I first heard about Brighton Preschool from one of my friends who sent her two daughters here. After touring several preschools in SF, Daly City, and Pacifica, I can confidently say that choosing this one was the best decision for our daughter. The curriculum stood out right away. It's well-rounded and includes activities like yoga, sports, ceramics, and field trips. I also like the student to teacher ratio here. My daughter has absolutely thrived since she started in August. She is learning so much every day and it's incredible seeing all the arts and crafts she proudly brings home. Beyond the classroom, we have found a true community amongst other Brighton families that we feel very lucky to be a part of. I am so grateful we found this preschool, and I couldn't recommend it more highly! read more

Our eldest is about to wrap up two years at Brighton and head to kindergarten, happy, prepared, and with a great set of friends. This is thanks to Teacher Gillian and her fantastic team. They have created a safe, supportive, and educational environment over decades, guided by a palpable care and love for the kids. Now our youngest is about to start with them, and we couldn't say enough positive things about BPS. read more

My daughter loves Brighton preschool, teacher Gillian and teacher Shannon! They do a great job at mixing lessons with free play. The children are always running around happy when I arrive for drop offs and pickups. I only have great things to say about it. My daughter can't wait to go back, she asks to go on the weekends! read more

My daughter attended Brighton for 2 years and had a wonderful time! She is incredibly advanced (emotionally and academically) amongst her current peers, and is doing very well in her transitional school. Gillian and her staff provided an enriching learning environment that has sparked my daughter's curiosity with her natural world. My daughter has learned mannerisms, kindness and empathy, and has a love for reading and writing. I can't provide enough positive reviews. If you're considering a preschool, I highly recommend Brighton. Thank you Gillian and staff for making our daughter's days in preschool so much fun and rewarding! She misses you all so much! read more

If I could give no stars I would. I toured this school back in 2010 when my first son was 2. Signed him up and then signed my second child who I was pregnant with. To date.... No call. I hear she is very selective and favors girls. All rumors but that's what I heard. The fact that there was no follow up I think is rude. Why have a wait list if you don't ever call anyone on it?? Yes she gave me a spot for my 2nd son the summer before he was starting kindergarten. This was 5 years later! And note my second son not the first who I originally signed up. PLEASE STOP COMING TO MY HOUSE AND LEAVING THINGS ON MY PROPERTY!!!! read more

Brighton Preschool is awesome. It was recommended by another parent when we were not happy with her previous preschool. The other parent's words, "BEST PRESCHOOL EVER!" I happily came for a day with our daughter to see what a day would be like for her, and I was blown away by how well planned the day was and the amount of things Gillian teaches them/ does with them on a day to day basis. The kids are always busy and happy. Our daughter loves Brighton and the teachers. Gillian teaches the children to read, write, and has a monthly theme that she follows with books and art projects. They have a yoga teacher, dance teacher, ceramics teacher, and music teacher come every month. The children have to wash their hands immediately when they get to school, and the school is ALWAYS clean. The price is comparable to other preschools in the area, but yet they do so much more. I highly recommend Brighton! read more

Our son loves Brighton. We moved here from NYC and had a hard time finding a school with structure and a set curriculum. The teachers at Brighton are organized and do a great job preparing the kids for kindergarten. They have a large playground, garden and an awesome track for the kids to ride bikes on. My son comes home almost everyday with art. They have specialist at the school almost weekly for ceramics, yoga, and music. We highly recommend Brighton! read more

This is an update review to say thank you to teacher Gillian for doing such a great job with our daughter preparing her for elementary school. My daughter graduated from Brighton, and is now in the 2nd grade now. On her district STAR exam recently, she scored 930, which is equivalent to the end of 5th grade level. All this would not have been possible without the help of teacher Gillian being so patient in teaching her how to read and bringing out her love of reading early. The test result says it all. Brighton is an awesome school with an awesome teacher. read more

Brighton came highly recommend from a few friends and lots of neighbors via NextDoor. Our daughter started a few weeks ago and we are thrilled! We were worried that she would be shy or miss the 1:1 attention she had with our nanny but Brighton is the perfect transition. An unbeatable teacher-to-student ratio, tons of play-based activities with an underlying theme to ensure the students learn as they play, and weekly classes like ceramics, yoga, music and Lego engineering. I want to attend Brighton for a day! So far Brighton is exceeding our expectations, which were high given the rave reviews we heard from family friends and, more importantly, their kids. We are grateful every day that our girl made it off the waitlist. We made sure our son was signed up at birth so that we can stay a Brighton family. read more

My child started kindergarten today. As she hesitantly walked toward her new classroom, her face lit up when she recognized one of her preschool friends. She immediately ran to her classmate and gave her a hug. This scene was repeated a few minutes later as another classmate approached. The three girls happily embraced like long-time friends who have not seen each other in a while. It was a really sweet scene to witness and as a mom, it was nice to have been reassured with these lovely and familiar faces. She's going to be fine. Similar to other parents, I found Brighton after extensive research and school visits. For our child, it was the perfect fit and we are grateful to have found it. She learned so much from the well-balanced curriculum that Gillian offers. It is certainly play-based, but the director also manages to carefully blend in an academic element as well as motor-skill development into the mix. Pre-kindergarteners are taught math and reading, so they are prepared to enter elementary school. Parents are encouraged to give presentations on their cultures and occupations - through these activities, the kids are exposed to people, traditions, and food outside of their own. Moreover, the ratio of teachers to students simply cannot be beat here. It's a small school with 12 kids total and at full capacity, there are at least 3 teachers present. This reflects in the cleanliness of the facility and the behavior of the kids, who are usually well behaved and kind to one another. They have great role models - the teachers are truly compassionate and care about each child. Teacher Tess prepares nutritious lunches and snacks for the kids every day. Teacher Katie does special projects and reads to the children. There are also other teachers who teaches dance, ceramics, yoga, and even makes balloon animals! After two years at Brighton, we are sad to be leaving this little haven. If we had to choose all over again, we would pick Brighton in a heartbeat. The preschool just celebrated their 20th anniversary this year. We wish Brighton another 20 years and more. read more

Like all the other parents, I was completely impressed when I first toured BPS. The director Gillian was very well organized and presented all the programs and curriculum that would prepare our children for Kindergarten. I was ecstatic about the school and discussed it with my husband and we thought this may be a good fit for our child. Despite all the negative things I have heard about this school, I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt and see for myself what this school was really about. Following meeting Gillian, while I was at a work meeting, I got a notification on my phone that she added me on Facebook. I found this to be a bit strange- it's not that I have anything to hide, but I felt that it was a bit too personal.. I mean, why would my child's preschool need to see my Facebook account? I produce live events for a living (concerts, fashion shows, etc), and my Facebook wall (aside from photos of my child) is mostly filled with photos from my work events, not to mention community service events that we volunteer at regularly.. So I know she would have been impressed with our work and commitment to the community, however I felt that it was a bit excessive and unnecessary for her to want to see my facebook. So I held off on accepting the request to put further thought into it while I tended to work. That evening when I came home, I logged on thinking "oh, what the heck, i've got nothing to hide anyway," and planned to accept her request, and it was now gone. I discussed it with my husband and he thought that was very peculiar, so he told me to hold off on being overly excited because something did not feel right. The following weeks, despite many efforts to reach her via email, phone, messages, etc, we weren't given any responses- completely ignored. It really doesn't matter to me if we are accepted or not, there are tons of schools in the area- just have the COURTESY to let a parent know so that they do not still have the school as one of their potential options, instead of IGNORING them!! I started feeling very uneasy, so I was thinking about all the negative things I've heard and read about the school being incredibly selective and mostly choosing little girls. I then came on good ol' yelp, where I found another parent who was ignored like I was (who also happened to have a little boy), so I reached out to her and she told me that she didn't receive a response until she wrote a negative review on yelp and finally several years after, Gillian reached out to her. Its unfortunate. I really wanted to like her because the way she presented herself and her school is so attractive, but I guess she had me fooled. I should have listened to what everyone else had to say instead of wanting to give her the benefit of the doubt. read more

Our 3 year old daughter has been attending Brighton Preschool for several months. My wife and I are very happy with the school, though I think our daughter is even happier than we are! She really enjoys every minute there and talks enthusiastically every day about her experiences at school. She learns about many different things through the well planned, but very balanced curriculum. The teachers are very conscientious and really care about the development and well-being of the students. We strongly recommend Brighton Preschool to other parents of young children. read more

My daughter attends Brighton full time and really enjoys it. Teacher Gillian and the staff are very attentive, organized and maintain a professional positive experience for the children. In addition to the normal Preschool curriculum, Brighton kids also do ceramics, yoga, dance and singing classes. Overall, I would and have recommended it to my friends. read more

My husband and I are both in education and we are happy with the program at Brighton Preschool. Brighton proved to be a safe and nurturing environment for our daughter. This was her second preschool in the area. We also liked her first preschool but it did not offer the enrichment classes or academics that Brighton does. Her initial preschool was also much more expensive and it tolerated more rough and physical behaviors from the children. Although Brighton may not be for every child, it was great for ours. It has a good balance of play, enrichment, academics, and discipline. My husband and I were also confident that she was safe which wasn't always true of her initial preschool. Brighton has a good teacher to student ratio, with caring teachers. Our daughter simply adores Ms. Gillian, Ms. Katie, Ms. Tess and Ms Kate. Brighton is a small preschool, making it difficult to get in (we were on the waitlist for over 2 years hence the fact we attended a different preschool). I would recommend getting on the waitlist as early as possible. We are hoping to send our son when he's old enough. Not too worry, we're already on the waitlist. :) I will be happy to update my review at that point. read more

I sent my youngest child to Brighton and wishing I knew about Brighton with my other two children so they could have had that experience. Brighton is truly a jewel in Pacifica I feel so lucky to have a preschool with such a caring owner/teachers. She gives you a 100% every single day with all their creative projects and play time along with learning, You can't ask more then that! My daughter grew so much in the one year she was there, we really do miss our Brighton days.. read more

Brighton preschool is truly a special place. Our daughter attended for just under 2 years, and loved every single day there. Teach Gillian does absolutely everything with the kids best interests in mind. They have freedom to choose their own play and learn the ins and outs of socializing, within a structured day with lots of inventive learning opportunities. Our daughter loved the Question of the Day and the Friday Guessing Game in particular. We were blown away by how much she learned about the world around her, how quickly her vocabulary and understanding grew, and how well-prepared for kindergarten she was become. There is a wonderful atmosphere at the school - the children truly love it and are close friends. Leaving Brighton was the saddest thing about our family moving away from Pacifica- it is a school that is impossible to replicate. Thank you Teacher Gillian! read more

We are thrilled with Brighton Preschool. Our son started in the summer and has loved every day there. The school is beautiful and their outdoor area is fantastic. The crafts are creative and I can't believe how quickly my son is learning so many things. The teachers there are very respectful of the children and everyone seems honored there. I love the communication with the parents, receiving photos every week and having a clear monthly calendar of what the children are studying. We also love that lunch is served, which saves us time in the morning. There are also a number of field trips which have been a joy. We love Brighton and would recommend it to anyone. You should really schedule a tour to see how terrific it is in person. read more

My daughter is currently in her first year, and we are so impressed with Brighton Preschool. Not only are all the teachers very passionate about children, the school is a nurturing environment where kids are celebrated. I love the different art projects my daughter comes home with almost daily, and she is eager to tell me about her day. Another thing they participate in at Brighton is the "Raise a Reader" program, so we get a bag of books each week to read at home. My daughter loves to read and she's begun taking the books and 'reading' them to us based off the pictures. Its so fun to have new books circulate through weekly. For us, the location is great and my daughter is really happy. Enough said :) read more

I am one of the enrichment teachers that comes to Brighton preschool monthly, to do ceramics workshops with their kids. I go to more than 50 schools in the bay area, and have to say Brighton is one of my favorite places to work. The homey atmosphere with a great outdoor play area overlooking the ocean and the rooms inside full of fun activities set the stage for a calm atmosphere, which I consider to be very important in creating a healthy environment for kids to learn and play in. The kids are treated with respect and in turn show respect to each other and the teachers. I would definitely consider sending my child to a place like this. The fact that they have us come to teach ceramics tells me they are always looking for ways to create a richer experience for their kids. read more

As a parent of two alumni Brighton Preschool students, Brighton Preschool is everything one looks for as their child's first experience to education. Teacher Gillian treats each child with respect. Her teaching methods are very interactive and enjoyable for the students. I recall my girls sharing about learning about space, how teacher Gillian explains about car engines. I personally loved the family assignment to visit the tide pools in Half Moon Bay. Though experiences like this I learned to truly listen and see the world through their eyes. Needless to say,both my girls were academically ready for kindergarten. They were also taught to voice their thoughts in a respectful manner and listen to their peers. read more

I am a parent, and Credentialed California Teacher. I taught preschool for several years as well as kindergarten, first grade, second grade, third grade, fourth grade and fifth in California public schools. I currently have a child attending Brighton Pre School. I also have a child who attended Brighton for two years (2010-2012), and an older child that attended another preschool as we lived in a different state at the time. Even now, over 10 years later, I still wish my oldest child had had the wonderful opportunity to attend Brighton. Her pre school was adequate, but nothing compares to Brighton. This school is fantastic, and my child loves being there as did her sibling. The teachers are smart and caring people who take pride in providing students with the best of everything possible. Their academic program is expertly designed to work with a childs natural curiosity and desire to learn. Curriculum is well planned, well researched, and hands on for the kids. I see all of them everyday, having a great time learning. They remember what was taught and the many things they discovered and love sharing it at home. This is truly remarkable, and no easy task. Personal attention is given to each student. All of my kids were home with me for their first three years of life. Pre School was a very hard transition for them. Brighton takes this to heart and gives time, patience, attention and care when kids need it. And it helps tremendously. At Brighton, my kids went from very apprehensive to attend school, to starting to want to learn a little more, to really wanting to be a part of the activities. They became happy and excited and couldn't wait to get to school. A small miracle in my book. I wish my oldest child had had this. They do fantastic art projects with the kids, yoga, ceramics, physical education play, fine motor skills, reading, and the list goes on and on. Everyday at Brighton, kids have great days of well planned, organized exploration, learning, fun, friendship and happiness. School was not an easy concept for my kids to accept. I worried they would never adjust to school. Brighton's program is such that kids want to engage and be a part of it. This is a wonderful place, I feel lucky everyday my children attended and attend Brighton. read more

Brighton is a wonderful experience for preschoolers and their families. Teacher Gillian has been so thoughtful in every detail of the school from the programming, the activities and the art to the seasonal field trips and the children's daily schedule, Gillian has thought of everything. The school is small knit community and it has been so nice to get to know all the other families but also have their support and engagement as part of my daughter's preschool experience. Brighton truly is an enriching and safe environment and my daughter loves going and learning and exploring there. Gillian brings in other specialists regularly (yoga, music, drumming, education, lego engineering, ceramics). The children have monthly themed curriculum which is reflected in the toys, books, activities and art. They play outside everyday and have a wonderful outdoor playspace. Our daughter brings home imaginative art every day and as well as my favorite, a sheet of responses to the question of the day. (The teachers record the children's answers to the question of the day which are so cute, entertaining, smart and fun). read more

This review is long overdue but I wanted to highly recommend Brighton Preschool. I have toured many preschools in Pacifica and feel Brighton has the best program. The team at Brighton does a wonderful job with a curriculum that builds on itself, with a focus on the arts. My daughter has a chance to regularly participate in art, ceramics, music/dance, lego engineering, the reading game (for older kids) and a host of other activities. Parent involvement and the friends my daughter has made at the school have been wonderful. The facilities at Brighton are also top notch. Everything is clean and well organized. From visiting the school you can see a lot of pride is put into this program. As my daughter finishes her final year at Brighton I feel she will be well prepared for Kindergarten. Thanks again for all the hard work the teachers put into this program read more

The school has a welcoming, warm environment that is spacious and comfortable. My child looks forward to going to school every day, and is thoroughly engaged in the activities. The variety of projects that involve arts, from music to ceramics to dancing to gymnastics to crafts, is just amazing. My child absorbs the lessons through the engaging, exciting hands-on activities that are an integral part of the program. read more

We are so happy with Brighton Preschool and its teachers! My husband and I would highly recommend this top-notch school to anyone interested in sending his or her child to an educationally and cuturally rich program that features age appropriate reading, writing, science, math, yoga, dance, music, field trips, ceramics, free play, and a really great staff who truly cares for the children's welfare and happiness. Thanks to Brighton, our daughter is so ready for kindergarten. read more

It's been 7 years since our son attended Brighton Preschool. I first heard about Brighton Preschool from a friend who said Gillian's preschool was better than Stanford's campus preschool (she has since graduated from Stanford's law school). It was one of the best investments in our son's education we could have made. Teacher Gillian's prices are comparable. Frankly, the extra activities she provides is a HUGE bonus. Our son still remembers Gillian teaching her class about Dinosaurs and always picked one out for his "potty training" prize when he successfully did his business in the very beginning of his preschool. When Brighton Preschool went to the California Academy of Science on one of their field trips, it is memorable to this day. Our son is even interested in paleontology to this date! We have since moved to San Diego, but Brighton Preschool's photos, ceramic pieces and art are still reminders today of what a great experience it was to be at Teacher Gillian's school. Our son's grandma still displays the ceramic candle holder he made at 3-years old! Teacher Gillian runs a tight ship at Brighton Preschool and her curriculum is structured. But, the kids also have the freedom to play in areas of their choice (i.e. farm animals or play dress up with the array of costumes on hand). I loved the fact that in the beginning, she also had all us parents watch a video about the best way to discipline our kids so that it would be consistent with her schools' way of keeping order. For years--and even to this day--we still use the "1-2-3 Magic" method of getting our kids to do the things we ask of them. Truly, within 3-seconds (actually 2-seconds), they jump up and do what we need them to do such as putting their dishes away, cleaning up after themselves, etc... Thank you, Teacher Gillian--The 1-2-3 Magic technique is truly one of the best gold nugget tools you gave us that we still use to this day. I could go on and on, but other reviews do a good job of describing additional benefits of Brighton Preschool. If you are lucky enough to get into this school, it is one of the best investments you can make for yourself--and especially for your child. read more

We put a lot of consideration into the preschool that we selected for our family. We interviewed nearly every preschool in town, and were delighted to find Brighton. They do have a long wait list, so plan in advance. You'll be happy you did. Our son attended Brighton for two years, and now his sister is in her second year. We plan on sending our third child there as well. It's a nice balance of free play and structured learning. The children are exposed to so many fun new topics. Every few weeks they change the theme. Their learning is reinforced by the circle time activities, art/craft projects, cooking projects, field trips and free play activities. They are learning letters and decoding words through phonics. They are also learning early math and science concepts. The preparation for elementary school is a step ahead. Their experience at Brighton gives them the confidence they need to excel in life. We selected the preschool because of all the wonderful programs it has to offer (phonics and math exercises, art, music, ceramics, dance, yoga, educational field trips, the list just goes on), but the children have really grown socially as well. The social network of families is wonderful. We all share in play dates and continue our relationships long after preschool is over. I love that our daughter comes home talking about subjects she's learned at school. Currently they are studying birds. She came home with a bird watching chart and is excited to go on walks and look out the window identifying all the local bird species. The education is presented in a playful manner that creates a love for learning! It's a loving, clean, safe environment. The teachers are extremely organized, rotating stimulating free play activities on a daily basis. One day there are water play tables set up outside, and the next card board boxes have been assembled into forts. It's the perfect balance of free play and guided learning. We also like the small classroom size. There are never more than 12 children at a time. But, because of this it requires some planning on your part to be accepted into the program. Tour the school early! I'd recommend contacting Teacher Gillian at least 1 year prior to attending. It's worth it! read more

Brighton Preschool offers a dynamic, creative, and focused program to help students prepare for Kindergarten while making strong friendships and having fun. The school's focus on art - with an imaginative different art project every single day - keeps kids engaged and interested while practicing new skills they are learning and exploring within the context of the school's monthly curriculum themes. The excellent outside and inside play areas allow children freedom to run and play how they naturally would, and the day is structured to give children clear expectations as well as free time and new experiences like ceramics, music, dance, gymnastics, and yoga. The kindergarten prep is outstanding, age-appropriate, and challenging just enough to keep the kids progressing without even realizing they are working to do it. read more

Brighton Preschool is wonderful. My child is very happy there. Very clean, safe environment and loving teachers. Small class size is a bonus. Focuses on both art and academics. Fun field trips and monthly activities such as music, yoga, gymnastics and ceramics! read more

Both my daughter and son attended Brighton Preschool and we were very happy with both their experiences. They offer a wonderful program and they were both definitely well prepared for Kindergarten. read more

My daughter, who is first grade now, attended Brighton Preschool for 2 years. She absolutely loved it there and still speaks of it wistfully and often asks to go and visit. Gillian provides an amazing amount of enrichment activities in an very nurturing environment. As a family with 2 full time working parents, we are so thankful to Brighton and Gillian for providing the best care for our daughter. We only wish we had known more to enroll our older son. read more

Brighton Preschool was my first choice for a preschool for my daughter. The curriculum was exactly what I was looking for in giving my daughter a head start for her education. The staff is very friendly, the school is very organized and I love that they take pictures and provide them on a weekly basis so you get to see the enjoyment your child has on their face during school. Brighton has a well thought out calendar and provides multiple different "experiences" for your child while attending school including trips to Gymtowne, yoga instructors and music teachers that visit the school, and other field trips. I also enjoy the unique holiday season where each child does a "presentation" of their heritage to their classmates to learn about where they come from. I was lucky enough to have my first daughter attend and witness how she excelled and now have my second daughter attending. I would definitely recommend Brighton Preschool to any family. read more

When I was looking for a preschool for my 5 year-old granddaughter, I wanted it to have a safe, nurturing, environment that is academic-based. I found just that at Brighton Preschool in Pacifica. The teachers are well-qualified and have a keen understanding of the needs of 3-5 year old children. Academically, my granddaughter has exceeded all expectations in just four months and she is excited to go to school each day because of the varied activities. Gillian arranges for each day to be exciting and different, with games and outside activities changing daily. My granddaughter is so happy to go school and I am happy to take her. My only regret is that Brighton does not go beyond preschool. I am concerned that her elementary school will not live up to her experiences at Brighton. I highly recommend this preschool for anyone searching for a safe, fun and academic environment for their child. read more

BPS review update: my family has been a part of the Brighton family for years because both of my sons have attended. My youngest will graduate in Aug 2017. Gillian continues to update her school with technology and new ideas about enriching the lives of her students. Every month there's a new theme / focus. This month the focus is on geo-culuture and every family gives a presentation about where they're from (ancestral) and how that culture has influenced their lives. Gillian addresses all of the different learning styles. She understands that PLAY is very important as well as fostering creativity. BPS never sacrifices quality by over enrolling. Safety is a priority as well as hand washing. If one of the students is participating in behavior that isn't appropriate Gillian knows how to nip it in the bud by involving all parties. This is a small, diverse, top tier program that you would be very lucky to get into. Finally, her staff is wonderful. She has assembled a group of truly sweet, smart, special teachers that the kids adore. My sons will forever benefit from their time at BPS! read more

Both of our children attended Brighton full time, M-F, for 2 years each and both thrived during their time there, and beyond, thanks to Gillian and her teachers. It is an unsurpassed program which resulted in both kids being fully prepared for kindergarten, academically and socially. The school itself is in a beautiful sunny setting, with an ocean view and plenty of outdoor space for the children to play and ride trikes. The monthly yoga, ceramics, dance, gymnastics and music just add to an already fabulous curriculum. Our kids beg to go back as 'Alumni teacher helpers' on public school holidays and all of us consider Brighton as an extension of our family. The program is an ideal balance of structured learning and free time for all sorts of imaginative play and activities with an emphasis on art and nature. We looked at every preschool in the area and there was simply no other school that came close to Brighton. read more