Windsor has been an amazing school for our family. Every aspect of how the school is run is thoughtful and intentional. From the day we went on the school tour, we knew - hoped - we had found something really special. Do they really do all that for the kids? Do they really take tiny kids on field trips? Yes, yes they do. They go on field trips about once a month - ballet school, Costco, a pizzeria, art museums, a doors and windows store, etc... And a fire truck, police car, and ambulance have visited the school! But beyond the highlights, it is the daily routines that have really shaped my kid. I can see how my son's social emotional skills have grown. From how comfortable he is with standing up to speak on "Share Days" (gets to bring a toy, loves it), to how he relates to other kids at the playground, to how confidently he interacts with my adult friends, it's amazing to watch my small person grow in these ways. When my son's teachers tell us about him, I feel that they are describing the same kid we know (strengths, weaknesses, quirks), which assures me that they know him very well and also that my son feels he can be himself at school. All the staff seems to know my kid (and indeed all the kids) by name. On academics, my son has learned letters, numbers, etc. but I especially appreciate Windsor's approach of expanding the children's worlds through curiosity. When they go on "architectural tours" around the school building, my toddler doesn't understand geometry or engineering, but he might start to observe details and get that it's someone's job to design buildings. A lot of planting of seeds and building foundational skills (pardon the pun) for the years of learning ahead. The quality of education and care at Windsor have been outstanding. Can't wait for our second kid to enroll! read more

Disclaimer: this is from the in-person tour (conducted outside) that I received. As I recently moved back from the Bay, and had two children who needed childcare, we were touring and interviewing schools and nannies. Windsor was on our list for our three year old. Pre tour - I felt the email that was written to inform parents of the in-person tour was well written, informative, and organized. In-person tour was a bit lacking. I arrived a couple minutes early and I came inside, and the director sort of shooed me out before he even introduced himself or before I could say anything. It was a weird first interaction, and then once the tour he started to put on a weird friendly facade. I have to admit the first interaction with him put a sour taste in my mouth. I asked more logistical questions (i.e. do you have early v. full day options, does your Sunnyvale location accept 18 months - the youngest age they accept kids, if a kid doesn't nap that day, how is that conducted, if the kid refuses to eat the meal prepped how is that dealt with, etc.), she seemed more frustrated at not being able to conduct her tour to talk about her nice MV campus that she built. If the staff members seem annoyed at questions from adults regarding their daycare and services, how much patience are children regarded with? This is just a question that comes to mind post touring. From touring multiple places, I am suggesting to parents to look into home-based daycares. They have a personal touch, and a lot more to lose if they are not meeting the needs and wants of children and parents. read more

As our time at Windsor comes to a close, it seems appropriate to give a comprehensive review. Our daughter started at age 2 1/2 and is now graduating out of the pre-K program at age 5 1/2. We wish Windsor continued to kindergarten and beyond as it is hard to say goodbye to this sweet community of teachers, parents, and friends. Windsor has prepared our daughter for kindergarten on all levels of development (social, emotional, academic). When looking for a preschool initially, it seemed as though Windsor's teachers were over-qualified. These teachers are absolute gems and it is clear they love what they do! They have been such amazing resources to chat with or ask questions about general child development, what's normal and how to handle certain situations such as our child navigating different personalities in the classroom and how to help our daughter blossom into a confident leader. When first touring preschools, one main focus was comparing curriculum. Windsor's program seemed to be the most balanced play-based program which is what we were looking for. Outlines are sent out each month which detail what is being covered and how the lessons tie-in with each activity. Field trips are our daughter's favorite way of connecting what happens in the classroom with real-life experience. Costco, a local bakery, the Cantor museum, a local ballet studio, Pizza My Heart, (just to name a few) plus weekly nature walks have all been highlights for her. The amount of information retained from the field trips and how it ties in with the lessons is impressive. There are parent-teacher conferences twice a year which serve as a sort of check-in to touch base about what your child is learning, how they're developing, etc. We have always been impressed with how well each teacher knows our child - her likes, dislikes, personality traits, etc. They know her SO well and have been incredible with tuning in to how she learns and what sparks her curiosity. They also keep a daily communication journal in which highlights of your child's day are detailed. Overall we have been impressed and blown away by the social emotional learning, the curriculum, and the community at Windsor. If you are at the start of your preschool search, I highly encourage you to see Windsor for yourself! read more

My son started at Windsor right before the pandemic and is now finishing Pre-K. The other day, after school, I asked him how his day was. His answer was not "good," but "EXTREMELY GREAT!" That pretty much sums up how I feel about Windsor. The kids are exposed to such a wonderful range of new experiences. Every day, my son comes home excited to share something new he's learned. For example: during art month, he asked Siri to play KDFC, while coloring, so he could make art based on "seeing" music, like Kandinsky. The field trips and parent presentations take the already-rich curriculum to the next level. They got to spray water from a real firefighter's hose! They've watched the chef make pizza at Costco! I am so delighted by all of the unexpected ways my son is growing under the care of the Windsor team. His teachers have all been warm, dedicated, and incredibly thoughtful in how they plan and manage their classrooms. They helped my son make friends and advocated for what we should be doing at home to support him. They truly see and understand him. And I believe they have helped us get better as parents. As a parent, I often worry that I could have done / chosen better for my son. Thankfully, when it comes to Windsor, I am 100% confident we're giving him the best. read more

My child has been going to Windsor for the past two years and has thrived in the caring and enriching environment. We feel incredibly lucky to have our child go to school here and as a parent I am confident that this is one of the best choices we've made. The directors and staff think deeply about social emotional learning and providing enriching educational experiences all throughout the year. The Windsor field trips (included in tuition) are a highlight and enable the kids to connect with and explore the community around them. Kids come back with huge smiles and non-stop talking about the cool things they've seen and learned. Examples of this year's trips include: art museums, a behind the scenes tour of Costco, a Mountain View fire truck visit (where they got to spray a real firehose), and watching the Nutcracker (and meeting the performers). We also value the deep care the staff and teachers have for the students. Teachers at Windsor are highly experienced and work as a team to understand and support every child. We've seen firsthand how the staff comes together to identify unique challenges each kid faces (i.e. separation, eating, social interaction, etc.) and then finds and implements strategies to help. The Windsor team supported us and listened to us every step of the way and has helped us grow as parents too! Windsor's program is very thoughtful of busy parents - care is full day and includes healthy snacks and lunches which are cooked onsite daily by staff. The staff is attentive and responsive. Every day there are many photos and videos of kids doing activities as well as notes from the teacher that can serve as a great springboard for conversations with your child. The Windsor community is also fantastic. Parents are friendly and involved. Throughout the year, parents and grandparents volunteer to teach subjects - we've seen wonderful presentations ranging from pasta and dumpling making, to onion DNA staining and cells. We also deeply appreciated the effort Windsor spends to prepare families for Kindergarten. We repeatedly heard from alumni that their kids were better prepared for Kindergarten (esp. socially and emotionally) than other kids because of their time at Windsor. Furthermore, if you're not sure which school your kid will go to, Windsor provides many resources for navigating the school selection and application process. They are truly invested in the future of each of their students. Windsor took care of our little one so well, and we (as a whole family) loved the experience! read more

Expensive! We attended various day care orientations and found this day care by far the most expensive. During orientation they exaggerate on simple things, and at times very superficial. One of the owners mannerisms especially seemed very fake, almost like he is being forced to be friendly. I guess for what they charge it has to be justified. They emphasize on their staff background and experience but how do you measure sustainability? Going by comments here it doesn't seem the staff is ideal for what they charge. We are definitely not sold on their staff expertise. And they have all these other fees added on to the already expensive tuition. Like really ?? It's more expensive than sending your kid to college. Do you research, attended various orientations, talk to other parents, join Facebook groups. You will find the vast options. We sure did. read more

Our kid went to Windsor for 2 years and decided to move to another preschool. Overall, here are the pros and cons: Pros - good mix of play based and structured learning - very good curriculum with external vendors providing music and sports - great, clean, brand new school premises and outdoors - some really great teachers Cons - terrible communication with management and lack of transparency, specially during COVID - parents complaints were never addressed, and many parents left - Not working parents friendly, as there are many days off and the opening hours were comparatively short vs other schools - high student to teacher ratio compared to other preschools - little regard for bullying inside the classroom - regular children reassignments into different classes, which made it difficult for kids to keep friendships - we went through 4 changes read more

I'm writing this review after 3 years. My child was at Windsor for one year (2.5-3.5 years old). Initially she was ok but after some time my very social, happy and outgoing kid started complaining and saying she is scared and doesn't want to go to school. Her communication was limited so she was mainly saying that teachers yell at her and get angry at her a lot which we brought up with teachers and staff but the reactions were dismissive. We pulled her out the moment we found an alternative option. Recently we were going through the yearbook with her and she described how she was excluded from lunch and asked to eat alone because she was talking to other kids. She told me that the teacher (Ms Vicky) was putting her leg on her body at nap time so she doesn't move during nap and how she was put to timeout/exclusion because she was not sitting still during the 30 min circle time. We are talking about a 2 year old. Windsor is full of façade, they advertise and market a child led environment but they really just hire unqualified staff and group as many kids as they can (my daughters class had 24 kids with two teachers) they would count cleaners and admin staff into their ratios. Be aware and stay away!!! read more

Wonderful learning environment, at the Mountain View campus. There is a real focus on helping children to learn and develop at Windsor, with rigorous teaching and also exposure to a wide variety of stimuli. For example, the children all go for a walk off campus every Thursday, there are regular field trips, and they have music classes with an external teacher. Parental involvement is strongly encouraged, with many parents volunteering on occasion to deliver presentations to the children. The school arranges many social events for parents to get to know each other, and this creates an incredibly supportive community of parents. They do a great job too of retaining teachers, and have a very high quality group of committed teachers. The teachers write a note each day about every child, and also share lots of photos and videos so that parents are fully updated on what their child is getting up to. Couple of words of caution - there are a higher than average number of days off, though this does benefit the teachers and gives them some balance. The withdrawals policy is also rather strict, especially for mid-year withdrawals. Overall a fantastic preschool and would highly recommend. Our daughter loved it there, and we only left as we relocated back to the UK. read more

My daughter spent 3 years at Winsdor, and I honestly don't know how we would have gotten through the preschool years without them. She was at all three campuses and had almost all of the teachers (nearly all of whom are still there, which is unheard of in early childcare and says a lot by itself about the quality of the school) at one time or another during our enrollment. I could go on and on about the things we loved about it and reasons we think the teachers are fabulous, but this story pretty much captures it all: Several months after she graduated, we were listening to the Ramona Quimby audiobook series. At the end of one of the books, Ramona's teacher calls her mom and says "Ramona is one of my sparklers; she is the kind of child who makes teaching worthwhile." A few minutes later my daughter said, "Mom? I was a sparkler to Ms Shanam and Ms Simanti." If there is a better gift than that kind of self worth to give a child (especially for a kid like my daughter who has a lot of her own ideas:), I can't imagine what it would be. Windsor is not just a business, it is a labor of love for the founders, and it shows in the teachers they hire and the program they run. We are so grateful to have been a part of it! read more

I am grateful every day that we were lucky enough to get into Windsor!! TLDR...I feel like my child is loved, supported, truly seen, and cared for here. This place, people and teaching methodologies are incredible and truly special. My daughter has spent a year at Windsor so far. She was 2.5 years old when she joined and never had any exposure to other kids/teachers. She was an absolute Covid baby with extreme attachment issues. After a few short weeks at Windsor, we started to see her social, emotional and language skills blossoming!!! She was thriving in an environment where it's all hands on dec...from teachers/leadership/to support staff, everyone has enriched my daughter in such special ways. As a 3.5 year old now she is a confident, empathetic, communicative, curious and proud little girl! She comes home sometimes with the most spectacular surprises ...from learning a new song to playing a new musical instrument, to counting 1-10 in a different language!!! She tells us about the delicious lunch the school made her for lunch, shares stories about what an amazing time she had on a field trip....she would even ask to go back to school on the weekend sometimes!! (Not kidding). I love hearing that she loves her school so much. And as for my perspective as a parent, the Windsor staff has gone above and beyond! Always super communicative, supportive, so creative, such a wealth of knowledge and devotion to child development.... they never skipped a beat! So grateful to have them as teachers and partners!!! After looking at other preschools up and down the peninsula, there was just no comparison. great schedule/ not many no school days (and backups care always available) Terrific Heath protocols/staff is diligent/well informed/ and keeps a high bar for standards class cleanliness. Lunch provided ...saving me hours of planning/cooking/packing Filed trips!!! Truly inspiring little ones to explore the world around them Outstanding curriculum! And much much more! Warm community Worth every $!!! I look forward to my child growing at Windsor for years to come! read more

We've been part of the Windsor community for the last 3 years. My oldest daughter just graduated and started Kinder. My son is currently in Pre-K. We love Windsor for many reasons: 1) Compassion, empathy, and patience: Both of my children had a tough time transitioning to preschool and dealing with separation anxiety. The teachers were super patient and caring, and within a week, there were no tears at pick up. 2) Very low teacher turnover: After experiencing another preschool for a short period of time and seeing how much turnover there can be at a preschool, I have been very impressed and surprised at the high retention rate at Windsor. Kids thrive off of predictability and routine, and knowing that their teachers would be consistent and present, helps a lot. 3) Beautiful, new, clean campus and classrooms: This is super clear when parents go on a tour. Compared to other preschool campuses, I think Windsor's classrooms and outdoor space is newer and more inviting. 4) Parent involvement: This is probably one of my favorite parts of Windsor. They invite parents to come teach and present on a topic of choice - there have been parents who have presented on their occupation (eg cardiology), hobbies (yoga), and most recently, managing emotions. 5) Enriching curriculum and experiences: There's a monthly curriculum that Windsor sends out, and you hear about the different things from the kids, whether that's about space, plants, drama/arts, etc. One of my daughter's teachers played the piano so he incorporated music and singing into a lot of their daily activities (more than the norm). They also go on field trips such as Cantor Art Museum at Stanford or the Baylands to look at the birds and nature. Most elementary schools don't even do this type of thing! From a convenience standpoint, the school offers snack and lunch everyday (I personally don't like to pack lunches), and they have a teacher that comes 2x a week to do soccer and gymnastics, and a music teacher every Wed that does Music Together. Sure, the soccer and gymnastics is an extra cost, but at least it's time saved to not have to do it on the weekends if you don't want to. Lastly, I'll also share that my daughter initially started her preschool experience at a nearby play-based preschool in Palo Alto (that has since closed). I had some qualms about the other preschool because of the high teacher turnover and minimal feedback and communication with teachers. I can 100% say that we made the right decision to switch preschools, and I see it in how much more comfortable and confident my daughter became throughout her journey at Windsor. read more

We were excited about Windsor after hearing such good reviews but our in-person experience was very disappointing. If you are looking for a pre-school which is strong in creating in an Inclusive environment and will work with your child's needs this is not the place for you. The communication skills required to collaborate effectively with the family were also sub-par and left us with a poor experience of the place. We interacted with both co-founders and found inclusion efforts as more of a lip service and never heard back from them which shows a lack of professionalism read more

Windsor is an amazing school, we are so lucky our daughter was admitted! The philosophy of the school is exactly what I have read in every children's book on what to look for in a preschool and the director makes sure this goes into effect everyday. The teachers are amazing, everyday they do different activities that are so creative, I really don't know how they don't run out of creativity. They also share pictures and notes everyday and the best part of all is that my 2 year old asks everyday if she can go back to school, even on weekends! I never thought this could be possible This school is expensive, like most schools in the area, but you definitely get what you pay for and more! read more

This Rengstorff location is under construction or planning, but my child goes to the Mary location and my review is based on the experience. My 3-yr old child spent a week in Mary location and she became visibly more confident and adventurous/curious in several aspects within the short span of the past week. She volunteers for riding bikes and climbing up the ladders, which she had been scared of. My child had been in a pretty good child care before, so I can't help scratching my head about what caused this seemingly sudden positive change. From my perspective, the communication between the teachers and parents conveys lots of information. There's a communication book that help exchanging notes between parents and teachers EVERYDAY. Teachers or the director announce many things through emails, and they are open to feedbacks from parents. Teachers-children communication is quite intense. Whenever I visited there, I can see the high amount of meaningful communication between the children and the teachers. I sometimes had to wait for a while until their conversation finished. Teachers are very experienced, and they know how to handle their demanding job. (BTW, this place is more toward the play side, not the academy side, so please don't be fooled by the name.) As far as I have seen, they care diversity, the community around the facility, the parent community, and the environment. I haven't experienced any activity yet, but I would doubt if additional experience with Windsor would make me less satisfied. The cost is definitely at the higher end, but I think the staff definitely worths the cost. For wait-listing the child, calling the Windsor Academy at Mary ahead of time would be necessary We wait-listed our child a year ago. It is very likely that they would not receive the call from future parents and once the voice mail or email is left, it would take a while for them to reach back. This delay is totally normal for them because they manage the resource pretty economically and responding back to future parents is not their top priority. That delay had been my major complaint before, but I now totally understand why. As a parent of the Mary location, I would have mixed feeling about this MTV place. On one hand, this place opens up the great experience of Windsor Academy to more people with this nice looking building. On the other hand, construction and enrolling new students should distract much attention of the staff at Windsor, which could potentially be negative to our child. But from what I have seen from the staff, I think they should figure out the best way to make the transition happen with lots of communication with parents. read more

Excellent preschool with caring and knowledgable teachers, strong sense of community. All food - snacks and lunch - is included in the fees which is a huge plus (our daughter loves it!). The school was open for in-person learning through most of COVID, they managed the protocols well and we had no issues which was great. Administrative staff truly cares about creating a great experience for the families. Highly recommended! read more

Our son had an incredible learning experience at Windsor. The staff were so warm and genuinely cared about our child. We wanted to make sure that our son had a stimulating, yet fun learning environment, and Windsor excelled here. The other families and children were delightful. The COVID protections in place were thorough and reasonable. My only nitpick is the limited parking! read more

No response to voicemail. Standard automated response to email to sign up for tour. I will sign up once I know there is an opening. Otherwise it is a wasted hour. For enrolled families, is there a special number to call for non emergency questions. How do parents reach the teachers. Is it voicemail, callback system? read more

Windsor's Mountain View campus provided our daughter with an incredible learning environment, both academically and socially. The teachers and founders are incredible people who truly care about the students and families. Our daughter attended Windsor from the time they opened their doors until she left for Kindergarten. The brand new facility was fully designed and built to create an engaging, kid-focused learning environment. It's rare to find a newly built facility that was actually designed for teaching preschoolers and the result is beautiful and so fun for the kids! The Windsor way creates a sense of family starting with knowledgeable, caring teachers that stay with Windsor. The Windsor way continues with providing delicious, healthy food everyday, which our daughter loved and still asks for! This was a huge bonus not to pack food and label containers everyday! They also include engaging field trips, walks to the nearby park, music class, and encourage parents to volunteer by doing presentations for the students to teach them about anything from how to build a catapult, to making healthy delicious smoothies. They do many community events like celebrating Holi and the Windsor games which fostered a sense of family and has helped us create wonderful friendships that have lasted beyond our time at Windsor. When the pandemic started they did a fantastic job adjusting and creating safe COVID protocols to help with in-person learning. Overall, Windsor creates an environment for kids and families to learn, grow and have fun! read more

I cannot say enough good things about Windsor. Our very shy child joined the McKinley campus as a three year old. Now, as an almost five year old, he's about to graduate from Windsor and the personality and confidence change in him is tremendous. I credit this to the amazing teachers. Here's what I love about Windsor (stay with me - there's a lot :-) ) Incredible teachers - many of the teachers have graduate degrees and they ALL really care for the students. They go above and beyond for the students who love them. Each teacher also brings something special and more personal to the children (e.g. specialized child social/emotional training, chef skills, sign language, academic and literary prowess, fun arts and crafts, yoga, and the list goes on and on) Unique teaching style - Windsor doesn't follow one teaching style, rather picks and chooses the best of all of them. What you get is a fun experiential learning experience for the kids. This ignites a love of learning and Windsor kids are generally far beyond their peers when they get to Kindergarten. Don't expect any rote memorization here (thank goodness). Rather, children learn while they are engaged in specific activities designed to support the curriculum. An example - students were learning about the seed cycle. They then went out on a nature walk to collect leaf samples to support what they learned and then threw in some math skills by sorting the leaves, counting them, talking about "fewer," "more," "equal", etc. They also helped plant seeds and brought some home to plant as well. The only "homework" we had was exposing our kiddo to all different types of seeds in fruits and vegetables at home. He was SO excited to share what he learned and continue that learning at home. Field trips - Learning in the classroom is one thing, but actually taking children to Trader Joes so they understand supply chain is something else. The field trips really inspire the children and augment the classroom lessons. Community - Windsor families are really engaged in their children and the school. This lends itself to a wonderfully rich and close community of families + teachers. We've made great friends through the formal and informal family events such as Thursday playdates in the park, back to school picnic, fall festival, Holi celebration, etc. In addition, many of the families share their own customs (e.g. country specific traditions) or areas of expertise (e.g. geology, physical therapy) with the students on Tuesdays when parents and grandparents are invited into the classroom. All of this helps the children feel even more connected to the school and their classmates. Communication - Windsor is great at this. Beyond parent teacher conferences, Windsor goes above and beyond with daily communication books, weekly roundup emails and photos, weekly planning emails, Facebook posts and more. And they are always open to having a conversation with any concerns. For example, the teachers were so helpful in giving us advice related to how to prepare our son for a new sibling. This was not part of the school curriculum, but was so helpful. Passion - this shows in everything that Windsor does. They care. Really really care about the students and the families. And it shows. If you're looking for an amazing preschool unlike any other, this is it. We toured at least a dozen preschools and Windsor exceeded our expectations.The new campus looks like it will be fantastic as well. Hope you love Windsor as much as we do. read more

Our daughter attends the McKinley campus of Windsor, and I couldn't be more excited that Windsor is able to expand and include more children in this wonderful experience. I'm writing a review for the new location because I have utmost trust in directors Shanam and Sahil and their amazing teaching staff that the new location will be as exceptional as the first two. They are already involving the new teachers in the current program to ensure continuity of culture. Due to a job change last year, we moved my now 3.5 year old daughter across the country when she was 2.5, a few months before we had another daughter (now 1 year). During the transition I visited ten preschools all over the peninsula and immediately fell in love with Windsor during our meeting with the director, Shanam. Her philosophy was completely in line with our own: that a school that is supportive, nurturing, and loving, promotes lifetime learning by tapping into the child's curiosity and exuberance and providing joyous daily investigations into the world. Windsor's research-based approach to pedagogy takes the best practices of the top early learning philosophies and combines them in a unique, wonderful, and effective way. Our daughter is introspective and sensitive by nature, and with our major life transitions last year, I was worried about her being supported in her school environment. Windsor could not have been more perfect for her. The school environment is cheerful, immaculately clean, and invites exploration. It was a perfect balance between the chaotic play zone and stark classroom we found at other schools. The staff could not be more respectful, nurturing, and encouraging with the children. In the first week we received communications that made it clear they were already getting to know her, and finding ways to respect her boundaries while expanding them. (The home/school communication is amazing. Daily child-specific written communication, weekly school-wide communication, monthly pictures and curriculum communication, field trip pictures, bi-annual conferences and more.) She has learned so much all stemming from inspired inquiry - from gaining complete independence in self-care, to her letters, numbers, sight words, and science, and all with an exuberant joy that lifts my heart. A few examples of our chats at pick up: 1. She pumped her fist in the air and said, "Mom! I'm a winner! We played soccer and we're all winners!" 2. She explained the difference between the words reflect and refract, "They sound the same, but they're not. They're different ways light works - and one makes a rainbow! We made rainbows!" 3. She said, "I went the whole day without holding blankie! I love it, but I don't need it so much anymore." 4. She exclaimed, "We visited the fire station today! I know 9-1-1 and stop, drop, roll. Don't be afraid if you see the firefighter in a mask. He is a helper!" 5. After their weekly nature walk she said, "We all touched a wet rock! It will evaporate and fly up into the sky soon." She is constantly surprising us with her new found independence, knowledge, and social awareness. Windsor is a special place that I strongly recommend. read more

Hands down, Windsor is one of the best preschools! Our son has been attending Windsor for close to 2 years now. Amazing teachers & staff, and great community! Great teaching philosophy; it really helped build our son's self-confidence. read more

SO EXPENSIVE! Not sure it is worth it. Have heard horror stories from parents on how everything is so expensive and if they could charge you for breathing the air they would. Fees keeps going up and there is a new justification for additional costs all the time. The school teachers are great and facility is new. But just seems an overkill for the price. read more

Our son is currently at Windsor Academy in Sunnyvale, and my review of that location is also on Yelp - http://www.yelp.com/biz/windsor-preschool-academy-sunnyvale-3 * Overall, we love Windsor -- fantastic teachers, great children who are encouraged to interact through mixed age groups, small family atmosphere, and phenomenal community. My son has been there for 2 years now, and he started when he was a little under 3. We're going onto a 3rd year before kindergarten! * Field trips rock. They happen every month, and they go to places like Costco, the Triton Art Museum, the neighborhood bakery, karate studio, and more. Few preschools actually do field trips like this. * Thoughtful planning of mixed age groups. I love how Windsor very deliberately plans out how to enable a mix of ages within the school. For example, at the McKinley facility, in addition to the core group of 3 year old kids, they also usually have 2-3 leaders (1-2 years older, rotated in from the Mary facility) and a couple afterschoolers (elementary age). K loves being a leader. * Fun out of school time activities such as - caroling in the neighborhood in December (imagine a flock of kids going store to store at Mary Manor and serenading folks. Halloween costume picnic where all families get involved, weekly (optional) park playdates and more * Homecooked lunches. The school provides lunches, and everyone gets the same meal, which really helps pickier kids try new things. When I drop K off in the morning, the teacher usually has something wonderful smelling cooking already. Preschool should be about play, discovery, exploration and socialization, and Windsor has been all that and more for us. Big props to the teaching team for creating and maintaining this lovely little school. read more

Amazing Windsor. I never remember any worries when our daughter was at Windsor. We had a terrible experience before joining Windsor and Windsor's teacher even helped to solve the issue caused by our last experience. Professional, caring, kind and innovative are few of the things I can say about Windsor's staff. We drive for 1.5 years from Belmont to Mountain View, because we did not want to miss the chance of being a Windsor's member and because we loved Windsor Preschool. read more

Windsor Preschool is a more than an exceptional place for kids. My son began there part time at 16 months and finished at age 5 ready to soar into Kindergarten. The staff and community of school support is incredible. My son had every opportunity to learn and play through structured and unstructured activities which really helped develop him as a complete child and lifelong learner. I am a former teacher and very picky about classrooms, teachers and learning environments. Windsor exceeding my expectations and standards at every turn. If there were issues or questions, I was encouraged to discuss them and my son was always embraced completely and made to feel special. They brought out the best in him every day. There is love and kindness, learning and respect, diversity and tolerance every day for every student. I wholeheartedly believe that my son (who is now 11 and just finished elementary school) is, in large part, an exceptional student because of his start at Windsor Preschool. Thank you Shanam and every single staff member who so positively touched my son's life. read more

I am very happy to write about Windsor Academy as my 3 year old has been at their Mountain View facility for the last several months and has enjoyed every single day (right from her very first day)! What I find amazing is, she was in another pre-school before this and cried every morning at drop-off for over 10 months. On the contrary now, my daughter wants to be at school everyday - even on holidays! We call this Windsor magic. What I think is going so great for Windsor - Staff - The staff is extremely passionate about bringing out the best in each kid. The teachers have commendable background in early education and years of experience and always cheerfully engaged with the kids. And they are so so hard-working. Campus - The campus is beautiful and thoughtfully designed, keeping in mind the needs of kids of a mixed age group. Plenty of space for running around in the play-area with interesting structures including a tree-play-house! Spacious and well lit classrooms. Communication - I get daily communication about what my kid did at school, who they played with, how long they napped and how well they ate. And the best part is - plenty of pics of kids are uploaded daily ! Curriculum / teaching philosophy - They draw the best elements from many different philosophies - Montessori, Reggio Emilia, Academic, Play-based. Every month has a detailed well thought out curriculum, with ideas for parents to get involved at home too. Field trips - Every month the kids take educational field trips, the recent ones have been to fire station, grocery store, children's museum, art museum, dentist office. Weekly Neighborhood exploration - Every friday the kids go on a neighborhood or nature walk where they explore different parks in the area or the community like the next door ballet studio. Food - Healthy vegetarian food is served at lunch and snack-time. Thank you for making a working mom's life easier :) Music class - Weekly music class is my daughter's favorite! It is a formally designed class offered by music together. We love singing the songs at home and on the go too. I cannot cover all the wonderful things at Windsor, but would definitely encourage prospective parents to visit and learn more. read more

My son attended Windsor (McKinley and Mary location). He started when he was 2 and is about to start Kindergarten (he is now 5) soon. Windsor is a high quality preschool. Here are the reasons, I love the school - - Incredible Staff and Teachers - The teachers and directors are so passionate about what they do. They take the time to get to know each child. When you talk to them, you realize how much attention and focus they gave your child as they will notice and point out all the little things that make your child so unique and special. As a first time parent, this was incredible for me. They helped me be a better parent - to appreciate the gifts my child has (his imagination) and help him work through areas he struggled with. I view them as an extension of my support system. They hold school selection nights to help you pick a school that works for your family, connect you with alum parents. This goes way above and beyond what they need to do - but they do because they care. - Field Trips - They take kids for field trips from behind the scenes looks at everyday places like Farms, Trader Joes and Restaurants - giving them a different perspective and understanding of how these places work. They do Museums and Theaters, Police and Fire Stations and businesses close by. These trips are incredible fun for the children and a unique learning experience for them. - Small class size and creative learning techniques - Their philosophy helps encourage curiosity and creates a love for learning. Their curriculum is thought through and each month has a theme. - Whole Child Development - At this early age, they is a lot of focus in teaching the children life skills. Independence, self reliance, empathy, leadership. They have a leadership program where the older kids from Mary help the younger kids at McKinley. They teach the children tolerance and encourage diversity. - Community - The parents know each other and there is a strong sense of community at the school. During the warmer months, there is a play date in the park every Thursday after school. I feel very lucky that I was able to send my son to Windsor. He has grown immensely and I couldn't be more proud of the wonderful, empathetic and eloquent little boy he is - and I give a lot of credit to Windsor for it. Get on the wait list early, its a small school and spots fill up early. read more