 3, 2019

The principal works with teachers to make sure there is a balance. Homework is used to help and not hinder student learning.

Posted: November 3, 2019

Great and caring teachers. Several of my childrens' teachers have actually chosen teaching as a second career. It shows in their ability to help students understand how to prepare for life after college.

Posted: November 3, 2019

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Posted: November 3, 2019

Fantastic experience with special education team. We are so lucky this is our base school.

Posted: November 3, 2019

Posted: October 26, 2019

Our student is receiving a great education at Falls Church HS!

Posted: October 26, 2019

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Posted: August 12, 2018

Posted: August 12, 2018

Falls Church HS is the most underrated school in Great Schools.org. The students that graduate from this school go on to have successful lives! The school population is diverse and mirrors the world we live in - there is nothing wrong with a diverse population and all that goes with it. I highly recommend this high school. My children are successful - one already graduated from college and the other is attending Va. Tech.

Posted: August 12, 2018

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Posted: March 6, 2017

We love this school. This school offers the full range of rigorous college prep AP classes with excellent teachers that give the challenges ambitious kids are looking for plus several Academies like EMS and Beautician licenses for those not seeking a college path. The school, while growing still has a unique small community feel where kids can get the attention they need and can participate in most sports. Harmonious happy environment because there is no dominant group. A true rainbow community. Football and soccer are big. Band and swim team excel. Nice theatre program. Good National Honor Society program. Can't say enough good things about this school. New principal is focusing on infrastructure and technology upgrade. Go Jags!

Posted: March 6, 2017

Posted: January 8, 2017

Posted: January 8, 2017

Posted: January 8, 2017

Posted: January 8, 2017

I don't know if it is the diverse mix of cultures or an influence from the attitude of the administrators but the students at this school are polite and respectful. Something you don't often see from teenagers these days.

Posted: January 8, 2017

Teachers really seem to enjoying being in the smallest of the FFX county high schools. The interaction are very personal and they truly seem to know the students.

Posted: January 8, 2017

Homework seems to be appropriate. My son participates in many after school activities and has no problem keeping up.

Posted: January 8, 2017

I decided to rate this school as great because I think it is a great choice for my children. I have another child that attends Thomas Jefferson High School and had I known then what I know now, I would have had her attend Falls Church High School.

Unfortunately the greatschools.org rating for this school is artificially low. The scores are based on the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) scores. This school has a large number of Latino immigrant children for whom their first language is not English. I you look at the publicly available SOL results, you'll see that with the exception of this group the other kids do as well or better than at some of the other Fairfax County High Schools. This school is smaller and more personal than those schools. Teachers love the attitudes of the students and fight to get a job here. If you want diversity of experience with a first class education, then this high school is for you.

Posted: November 17, 2016

There is a wide range of abilities in this school due to its demographics. Kids that have gone on to Princeton and kids with developmental delays. All are supported effectively.

Posted: November 17, 2016

We have a new principal this year who looks promising.

Posted: November 17, 2016

Can't say enough about the quality of this school when it comes to developing the character of students to become people of compassion and respect for others.

Posted: November 17, 2016

Most teachers have been very good. Several have been truly excellent and one or two terrible. So far the two we found terrible are gone or "demoted". Our experience is mostly challenging classes. A couple of the AP teachers were really inspirational.

Posted: November 17, 2016

The entire 10th grade was issued laptops this year! My daughter a senior, has had enough opportunity during the school day to work on homework where she does not spend a great deal of time on it at night. She is an above average student. She says she does not struggle with homework. Most teachers seem to provide enough lead time and reminders on projects. Electronic Blackboard and GoogleDocs are helpful. Free tutoring available through National Honor Society and Math Honor Society.

Posted: July 20, 2016

My middle daughter has had a great experience at this school. She is a very bright girl who has gone all they way through FCPS's version of a GT Program (a full-time program where you attend a "center" in an elementary school that may not be your own). She has had many opportunities to participate in sports and extracurricular activities. They have a large selection of AP classes, which has given her more choice in what AP's she wants to take.

Like all public schools, it was not great for my oldest daughter who had some special needs but fell into a gray area--her grades were too good to get much in the way of extra services and she was well-behaved in class (but she was really just zoning out). She not attends a private school that meets her unique special needs but does not provide her with the wealth of opportunities she had at FCHS.

Posted: July 20, 2016

Posted: July 20, 2016

There is not always too much homework but the teachers all seem to assign projects at the same time--the end of the marking period. I think they should spread this out a bit. My daughter at times became completely overwhelmed.

Posted: July 20, 2016

While my personal experience has been that the kids are polite and well-behaved in school, when participating in after-school activities, many of the students do not comply with FCPS policy on drug and alcohol use and it is often ignored by the school. Like all schools in NoVA, parents look the other way when it comes to their child's illegal activities as long as they have great grades and get into a good college.

Posted: June 5, 2015

Posted: June 5, 2015

Posted: June 5, 2015

Posted: June 5, 2015

The staff are always friendly and go out of their way to make you feel more comfortable. The school population is relatively small meaning it's easier to make it onto sports team and try new things. Having a smaller class body also make it easier to make friends. Teachers really push for good grades and to study hard which is great! The only downside is that the school is really rundown and it's in serious need of a renovation. New technology will help improve the school and moral.

Posted: January 5, 2015

Falls Church High School is a great place to go to school! In general the teachers genuinely care about the success of their students and are willing to stay after school to help us. Because FCHS is smaller than other FCPS schools, there are increased opportunities to participate in sports and clubs. The smaller student body also results in a stronger sense of community. One downside is that we have not been renovated in a long time and the school is becoming worn down.

Posted: January 5, 2015

The school has gotten way too crowded over the years, the staff is not very efficient, and it needs a lot of remodeling . The teachers and classes are overall okay.

Posted: January 5, 2015

The school is pretty good the teachers are pretty nice the kids arent great yo

Posted: January 5, 2015

We are a very diverse school. It's really small and unique. Most of our teachers are amazing and some not so amazing. We are surrounded by a good environment.

Posted: January 4, 2015

It's a good school with some pretty great teachers. Offers many classes and academies to allow students to choose from a wider variety of programs and studies. With more money from the government to purchase more technologies, such as computers, 3-D printers, and better internet; it will greatly improve the educational experience for students attending Falls Church HS in the future.

Posted: January 4, 2015

This school is alright. The teach and faculty are very helpful however the schools utilities need to be refurbished.

Posted: January 4, 2015

Its diverse, not as sanitized as it should be, the school is very small with class averaging 300 students per grade, there are many students who don't bother to participate in events and downgrades the school.

Posted: January 4, 2015

Falls Church is a great place to school. The small school enviroment makes it easier to learn and be effective doing so.

Posted: January 4, 2015

the school is in a very good location next to a good plaza but its very small

Posted: November 28, 2014

I can't believe that parent just said there was no bullying at FCHS. Sure, the academics are average. My biology class as more students than seats and all the other biology honors are filled up. Still, there's a decent curriculum at the school although there are a lot of Freshmen this year taking up a lot of room and maximizing the student:teacher ratio. But there is bullying. I see a boy in my gym class, I think he has an IEP but he's not in adapted physical education, get bullied. Sure, I won't stand up for him. It's not really going to help me, is it? But don't say that there is no bullying. It goes on more frequently than you know but I won't say that Falls Church has more bullying than other schools. I'm just saying that it's happening and you shouldn't use such a bold statement like "Falls Church has absolutely (capitalized) no bullying."

Posted: November 15, 2014

Falls Church is a hidden gem. Advanced students can (and do/my son is Advanced academics, tri-athelete honor roll) excel in a small-medium high school environment; especially because the student and teacher culture is intimate, and NON-CLIQUE, NON-BULLYING... All students work together and help and support each other. Your child won't get lost in a crowd! Solid sports programs, depending on the sport; student with that aptitude attract college recruiters. Truly a hidden and under-rated gem of a school. No crime or drug problems; these kids are mostly good solid kids and citizens. Our son has truly excelled there, and after one week, he loved it so much he flat out refused the thought of moving to a more 'prestigious' (snobby, big, clicky) nearby district. This intimate and personal learning environment is like what smaller high schools used to be; but are so hard to find now.

Posted: October 19, 2014

In 2014 FCHS SAT scores trended upward while the rest of the state and the nation trended downward or just held steady in all three areas. This tells you a lot about how well the teachers are doing in this diverse school!!

Posted: April 25, 2014

Falls Church High School is a small international public school inside the beltway that is underrated. I have been offered the opportunity for more prestigious jobs at other schools, but I have chosen to stay at Falls Church because the students and teachers are world class. We have teachers from the top universities in the U.S., and a few of us have doctorates. I teach at Falls Church during the day and at GMU at night. If you want a diverse and caring atmosphere for your child with exceptional extra-curricular opportunities, then Falls Church High School should be on your list of schools to consider.

Posted: November 19, 2013

Falls Church High School is the best kept secret in Fairfax County. Don't be fooled by what you hear (most people with negative comments have never attended this school). My kids have been at FCHS for 7 years. If you want your child to be at a small school, where everyone knows you and accepts you and wants your child to succeed at all costs, then FCHS is the school for you. I have never seen such kind kids and faculty, with so much school spirit. The class sizes are small, communication from the teachers is amazing (progress reports every other week sent electronically), and the teachers are so accommodating to staying after to help our students succeed. The pride of being a Jaguar is paramount and the sense of community is of no other. I would highly recommend this high school to anyone in this community and feel sorry for those who listen to silly rumors and not allow their children to have such a wonderful high school experience of a stress free community where everyone accepts eachother.