By area
Private schools in Clayton, Smithfield & Johnston County
Johnston County east of Raleigh, a small private-school market led by one large Christian K-12 school and a Thales campus at Flowers Plantation. Our directory has 8 schools here; 6 are on the 2026-27 Direct Payment list.
About this data. School facts come from the NCES Private School Survey (2023-24, plus 2021-22 rows for schools that skipped the latest round). The Direct Payment flag comes from matching names, by county and with code, against the NCSEAA Direct Payment Schools table for 2026-27, downloaded October 30, 2026. Schools found only on the state list show a name and town and nothing else. Neither source reports tuition, so ask the school.
8
Schools listed here6
On the 2026-27 Direct Payment list956
Students in the federal survey4
Offer pre-K3
Go through grade 12$7,148
2026-27 Tier 2 award, the band most two-income households fall inBy type
Christian Schools in Clayton
3 schools
Browse →Schools Through Grade 12 in Clayton
3 schools
Browse →Independent & Non-Religious Schools in Clayton
3 schools
Browse →Preschools & Early Learning in Clayton
2 schools
Browse →Montessori Schools in Clayton
1 school
Browse →All 8 schools in Clayton, Smithfield & Johnston County
| School | Affiliation | Area | Grades | Direct Payment 2026-27 | Students (federal survey) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academy of Hope 408 Covered Bridge Rd, Clayton 27520 | Christian | Clayton, Smithfield & Johnston County | 6-12 | ✓ Listed | 8 |
| Country Garden Montessori School 1418 Mount Pleasant Rd, Willow Spring 27592 | Independent | Clayton, Smithfield & Johnston County | PK-K | Not listed | 5 |
| Kids 'R' Kids (Clayton) 307 Tew Ct, Clayton 27520 | Independent | Clayton, Smithfield & Johnston County | PK-K | Not listed | 22 |
| Life Spring Academy Clayton · state list only | Affiliation not on file | Clayton, Smithfield & Johnston County | — | ✓ Listed | — |
| Playmates Child Care and Development Center Pine Level · state list only | Affiliation not on file | Clayton, Smithfield & Johnston County | — | ✓ Listed | — |
| Southside Christian School 1696 Amelia Church Rd, Clayton 27520 | Christian | Clayton, Smithfield & Johnston County | PK-12 | ✓ Listed | 388 |
| Star Christian Academy 4423 Wilsons Mills Rd, Smithfield 27577 | Christian | Clayton, Smithfield & Johnston County | K-12 | ✓ Listed | 81 |
| Thales Academy at Flowers Plantation 65 Se Flowers Pkwy, Clayton 27527 | Independent | Clayton, Smithfield & Johnston County | PK-8 | ✓ Listed | 452 |
Federal rows are placed here by county. State-list-only schools are placed by town.
| A ✓ on the Direct Payment column tells you | It does not tell you |
|---|---|
| NCSEAA can send Opportunity Scholarship and ESA+ money to this school for 2026-27 | That a seat is open or that your child will be admitted |
| The award goes to required tuition and fees, up to your tier amount | That the award will cover the full bill |
| The school accepted NCSEAA's testing and audit rules for scholarship students | Whether the school is accredited, which the state table does not show |
Weighing a school in Clayton?
About two minutes of questions. Then a Raleigh Edu Funding advisor phones you with an estimated tier, the programs that match and the deadlines coming up.