This is the first online review I've ever written, but if it were my children at Kipling, I'd want someone to tell me what is happening behind the scenes. The school philosophy starts at the top with the owner, Jennifer Pierce. She is not interested in developing, educating, or even meeting your child. Her priority will be only to telling you why your child needs to enroll in her lower/elementary school, and why they won't be successful elsewhere. She will find ways to collect fees from you, and is only concerned with her monthly tuition checks. There is very high teacher turnover, and excessive screen time (you can see it when you log in to the cameras). A few of the teachers do their best, but some (Kristin) are so rigid and hard on the children, that when combined with the VERY small spaces, it creates a lot of frustration for your growing boys and girls. We removed our children from this environment, and it's like they are different people overnight at their new school. There are so many better loving environments and spaces for your children in Houston, make the change and stay away! read more

We have had our kids at this school since they were babies. Highly recommend. We adore all the teachers and the Administrator Ms. Jade! This our second family now and we love KSA! read more

Sketchy waitlist system & completely disorganized administrative staff. This place has constant tours & gladly takes money to join a waitlist but doesn't have space or go in order of date added. Look up the owner, Jennifer Pierce, on google and Facebook to see what kind of mess you want to avoid. Skip this scam read more

As a previous teacher at Kipling Street Academy, I would like to say how wonderful, professional, and caring the establishment is. The building is kept very clean and the staff is very friendly. KSA makes a point to teach children to the highest of their abilities and expose them to new and wonderful things. Previously being a Pre-K teacher, students were taught much needed skills like, skip-counting, months of the year, days of the week, counting to 100, geography, citizenship, and even were exposed to basic addition. Many of these skills are taught in Kindergarten in public schools so students attending Kipling Street Academy are building their knowledge in these many important areas earlier. The majority of students (in the year I taught) knew their letters and were beginning the early stages of writing. I was amazed at how far the students were academically at such an early age. If I had any children and lived in the area, I would definitely try to send them to Kipling Street Academy. All teachers are also certified and are provided/required to attend training seminars (different topics related to education) to further promote their performances as educators. As for the staff, in my experience they were always very kind and welcoming, offering support and advice if I ever needed any. Mrs. Pierce was very supportive and truly cared about her establishment (staff, children, and how KSA was ran). Many times I observed her giving appropriate feedback to parents as well as welcoming/saying goodbye to students at the end of the day. She is very proud of KSA; it is a very impressive and excellent school (I would be too). To address the possible thought of being a "previous teacher" regarding high turnovers of teachers, I unfortunately had to move out of Houston for personal reasons that I could not control. If I would have been able to stay in Houston, I would still be there right now as a teacher. Kipling Street Academy is an impressive academic school for early childhood and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who asks. Hope this was helpful! read more

Both classes my child was in had very high teacher turnover. Teacher to child ratio was never as advertised; several times I saw 1 teacher with approx. 10 kids. When kids play outside, on many occasions they did not have water readily available despite the very hot temps and kids asking for water. The Director of the school, Jennifer Pierce, acts like a bully. She will not listen to parent concerns. I have email correspondence from her where she attacks me personally though she knows nothing about me. After a child was run over in the parking lot of the school, she emailed parents threatening them to not talk about it. Teachers are wonderful, but the Dictator, I mean, Director, is reason enough to avoid this school. read more

Kipling Street Academy is a fantastic school! I've had both of my boys here for a few years and feel the education and warmth offered here is superior to other schools (we were in two schools with my oldest son prior- Primrose and Creme de la Creme). The school is incredibly clean and the curriculum is very strong. My 4 year old son reads at a 3rd grade level (as do other kids in his class). His classmates have all tested into AOS, St. John's, Kinkaid, ROE, etc. Several of them, including us, are staying at Kipling Street Academy because of the great experience we've had. The teachers are really caring- we have had a positive experience with all of them. They greet our boys with a big hug each morning and spend countless hours working to ensure they have a good education. They come to birthday parties outside of school when invited and overall have a genuine interest in our children. I see the other reviews demonstrate a riff with the Director- seems it may be grown up adults not interested in playing fair. At any rate, the reviews are extremely contrary to what our experience has been here (and the experience of many other parents who have had their kids here for years who obviously aren't on Yelp). read more

Our 17-month-old daughter attended The Kipling School as an infant and has since moved on to Kipling Street Academy for the toddler class. We've loved both schools and both sets of teachers. The love and care the teachers and staff have shown our daughter (and us) is incredible and has helped us feel confident that she's at the right place when we drop her off each day. More importantly, our daughter is excited to go to school each day and has been almost since the beginning, and I'm confident that's due to Kipling's warm, friendly environment and the teachers who love her as if she were their own. For those who are wondering, this isn't just a daycare. Even in the toddler class of 14-24-month-olds, there's a set curriculum each week, with students learning about topics ranging from sports to the circus to the rainforest. Our daughter has blossomed as a result of the education she's received there and her vocabulary is far, far greater than that of any other 17-month old we know (except a few of her classmates), and I don't hesitate to give her teachers a lot of the credit for this. We highly recommend Kipling Street Academy and The Kipling School to everyone we meet, as it's played such a huge role in our daughter's development and the development of her classmates. read more

If I could give it zero stars I would. The owner and the management are all about the business side of things with little to no respect or care to the children at school. Even though the teachers are super sweet and helpful, think twice before enrolling! If there is "no room" for your child to move up a class even though he/she is older or more advanced than the class he/she is in, they wont move you! They dont care for the education but the "spot" or the "headcount". NCLB starts here!! Beware parents! read more

Paid registration fee in Feb to start in Aug 2012 at the new Kipling St. Academy on Shepherd. School is not ready, maybe in October, and I was waiting for this placement for my daughter. She doesn't have a school to go now, manager did not honor her spot and does not want to give my registration money back. Enough said? No. Jennifer Pierce (on her own words) told me she has more than 300 kids on a waiting list. All of them paid $125 for that. Do the math! Does Mrs Pierce have a spot for all of them? Or is she cashing money and playing with the good faith of mothers and fathers who come to her school looking for a placement in a well recommended day care? The school may be good but the management... One can not trust it! I felt betrayed and stolen. read more

Teachers are good, though the turnover in our class was at ridiculous levels when we left. School is very clean and nice. We left to go to another school on our own accord for one reason....management. Managment/administration is horrible. Jennifer is cold and snooty (she drives a Maserati to school for crying out loud). I wonder if she even likes kids. I dont mind someone who is business-minded, but you have to realize the business you are in. She is unfriendly. On top of that, she is extremely unprofessional. We received countless e-mails torching teachers and other administrators over various issues. One time, a teacher quit and didnt fulfill her two week notice, Jennifer claimed it was because she was going on a trip with her boyfriend via email. Seriously? She just wanted an excuse for our class being shorthanded, and I wasnt interested in her excuses. They also have trouble getting supplies in the classes with parents/teachers having to bring plates, utensils, and even chairs/table (guess she needs the extra money to make those Maserati payments). I can only imagine how horrible she is to work for behind doors. Well, I dont have to imagine, I can talk to any of the teachers, and they have plenty of stories. Overall, this school would be awesome if not for management. However, I am sure they will continue to be successful due to location, short supply of good daycares, and appearances. I just hope Jennifer doesnt alienate every other stakeholder involved with the school. read more

Great, but pricey, daycare option in town. We had our son at this Kipling when he was an infant, and the Heights Kipling when he was a toddler ( not sure why that location doesn't appear onYelp). Both locations were fantastic. The facilities are both relatively new and they keep things well maintained. They hire some great teachers who really care about your kids and their education. They publish and distribute a well defined curriculum each week. The teachers do a great job of walking you through each days progress when you go to pickup your kid. It is a lot of money per month but we feel it was worth it. We have moved outside of town and really miss Kipling. Just a few complaints I have: 1) Supply and extra fee costs. Seems like this kept popping up. It would be a whole lot easier to just roll those into the monthly tuition rate. 2) Holidays. Teachers are on a true teacher schedule( aside from summer). This means they are off a week for spring break and christmas ( and you still pay for these weeks). read more

Extremely happy with our choice to send our little one to Kipling! Each child in the classroom gets individual attention and love. As a working mother, leaving your child in the care of someone else is a big decision. Kipling takes the thinking out of it for you! The facility is VERY clean; teachers go the extra mile to ensure the classrooms are thoroughly cleaned/wiped down during each nap. They also communicate all of your child's milestones with a daily report card and help you get them on a schedule!! We are SO lucky to have them!!! read more

I watch my baby grandson on the cameras they have in his daycare room. After raising 4 children and experiencing daycare for 2 out of town grandchildren, I have NEVER seen such attention to detail with child care. EVERY morning when the babies nap, the 3 teachers clean the entire room. They spray all the surfaces, clean all the toys and organize the room. Visitors must take off their shoes to keep the carpet clean. The teachers are loving, friendly and present! I can't think of a better, safer childcare facility. It's no wonder the wait list is so long! KUDOS to Kipling for great care and peace of mind! read more

While I cannot fairly rate the school, as my son is yet to attend, I can speak about the waitlist and my success on that list. My son was placed on the list about a month ago and we were told that he was number 22 for his age range. From what we understood, people could register for the list at any time, so there were children on the list way younger than him and not technically eligible for his class, but that parents want to ensure that when their children were ready age-wise they would have first dibbs. My son is also on the cusp of his age group and because he will be having a birthday soon, they co-listed him for his age now and for the age-group up just incase a space does not become available before his birthday. We were called three weeks later and told that a space was available for him. I also want to speak to the staff at Kipling- while the Owner was not around while we were there, her staff- Courtney and Laurel in particular were extremely helpful (both in person and on the phone) and could answer any of my concerns. I went to pay for my son's first month's tuition and his lead teacher spent a long time, answering any other questions I might have. While there, we saw nothing but happy, enthusiastic children and teachers. UPDATE! I've increased my star rating for this school. My son has now been in attendance for nearly a year and we LOVE it! Better yet he loves it. He is learning, he is engaged- the lesson plans are amazing and while I try to follow along at home, I still find myself working with him at a more elementary level than they do at school. I can ask any one of his 3 teachers and get a comprehensive download of his day. They KNOW him and I truly believe they all love him. He has never been happier and is excited to go to school nearly every day. read more

This school is fantastic. The teachers are creative, passionate and teach children in a way that motivates them to learn more. My 4 year old is in Pre-K and loves his teachers and classmates. Each week has a new theme and the teachers brilliantly weave math, science, geography, reading, writing and art lessons into it. My one year old recently moved from the infant class to the toddler class, where she is blossoming. (The school did an excellent job of transitioning her from one room to another by arranging "visits" to the new class over a week or two.) Even in the infant and toddler classes, there are age-appropriate activities surrounding a weekly theme. The kids learn through music, play and sign-language. I can't say enough good things about the learning environment they create. The Director and Staff are extremely pleasant, particularly considering how many people they greet and converse with each morning and afternoon. I think it's unfair for people to slam the Director because of the nice car she drives or because she has asked people to leave the school. She has built an excellent facility for educating kids in the Houston area, which was desperately needed, and she ensures that the kids who are in the school are respectful and mindful of the needs of others. I don't care if part of my tuition payment goes to her car...she has earned it. Parking is a problem during peak times, but the lot is being expanded. Also, for some odd reason, the entrance to the newest building (on Shepherd) faces a busy street and the kids have to walk on a sidewalk close to the street to get into the building. I think that design decision may have been out of the school's control, but it would sure be nice/safer to see an entrance placed elsewhere. Once the kids are inside though, they are in good hands. read more

I am completely astonished this establishment has stayed in business with how the owner/director treats people. I was shocked the first time I called the school after noticing that my son seemed to be quite a bit older than the other children and his class and simply thought they might have placed him in the wrong classroom- she quickly got an attitude with me and stated that if I was happy where I had my son before that Kipling might not be for me. They feel it best to separate the younger children by sex rather than age- what who does that??? Kipling claims to be a well-structured learning environment for children but I watched my son on the video often and saw nothing but him crawling around all day and the "teachers" sitting around. The environment here is very cold and unloving - my son is a very happy easy going baby and when I would pick him up here he always seemed so sad which was the biggest red flag that I needed to pull him out ASAP. read more

Please take a moment to read the reviews on the actual school and not the waitlist. All reputable programs in the city have 6-12+ month lists, and I'm saddened by the immaturity of the angry reviews of those with no actual experience at the campus. Our son has thrived at Kipling, and the teachers in the Forest Room are extensions of our family. They are loving, kind, and treat our son as their own. Is the tuition cheap? No. But it's on par with comparable programs in the area. They have a comprehensive curriculum, send weekly overviews of what your child will learn, have cameras so you can check in, new facilities that are well kept, AND provide meals. We toured 6 other schools when I was 7 weeks pregnant and put our our name on 4 lists. Two of the programs other took my deposit and have yet to call me, and our son is 16 months the old. It's just part of it. If you are considering Kipling... understand that yes, there's a list. But it's that way for a reason. We love it and think Courtney and staff are doing a wonderful job. read more

I wanted to write this review because I know parents out there are frustrated with the waitlist situation at both locations (believe me - I've been there!), however, the negative-starred reviews out there need to be fair from the perspective of a parent/child who has attended one of the schools. Our son has been at Kipling for about a year and is learning so much! I have high expectations as both a parent and a school teacher! The teachers are not always perfect from day to day (bc they may have forgotten to complete the daily report or sent home another child's Show-n-Share item by accident ...), but when it comes to the more important things... we could not be happier with Kipling. My son is in the 2 y.o. class with 3 teachers in his classroom who are always caring and attentive to his needs. Even the directors know him by name and so does the school's adorable onsite chef! Every adult that interacts with my child has been wonderful! It's hard to believe the review that says teachers at Kipling are harsh with the kids; the owner would never tolerate this if she knew - I wonder if that parent contacted the owner (Jennifer)? Kipling offers my son a great education (yes, even at 2 yrs. old!) with wonderful lesson plans that go home weekly, great parent communication, appropriate socialization (it's not free time all day long), a safe/inviting/clean environment, and reliable teachers who care and love my child. Cons (sort of): I do admit the waitlist is a long and frustrating process, but schools with immediate openings or high turnover are typically the ones that parents aren't happy with. The school IS pricey, but definitely worth it. read more

I toured the school last week and was so impressed. The classrooms are well organized and very well setup, the teachers are professional and energetic, and all the kids look happy learning and playing. This is definitely a kind of school I am looking for my son. Unfortunately the waiting list is until June 2017 while we need to send our son to school much sooner than that. Highly recommend Kipling Street Academy as I believe the children will learn alot while still have a lot of fun in this school. read more

Wonderful, clean school with a great staff and amazing teachers. I'm so glad I switched my son to Kipling and I look forward to many more years there. read more

The only positive about this school are the amazing teachers and how clean the TEACHERS keep the school. Jennifer does not care about the children or her employees. Every child that walks through the door Jennifer sees dollar signs. There use to be several reviews on this site that actually told the truth about this school, she must've paid someone off to delete them. She doesn't think twice about putting her employees down and bad mouthing them to parents. Here's the best part: 1. Parents pay $75 "supply fee", the school is consistently with little to no supplies (paper towels, toilet paper, tissues, construction paper, etc.) A teacher told me they had to ask one of the classroom parents if they wanted to bring supplies for their class.. sad! 2. At one point a toilet was clogged due to children having to clean themselves with napkins or other paper products, Jennifer likes to wait until last minute to spend money on what should be necessities. 3. There is NO curriculum for the younger "schools", they will lie to you and say there is. Teachers make-up lesson plans as they go. Ask to see the curriculum books, then you will see them scramble to come up with yet another lie. My sister-in-law toured the school (after several phone calls trying to reach someone to set up a time), she asked what curriculum they used... the answers they gave were basic standards NOT a curriculum. read more

The Kipling School is a wonderful school. My son began attending Kipling Street Academy when he was 2. We moved him when he was 3 1/2 and was old enough to attend the school his brothers were at. We quickly realized that Kipling was far ahead of the other private school we moved him to. He was bored and not learning anything new. We were lucky enough to get him back into The Kipling School. The teachers are incredible, the facility is beautiful and the curriculum is challenging, stimulating and fun. My son never wanted to go to school at the other school, but now can't wait to go in each day. The administration is always available for questions. it is obvious that the administration and teachers know how to run an early childhood program. read more

I recommend The Kipling School 100%. My daughter started at the Kipling School in October 2012 at two years old. Registration was easy and the staff was friendly and professional. My daughter's teachers were so helpful with my daughter's transition to school. She had never been in school before and cried some at drop off during the first few days and they were so loving and kind with her. Every single day from then on, she says, "Mommy I love my school!" She is now 3, and is already writing letters and she can identify all the letters in the alphabet. Her teachers have exceeded my expectations and Jennifer Pierce (head of shcool) has been avaiable, professional, and amazing to work with. Every question is answered promtly. Every concern addressed and handled professionally. And most importantly, I don't have a worry in the world when she is at school. And that is priceless. I have been through other schools with my older girls, and nannies, and I have never felt as much at peave as I do with my children at Kipling. My older girls just started in the new elementary and I am blown away with the school as well! Everything is clean and beautiful. The girls were a little timid going to a new school with new teachers and friends, but the teachers made it so easy and comfortable. There were no tears at drop off and they had huge smiles when I picked them up. The girls (one is in Kindergarten, one is in first grade) told me they loved thier teachers and classmates. Another great thing about the school is food is included....and it is healthy and kid-friendly. Menus and lesson plans are emailed weekly on Monday. Two snacks and lunch are provided. This was a big deal to my first grader. Her public school lunch was at 10:30 and she would come home starving at 3 p.m without a snack. Yesterday she was content and happy! I also recieved written updates about both of their days. I love this about Kipling as well. It is by far the BEST school my kids have ever attended. I recommend this school for infants through elementary school. read more

Son thrown out of school because of one incident in the parking lot where director stood by watching and did not help or send anyone to help. She said it was her job to watch comings and goings, and if she had been so concerned about others and us, then why didn't she send someone out? She did not. It was only after I complained that it was a safety and community issue that she stated he had to leave with 2-3 days in the middle of the school year to find a new school. After he left, it was the first time I had been informed that he was problematic on a daily basis! They wrote no such daily reports, only 1 time did he have a problem before this. No where in their handbook does it state that the parking lot was sufficient cause to kick him out. And no meeting with director/teachers about any of his behavior, prior to this as stated in handbook. I have the daily reports to prove this, which all mentioned no problems. Also, if your son or daughter is sick, you must pick him/her up within 30 minutes!! And this is also not stated in their handbook but was told to me on 2 different occasions. read more