The Goddard School should be considered the benchmark in child learning and development. Goddard was not my family's first experience with young child education. My son started out at another school which was woefully understaffed, lacked basic administrative communication with families and treated their teachers with little-to-no respect. When looking at the many options that Manhattan has to offer, we concentrated our search to find a place where 1) the academics speak for themselves, 2) the school administration is engaged with families and their teachers, offering support on all levels and 3) treat their teachers as family and encourage them to bring their unique offerings into the classroom. This is not an easy task and it was a search that took many months and was guided by an educational consultant. After our first tour and meeting with Bill (the owner), we were sold. Every activity that is planned for the various classrooms is rooted in learning. Even free play at the water table or with play dough has an educational lesson behind it, whether it be learning about the different stages water can take in the atmosphere or the letters my son cuts out in his play dough. I may not be in the classroom with my son every moment of the day, however, I know he is learning when he can tell me that the cold air will bring snow. He is not yet 3. As engaged as my son is in his classroom what I find to be one of the best aspects of our experience at Goddard is the availability and direct communication the parents can have with the administration. Sandra, the director, is available to parents at any time of the day, without an appointment. To say this is unusual is an understatement. Sandra has guided my family step by step through potty training, preparing for a sibling's arrival amongst the many other daily ups and downs one has with a toddler. She is professional, loving and truly wants what is best for your child and your family. The teachers are incredible. Although we have had limited experience as my son is still in the younger classrooms, our head teacher has a Master's degree and a passion for children that makes me envious. These are the people you trust with your children every day to feel safe, nurtured and to help them grow into the best they can be. It is quite sad to me that some parents feel that it is the school and teachers' job to be the educational endpoint for their child(ren). Learning and teaching do not start and end with a school. It should start and end at home. We are the first teachers our children look to especially when it comes time to start preparing for kindergarten and beyond. Learning your ABC's, I23's and colors can happen (shockingly) outside of a classroom. They can be learned (and enforced) on the way to school, at dinner, during bath time or while reading a book. We love the Goddard School and know that there are many, many, MANY other families that share our excitement. read more

Our son has been enrolled since he was five months old. He's now in PreK here. He loves his teachers and his friends. We love the emphasis on social emotional learning, alongside literacy, numbers, music and science. He's been able to take piano lessons from 3 years old. The 8-6pm hours are helpful with work, and Goddard is open many days that public schools are closed. Their kindergarten coordinator has been extraordinarily helpful with kindergarten applications. We really like the current administrators, and the teachers have been consistently great! read more

I am so annoyed at this Goddard's Directors. Another review noted they're, "incompetent, difficult, and miserable" and I can't confirm that enough. Directors set the tone of the whole daycare, and this Goddard has become a joke at the playground of how we as parents, were ignored, or what incompetence has been done. I truly don't understand how both Directors aren't fired - two new rehires - with positive attitudes that acknowledge parents, say hi to kids, and listen to problems would change the entire tone of the daycare. read more

I cannot say enough awful things about this location (666 Broadway) and the administration. They are incompetent, difficult, and miserable to interact with on a daily basis. The teacher are great, but all dislike the 2 main administrators who ultimately run the place, so do some due diligence before working with Goddard school. read more

I cannot say enough nice things about this location! For two working parents, this is a fantastic daycare. It is open 7am - 6pm! Clean, well organized. It Is minimally closed (no crazy half days or random holidays off) AND it is year round and continues through the summer! They have alumni days where you can send your kid back even after they "graduate" if their kindergarten has a holiday and Goddard has space. It also reaps the rewards of being able to bundle group discounts for classes, ie. soccer, swimming, piano classes, chess so it's not only cheaper for your kid to learn these things (and you don't have to bring them on the weekends to these classes!), but they can learn with their friends so they're less shy and more willing to participate. We left another daycare (disorganized) after my son had been there a month and moved to Goddard when he was 4 months old. He just turned 5 year old and is now leaving. Goddard has been so great for his development. From a young age he has been learning how to follow class instructions and how to behave in an organized group environment. We have been very happy with the majority of the teachers in being able to promote safety and good interpersonal relationships among peers. We have mainly worked with Kathryn Higgins over the past few years from administration, and she has always been so receptive to our concerns, etc! read more

My child attends this school for almost two years and I have to say that out of the 3 day cares he attended in his life this one is by far the best. They are well organized and my child loves going there. Any issue I had was always taken care of in the most professional manner. It might not be the cheapest one out there but it is well worth it. Staff is consistent and well trained. read more

Sending our daughter to this school was one of the best decisions we have ever made. Upon first moving to Manhattan, we visited Goddard. We liked the school but we decided to send her to a different school on 96th and Columbus it was a HUGE MISTAKE!!!!! Our family and child suffered greatly. Once we made the move to Goddard, everything changed. Our daughter grew both socially and academically, our family felt at ease knowing that she was in such a wonderful place with knowledgeable and caring teachers. We were thrilled with our entire experience and highly recommend it to all of our family and friends. read more

I love Goddard School. My children have learned so much here. And the staff is very attentive to my children's needs. The class rooms are not over crowded. read more

My daughter has attended the Goddard School on the upper west side for six months now, and in that time we have been very impressed with the school and the staff. The school is housed in a beautiful new facility. They school has employed engaged and interested teachers and a fantastic Director of Education who takes a deep interest in each child's welfare. The owner of the franchise is hands on and available at all times to help or answer questions. My daughter has come home with 'school' concepts at the young age of 3 1/2 (she astounded me when she told me that 'matter comes in 3 forms, solid, liquid and gas) and the teachers she has encountered truly care about her development. The teachers are a nice mix of kindness and nurturing, while at the same time, enforcing rules and school room etiquette, which will help prepare the children for kindergarten and beyond. It is possible that the school is not a direct stepping stone to the elite private school route that many NY parents crave, but to us it provides a wonderful learning environment and caters very well for parents who work full-time, with a long day option of 7am to 6pm. read more

My child has been attending the Goddard School since September and I've had a really good experience. I can see her progress almost on a daily basis. There aren't many preschools in the city that are this flexible, accommodating, and reasonably priced. And the management team has been really wonderful. Let's face it - most preschools are teaching pretty much the same things to 2-3-4 year olds. If Dee B wants to spend 2-3 times a much to go to another school, go for it. I'm not convinced the outcome will be any better or different. We're talking about little kids here... put them in a nurturing, social environment (whatever you want to call it - daycare or preschool) and they'll thrive on their own. So far, I like the positive impact the Goddard School has had on my child. No complaints here. read more

I did not have a good experience with the school representative. In addition and in aggravation someone attempted to silence my review.

Wow! Just had a very disturbing interaction with the owner of the school, and based on it, I really recommend one thinks twice before doing business here. I called to nicely request a refund of a deposit and I was verbally attacked. While, according to the agreement I signed, it is true that the deposit is un-refundable, I was simply, genuinely misinformed by my own lack of attention to detail and from communication to me from the Education Director. Being wrong in this case should never have warranted the pure nastiness that and strange accusations of purposefully wronging the school. The owner was shockingly condescending and clearly has a very mean temper. I am now amazingly relieved that I made a decision not to have my son attend this school. read more

As a previous employee at The Goddard School, and a current graduate student in an Early Childhood Special Education program in NYC, my experience as a floater/teacher assistant was beyond the norm. In my position I spent time helping out wherever my help was needed, and through this experience I was getting to see what was happening in each classroom. It was clear that the administration works closely with its staff of teachers to ensure that only the best teaching practices are used within each classroom. Careful consideration is made at every turn of the planning that goes into creating the perfect classroom environment, particularly in regards to safety and age-appropriate learning standards reflected in the daily lesson plans and materials selected. The administration - made up of owner Dr. Bill Swan, executive director Sandra, director Kathryn, and assistant director Michelle - and staff of teachers help to create the sense of warmth and community felt throughout the halls and in every classroom. The balance and integration of play and learning, at the core of the curriculum, provides young children with opportunities to explore and engage with the world around them while making connections between what they know, what they are learning and what they are curious to find out. You can count on the teachers at The Goddard School to provide all students with opportunities to apply their knowledge and skills as they learn more about their world. read more

The Goddard School has been an amazing environment for my 3.5 year old son. We started him at the school right before his 2nd birthday and he has thrived in the last year and a half. I met Sandra, the Executive Director, at a childcare fair and because of her, was immediately was interested in the school for my son. Sandra is warm, approachable and genuinely interested in my philosophy as a parent. After touring the school, I felt lucky that we secured a spot and have been thrilled with the teachers. They are smart, interactive and caring, and my son quickly became attached to many of them as he progressed through the different rooms (based on age/ability) at the school. We have had several 1:1 meetings with Sandra, Dr. Bill, and other administrators since he started and every time, they have listened to our questions and responded with helpful and insightful answers based on our child's individual needs. It amazes me how well they know my son and his personality, likes and areas for improvement. I greatly value their input on his progression, and they have moved him through the classrooms at the right "speed." We are starting to think about the kindergarten application process and what schools would be a good fit for our son. Sandra holds your hand through the entire process - we recently met with her and she gave us fantastic leads for potential schools. The most impressive part was she listed schools giving the reasons she thought our son would excel there. Again, the teachers and administrators are so in tune with your child's specific qualities and it shows in every interaction. A great perk is the school also holds a "date night" evening for parents a few times each year where you can leave your child at school after hours and they play and have a pizza party. I trust my son with very few people and this makes a great night out for my husband and me as we know he is safe with teachers he loves. I don't believe there is a better "education" for pre-schoolers than the Goddard School. read more

This is a horrible place. The caretakers for the 1yr+ group have no training, no certificates of any sort. They're tired and overworked (2 young girls for 10 kids). They left my kid crying without attending to her for half an hour until I had to intervene. At another moment when I peaked through the observation window the caretaker was eating her lunch (since my kid didn't want it). And that for the high price parents pay?! This is a business, not a school or daycare. They email parents individual videos/photos where they snap your child having a good time but it's only to keep the parents who are too busy satisfied and worry-free. But ultimately Goddard School does not look after children or teach them anything in a structured way. There's no pedagogy, it's a scam. If you care about the development of your child whether cognitive or emotional, find another place or hire a good nanny... read more

We send both our children to this school and have for over two years. I can't recommend it enough. I have been nothing but impressed by the staff, both administrative and the teachers, who have gone above and beyond to not only challenge both children to learn and grow, but also be my eyes and ears when I'm not with them. Sandra, Dr. Bill Swan, and the teachers are always available to discuss any questions I have and I've found that my daughter's progress is monitored closely; our quarterly meetings with her teachers are always thorough and thoughtful. With all the preschool options in the UWS, I am so happy that we decided to send our children to Goddard and would recommend it to any other parents in the neighborhood looking for a warm and academically challenging environment for their preschooler. read more

Great teachers, wonderful facilities and top-notch management/ownership. I cannot say enough good things about this school. The absolute highest of recommendations!! read more

This school has really allowed our son to blossom, gain confidence, and become assertive, friendly, and cultivate a sense of humor. Positives include beautiful new facilities, a variety of activities, including yoga, singing, the children had the opportunity to see chicken eggs hatch, hands on administration, and warm teachers. The administration has always been receptive to our concerns. read more

Do NOT send your kid(s) here unless you are looking to pay a high price for a daycare. My child learned absolutely nothing & several other families have experienced the same thing. I would not be upset at this fact had they not told me this was a school just so I could find out that it is a daycare, but then again, how many legit preschools are open until 6pm (Scream daycare??). This area offers much better options (Mandell, Montclare, Noteworthy school etc.) and if you are trying to get your kid prepared for the kindergarten application process (like I am) or just expect them to know their ABC's, 123's & shapes at 3, then this is not the place. They are focused on having a new (and ridiculous) "theme" every month that is too much inconsistency as opposed to everyday knowledge you'd hope they'd acquire (and real schools teach). Kids need a solid foundation, not a "theme". They are not party planners!! Also, do your own observation & research in addition to monitoring your child's progress. And when you see none has been made, you'll understand why (because they're so busy with the "pazazz"). Also, the 2 teachers in the young two's room are quite unprofessional, imo. Save your children and look elsewhere!! read more