This school is a gem right in the heart of Birmingham. That said, students come from many local…read morecities as it seems to draw many wonderful families looking for a safe and nurturing environment. They accept kids starting at 18 months (don't have to be potty trained) and you can create your own schedule from Monday - Friday. We are sending both of our children there this year. We have noticed HUGE strides in our children's learning and social skills. They do crafts (even the Tots class with kids from 18 - 2.5 years), read books, sing songs and teach lessons of sharing and tolerance. Our son started last year in the 3's program and it was so heart warming to watch him grow and play with his friends. His language improved and we got so many crafts to keep. Our daughter is now in the Tots program and only 2 months in, her vocabulary went from 20 or so words to now stringing together phrases and she pretty much repeats any word she hears. She was also really shy and now is very outgoing and loves playing with other kids. The teachers and school director are like family to us. They are really comforting and understanding and it is so evident that they love what they do! Other things that I believe set St. James apart: they disinfect all classrooms every (yes, every!) day, they have a very strict locked door policy and ID anyone that is not the usual pick up person (I've seen it for myself when a dad was picking up his son and a teacher didn't know him). They do work sheets and it is very focused on education / learning. All of the teachers there are required to do so many hours of training each year too. Again, you can do as many or as little days a week you want and mornings or extend the day to 2:00, they do lots of crafts, they have a balanced amount of activities and field trips and the other parents and kids are just wonderful. I've met so many great moms and feel so happy every time I am there. We looked at other schools and have friends at other schools and truly, St. James far exceeds anything we could have asked for. Check out the school! You can call Shar Wickens, the director, directly and set up a personal visit when convenient for you.

From the owner: St. James Preschool is a child-centered, enrichment-orientated program featuring a low student to…read moreteacher ratio. Licensed by the State of Michigan, the program is designed to give children flexibility to grow mentally, socially, and physically while being nurtured in a loving and supportive Christian environment. Children from 18 months to 6 years are offered small group, age appropriate programs Monday through Friday. Curbside pick-up and drop-off is available. We welcome children of all faiths, cultures, abilities, and backgrounds.

Our son attended Ascension for from 4 months through Pre-K. It was his home away from home. He was…read moreloved and cared for. Our child has fond memories of his first school. We cherish our time at Ascension.

We love AOC! They have been part of our family for 6 years. My oldest went through the entire…read moreprogram and now my youngest is about to graduate from their Pre-K class. All of the teachers are so welcoming and we have felt comfortable dropping our kids off there for care. We will miss the center terribly and recommend it to anyone looking for care.

My son had been at IXL since 2015. This past spring he graduated from the Pre-K classroom and has…read morebeen more than prepared for kindergarten! He's "XL-ing" from both an academic and social standpoint. I can say, with confidence, that IXL was a major contributing factor to that. The care and dedication that everyone puts forth, for these children, is immeasurable! We definitely miss the amazing teachers, staff, and friends made during his time there. I'd recommend IXL to anyone looking for quality care and education for their kiddos. If there's a wait...it's worth it!

My child has attended this daycare for 4 months and it has been the most stressful defeating…read moreexperience. We thought transitioning here would be more beneficial for our child. And on the surface, it was. Once enrolled, Ixel was a nightmare. The first day, she did not notice our baby's coat was stolen from her assigned cubby. From there she allowed another parent to take our child's shoes on 3 separate occasions. Our child went home shoeless 3 times in winter. She demanded our child be assessed for Autism (which can't happen until she turns 3) We still set up the appointment and turned our paperwork in; just for her to half fill out her provider form with little information as to why the child needs to be assessed in the first place. She insinuated my child had a demon spirit when upset and said prayers and rebuked her. (This was very triggering and made me wonder what she does with my child when I'm not present.) Ixel claimed that my husband and I were too young to know how to correctly parent our child because of her tantrums and her lack of being potty trained fully. (My daughter is 2, We are 29) The week my child turned 3, her appointment being the next week (as strongly forced by Ixel), Ixel writes a termination letter on a piece of college ruled paper (not even a typed official document) and says our family is not a good "fit" for her program. I do not believe my daughter is autistic and blaming the parent for their not reaching milestones fast enough by Ixels schedule has been heartbreaking. Consistent ridicule about Men (fathers) not knowing how to properly parent because men don't retain information/advice that she offers is also something I (the mother) heard her complain about often. You will recieve notice of her closing a day or 2 in advance which has also been inconvenient. Ixel is very unprofessional and talks about other parents (often heard calling them crazy) in front of their child when the parent departs. Lastly, Ixel is the only one in the home most days so she does not have supervision of the children while she cooks or takes a child to the potty. Little to no updates on your child's day to day unless there is a problem. This daycare was great on the surface with many positives however; the negatives were just too much to handle weekly. We were trying to hold out until our child turned 4 but it's for the best that it didn't. Strongly consider other options before enrolling your child here.

We found BCM while looking for a place to "temporarily" put our first child instead of sending her…read moreto Kindergarten (as she was an early birthday). Well, here we are seven years later and we are about to send our fourth child to BCM! Each of our children has gone through the three year program (through Kindergarten) and we couldn't be happier with what they've learned and how they've grown. The teachers are all so wonderful...patient, caring, gentle (yet able to direct the children to what they need to be learning). We are so thrilled to have found a school like Birmingham Community Montessori for our children's early education.

From the owner: Preschool and kindergarten montessori education.read more

Our twin boys had the best experience at HWCP. The teachers are amazing and so creative and…read moreengaging. The entire program is so well run and organized by their director - highly recommend!

Loved this school for my boys! The teachers are great and they do the cutest projects and…read moreactivities with the kiddos. We're so glad we came here!

Wonderful! I love every staff member who works here. The secretaries, all therapists, all teachers,…read moreall helpers and all social workers! My daughter has thrived here! I can't wait until my youngest joins this incredible team!

Both of my children attended Happy Faces World. You truly get the best of the best here: smaller…read morein home daycare but is structured like a preschool. The owners help to raise both of my children and they (me too) miss seeing them. I would highly recommend Happy Faces to any of my friends, family and yelp viewers.

Having a child who was one of the first students through the doors at Happy Faces I can say from…read moreexperience that it is without a doubt a wonderful place. I cant spout enough positive accolades about our experience there. Miss Alla prides herself on fostering a good foundation for learning while at the same time allowing the kids have fun, all in a clean and safe environment. Being a working parent, you only hope that you can find someone as nurturing as Alla to leave your most prized possession with. With a boy well into his early elementary years, I am so happy that she helped plant the seeds to help my child be the student that he is today. Every year his teachers tell us what a pleasure he is to teach and I think most of that started at Happy Faces.

I attended this school in 1954. Many happy memories. Glad the school is still there. The love of…read moreour Lord Jesus Christ is still taught there.

Our daughter attended DCA for 2 years, Pre-k and K. The teachers were incredible. Miss Loretta is…read moretip top and Miss Richelle, what can I say, besides she had a major impact on our daughter. She is ALWAYS SMILING AND HAPPY. We recently went to our daughter's first Parent Teacher Conference at her new school. She is advanced for her age bracket. Knows more site words, can read at a higher level than average, numbers, spanish, etc... I know we have Discovery Corner to thank for all of this! 15 students in the kindergarten class was the perfect number. I would have sent her there for elementary if it was an option. The drop off and pick up times are flexible for working parents. I cannot say enough wonderful things about this school and all the teachers that work there. If I could give this school a billion stars, I WOULD!

I feel so lucky to have found this hidden gem and have referred many happy families as well. The…read morestaff and director are unmatched - so kind, loving and nurturing. My kids ran into school everyday, looking forward to their day. Its very rare to find an ENTIRE staff that is happy to be there, genuinely loves kids, and isn't a revolving door. Most of the staff has been there for years, and they are consistently there. I can't thank them enough for the positive experience we've had.