L'Academy Mandarin & Spanish Immersion Preschool Kensington-Berkeley

"Our daughter has been enrolled at L'Academy for 2.5 years (since it opened), first in the toddler program and then in the preschool program. We've been so happy that we enrolled our younger child, too. Both kids love their teachers and have made strong friendships with classmates. The director, Ms. Rachel, has been a wonderful presence. She's very communicative (this is really huge) and also proactive about scheduling activities that engage the whole family, like bringing in items whose names start with the letter of the week (in English or either of the immersion languages). It also helps tremendously that the school checks so many practical boxes: snacks and lunch are provided, the hours cover our whole work day, and there's coverage nearly every day aside from the usual holidays and winter break. (Nearly all the other preschools we looked at took off 6-10 weeks in total, including long summer breaks.) We've been very happy with L'Academy!"

"My daughter has been at L’academy Kensington for over a year and she loves her teachers. They’ve been so patient and kind with her big personality. She’s going to TK in the fall and she’s already sad knowing that she won’t see them everyday. The staff is lovely and it has been great chatting with them and understanding why my daughter is so fond of her time at L’academy."

"We love this preschool! Our son started when he was 2.5 years old (he’s 4 now) and he’s genuinely been happy to go to school every day. The teachers are kind and caring and there’s a good balance of art, academics and outdoor play time. We didn’t choose this school for the bilingual program but it’s a big bonus. And, as a family with two working parents I am SO grateful they provide all snacks and lunch (included in the very reasonable tuition price) and the center is open year-round except for one week in the winter. Communication from the Director is clear and consistent. I strongly recommend this school!"

"My family and I moved from New York in the middle of November so the school year had already started. I toured multiple schools around Berkeley, but L'academy Kensington was the best choice for us. They offer Spanish immersion, early (7:30am) drop off and late (5:30pm) pick up times, healthy snacks and lunch, a spacious light-filled facility, and welcoming teachers. Parents are updated with daily photos and notes through an easy to use app (1 Core). My daughter enjoys her time with her new friends and comes home excited to recap the day's Spanish lesson. My husband and I are happy she's settling into her West Coast life and thank L'academy for facilitating a smooth transition."

"Our 2 year old loves this preschool! The teachers are all so warm and caring. (One teacher even does my daughter’s hair in gorgeous hairstyles daily, which she loves!) Our daughter is happy to go every day, has clearly made good friends and enjoys the creative projects and singing that she does daily. The communication with staff is easy and regular, and I love seeing photo snippets of our girl’s day during my workday. She’s picking up some Spanish and sometimes using that at home too. We’re so lucky to have found L’Academy Kensington."