Canterbury Schools

We did a tour. The facility didn't impress us and that's OK, new management dealing with a weird layout. The staff - seemed like every single teacher was just sitting. Literally sitting. That's ok too, though. Teachers get tired and want to just sit. Here were our problems:While touring it was almost lunch time. We walked by sandwiches sitting on a paper plate with plastic wrap loosely placed over. Right above it was paint jugs - the kind that the paint has dripped all over. Still not horrible. Here's what was horrible:I asked about food preferences for my daughter and how we go about accommodating those. They said they don't accommodate those without a doctor slip. Insert confused face here. I clarified with the director and sure enough, she insists on a doctors note for a parent to choose what their child eats. I can say we toured many childcare options in a stretch of 10-15 miles and not one other facility had this response. In fact, All Around Child in Overland Park had this response when I asked:Oh our owner is very passionate about food options. Her and the chef sit and plan the menu every quarter and they design the food to all look the same even if one is vegetarian for example, so the kids don't feel odd about eating differently. And they're the same price! Shop around. Find the best option.

We attended for about a 6 weeks and found the center to be a very sterile/antiseptic environment. No sense of creativity, exploration, etc. They have a lot of fancy lesson plans but way too much structure for preschoolers. The kids are expected to sit on a vinyl circle on the floor quietly at look at books at 8am during drop off, no getting out toys/centers while their friends eat their microwaved breakfast. This expectation of course, does not work.Food is all casserole based and brought in from another site. Playground is nice but I once asked why there were no balls and they told me they get thrown over the fence. Ummm, they're kids, go get the balls.The security is good but reduces the sense of group/community and contact kids have with one another. I'm sure it affects employee morale too.We were unimpressed with our teacher who seemed just there to collect a paycheck and really couldn't tell me much about my sons day, development, peer interaction, etc. She was neither warm, friendly or fun.The director spends his afternoons on runs, as in running for exercise. The phone does not always get answered, when I call to check on my kid, I expect the phone to be answered. Every.Single.Time.The final straw for us was watching our kid (along with many others) sadly stand at the window every day and wave bye to their parents - heartbreaking. This never happened at our other center - literally never. I have a coworker who had to pull her son due to an unaddressed bullying issue. Despite this center being geographically ideal, it just was not worth it and we marched ourselves right back to Top Flight. We will never consider leaving again!

My daughter is well cared for and enjoys being at Canterbury. The teachers and staff are kind, creative, and trustworthy. They are easy to talk to to learn more about what my child does throughout the day. They offer a top notch curriculum at a reasonable price.

This is a great daycare. Mr Ben and the staff are friendly and really seem to care about the kids. I appreciate their attention to security as well. Each classroom requires a specific key fob to get in.

The school is amazing, the teachers truly caring and the curriculum is amazing. My child was ready for Kindergarten and was successful this year. The directors are great about communicating and are very personable.

Finding childcare is one of the most challenging tasks a parent is faced with. As a parent, you are trying to find a place that will love, care for, and protect your child as you would. My family has been fortunate to find Canterbury Academy at Prairie Ridge in Olathe. We have two daughters, one in the Australia room, Toddlers, and the other in the Africa, PreK. Both rooms were recently renovated with beautiful flooring. When I called for a tour, I felt like a priority. Every morning since, my daughters are greeted by any teacher that sees them. Their teachers are dedicated to loving them, ensuring both are learning, and encouraging positive social interactions. My girls love going to Canterbury Academy because they feel safe, treasured, and their time spent at school is fun! The school is clean, organized, and they take health protocols seriously. I love sending my girls to Canterbury because the teachers treat the kids as though they are their own. It is more than a job for them. It is a passion.