I admit, we came to Pilgrim Learning Academy out of desperation having been waited listed at different non-home childcare settings but boy was it such a blessing! PLA has been so great for my son's development not just socially but also academically. His teachers are the best and really get to know the kids and tailors their approach based on their needs. Ms. Mary was so instrumental in potty training our son! She was so patient and really took the time to take him to the potty after we started the process at home. Ms. Lauren is my son's teacher now and she is equally amazing! She's so patient and just has a great attitude. Pilgrim Learning Academy is a definitely a great gem for childcare in the area! read more

I've trusted PLA with both of my children for the past two years, and it has been such a wonderful experience. The teachers truly treat students and parents like family, creating such a welcoming environment. Communication is excellent; the staff always keeps us in the loop and handles any issues with care. I also love the large play area where the kids can really burn off energy! With their affordable rates and recently upgraded security within the church building, I have total peace of mind knowing my kids are safe and happy. I can't recommend them enough! read more

My daughter started at Pilgrim Learning Academy when she was just 2 years old, and she has been very happy there for the past two years. The teachers are all amazing and truly know how to handle young children with patience, care, and love. Ms. Shelly, who runs the school, does a wonderful job creating a safe, nurturing, and positive environment for the kids. The school strongly focuses on teaching good behavior along with a well-structured curriculum that helps children become confident and well prepared for kindergarten. We have seen great growth in our daughter, both academically and socially. I highly recommend Pilgrim Learning Academy to any parent looking for a caring and supportive learning environment for their child. read more

Pilgrim Learning Academy is such a blessing to my family. My son adores all of the teachers and all of the activies in his daily routine. He has expanded his vocabulary Tremendously and has only attended for 2 months ( He is 2). I trust all of the staff here and I'm so thankfull for how much they care about my son and how much they help him grow. From the arts and crafts they make to the special events they have and soo much more, This Daycare is absolutely amazing and I hope other families can see for themselves just how wonderful Pilgrim Learning Academy is. read more

We are very happy with this daycare. The teachers are kind, caring, and patient, and they truly care about the children. My child feels safe, happy, and excited to go every day. I really appreciate the loving environment and the good communication from the staff. I highly recommend this daycare to any parent. read more

Ok. So . . . I have a confession. We were initially waitlisted in one or two places with "Montessori" thrown in their name. Because . . . the internet says that's what we're supposed to do?? (Ridiculous? Yes. #MomGuilt.) Second confession: We are not particularly religious, and PLA is, well, in a church. So glad neither of these stopped us from choosing PLA Fast forward to present: We absolutely, without a doubt, could not be happier with PLA. Our daughter has been there just under one year. She loves her teachers. From everything I see, they truly care about her, too. The kids spend ample time outdoors. My daughter can sing the full ABCs and count to 13 (lol). She brings home adorable art projects that she's proud to show off. She loves her school friends, and tells me stories about what they do each day. Her teachers send us photos, so I feel like I'm always "in the loop." Teachers are SO available if you need to reach them for any reason (I use their app). They have an optional lunch program (which saves me so much time). They are constantly organizing fun surprises for the kids--even a full-blown career week where they could meet/learn from community helpers (including FIREFIGHTERS WITH THEIR FIRE TRUCK!!). I'm so impressed that they could (bothered to?) pull this off for toddlers. PS: PLA was INSTRUMENTAL in potty training for us (Ms. Shelly even encouraged us not to throw in the towel), and took on the lion's share of work on this front. TLDR: This place has all the love, attention and genuine care I could have hoped for. My daughter went in crying every day for her first week or two. Now, under one year later, she's thrilled to go in (almost?) every day. She sings and dances and loves projects. She understands quiet time, sharing, how to get in a line, etc. She went from nearly no language to being able to communicate surprisingly well; expressing thoughts, emotions, plans, and summarizing her day. I'm truly so happy. Just writing this review made me smile. Hope this place brings joy to your family, too. read more

My daughter has been at Pilgrim Learning Academy for a year now. Shelly and her staff are amazing. They were able to help potty train my daughter very quickly. The new gate with a code makes me feel my daughter is safe. Mary understand my daughter's sensitive personality and suggested a slower transition to her new teacher, Emma. I know Shelly and her staff care genuinely care about my daughter and her needs. read more

I've had a bad experience with a previous daycare. I was skeptical about sending my son who was 2 years old to any day care but I needed him to mingle with other kids his own age. My husband and I searched around and found pilgrim learning academy. We hoped for the best as we sent him. The school has a beautiful space both outdoor and indoor. Everything is well organized and we get pictures of what the kids do occasionally which is very nice to see. The teachers are lovely and the kids are friendly saying hi when they see you. We started off sending him 3 times a week. He cried all three days in the first week. I spoke with Miss Mary his lovely class teacher on how quickly kids adjust to the new environment and she mentioned in her experience, kids that do full week adjust quicker. He did a full week the second week and by the end of the week., he no longer cried. He did not even want to come home when being picked up. He improved in vocabs. and started getting involved with other kids even when we go to church. Something he wasn't doing previously. Overall I love love pilgrim learning academy and we are so happy we started him there. read more

Such a wonderful preschool! We had a couple of bad daycare experiences before we found PLA. I wish we would've come here sooner. My 3 year old loves it and is so excited to go to school everyday. read more

When we first moved to Castro Valley, Pilgrim had an immediate opening for my child and we feel so lucky to have come across this school and have had a wonderful experience here. They are committed to providing a a safe and welcoming space for the kids and I have appreciated everything that they do to accommodate parents who work full time, including great hours (7am-6pm which is hard to come by), they provide two nutritious snacks a day, all at a very reasonable tuition. I also appreciate that during COVID, they were very sensible with their protocol, balancing health and safety of kids but also recognizing that parents need to work. Director Ms. Shelly and teacher Ms. Christy are the kindest people and the rest of the staff and teachers all genuinely care for the kids and my child has learned so much. The school is rapidly growing but is still a relatively small size so it is not overwhelming for the little ones. I highly recommend PLA! read more

I was recommended Pilgrim Learning Academy when I was in a pinch to find a child care facility as soon as possible. I was recommended through a friend whose opinion I trust and I must say this place was a blessing. Both of my kids went from crying going into their other facility every morning to asking me if I can pick them up later than usual. Sometimes even becoming emotional when I picked them up because they were not ready to leave. The inside and outside are very clean and spacious. The teachers and staff are all very sweet, and my kids adore all of them. They have system where you can message them at any time during the day with check ins or concerns. And sometimes they send me a sweet photo of my kids. I highly recommend this place for child care. read more

My boys started attending Pilgrim Learning Academy as soon as they reopened after remodeling, and I know we made the right choice. A little background: My boys are VERY shy, a bit speech delayed, and easily intimidated by other kids because they're also tiny little things (still under 30 lbs at 2.5 years old). But Shelley was absolutely wonderful about helping them adjust and sending me pictures and updates about how they were doing their first few days to ease my anxiety. Sending 3 boys to preschool is EXPENSIVE, and this school is by far the most affordable we could find. To be so affordable without sacrificing quality of care is quite a feat, and I couldn't be happier. read more

I heard about this school from a church friend. The school is sponsored by a church. It used to be called Bright World Preschool. It was closed during Covid and opened again this last Dec after it was remodeled. It has the same director who has many years of teaching experience with preschoolers. I signed up when the school was being remodeled, so we are one of the first few families. We waited for almost five months and I am glad we waited patiently. There are many good things about sending my 3 year old son to this new school. First, the student teacher ratio is super low for my son to begin with since it is a new school. He got sufficient attention from teachers, which is a best way for him to start school with. For the first few days of school, the teachers sent me lots of pictures of him playing and eating to assure me that he was doing fine. Everyday when I pick him up, he says, Mommy, they make me very happy!! and that brings me joy! I would be sad to picture him feeling lost at a brand new big school with lots of kids. But I know this school will get more kids later, and I won't worry about my son since he will be older and will be used to seeing more kids in the future. Second, the newly remodeled classrooms are very nice. It has shelves of shelves of toys for kids to play with. Everyday my son enjoyed playing there and talked to me about all the toys there when I picked him up. It seemed like those toys could take him months to explore. Third, I like the flexible schedules. Families can choose part time or full time on any given days and just need to keep it consistent. I know some other schools will require either all five half days or all five full days, which might not work for a lot of families. Lastly, the low tuition is a plus!! I asked around many preschools before this one and I was hesitant to send my son there because of the high financial commitment and rigid schedules. I would highly recommend this school to families with young preschoolers if you are looking for a school provides a safe and caring environment with flexible schedules, and even more, christian values. read more

We just joined Bright World Preschool in the Fall. We wanted to find a school with a solid Pre- K program with a good balance of academics and play. We came across Bright World and it checked all our boxes. We are confident that our son will be ready for kindergarten at the end of the school year. We are extremely happy with the staff! The teachers are wonderful! Our son was very anxious in the beginning and the transition was emotional for him. They made him feel welcome, now he has settled in and loves to get up and go to school everyday! This is so important to us to see that our son is happy and excited about school. Don't fear that this is a Christian based preschool. The Bible curriculum is light and actual a nice refresher for our faith as a family. Our son loves the Bible stories and verses and can recite them. Overall two thumbs up and 5 stars!!! read more

We found Bright World in a panic because our son was at a school we didn't feel safe at. We were so lucky that Bright World had room and was able to accept us right away. They immediately made us feel like family. The teachers are so welcoming and always seem so happy. I wish I had their energy and patience. My son loves going to school every day and talks about his friends and teachers in the most positive ways. He also comes home with homework so we can work with him on his academics and help shape his education. It forces us to be involved in his learning and I really appreciate that. Bright World is a Christian School so they sing songs about God and go to church sometimes. It's so cute hearing my son sing songs and talk about God. The teachers do let the kids watch a little bit of TV, which is not a problem for me. They watch educational shows and I often see them singing and dancing. This is a family run preschool and it's comforting to know that I am sending my son to a school where they treat him as one of their own. read more

We LOVE this preschool and the team of teachers here supporting our little one! Our son has been attending since the day after he turned 2- which is just over a year and the experience has been nothing but wonderful. The ladies here genuinely care about each child and their growth and development. Our son has struggled with potty training so they've offered us many tips and tricks to help set him up for success (fingers crossed!) They are consistently doing arts and crafts catered to the age groups and have a wonderful curriculum that works with every type of learner. Our son has grown immensely with his vocabulary and ability to express himself and his emotions during his time here. He is always proud of the work he does, and when he has a bad day (every 3 year old does) they give us specifics and have excellent communication to ensure we are all on the same page and work together to support him. Most importantly- screen time is very limited- so the kids focus on learning, playing, and using their minds/imagination to drive them. They're allowed to be kids! They also have a great Tuff Tumblers program that visits every week and exposes the kids to gymnastics and other activities that our son LOVES! Top quality care, for an affordable price (which is rare to find in the Bay Area). Thank you Diana and team- for being so amazing and taking such great care of our boy without leaving us with empty pockets. We appreciate all that you do every day! read more

I would like to express my LOVE for Bright World! They are an amazing daycare/preschool. They have so much love and warmth for our children. The staff is AWESOME! Each and everyone last person is outstanding. My granddaughter was so happy to go to school everyday. If you are looking for a loving, and fun place for your kids to learn and play. PLEASE REACH OUT TO THEM! It will be worth your time. I promise your kids will be happy. Forever friends, Cynthia H. & Laci read more

Looking at the reviews and since it is closer to our home we had our 3 year old start at Bright world couple of months back for 3 full days and we are not happy for few reasons and we are sure the school is also not happy with us for reason best known to them. The school is run mostly by a family Diana her daughter and grand daughters along with few other teachers. Cons: Schedule is not proper, Teachers lack communication among themselves. What is told during the beginning and in parent teacher interactions differ from what is being followed during the day. No proper attention to the kids as we have couple of incidents with my daughter where she got injured while playing and we were neither told about it nor given any slip about the incidents and we have to find out the hard way after seeing her injury at home. I drop my daughter every day at school and stay around for 10-15 minutes to check out how she is doing and I have seen quite a few times she feel down while running on the concrete ground and she was never been attended other occasional teacher sitting in the shade and raising her hand (Thumbs up). My daughter is potty trained and unfortunately she had an accident during the nap time on her bed and no one cared and she was still laying on the bed unattended until I showed up early that day to pick her up. Kids get to drink tap water when asked about it and the response from one of the teacher is get your own water or I have been drinking this water for more than 40 years :( They term the parent interaction with a teacher about the kid as MISBEHAVING and taking attention away from the students while the teacher is sitting on her high chair eating as the kids are watch the TV. Pros: Flexible with the schedule as long you are not questioning :) My daughter was going to the school for the 1st time and she is very bad at eating and they helped her to certain extent by encouraging her to eat. Response to the phone calls Personally I am not a big fan of kids being stressed at academics and also due to our busy schedule she started the school at 10 missing her academic sessions (One teacher says during the parent meeting that we have other session after 10 and she is getting what is needed for her preschool but try to get her 30 minutes early, While other teacher says she misses everything other than bible sessions). We felt that they need to be engaged more with some interesting projects which we thought were lacking from the short time we have seen. Good thing I can say about my daughter is that she had picked up on her art work from school and loves colors. Bottom line do your homework before joining your kids and review the curriculum if it your needs... Cheers !!! read more

My son started at 2 years old attending Bright World in 9/2017. These wonderful family of women, or as I like to call them, "his second moms" have been a Godsend and nothing but wonderful and understanding. My son has learned so much and is thriving daily here. They also teach the children Bible principles and I love the fact that my son goes to chapel once a week. He's made so many friends as well. They also have affordable rates and are worth every penny! My son is now 3 1/2 and I'm so glad we found this great school. I'd recommend anyone who's looking for loving, smart, attentive and Christian teachers to look after their little ones to bring them to Bright World. read more

My oldest has been going here since she was 2yo (she is almost 4), her sister will be joining her next month. I like the staff here at Bright World. They're straight forward, helpful, and took great care of my girls. I mentioned girls b/c some teachers here do help us out with babysitting on the side and it's awesome! They already know my kids so there's no awkwardness and I trust them to babysit my kids when I need the extra help. The phrase "don't judge a book by its cover" is a great way to describe this place. I was not impressed when I first saw the school but once I entered, met the staff and tried it out for 1 day I was thoroughly happy with the curriculum and style of teaching. Yes it is not modern, new and spotless as I was hoping for but that's b/c they have to keep the cost low. There is a combination of old style and new style of teaching here. Teacher Lauren is definitely very open to suggestions and changes b/c she is trying to improve the school as well as what is best for our little ones. My daughter rave about her teachers Leanna, Susan and Lauren constantly which shows me that she is very happy here. To me the material things aren't important, as parents we can always donate and help out to make the school better. It's the quality of care that my children are learning to share, love and care for each other here at Bright World will leave great memories and imprints in their growing minds. read more

My son started at Bright World Preschool last year. This is his second year there. We absolutely love it. My son was very shy and falling behind in many ways. Speech, growth, etc. Since being at Bright World, he has absolutely blossomed in every way. His self esteem is through the roof, he is happy every day to go to school and see his friends and teachers. He can say and write his numbers letters and name. He knows all his colors and shapes. Not only are they wonderful education wise but as well as socially developing your child. They make every child feel special, important, loved and heard. They go above and beyond to make sure your child is well rounded and beyond ready for kindergarten. They even work on manners!!!!! They are just the most wonderful, incredible people. It's not just a school, it's a family. I would recommend them around the world and back again. Much love and god bless!!!!! We love you Bright World! Forever great full, The Capelli's read more

Bright World Preschool is a great preschool in cv! I love how they teach the children about God and his love for them and how they are made has special people. I feel like the preschool is a family atmosphere since most of the teachers are of one family. The kids learn great songs do great crafts and you can tell that the teachers really care and love, every child individually! I love how in the three-year-old class the two teachers are sisters! Also the teachers in the foyer old class are both sisters! The kids seem to always be having fun and they love the teachers! read more

I love this School! My daughter is three and she has a blast. She comes home with new letters and numbers each week. She has blossomed under Bright Worlds teaching. They also have the lowest rates around which helps when you have a low income. You should check this school out! read more