Pinewood School, founded in 1959, is an independent, coeducational, nondenominational college preparatory day school serving grades K–12. Upper Campus enrollment in Los Altos Hills (grades 7–12) is 300 students; K–6 enrollment, at two separate campuses in Los Altos, is 290 students.
The student teacher ratio at Upper Campus is approximately 7 to 1 and the maximum class size is eighteen students. Upper Campus faculty includes forty-four full-time and four part-time teachers, thirty-three of whom hold advanced degrees. Pinewood is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Los Altos Hills and Los Altos are located in the heart of Silicon Valley. Drawing from communities throughout the San Francisco Peninsula and greater San Jose, our student body is comprised of students from diverse cultural, religious, socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds who seek rigorous academics and support a high standard of behavior. Pinewood provides a nurturing environment where every student is encouraged to become a well-rounded individual, an insightful learner and critical thinker, a self-motivated student, a clear communicator and a respectful member of any community. 100% of Pinewood graduates attend college.

All sophomores and juniors enrolled in AP classes are expected to take the corresponding AP Exams; juniors will be counseled on an individual basis as to the appropriateness of taking the AP English Language exam. Seniors may opt out of taking an AP Exam with the approval of the college counselor, the AP course teacher, the student’s parents, and a member of the administration. Due to the COVID-19 protocols in place for 2020-21, all students enrolled in AP classes may opt out of taking the exam in Spring 2021.

230 AP Exams were taken by 112 students in grades 10–12 (out of a 10–12 enrollment of 148)

• All AP and Honors courses receive an additional point when calculating GPA.
• Enrollment in AP or Honors classes is determined by teacher recommendation. All students receive guidance with regards to their individual curriculum paths.
• Pinewood students are allowed to take AP or Honors courses beginning in the tenth grade.
• AP course enrollment is capped at 5 classes per year for seniors and 4 classes per year for juniors.

These policies are designed to encourage qualified students to challenge themselves by attempting higher level work.

Prior to the COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020, only a small percentage of the Class of 2021 had taken either the ACT or SAT. With most colleges and universities being test optional for 2021–22, combined with the continued restrictions and general unavailability of testing in California, only a few Pinewood students plan to take either the ACT or the SAT this fall. Consequently we believe providing test scores for the Class of 2021 presents an inaccurate picture. The following are SAT and ACT test results for the Classes of 2020 and 2019 as of June of their senior years.

Pinewood students are encouraged to pursue individual talents and interests through extracurricular activities and athletic participation. The high school athletic program includes girls’ and boys’ basketball, soccer, tennis, cross-country, swimming, track and field, and golf; boys’ baseball; and girls’ softball and volleyball. School-sponsored activities include Interact, yearbook, journalism, drama, speech and debate, choir, robotics, special interest clubs, service clubs, and honor societies.

Pinewood students are required to complete twenty hours of volunteer time per year in service- oriented activities.