Schools near Darnestown, MD

“We are very happy with GHES Darnestown. My daughter has been going there for 2 years now and she loves it there. As a parent, there's nothing more important to me than ensuring my daughter is safe, happy, having fun, and of course, learning new things every day. This school makes learning fun and exciting for kids, and all the teachers I've gotten to know are warm, caring, nurturing, and enthusiastic about what they teach. My daughter used to be very shy and anxious, and since going to GHES, she has gained more confidence and has made a lot of new friends. We love her teachers and the school director is great too - Ms. Danielle is very understanding, easy to talk to, responsive, and accommodating to the needs of parents/kids. When it comes time for my other little one to start school, I know the trust I have in the school and staff at GHES Darnestown will make the transition easy (or easier at least) for this mama!”

“My son, Nirvan loves to go to school. He not only learned the accademic subjects like english, math, science etc but also was grommed on other aspects such as manners, empathy, emotions to name a few. Goddard helped him have positive character traits in himWhen he started going to school at the age of 1&1/2 I was worried that he might not like the school and would hate to leave home. But thanks to the love and nurture of the teachers and administration in school, he hated to leave the school at the end of the day. He used to come home and teach me various things that he learned in school.Goddard has greatly contributed to his social, emotional, and physical well-being. Sending Nirvan to Goddard was a tension free experience for me and my family.Now he will soon turn 5 and will start the public school. I hope he get the same level of love and nurture as he is used to”

“We love Chesterbrook in Germantown! Our daughter has been attending since the last 2 years. All the teachers we’ve had have been great. Ms Sumitra and Ms Visakha in Room 5 are just amazing. Specially Ms Sumitra has been instrumental in my daughter’s growth the past 2 years. The teachers are educated, caring, and open with communication about my daughter. I am thankful to have found a school that values early childhood development, collaboration between families and educators, and creates home-school connections. The principal/administration are very receptive to feedback. I am beyond impressed with all my toddler has learned and can’t wait to watch her grow through each program at the school.”

“I had an incredible experience with this daycare center. From the moment I walked through the door, I was greeted with smiles and warmth. The staff is very attentive to my children's needs and always went above and beyond to make them feel comfortable. My kids love the variety of activities offered, and every day they come home with stories of all the fun they had. The facility was clean, spacious, and well-equipped with everything my little ones needed. I highly recommend this daycare to any parent in search of a place where their child can learn, grow, and thrive in a loving environment.”

“Our son has blossomed at Winwood (Reston). Ms. Ruth, Mr. Wayne, and Ms. Pushpa introduce topics and concepts in an interesting manner, while teaching important social skills, preparing him for a solid start to kindergarten. Our son embraces the fun and engaging curriculum and applies what he's learned outside the classroom with excitement.”

“Last year, around this time, I was searching for a private school for my kid and reading a lot of reviews and visiting informal chats. Most parents who are researching private schools are probably strongly considering strength of the curriculum and costs. Those are important, but I really wanted to know about the personalities of the children and staff. We may assume that people affiliated with a religious background are kind and warm, but you likely know from life experience that this isn’t always the case. I heard from a few people who told me that their children/grandchildren/spouses were subjected to bullying, racism, and harsh judgments at their religion-affiliated private schools, and I read some reviews where some parents would write about how their kids were subjected to mistreatment, but the administrators did not care and did not address those issues, despite the high costs to attend these schools.Enter Christ Episcopal School. As my kid neared middle school, I could see that she might struggle with learning, in 7 different classes, and get lost in the crowd. She might have difficulty adapting to a large crowd of “real” kids who might speak to her roughly and she might not know how to respond. (Her brother went to this middle school, and has more street sense, but it wasn’t a great experience for him.) When I went to the CES Open House, I asked the head of school about whether there were conflicts in the middle school aged kids, and she responded so honestly, that it happens as you would expect among middle schoolers, but because the classes are so small, they are able to tamp down on conflicts before they escalate. I appreciated that candor, and I can confirm, it is true! The teachers and administrators get to know your children’s personalities and circumstances, and they will do their best to ensure that everyone is developing into a good citizen, feels supported in their learning, and is generally happy. And if you express concern about an issue your child is facing, the staff will address it, persistently if needed!All of this positivity may sound fake, but this really is a great little school. I want to go on and on, but I don’t want to lose your attention and take up further space. As you research school for your kid, I seriously hope you will consider CES … as all of these other parents have said, it is truly a hidden gem and I wish I would have learned about it when my older one was entering middle school.”

“My daughter has been attending Bar-T @ McAuliffe since day 1 and spends alot of the summer at there different camps. SHE LOVES IT! All the staff members are great as well. Without Bar-T many working parents would be lost. Thanks all!!!”

“I enrolled my 2 children at A to Z Fun care in March 2023 and it has been a great year for my children. The teachers are caring and attentive. Ms Leila and Ms Belinda swiftly addressed the few concerns I encountered as my children settled in.The educational program is great especially for Pre-K and K and the Pre-schooler teachers are very caring.Thank you A to Z Rockville staff for the amazing job!”

“I was referred to HUMC Preschool by a friend and I am so grateful. Both of my children loved going. It was their first experience away from home and such a blessing! We reminisce about their teachers and how much fun they had. I was also lucky enough to work at the school last year and got to see all of the care and attention that goes on behind the scenes... It’s amazing!”

“The staff is extremely professional, patient, and kind with all the children! Lesson plans and great activities everyday! The chief administrator,Maadhaven, is so helpful and willing to get our little boys started quickly and made the transition from our last school to this Montessori an easy transition! Our 4 and 2 year old wake up every morning excited just to get to school! I recommend this Montessori to everyone!”

“Our son has been going here since he was almost 6 months old and has absolutely loved it. There are days we go to pick him up that he doesn’t want to leave. The teachers are amazing and treat him like their own. He continues to grow and learn each day because of everyone at this daycare always giving their best to support and care for each child. I’d recommend this daycare to anyone!”

“We have had an excellent experience at the Goddard School in Gaithersburg. The teachers and all of the staff are friendly, attentive, and caring, and they are always willing to take the time to discuss any concerns that we have about our child's growth and progress. Our child loves going to school every day!”

“We are so unbelievably happy we found this daycare! Attia and all of the teachers are so incredibly kind and caring! The home is incredibly beautiful and it is so nice to have such an amazing space outdoors for the kids to play. They constantly send us photos and videos of the kids playing and learning. The other kids have become like family to our little one. They listen to our needs as parents, and keep us well informed. All of the teachers are so loving and attentive, we really couldn't imagine a better spot for our little one. Can't recommend this place enough.”

“Starting preschool was a huge transition for our quiet and cautious 3-year-old. I'm not sure we could've picked a more nurturing and amazing environment for him to thrive in than ECC.The small class sizes drew us in, the awesome and caring staff moved us with how much they contributed to our son's development. He really blossomed socially, loved going to class, and was well prepared for kindergarten thanks to their play-based learning and emphasis on the whole child. The amount of care his teachers demonstrated towards him is really something we'll treasure forever, and the school director and support staff were also very friendly as well as communicative & organized.The grounds (on but not affiliated with the Rockville Unitarian church) were really nice. The classrooms themselves are quite small, but no problem for the small groups, filled with natural light, and well laid out for imaginative play and age-appropriate learning. They do a nice amount of school-community events for being so small; my son recently enjoyed a picnic even as an alumni recently :)Thank you ECC!”

“I love mama Shelem & her team! My daughter just turned 3 and has been attending almost a year. I love how much she has blossomed & I truly believe it’s because of all the learning & interaction she has been getting from this preschool! She knows her letters, numbers, even teaches me the sign languages that she has learned! They have worked with me through the potty training stage, stress-free! Now she is fully potty trained! Mama Shelem holds parent teacher conferences every 6 months (I believe) and is so so knowledgeable about early childhood education! They also let me do a quick piñata for my daughters birthday one morning and it’s so nice to witness all the kids interact well with each other; compassionate to one another. My daughter has become more confident playing with younger kids as well as older kids. They really do a great job and I can tell they do everything with the child’s best interest. We love them like family!”

“My daughter attended Glen Mill ELF for over a year, until she started ES, and she's still missing her daycare! The location is wonderful, the air here is so fresh and country-like, and kids have a fenced area outside with a playground. A part of the playground is under the roof so they can be outside even if it rains. The food was homemade and just amazing. Every day, kids had a filling breakfast, soup and second course for lunch and a healthy snack after napping; they also had veggies and fruit for snack and lunch every day. The teachers at Glen Mill were wonderful, very kind and caring. The important part of education at ELF is that it is only in Russian, so my daughter still speaks fluent and very good Russian. Thank you, Yana, Vladimir and all teachers at Glen Mill ELF!”

“We have our two daughters at Nanda, an infant and a toddler and we feel truly blessed to be sending them to such an amazing daycare. The teachers sincerely care for each kid and are great communicators with parents. The curriculum and activities really foster the kids learning while still having so much fun appropriate for their age. The director is always open to meeting to discuss needs of the children and ensures that the families have a great experience. One of our daughters recently had some medical challenges (cranial helmet and spica cast for hip dysplasia treatment) which required some accommodations and the center was extremely accommodating to our little one. Nanda is our kids home away from home. When our kids are at Nanda, my husband and I feel confident focusing on our work day because we know that our kids are in very good hands.”

“Black rock learning center has done a amazing job caring and educating my 2 sons. They have weekly concepts/themes in which they teach the kids all about. So your kids will learn about numbers, letters, holidays, writing, weather, etc. They send out monthly newsletters so you're aware of what the kids learned and what they will be learning next month.Both my kids love going to black rock and have so much fun there. It's a great daycare and I highly recommend it.”

“My daughter has been at primrose for about a year and I have been very happy. The food is nutritious, school is clean, and the teachers are caring and sweet. My daughter was at home with an au pair prior to primrose, so there was some crying at drop off, but the teachers were always attentive and caring. Lastly, and best of all, they basically potty trained my child for me at 2 years old. This place is amazing!!!! She does art and learning activities on a daily basis. She can count to 20, knows her colors and can sing her abcs all at 2!”

“Both of my kids are enrolled at this center for over 2 years now , at first as a new parent I was scared but after seeing the interactions with teachers and students it was heart warming. The assistant director make you feel so welcome. The center director is a pie she welcomes new families with open arms like her own , her door is always open for endless questions, and provide answers you’re looking for what more can a parent ask for. My school aged child is always excited to go to KinderCare and start her day, Miss Cynthia is very caring and full of patience you ask she delivers, my four year old adores his teacher Ms Ashley, who is very heart warming with the kids, her professionalism makes teaching looks easy. Thank you KinderCare for making my babies feel at home.”

“We have been going to Chesterbrook in Herndon since they reopened post-COVID in July 2020. Both of our children, now 4 and 2, have gone there and we couldn’t be happier with quality of the teachers, the curriculum, and the leadership! Our two kiddos are thriving. Chesterbrook has been awesome, it’s so much more than a daycare. It’s truly a preschool. Our kids learn so much, have so much fun, and we always feel safe knowing our kids are in good hands.If you are in the Herndon/Reston area and are looking for a great preschool, you should checkout Chesterbrook!”

“Amazing facility and staff. Immediately felt it was the best option for our child. We looked at several other child care options in the area and Kiddie Academy is definitely among the best.”

“Our daughter has been going to Sunrise for about a month. We love it so much! Ms. Michelle has been amazing. They put so many fun parties and crafts together for the kids. You can tell they truly love the kids. Our daughter was also potty trained after being there for just a week. We are so happy with our decision to send our daughter here.”

“I highly recommend Ms. Cindy! My child has attended this school for 2 and a half years. Coming from a bilingual family, my son initially struggled with English and communication upon starting at Goddard. Ms. Cindy provided tremendous support and encouragement, significantly aiding in his development. Her efforts helped transform my son into a confident and bright individual. This year, he successfully passed the GT Program at his current school and joined the 8UA Ice Hockey team. These achievements are undoubtedly attributed to Ms. Cindy's guidance. I am profoundly grateful to this exceptional teacher and to Goddard for their invaluable support.”

“COD was our son's first preschool experience, and we still have fond memories. Jackie and her team are, to us, the best team in the area and our son had the most wonderful time in this play-based, excellent care preschool. We wish COD all the very best.”

“It is an excellent Church, comfortable, friendly that shelters all those who need to find, get closer and be with God. Offers Services in English and SPANISH. On Sundays at 10am the service is in Spanish. There are more activities in which you can participate for your growth. I invite you to come closer and live more actively the relationship with God.”

“We feel very lucky to have chosen LGMS for our kids' preschool education. Our older child has been part of the LGMS family for four years. We are so impressed by the way Ms. Zhang and Mr. Zhou teach and help kids that we send our younger child at LGMS as well. All the teachers are friendly, patient, responsible, and easy to communicate.LGMS offers a well-structured curriculum for both the toddler and primary classes, designed to enhance children's overall learning abilities in distinct ways. The toddler class focuses on nurturing essential foundational skills, such as physical coordination, speech development, some simple math, and recognition of emotions, everyday objects and phenomena. In contrast, the primary class places a strong emphasis on academic growth in STEM subjects, reading, writing, leadership, and teamwork etc.More importantly, teachers create tailored study plans for each child based on their individual interests, strengths, and weaknesses. Daily photo updates and one-on-one meetings between teachers and parents keep us well-informed about our children's progress at school.Furthermore, LGMS enriches the learning experience by introducing children to Chinese culture and traditional festivals, creating an immersive Chinese cultural and educational environment that both of our kids eagerly embrace.”

“An incredible daycare! The teachers are so caring, and the front desk staff is so cool. I love that it's not just about being a place to leave your kid for the day, but is about fostering a whole community for the parents and children there.”

“We have been so happy with our time at Georgetown Hill! Our daughter is bilingual and had very limited English when she joined the pre-K program. She is pretty reserved and shy, and cannot easily make friends with new kids, so I was really concern how the transition will go, but we got a lot of support from our teachers (Mrs. Iryna and Mrs. Kenia) and from Mrs. Facundo, the director of the school. We can’t say enough wonderful things about how caring everyone is! Our daughter has thrived here and she loves going every day. There are many wonderful activities for kids and we are very happy with the program! Definitely recommend Georgetown Hill!”