This review is for Oakridge Montessori School. My child went through most of the Junior…read moreKindergarten year. Unlike teacher communication at OMS, this review was written 100% without the use of AI. OMS, if you would like to respond, please consider not using AI. Prospective parent: Unless you are ultra-wealthy and have at least one caregiver who does not need to work, stay away! (You might also like to own a Tesla). You will need all of the above to shuttle your child back and forth to many field trips and special events (not on the school calendar) that last ~2-3 hours in lieu of actual school, plus you will need to pay extra for every single one of them (plus up to $10k more for auctions...as the principal said, "It's Report Card Season!"). Essentially this is an (aspirational) feeder school for elite private schools in the area, and tries to behave like one. Oh, and you should also read/write Mandarin and have the WeChat app in order to participate in the parent group. This school has absolutely nailed their target demographic. I don't think the school needs to change, because it works well for said population. I'm writing this review so that those who don't fall within this particular demographic can go in with eyes wide open. We didn't, clearly - because who can really be that choosey about childcare in Vancouver? - but I think a heads up might have helped. OMS is a self-proclaimed "organic Montessori" school. They do screen time, and they seem a bit light on some other parts of Montessori (my kid reports that they don't really clean their environment, for e.g., though I take their report with a grain of salt). What concerned us early on was the use of reward/points systems to motivate behavior in the classroom through their ClassDojo App (which, btw, suits the school well - always asking for money - and which we hate with a passion). To the school's credit, when I raised this issue with the teacher, the school principal(?)/"Director of Education" called me and addressed it, claiming it was a communication error and that the points were not to be used with this age group, only Grade 1 & up. They did seem to stop using it after this. (Though are points really appropriate for Grade 1 & up in a Montessori school?) Continuing to give credit where it is due: Teachers and staff have taken the time to answer our concerns, and have called us during what I am guessing are their lunch breaks. While the AI responses really rub me the wrong way - because these are the people teaching my child to read and write - I acknowledge that being in charge of 16 4ish-year-olds is really no mean feat. I do believe that the staff and teachers care about the students. Moreover, my child did learn to read and write quite willingly during their time at OMS. IN SUM: Our family is an outlier at OMS - we don't own a car, we aren't trying to send our kids to elite private schools, and having to pay $55 per adult to attend my child's "Spring Tea" concert (which is 1.5 hours long with no regular school) is a bit painful. And so attending this school has been a bit awkward and logistically burdensome for us. You might say there was a mismatch in values, but of course no daycare or school is going to mesh with our family's culture completely. No irreparable damage was done, we did our best to make a few friends among the parents, my child has been mostly happy......but we will not be continuing our "OMS journey".

Expensive! 2.5 hours a day! 3 programs running a day. No wonder the teacher turnover is high. It…read morefeels like a prep school for private schools with charges for every extra detail. Fees are going up $5000 next year, insane.

Montessori school in south Vancouver close to Granville and West 70th Ave near Fraser River Park in…read morea light industrial area. They offer Pre-School from ages 3-6 and Elementary from grades 1-7. My kids went here from pre-school all the way through grade 5 and it was an incredible experience. A early Montessori education really helped them develop their hard-working and inquisitive personalities. French is offered from pre-school on and their level will exceed most public schools except for French immersion schools. Both French language and culture is taught which is nice so the kids have a practical reference for use of the language. They have both class observations where the parents can observe their kid in the normal class environment and parent/teacher conferences. Year-end show is fun where the elementary kids all present skits, songs and plays for the parents at a nearby theatre. Competition to get into the pre-school program is quite stiff so register early to get on the waiting list. Dedicated, long-term teachers and staff, highly recommended!

My son Giuliano attended Kensington Montessori when he was 4 years old, where he was taught by Mrs…read more Athina. From the moment we walked into her classroom, it was clear how much care and dedication she put into creating a nurturing and structured learning environment. Her classroom was always neat, organized, and filled with engaging educational materials, hands-on activities, and books that supported each child's development. There were many children Giuliano's age, and it was so comforting to see how happy and excited they were to be there each day. My son truly enjoyed going and developed a love for learning early on. Mrs. Athina took the time to guide him not only academically--with early arithmetic--but also with important life skills like sharing, independence, and responsibility. Through her support, Giuliano built confidence and strong foundational skills that I am still grateful for today. I am also so proud to see her daughter, Marisa Dritsas, continue this beautiful legacy. Her Montessori classroom is absolutely stunning--bright, clean, and thoughtfully designed with natural materials and child-sized learning spaces that encourage independence and exploration. The outdoor area is just as lovely, giving children space to play, learn, and connect with nature. Marisa is calm, patient, and genuinely caring. She goes above and beyond to support each child's individual needs and learning pace. The Montessori approach is truly reflected in her work--fostering independence, creativity, and confidence in every child. I highly recommend Kensington Montessori to any parent looking for a warm, supportive, and enriching environment for their child's early education.

My son is in his second year at the preschool/ daycare. It is fantastic. Bother the care and love…read moregiven by the teacher and the curriculum are outstanding.

I love this daycare! My child always comes home happy and with new things learned every time. When…read moreI arrive to pick her up, they are singing, dancing, reading or outside playing. I absolutely love the fact that they go for walks on any nice day. I find the teachers are very caring and are very attentive to her individual needs. The only complaint I would have is the cost...but because the quality of care is so good, I wouldn't change a thing.

The most loving and caring environment that I could wish for for my son. While the building is…read moreolder and not the most attractive, the caregivers and teachers are wonderful and very actively involved with all of the children. There are 2 rooms (1-3 year olds) and (3-5 year olds), an indoor gym on the top floor, an outdoor playground and lots of outdoor space to play (fields, forest and lovely walking trails). My son loves Dinosaur Daycare and I know that he feels loved and secure while there. It's a bonus that he is also learning and developing as much as he is, but in a caring environment like that, it makes complete sense. I cannot recommend Dinosaur Daycare enough.

Great preschool! My daughter had separation anxiety but this preschool was really great at helping…read moreher come out of her shell. The teachers were great and seem very fair with all the kids, no favouritism at all. They are a play-based preschool but in the end my daughter learnt her alphabet and how to write her name. My daughter is currently in her second year here and I will definitely put my son here as well. I think aside from the teachers the playground just outside the school is perfect for toddlers. My only gripe is that special outings tend not to be scheduled during the same time as school time so you will have to reschedule your day during these days although they are few and they give ample notice.

Children are our greatest gift and treasure and so it is with full confidence that we entrusted our…read moreson to the team at Nido. There are many childcare options to choose from but Nido made the choice easy and our son has grown up from their Toddler class (less than 3 years old) through their Primary class (up to 5+ years old). Yes, the facilities are clean, bright, modern and open, both inside and out. Indeed, the food options (snack and lunch) are healthy and varied. But most importantly, the staff make the difference: - Multicultural staff with varied backgrounds being varied perspectives to the teaching and children. - The staff are native English speakers, which help when teaching language skills. - Continuous learning and professional development provide enhanced activities and education of the children. - The staff are keen, attentive, and patient with both parents and staff providing updates, stories of what's happened throughout each day, education on how to handle situations with children - all done in-person during drop-off and pick-up (or any time requested), and via an app called Seesaw. Their progressive approach to the staff and children's education, coupled with a low number of students per staff member make Nido easy to recommend for anyone looking for a partner in their young child's education!