The Cooper School

The Cooper School is a private K-8 school in Charleston, SC, located at 13 Oakdale Place. It serves students from kindergarten through eighth grade with a progressive education model that emphasizes project-based learning, social emotional growth, and academic rigor. The school offers a STEM program designed to foster curiosity and critical thinking through real-world challenges, alongside a diverse array of arts classes including painting, pottery, theater, and music. Students also participate in clubs ranging from coding and gardening to storytelling and community activism. The school holds a rating of 4.8 based on 12 reviews.

Founded in 2007 by Dr. Kate Ellesworth, the school opened with 13 students and has grown into a distinctive independent institution. Dr. Ellesworth, a SC native with degrees from Harvard University, Columbia University, and the University of Pittsburgh, developed the curriculum inspired by the work of John Dewey, Jean Piaget, and Lev Vygotsky. The school’s approach replaces traditional letter grades with competency benchmarks based on national standards and detailed narrative feedback, encouraging students to take an active role in self-reflection. The K-8 configuration is chosen to provide a stable, nurturing environment that avoids the peer pressures of high school, allowing students to develop self-awareness and leadership skills without older teens on campus. The school admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin, and does not discriminate in its educational policies or programs.

The campus is situated on Oakdale Place, about a quarter mile from Saint Andrews Boulevard. It is located less than half a mile from Ackerman Park and Savannah Highway. The school is also within half a mile of Charleston Fire Department Station 10 and the public artwork known as the Coburg Cow.

The Cooper School is known for its progressive teaching methods and its focus on whole-child development. It stands among the distinctive independent schools in Charleston, offering a curriculum that balances high student engagement with content-specific academic rigor. The school’s commitment to inquiry, innovation, empathy, community, and sustainability forms the basis of its culture.

In Charleston, The Cooper School provides a rigorous and joyful educational environment that prepares students for the complexities of the world beyond the classroom.