Why The First Academy?

Our Mission:

The First Academy is a Christ-centered, college preparatory school whose mission is to prepare children for life as Christian leaders who choose character before career, wisdom beyond scholarship, service before self, and participation as a way of life.

Why do so many families from Orlando and Central Florida choose The First Academy to prepare their child for what’s next?

Maybe it’s because of The First Academy’s Christ-centered community, culture, and curriculum, and how our students graduate equipped to excel in all areas of life — academically, professionally, spiritually, and socially. 

Here are our top 9 of the many reasons why we’re Central Florida’s first choice in private Christian education:

Joyful Learning

Peek inside our classrooms, labs, and fine arts spaces, and you’ll see students who are engaged and excited to be active participants in their education. Content comes to life as our dedicated teachers tap into their students’  innate curiosity, creativity, and desire to problem solve.

Individually Known, Loved, and Valued

Small class sizes combined with committed teachers who are passionate about student success means each child at TFA is individually known, loved, and valued. Gifts and talents are identified and nurtured. Personalized attention is the norm, not the exception.

Christian Values Demonstrated Daily

We recognize that a child’s teachers play pivotal, influential roles in their life — day after day, year after year. Our Living Curriculum teachers are committed to their Christian faith and values, and have pledged to uphold those beliefs inside and outside of the classroom, ensuring our students have role models who consistently mirror Christian living, loving, and learning.

Tailored Instruction

Student needs are as unique as the individuals themselves, which is why our small class sizes allow for individualized attention. Enrichment classes are available for students in grades 1-5 who have been identified as academically talented or gifted, and for Middle and Upper School students, our Accelerated Pathways offers dual enrollment, Advanced Placement, and concurrent course opportunities.

Experiential Education

Students learn best by doing, which is why we incorporate experiential learning into the curriculum, from Kindergarten Prep to senior year. Lower school’s Full STEAM Ahead Fridays takes an interdisciplinary approach to hands-on creation. Mission work and field trips allow for immersion and engagement.

Fine Arts Enrichment

From the visual and performing arts to electives like Mandarin and agricultural science, students can pursue interests, passions, and curiosities. Creativity is expressed through everything from performing in theatre class to creating original content for Raw Footage, the Upper School’s broadcast program. Professional pursuits are explored through electives, clubs, organizations, service, and field trips.

Competitive Athletics from K4-12th Grade

Go Royals! TFA offers 32 sports at the Upper School level with fun and competition starting as early as Kindergarten Prep with flag football and cheer. Our exceptional athletic facilities include an athletic complex, stadium, and tennis center.

Service is Part of Our Culture

As a Christian community, emphasis is placed on serving others. We start affirming service before self with our youngest Royals as they learn about helping others. Last year alone, 21,102 volunteer hours were served by Upper School students.

College Readiness

In addition to ensuring graduates are academically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually ready for college, our dedicated College Guidance team helps students find best fit schools and assists with navigating the college application process. Graduating seniors have a 100% college acceptance rate and earn millions of dollars in scholarships annually.

Hear about The First Academy’s impact on students and teachers:

See our academics in action.

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