Ranked the #1 Private K-12 School in New Hampshire by Niche for five consecutive years, Portsmouth Christian Academy has proven that a Christ-centered school can also be academically excellent. Our students consistently test higher than the state and national averages, and they do so while learning that God has gifted each of them with specific skills and talents they’ll use to impact our world for good.
Portsmouth Christian Academy is the largest non-denominational Christian school in New England located on a beautiful 50-acre riverfront campus in Dover, NH. PCA’s traditional Preschool to Grade 12 educational program is academically rigorous and culminates in an excellent college preparatory Upper School program. The school is divided into four sections: Preschool (PCAP), Lower School (K-5), Middle School (6-8) and Upper School (9-12). The Lower School has divisions for primary (K-2), and elementary (3-5) with a philosophy of progressive maturation that undergirds the students’ movement from one division to the next.
Our families share similar expectations for an excellent education in a safe and nurturing learning environment for their children. Our Christ-centered community answers that call by engaging students as they discover and develop their talents and interests through a wide range of academic activities, build their biblical integrity, and learn to show love to one another as Christ has shown His love to us.
PCA’s history comes from humble beginnings. In the late 1970’s, a pastor and his wife felt called to start a Christian school after being discouraged by what they saw in their public school system. What began as a 70-student school, named Bethel Christian Academy, has blossomed into New England’s largest non-denominational school with over 630 students in 3 buildings on a 50-acre campus, resting on the banks of the Bellamy River.
Over 1,000 PCA graduates have entered college classrooms, military academies, and job sites with the tools they need to be successful. Our students are critical thinkers, creative problem-solvers, guided by Christian principles, and taught to become service-oriented leaders of tomorrow.
The Four C’s
Throughout our history, the question has often been asked as to whether a school can be both academically rigorous and Biblically-sound in its teaching, without forfeiting excellent instruction in one or the other. The Four C’s are our way of explaining how we approach the education and spiritual formation of our students–from the development of personal Christian character to the preparation to answer God’s call for their lives.
Character
At our core, our school is founded on Biblical values and principles that shape who we are, how we view the world, and how we educate our students. Students are taught to love God, respect their classmates, and pursue excellence in every area of their lives.
Community
By teaching students Christ-like values of humility, integrity, joy, and compassion, we build a strong community of students teachers, coaches, and families who seek to honor God in all they do. This community serves as an essential support to each individual student’s academic, spiritual, and social growth.
Curriculum
While we certainly embrace our Christian foundation, our school exists to educate children so that they can maximize their God-given potential. Our students progress through various levels of academic and extra-curricular programming that help them discover and sharpen their God-given gifts and talents.
Calling
Our vision is to see Christ-centered graduates impacting the world for good. By the end of a student’s tenure at Portsmouth Christian Academy, they will be equipped with the necessary tools of mind, body, and spirit to positively impact their churches, communities, and families as God-honoring critical thinkers, communicators, and servant leaders.