Amazing full-time care and Montessori education for kids 3 months through Kinder right off the…read morefreeway in Lafayette. My oldest started at 13 months (we were on a waitlist, so reach out early!) and youngest started at 5 months (siblings get priority). My kids come home every day and surprise me with what they've learned at school. Things you'd never picture such young kids understanding. My oldest son (2.5) has made his first best friend there, which is the cutest thing to watch take place. We also do soccer on Sundays with about 5 kids from his class. I love the teachers, opportunity for as much or as little parent involvement as you'd like and the parent community as a whole (they do parent nights out every month as well as other fun events). My brother went there in the 80's and it's a staple in the community.

We enrolled our two-year-old at DVMS for the 2026-27 school year and paid $2,890 upfront, including…read morea $2,700 payment that DVMS's agreement specifically calls a "Last Month Tuition Deposit." The agreement also states that the tuition deposit "is applied to your FINAL DVMS invoice." Before we paid, we had asked DVMS for additional time. They declined, telling us in writing that they had "a significant number of families currently in our wait pool" and therefore could not hold the space without the deposit. Our circumstances later changed and we notified DVMS approximately 30 days before Theo was scheduled to start that he would not be attending. He never attended the school and therefore never had a final tuition invoice against which the "Last Month Tuition Deposit" could be applied. DVMS refused to return the money. Less than 24 hours after we notified them, they told us they could not backfill the opening because wait-pool families had already committed elsewhere. This was difficult to reconcile with their earlier written statement about the significant number of families in their wait pool, our two years on the waitlist, and general community knowledge that most never get into DVMS. We pointed out the language in their own agreement and asked them to identify any contractual provision stating that the "Last Month Tuition Deposit" instead functions as a forfeitable reservation fee when a child never attends. We also asked them to preserve records regarding the wait pool and efforts to fill the opening. They did not provide that information or refund the payment. Parents considering DVMS should understand this policy and the language of the enrollment agreement before paying the deposit. Our experience was that DVMS retained the full $2,890 despite our child never attending, approximately 30 days' notice before his scheduled start date, and the agreement expressly describing $2,700 of the payment as a last-month tuition deposit applied to the final invoice. We also learned that four families from DVMS moved their child to our current school in moraga in the last 30 days alone. It seems this may not be an isolated issue with how they operate.

My daughter joined the Firetruck Room at OFS with Katie (her primary caregiver) and Maylis, and it…read morehas truly been a transformative experience for her -- and for us as a family. We came from a more traditional daycare setting where she stayed fairly quiet and reserved for nearly a year. Within just a few months at OFS, she was thriving. Now, after two wonderful years, she's graduating as a confident, empathetic, and wildly creative kid whose true personality was clearly nurtured and celebrated by every caregiver she encountered. One of the most impactful aspects of OFS is their primary caregiver model, which gave our daughter a deep sense of safety, stability, and trust. Their project-based curriculum, where kids vote on topics they want to learn about, empowered her to take ownership of her learning and develop a curiosity that astonishes us daily. She now teaches us about the world -- even how to take care of it! Sofia, her current primary caregiver, went above and beyond to support us with things like Kindergarten readiness. Through joyful play, she introduced foundational math and reading concepts that she now uses in everyday life. Her thoughtful assessment gave me clarity and made completing public school enrollment paperwork a breeze. Beyond the classroom, OFS fosters a strong sense of community. They host events that bring families and teachers together, and over our two years here, we've built lasting friendships and support systems that I know will extend beyond preschool. We are endlessly grateful to Katie, Sofia, Maylis, Judy and the entire OFS team. This school has been a foundational chapter in our daughter's life -- one filled with joy, growth, and love.

This is an overdue and very long but very well deserved review of the special place this is OFS…read moreWalnut Creek! We absolutely cannot say enough wonderful things about Old Firehouse School in Walnut Creek. We were on the waitlist for a little over a year and we are so glad we held out for our spot! It was beyond worth the wait! From the moment we first toured, we knew it was something special and that feeling has only deepened as our son continues to thrive at OFS. He is graduating from OFS this summer and will enter Kindergarten this Fall. One of the things that immediately stood out to us was the school's primary caregiver model. This was very important to us and to my knowledge OFS is the only preschool in the area with this special model. Each child is paired with a dedicated caregiver who truly gets to know them and builds a deep, nurturing bond over the years, not just with the child, but with the whole family. This consistency and emotional safety has made such a difference in our son's confidence, sense of security, and joy at school. It's clear the staff understands how essential these early relationships are for lifelong trust and emotional development. Our teacher, Maylis is a true gift! She is such a special person and is the epitome of a dedicated educator. In Maylis' care our son and his class have been encouraged to explore their own ideas and curiosities in collaborative, creative ways. The projects she has them participate in are so impressive. I don't know how she gets a classroom full of preschoolers to engage so deeply in each lesson with such passion, it is truly magical to see! Maylis has helped our son learn to stretch his thinking in beautiful, and creative, age-appropriate ways. Our son comes home full of questions, ideas, and stories from his day, proof of just how engaged he is. The rest of the staff at OFS Walnut Creek is equally as exceptional. The entire school environment is warm, joyful, and promotes independence while also encouraging classroom belonging and connection. We honestly wish every child had the chance to attend Old Firehouse Walnut Creek. We often say we'd send our son here through elementary and middle school if we could, that would be a dream! This school has given him the most magical, foundational start, and we're forever grateful and will be so sad to end our time at OFS this year. Thank you, OFS Walnut Creek!

We paid a $135 waitlist fee and were told we'd be contacted when enrollment opened. We never…read morereceived any updates or an enrollment packet, and months were wasted waiting to enroll our son in a Montessori program. Meanwhile, the school began openly enrolling students while we were left on the waitlist with no communication. The only time we heard anything was when we reached out ourselves, and even then the responses were vague and provided no real information. After multiple calls and emails requesting an explanation and a refund, we've received no response. This lack of transparency and follow-through is unacceptable. The experience left our family feeling uncomfortable with how we were treated and questioning how families are selected from the waitlist. We are still requesting a refund for a process that was never honored. Unethical and a scam business. Reported to the CA Dept of Social Services.

Our family has been part of Springfield since 2022, and we've had a wonderful experience. From the…read morestart, the administration has been communicative, welcoming, and intentional in creating a safe, caring environment. The teachers are exceptional. Our biggest priority is knowing our children are loved, supported, and their needs are met--and Springfield has consistently delivered that and more. Both of our boys were well prepared for public school transitions and developed a genuine love of learning. It's clear the staff are passionate about what they do, and we've truly felt like part of the Springfield family. I have a degree in Early Childhood Development and toured many local preschools before choosing Springfield. In my opinion, it is one of the top preschools in the area. Yes, the enrollment process is thorough and tuition is higher than some options, but the quality of care, education, and teacher support makes that clear.

We've been at CiL for about a year now, and we love it there. My son felt at home within days of…read morestarting, which is no surprise given how comfortable the teachers are to be around. This school is exactly what I want in a preschool: it's clean and organized, comfortable, and welcoming in every way. The teachers are all well experienced, and unlike some schools where teachers come and go frequently, the teachers here have been at CiL for years. Throughout the current Shelter in Place, CiL has made every effort to connect with students, holding virtual classes throughout the week, sending regular updates, and staying in touch with parents. I am confident that thanks to their hard work, my son's return to preschool (post SIP) will be a smooth one. I cannot thank CiL enough for being so good to my son and all the other kids there. I love knowing that when I'm at work, my child is in a place where he is cared for and respected, while also held accountable for showing the same care and respect to his peers.

My child attended CiL for a little over a year before going to kindergarten and during a trying…read moretime for the site as there was not only Covid in full force, with a population not eligible for vaccines, but the nonprofit which runs the school was about to embark on a large renovation/building project at the site. We had a great experience with the teachers and really appreciated the safety focus they had for the kids. Though we didnt get to benefit from it, I really like the association with the Choice in Aging senior services next door and could see that being a real plus for everyone in the future when things calm down. They have moved the preschool to a different area of the site temporarily to prepare for a multiphase construction and it looks really nice. The site will benefit from wholesale renovation as it is aged. I went 4 stars because of things independent of the care of the kids, basically the administrative aspects (pricing, planning, communication, etc) were frustrating. I would not hesitate to send my child there again but be prepared to have some frustrating moments.

We love this school. Ever since we arrived, the staff has been incredibly warm and welcoming…read more They provide a loving and nurturing environment for children and my son is so happy here. Academically, it's accredited and offers so much. In kindergarten, my son had a full array of subjects: reading, social studies, science, mathematics, music, Spanish, library, and computers. There are 2 kindergarten classrooms and each has its own potty, which is really nice. We LOVED Mrs. Fustukjian! She was the biggest blessing of a kindergarten teacher we could have ever hoped for. She's super organized, firm, but ultra loving to each child. My son thrives in a structured environment and she really helped him to grow. The thing I liked the most was that whenever there was conflict between students, she always took the time to collect the facts and then addressed the issues accordingly. She made my son feel significant and important because he always felt heard and understood. She made our first year at WCCA great and put all our concerns at ease. The PTF (parent/teacher fellowship...their version of PTA) is very involved and supportive. There are a ton of events they put on throughout the year that gives parents an opportunity to volunteer to support the school. They're amazing and as my kids get older, I can't wait to get more involved. Needless to say, all my babies will attend. We've checked out Christian schools between Dublin/Pleasanton all the way up through to Walnut Creek, and we weren't able to find a comparable school that's both Christ centered and academically excellent. It's an awesome reflection of the church (First Baptist of Walnut Creek) and together, it's a great family oriented community to be a part of. I totally recommend checking them out for your littles if this is what you're looking for.

I am sharing our recent experience to help other families who value clear communication, accurate…read moreenrollment information, and active safety protocols: First, student safety is completely minimized. My child is being repeatedly bullied by the same boy, pushed from behind and had tan bark thrown at them. When I brought this to the director, she completely dismissed it, claiming the boy just "doesn't know how to express himself," and offered absolutely no solution to keep my child safe. Second, the management is incredibly dishonest and unorganized. They cut the fall schedule from 5 classes to 4 because a teacher is pregnant. They knew this when we enrolled in February, yet the director hid it from us and just copy pasted her weekly emails without mentioning the cut. We only found out two months later because we asked. When we brought up our concerns, the director simply offered to refund our last couple of weeks and send us on our way, showing they do not care about a child's stability. Furthermore, they gave us contradictory stories about enrollment, telling me in person that we were first on the waitlist, but telling my husband we were fifth. Every family deserves to feel completely safe, informed, and supported in their preschool community. I hope sharing these facts helps you find the right, transparent fit for your little one.

This review has been a long time coming...we've been so grateful for The Nurtury and I've been…read moremeaning to put into words just how much this school has meant to our family. It is truly a top-caliber preschool in every way. Every single teacher is exceptionally caring, attentive, and deeply present with the children. You can tell they genuinely love what they do, and it shows in how happy and supported the kids are every day. The teacher-to-child ratio is excellent, which means every child gets the individual attention they need to thrive. Since starting at The Nurtury, our two-year-old has blossomed--he's become so much more social and confident in group settings, his language has taken off, and he even started saying "please" and "thank you" (a very happy surprise for us!). It's a truly special place that nurtures not only the child's development, but also their sense of safety, joy, and belonging. We feel incredibly lucky to be part of this community.

Our son has a fantastic time at Nurtury. The leadership and loving teachers really care for the…read morestudents and it is a solid, well-run Christian pre-school program. We entered when our son was 2 and the teachers were very patient in helping with the pre-school transition and provided a wonderful and safe environment. They have many activities and the children spend their days doing art, music, building social and emotional skills, and gather together for full-group activities such as a visit by the fire department (big hit!). We are thrilled to observe our son grow to be confident and enjoy school, and without qualms we hope to send our second kid there.

Started our son at one year old, and have been at both the Moraga and Rheem Campuses for 15 months…read more We really enjoy the team and the care our son receives. The teachers are all amazing, super friendly, and our son enjoys talking all about them when he gets home - Ms. Nancy, Ms. Dani, Ms. Liz (x2), Ms. Gabby, Ms. Becky, Ms. Lulay, they are all amazing, sorry to those i missed! Antonio is always helpful and responsive. The school uses the brightwheel app which is great for communicating with both staff and admin and getting regular updates and photos during the school day. We can really see the daily learning when our son comes home, and it's such a pleasure to know he's getting socialized and receiving great care durning the day. They let kids be kids! During most holidays you can signup for holiday care to avoid taking more days off. The cost has always seemed very reasonable especially for Lamorinda. The only comment I would mention, is the school runs like a well oiled machine, thus when you are new it's overwhelming to learn how the system works for drop off, pickup, and bringing food and clothes, etc. This was stressful when leaving your first little one for the first time, but this subsides after the first week or two after you learn the system. Advice, don't hesitate to ask the staff either in person or via brightwheel, they will always help. Packing lunches the first few months was stressful! Would recommend Lamorinda Montessori to any family.

Our family has a had a great experience at Lamorinda Montessori (Rheem Campus)! We started there…read morein June 2023 and at the time our daughter was 2.5 and son was 10 months. They have checked the boxes for us in terms of providing a reliable, loving, and kind care solution for our kids. The teachers seem very attentive to the kids and we are always met with smiles at pick up and drop off. The school continues to try and implement new programming to engage both kids and parents, like spirit week and off-site excursions but there is probably even more opportunity to do more of that. The school also offers "parents night out" care giving about once a month which provides for an easy solution to leave the kids for a few afternoon hours on a Saturday. Communication could be better just in terms of updates / photos throughout the day, but our kids are happy every day when they come home so honestly that's all we could ask for. The administrative and teaching team makes a real effort and genuinely cares for the families and children. Thank you to Antonio and the team!

There's not enough I can say about this amazing preschool. Both of my kids went to Northgate…read morepreschool when they were younger and it was an incredible experience. I always knew that my kids are well fed, well cared for, and receiving a well rounded education. This preschool is always clean and safe. So creative with activities for kids that stimulate their growth. Kids feel special every day they are there. The teachers are the best and really care for each child that goes there and joins the Northgate Preschool family. We made lifelong friends and our kids still talk about how much they miss their preschool and teachers. Thank you Northgate, you dont even know how much you are appreciated!

So thrilled to see Northgate preschool finally on Yelp! A couple years back, both of my children…read moreattended and graduated from there, and our experience was nothing but amazing. The teachers are truly wonderful and caring, thoughtful and always ready to accommodate. The daily routine they had in place ensured my kids were more than ready for kindergarten. Would recommend it to any parent in a heartbeat.