Primrose School of Walnut Creek East: A New Approach to Early Education & Child Care
Primrose School of Walnut Creek East opened March 17 in The Orchards. [Photo courtesy Primrose School]
Primrose School of Walnut Creek East, part of Primrose Schools, a national franchised system of accredited early education and care schools, opened its doors to families and children on March 17, ushering in a new approach to premier early education and child care for working parents who are looking for more than a daycare.
Owned and operated by Nick and Samina Kurji, Primrose School of Walnut Creek serves infants through kindergarten, ages six weeks to five years, with a capacity of 214 children. Located in The Orchards shopping center adjacent to Hess Brewing Company, this is the third Primrose School that Nick and Samina, parents themselves, have opened in the East Bay, following their Danville and Pleasanton schools.
“More than just daycare, Primrose School provides a premier educational experience for children during their early formative first five years, with an emphasis on kindergarten readiness for the Pre-K children,” said Nick. “Our Balanced Learning curriculum blends best practices in early education, including teacher-directed and child-initiated activities, to foster academic, social, emotional, and physical development and to instill a love of learning during a child’s early years.”
Mindful of parents’ busy schedules and the variables in obligations from week to week and month to month, Primrose is open 6am to 7pm, with an open door policy. Parents can drop children off when it’s best for them, with the flexibility to pick them up during the day for doctors’ appointments and other commitments, and return them to school when done.
Primrose School of Walnut Creek East leadership includes (l-r) Samina Kurji, owner, with her husband, Nick; Vandana Anand, director; Em Cavendish, assistant director, and Artreassa Anderson, education coach.
“The open door policy gives parents flexibility,” said Vandana Anand, the school’s director, who has been in early childhood education and care for ten years. “So there’s no rushing from work to be here at a particular time. Parents have peace of mind knowing their child is safe and well-taken care of should they be late getting off work or stuck in traffic.”
Primrose School teachers gathered for orientation and training in the Primrose Balanced Learning curriculum. [Photo courtesy Primrose School]
Primrose School Walnut Creek East employs 37 teachers, and the Primrose curriculum begins with the infants. Classroom sizes are small: one teacher for three infants; one teacher for four toddlers; one teacher for eight early preschoolers; and one teacher for 12 Pre-K children, who graduate prepared for the transition to formal schooling.
The school building is modern and bright, with natural light streaming into spacious classrooms and hallways. The outdoor playground is large and secure. Primrose provides five healthy meals a day (including snacks) prepared by the Primrose chef and delivered directly to the classrooms.
The infant classroom, where the ratio is one teacher to three infants, is a place for the littlest ones to play, sleep, and learn about the world around them. [Photo courtesy Primrose School]
The Primrose School Balanced Learning curriculum begins with infants, six weeks and older, as teachers engage little ones with songs, books, and age-appropriate movement and play structures. [Photo courtesy Primrose School]
“Our Balanced Learning approach is what stands us apart from other early education and daycare schools,” said Vandana. “All of our children are exposed to a robust and stimulating learning environment, even at six weeks of age. They have toys, books, music, art supplies, and other age-appropriate educational resources, and they are encouraged to explore and discover by themselves and in social groups, under the nurturing kindness and engagement of our teachers.”
The toddler classroom, where the teacher-student ratio is one to four, invites little ones to play and explore. [Photo courtesy Primrose School]
“We pride ourselves on being a great place to be at all times, whether you’re a child or a teacher or a parent,” said Em Cavendish, assistant director, who is responsible for parent engagement and community outreach. “We make this an enjoyable environment, and this really does transfer to the kids and to the families, as well as the staff. One of our philosophies is that when the teachers are happy, the kids are happy, and when the kids are happy, the parents are happy. It’s a self-fulling prophecy. We love what we do, and that joy can be seen and felt throughout the school.”
Education Coach Artreassa Anderson has been in early education for 12 years, seven of those years as a Primrose School teacher. Her responsibilities are to support the teachers and help them be the best educators they can be. “Our curriculum looks at the child holistically,” said Artreassa. “We strive to graduate our children in the four C’s: compassion, creativity, confidence, and with a strong sense of curiosity about the world around them.”
The preschool classroom is large enough for children to explore on their own, and come together in groups. [Photo courtesy Primrose School]
For a full description of the school’s curriculum and classroom focus, from Infant through Pre-Kindergarten, visit Education. Because class sizes are small, teachers can personalize the curriculum for individual students, taking the time to meet each student at his or her own developmental stage.
The Pre-K classroom is designed for four and five year olds, who will graduate prepared for the transition to kindergarten and formal schooling. [Photo courtesy Primrose School]
The large outdoor playground, securely gated on all sides, has multiple play structures and plenty of room to move around. [Photo courtesy Primrose School]
“The close relationships we have with parents, students, and families demonstrate the personal touch we offer at Primrose,” said Artreassa. “Through our balanced learning approach and nurturing guidance from our teachers, the children don’t even think of this as school—they’re having fun and enjoying the very act of learning and being with others. To see that smile on a child’s face at the end of the day when we say, ‘See you tomorrow,’ it’s just priceless.”
Primrose of Walnut Creek East celebrates its Grand Opening on May 17 and its official Ribbon Cutting on May 19.
For more information about the school, visit Primrose of Walnut Creek East. To schedule a tour, visit Tour.
