A friendly, neighborhood PE-backed daycare…read more Even though our in-person visit was a bit of a mixed bag, we went ahead and paid the $100 "registration" fee to join the waitlist because nothing says confidence like paying for the privilege of waiting. Chesterbrook assured us we'd likely get in within about six months. Fast-forward seven months: we received an email letting us know we won't be getting off the waitlist after all. But no worries- Chesterbrook (and their capital partner, Primavera Capital Group) has generously volunteered to keep our $100 registration fee for "safe keeping." So unless you've got the right connections and can pull some strings, save yourself the donation and don't bother.

My son absolutely loves going to school, thanks to his wonderful teachers, Ms Jessica and Ms…read moreCecilia. He has learned so much since being there and they are truly such kind and amazing teachers. The consistent updates on his naps, meals, education, etc. and also constant pictures of him having fun and learning makes me feel confident that my son is in the best hands possible.

Our family looked at a lot of preschools, some recommended by friends, but you really have to see…read moreany school in person; it kind-of comes down to a "vibe." But after visiting St. Philip's Preschool, we really were impressed with the balance between joy and professionalism. You'd be surprised how many schools are on one extreme or the other. St. Philip's is a little on the small side, so kids get a lot of one-on-one attention, and most importantly, kids get to socialize and have fun. Communication from the staff at St. Philip's Preschool was efficient and helpful, the actual messages focused on the well-being, health, and safety of the children. The staff are open to questions and conversation, and most of all, they really seem to care about the kids. We especially love the emphasis on free-form play and art, as well as the use of alphabet lessons you might see in most Raleigh kindergartens. I would recommend St. Philip's highly to anyone with a young child.

From the owner: St Philip Lutheran Preschool is a private preschool for ages 2 to 5read more

This was the first time our daughter was left in Pre-school. At 15months of age and dealing with…read moreall the anxiety a toddler can have, Ms. Sondra and Ms.Hope had the most patience. The school is clean, the staff professional, nurturing! My first and best experience ever!

My now 3yo daughter loves going to class here. The teachers and other staff are all wonderful and…read morethe facilities are great with a recent update to the outdoor play area and easy access to the church's great hall and more for special events.

MUMPS (as it is abbreviated) is something of a secret treasure in Raleigh. I found out about it…read morethrough word-of-mouth and have never known them to do much in the way of advertising, but it is a GREAT program. MUMPS is a half-day program that runs concurrently with the Wake County public school system calendar, though they have their own severe weather policy and do not observe WCPSS teacher workdays. It IS a religious preschool. They do learn about God and Jesus; several times per month they go to Chapel. It's nothing overly pushy or confusing to the children. They also emphasize kindness to others, and visit with the senior citizens in the church program a few times each year to sing them songs or help out. Tuition is very reasonable. It sounded expensive to me at first for a half-day program, but if you break it down hourly, it really isn't (I pay just over $4 per hour). They do offer discounts/reduced tuition to families enrolling multiple children or experiencing financial difficulty. Classes are small; they seem to be typically under-enrolled and accepting new students. My son started this year in a class of only 6 children (with 2 teachers per class), but has grown to about 10 now. They spend each day doing the usual preschool activities- singing, dancing, coloring, cutting, practicing their alphabet and writing skills, reading, playing on the outdoor playground, and going to "discovery" (an amazingly well-stocked science classroom). The teachers are all amazing and many have been working there for over a decade, if not since their own children were preschoolers there! Vivian Brendle is the director of the Preschool and has been involved with it for many years. She does an amazing job of keeping parents in the loop and involved, through field trips, volunteer work (planting bulbs to beautify the church grounds is one of my favorite activities to help the kids with), and best of all- they often e-mail home photos of the childrens' daily activities. I love being able to forward these e-mails to my mom, since she lives out of town and doesn't get to see the kids as often as she'd like! Overall I could not recommend MUMPS any more highly. If you are looking for an easy entry into the world of preschool for your 2-5 year old kids, and are considering a half-day, Christian-centered program, MUMPS is definitely worth checking out.

Our son currently attends MUMPS; we would highly recommend it to anyone looking for half day…read morepreschool. The teachers and directors are excellent! They clearly have a passion for what they are doing and make it a priority to make each child who walks in the door feel special each and every day! They offer fun, creative programs for the children and fun family events to participate in as well. My son wakes up asking to go to "Millbrook School" and runs to give his teachers big hugs every morning! Overall, we feel really blessed to have found MUMPS.

Wonderful staff and highly attentive to the kids. Our child learns a lot from this group! Highly…read morerecommend.

We've been interested in Montessori Spanish immersion for the last few years. We were very excited…read morewhen we found Guidepost and the experience has been great. The guides really bond with the kids and our older son has grown noticeably more curious and independent since starting.

I don't like primrose schools . Or the primrose doesn't fit my kid. My kid was in EP2. One of the…read moreteacher has full of the passion but another teacher is just doing a job...She is very cool...a kind of "Time out" person...Time out is a kind of punishment for young kids who can't describe what they want and think clearly. Very disappointed. My kid now enrolling another daycare, she love it and wants go there every day. No tears. They don't push any kids to do something they don't like. It's real self-choice to play what they want to.

Our sweet boy loves Primrose. While we appreciate all the teachers, Ms. Yelena in the Young Infant…read moreclass stole our hearts. She made the transition into daycare easy with her advice, love and energy. We know our son will learn so much from his teachers and friends at Primrose, and we are so thankful to be part of the family.

We've had such a positive experience at this preschool! Ms. Kiara and Ms. Fedder have created a…read morestructured yet playful environment that our son thrives in. We were nervous leaving our daycare of 4 years, but having dedicated teachers instead of staff with a high turnover has made a huge difference. They've taken the time to work 1:1 with him on several things we've been concerned about, and the growth we've seen has been incredible. The school also hosts great community events, and everyone has been so warm and welcoming. Highly recommend!

Ms. Raj and Ms. Fedder are the best! Our daughter is very shy and cautious but her teachers have…read moremade the transition to Chesterbrook seamless (she started at the youngest age in the Intermediates). They both show up everyday smiling, caring and eager to interact with all the kids. Outside of the immediate teachers, the entire school has created such a positive change in our daughter's life - each day includes a special course and all 5 of those teachers offer something interactive and engaging (STEM, Art, Music, PE and Spanish). The faculty is very organized, efficient and friendly. Everyone works as a team to get the kids in and out of school safely. The atmosphere at Chesterbrook is really that of a family unit. We've been so happy with our choice to enroll here :)