My son has been attending Burlingame Montessori for the past two years. The teachers are caring and amazing. They foster independence and compassion in their students. My son is very happy here. read more

When I first thought of preschool there was no way I was not going to be involved some way with my son's education. I chose a Burlingame Co-op based on a recommendation and after several bad experiences with the students and teachers there(bullying), I was left searching for a school that had more. I was so overwhelmed by the number of schools in my immediate area and honestly, even the yelps didnt help too much. Picking a preschool is a gut feeling kind of thing. After literally 8 school tours, 46 phone calls, and 100's of recommendations, I choose Burlingame Montessori for my son, and I'd like to share that it was one of the best things I have done for my son so far. I am amazed by the progress my son has made in this environment. He is so well spoken people mistake him for older. He is adding and subtracting as well as learning how to read and he is only 4! My mother was hesitant at first with the amount of time to play and the lack of toys but to be honest, I feel it has given him an appreciation for work and play and the things he has. My son is super happy and has come out of his shell; he LOVES his teachers(Julie, SIta and Anna) and cant wait to see them daily. And I know they love him too, which as a mother makes you feel assured. It's obvious to me that my son is learning because he comes home and teaches me what he went over that day. This place has filled my son and my family with warm memories and lots of love.I am super blessed to have found Burlingame Montessori and will continue to rave about until the end of time. read more

My son went to attend Burlingame Montessori 21 years ago. It has been one of the best decision I made for him. He was very active but still could not verbally explain what he wanted. Being in the Montessori setting allows him to explore at his own pace without interrupting others. He also had enough freedom to follow his imagination. I believe his first pre school teacher's name was Ms Susan. He is 24 years old now with two bachelor degrees in Neurology Physiology as well as Economics. I think the Montessori education has given him courage and foundation to pursue his dream in TV screen writing. read more

This time last year my mind was swirling with the seemingly overwhelming number of preschool options - Montessori? Play-based? Co-op? oh my! Ultimately I took a leap of faith choosing Burlingame Montessori for my son, and I'd like to share that I couldn't be happier with my selection. Where do I begin?! I have been astonished by the degree to which my son has THRIVED in this environment. I'll admit, I had some misgivings about going Montessori -- is it too strict? Should he "play" more? what's with the term "work"? But all my concerns have been assuaged by my experience here. My son is happy and confident; he LOVES school, talks about it all the time, and looks forward to school days; he exhibits clear signs of being more in control of his impulses, and having learned techniques to deal with conflict -- the other day I heard him ask another child, "may I work with you?" Wow. They've taught him to finish one project and put it away before taking another one out -- omigoodness, can you imagine?! He comes home singing songs that he's learned, counting to 15 in Spanish, talking about the seasons - and he's not even 3! I've loved that they have materials and activities that I don't have at home. Let's face it -- I have every toy out there, so I really like that he's being engaged in a completely different way at school. At home, my son is OBSESSED with Cars and Lightning McQueen; at school, he's working on puzzles, pouring, sorting, and blocks... I think this is great. The teachers are caring, attentive, and really take the time to update me on his interests and progress. It's obvious that they really know what they're doing and love their work. The facility is warm and inviting, bright, sunny, and clean. I think their playground is small, but in the scheme of things I don't think that's a big deal since we play outside so much outside of school hours. Since my son is our first born, I really like that the school has 2-4 yr olds in the same class; I know that he looks up to the bigger kids and learns from them. What a unique opportunity! We've been super happy with Burlingame Montessori and I can strongly recommend it! read more

Our daughter just 'graduated' from her time at BMS and is now headed to Pre-K at The Carey School in San Mateo. Cannot begin to fully describe how much we have enjoyed having her at BMS for the past 2 years. She started with them when she was 2 and a half after exhaustive research on our part. As an educator and Professor myself, both my husband and I are passionate about instilling a love of learning and on this front BMS did not disappoint. They have created such a calm, nurturing, stimulating learning environment. It is a very small school so I would encourage getting on the waitlist NOW. What I appreciated is that they were open to finding a schedule that was best for our daughter throughout and one that worked best for our family. We started out with MWF half days then did their summer programs and this past year MWF full days (8:30-3:30) and our daughter just loved every minute. We are sad to leave as they also have a very strong Pre-K program but we were encouraged to begin The Carey School as they have limited admissions as well. The teachers at BMS and Ms. Lynette who runs the school, are truly passionate, professional and compassionate educators. Throughout the year we had parent-teacher conferences that were so personalized and in-depth I continue to be amazed at how they really are focused on each child's individual development. All of the supplementary teachers who came in for special classes, Ms. Anna (Spanish), Mr. Q (Music) and a host of several others were just wonderful as well. BMS pays attention to the details as well and there were numerous, thoughtful gatherings and feild trips that enriched the overall learning experience. Bottom Line: Our 4 yr old daughter is leaving BMS this summer with a deep love of learning, a budding curiosity on a number of fronts given all she was exposed to, a great sense of independence and cooperation, and well on her way to reading by herself and doing kindergarten+ math. This is such a critical learning stage and we were passionate about the learning being fun and also social-emotional and BMS exceeded all our expectations, We look forward to sending our son there as well when he is old enough. This is such a tough decision for parents to make which is why I took the time to write such a lengthy review. I wholeheartedly recommend BMS to any family! read more

Our daughter went to Burlingame Montessori for two years and I thought it was an excellent experience for her. The teachers are patient and caring, and wonderful educators. The Montessori approach is well-implemented and I really appreciated how they went about teaching conflict resolution and empathy. I'm so glad we found this school. read more

Our son is in his third year at Burlingame Montessori, and we can't wait for our daughter to start in the summer (nor can she). Since I attended Montessori schools, and my mother is a certified Montessori teacher, I wanted to find a good program and Burlingame Montessori has been exactly what we wanted. This program is very true to the Montessori philosophy and we are confident our children are getting a solid foundation of understanding in math, language arts, and practical life skills. Our son started at 2.5 years old in the 6 week long summer program (9:00-1:00), and then transitioned to several half-days during the school year, and then to full days every day by 3.5 years old. The first few long school days were exhausting for him because Montessori children are focused and concentrating on "jobs" (small school work activities) when in the classroom with a focus on independence and respecting others. The children have free choice over which jobs they work on and thus develop the ability to learn and care for themselves independently at an early age. We have been very pleased with all the things our son learned to do "by himself" and the advanced math concepts he has chosen to challenge himself with as a five year old (addition, subtraction, multiplication, etc.) at Burlingame Montessori. The teachers are wonderful with the children and have been there for a long time. One recently retired who still comes in as a substitute and for Spanish lessons was there for over 15 years, and the next has been there 8, or so. There has been some turnover in the younger teachers recently, but they have all been well qualified, and easily blended into the program. They are very supportive of the children while encouraging independence. FYI, This is not a daycare (and that is why we specifically chose it!)! If you need daycare or all-day care, this is not the place for you. The school runs following the Burlingame public school district schedule from 8:30-3:30, plus school vacations, holidays, etc., plus parent/teacher conference days in January, etc., so the schedule can be somewhat erratic. Please look at the school calendar on their website to see if it works for you. read more

Both of my daughters have attended Burlingame Montessori and I can't begin to share how happy we have been with our experience. Our third daughter will be ready for preschool soon and we will be thrilled to be part of the Burlingame Montessori family once again. The teachers and director of this school are EXCEPTIONAL and they work non-stop to ensure the kids (and the parents) have a wonderful preschool experience. I have one shy reserved daughter and one very outgoing and both were well loved and flourished in the school. This school does a wonderful job preparing children for grade school and especially for life skills. I could not be more pleased! read more

I know parents looking for schools often look at Yelp for an additional resource in deciding, which is why I wanted to post my personal experience here. After looking at over 10 schools, we thought we found the perfect preschool for our 3 year old. After 2 months with a month break, the director and teachers decided she wasn't a good fit for their school. Not because of behavior problems, but because of separation anxiety and teachers unable to give her the attention she needed. I'm both appalled and disappointed that this school could not give a shy, quiet kid the time she needed to adjust and instead decided to kick her out. We are now needing to start the process over again including adjustment and trust in a new school. If you are looking for a school that will embrace the individual child, where teachers adapt to the students the way a Montessori program encourages, I would strongly discourage considering Burlingame Montessori. read more

My son has been in Burlingame Montessori for close to a year now. He started in the summer session when he was 2.5years old. We tried two other preschools before this one. By far, the best we've found. The teachers are kind but disciplined. My son really takes to the Montessori curriculum, although I'm sure every child is different. It is a certified Montessori program, and they integrate culture, math and fine motor skills well. We receive a monthly newsletter updating us on the monthly curriculum, upcoming holidays and events. I am a working mom, don't get too involved in the school, but I have felt no pressure to do more or less. Many parents volunteer for story time or crafts. I have volunteered a snack day. There seems to be a good mix of working moms and SAHMs. We are leaving the area, and I'm looking for good Montessori to match the vibe of this one. I doubt we'll find one as good, but I'm hopeful. I highly recommend this program. Pricey, but very good. read more