Primrose Schools is a prominent provider of early childhood education and care, catering to families seeking high-quality daycare and preschool programs. With locations across the United States, the company serves children from infants as young as 6 weeks to pre-kindergarten and kindergarten levels, as well as offering after-school care for children up to 12 years old.
The company's educational approach, known as Balanced Learning, emphasizes the development of the whole child through a blend of play, creativity, and academic learning. Primrose Schools aims to create a safe and engaging environment that prepares children for future academic success and fosters a lifelong love of learning. Parents looking for reliable and developmentally appropriate educational options for their young children can find a Primrose School location nearby for more information on their programs and values.
Primrose Schools receive a mixed reception from parents and staff, with a notable divide in experiences. On the positive side, some reviewers highlight the nurturing environment and dedicated teachers, noting that their children thrive and enjoy their time at school.
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For instance, parents appreciate the growth their kids experience in supportive settings, with one parent praising the fantastic leadership and staff. However, many critical reviews point to significant issues, including toxic leadership, poor communication, and a lack of professionalism. Complaints about rude staff interactions and unfair treatment during incidents involving children are prevalent, leading to a sense of distrust among some families. Overall, while there are commendable aspects of Primrose Schools, the negative experiences shared by a majority of reviewers overshadow the positives.
Each source counts by its number of reviews. Only reviews written by people are scored.
Rating, volume, share of the score, six-month trend and fake-review risk for each source
Source
Rating
Reviews
Weight
6-mo
Fake risk
★
Trustpilot
Imported Trustpilot reviews
2.8
13
100%
● Low
2.8 / 5 overall
=
13 reviews across 1 scored source
How fake risk works ⓘ
Reputation trend
Monthly average rating from reviews written by people · latest review Aug 2025.
Last 3 months
3.0▲ 2.0
12-month avg
2.3
All-time
2.8
Category avg
4.4
Monthly averageCategory average
Monthly average rating and review count
Month
Average
Reviews
May 25
1.0
1
Jun 25
1.0
1
Jul 25
—
0
Aug 25
5.0
1
What people praise & complain about
Share of positive (4–5★) and negative (1–2★) reviews mentioning each topic · based on the 13 most recent reviews.
Top complaintsof 7 negative reviews
Communication29%
2 mentions
Payment issues29%
2 mentions
Returns29%
2 mentions
“She routinely orchestrates miscommunication between staff and parents, creating confusion and mistrust”
On “Communication” · Jun 9, 2025
How it compares
Same method for every company: overall rating, legitimacy checks, the average rating of reviews mentioning each area and the 6-month trend · Language Schools.
Overall rating and review count for this company and similar companies
I worked there for almost 5yrs I was an infant teacher. The best 5 yrs I have ever had at a job. The leadership is fantastic, All of the Teachers are so good at what they do! Our Parents become apart... See more
Toxic Leadership, Poor Communication, and Zero Professionalism at Primrose school of Danville
Primrose markets itself as a premium early education provider, but our experience at Primrose school of Danville has been anything but. While some teachers are wonderful and truly care for the kids, t... See more
Unfair Treatment After Multiple Biting Incidents at Primrose Vista Ridge
We’ve been with Primrose School at Vista Ridge for nearly two years with no prior issues. We always paid on time, had a good relationship with staff, and trusted them with our son’s care. Unfortunatel... See more
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I worked there for almost 5yrs I was an infant teacher. The best 5 yrs I have ever had at a job. The leadership is fantastic, All of the Teachers are so good at what they do! Our Parents become apart of our Primrose family. I must say we have the greatest Parents. So if your looking for a place to send your Kiddos, Look no further, You will definitely love it! RB
Toxic Leadership, Poor Communication, and Zero Professionalism at Primrose school of Danville
Primrose markets itself as a premium early education provider, but our experience at Primrose school of Danville has been anything but. While some teachers are wonderful and truly care for the kids, the leadership—particularly the owner—is the root of ongoing dysfunction. She routinely orchestrates miscommunication between staff and parents, creating confusion and mistrust. Instead of resolving concerns with professionalism, she badmouths teachers who leave (many of whom were forced out) and speaks negatively about parents who withdraw their children. This level of unprofessionalism is shocking in a childcare setting.
There is a serious lack of accountability, transparency, and respect. If you're looking for a stable, nurturing environment grounded in integrity and clear communication, I strongly urge you to look elsewhere. The emotional toll on both children and parents simply isn’t worth it.
Unfair Treatment After Multiple Biting Incidents at Primrose Vista Ridge
We’ve been with Primrose School at Vista Ridge for nearly two years with no prior issues. We always paid on time, had a good relationship with staff, and trusted them with our son’s care. Unfortunately, that trust was broken due to how they handled repeated biting incidents — especially the most recent one.
Over the last few months, our son was bitten multiple times by the same child. We initially accepted the incident reports, thinking these things happen. But every time we asked who bit him, our son gave the same name. Despite repeated incidents, no meaningful change occurred.
On May 6, our son stayed home due to illness. He returned on May 7 and came home that day with a bite on his face, under his eye. It was not a small mark — clearly visible and concerning. A bite like that likely requires a child to grab and restrain another, which shouldn’t happen under proper supervision. Still, the child who bit him remained in class the very next day, with no clear consequences or separation plan.
All we received was a vague incident report — checkboxes only, with no explanation or details on what was done. When we asked on May 8 that our son not be seated near the other child, we were told it would be handled. But the next day, we saw them seated right next to each other in class photos.
What made this even more frustrating was the proposed solution: to move our son — the one who was bitten — to another classroom, away from his friends. When we asked why the other child wasn’t moved, we were told the other parents were “willing to work with the behavioral plan,” and we were the ones complaining — so our son was the one they offered to relocate.
We have since toured other childcare centers with better safety practices and communication — and lower tuition. We feel we were overpaying at Primrose for inadequate supervision and little accountability.
Parents deserve transparency and protection for their children. We did not receive either.
I have two babies that grew up in primrose school at St. Johns Forest. They love being there. I have watched my son and daughter blossom and grow with the amazing teachers and Management to guide them through many different milestones. They show my children love and kindness every time they see them. That means a lot to me and my husband. There simply wonderful and for that, one of the reasons I'm a teacher there as well. Nothing feels better knowing your child is safe and is learning valuable lessons each and every day. They truly deliver the best and most trusted early education to my babies and help families any chance they get. I'm just sad that my children will eventually leave but happy to know that they are leaving with the ability to learn and succeed in school and in life because of primrose.
What made my experience great at Primrose West Bellevue is the amazing staff. I have been working in early childhood education for many years. I have not seen any school like Primrose of West Bellvue. Shannon Peterson and Nicole Robinson's management and organizational skills are superb. The school is beautiful and clean on the inside and the outside. You would never believe children were in the building. I have never seen such a clean and organized center. The children are taught how to share their emotions daily. They are not going to school to just play but they are grasping and experiencing the right tools to become successful learners throughout life. Learning how to use their words to express their needs. Learning how to communicate among their peers in large and small group play. Most all learning how to calm down and relax when sad, angry, or just needing space. I have learned so much from each teacher at Primrose of West Bellvue. Jennifer Schernk and Kristen Mcelheny will make your day bright I have learned so much from observing them. They warmed up to me quickly and made me feel part of the team. There was never a dull moment with them they knew how to connect with the children and made each child feel loved and safe. They started as preschool teachers and transitioned into management. They are still supportive and ready to help out any time of the day. Your children will feel loved and safe at this school. If you looking for the most beautiful, loving teachers check out this school you won't be disappointed. Nicole is a great director she is skilled in communication and organization and is willing to step in at any given moment which is rare for directors from my experience. She is very understanding patient and loving. I love that she knows how to direct and redirect with love and compassion. Making sure everyone is safe under her direction. As a mother and teacher, I recommend Primrose at West Bellvue. I will miss them all dearly.
Your job is to be open.
Working parents work on snow days. Working parents need a dependable schedule. Snow days and staff sick calls are no excuse to close. The tuition cost does not indicate a shoestring budget.
Your job is to be open!
The people are rude working there. They get upset if you are few minutes early dropping off your child. They also get upset if you pick up your child few minutes late and charge you extra.
Would not recommend.
Let me start out by saying that I should have trusted my gut about this place (Wexford, PA location). I initially reached out in January 2022, when I was 3 months pregnant, because I knew that waitlists would be long. The director, Ashley, responded to my online form submission via email and then disappeared. It took a follow up email, a missed phone call, and a comment on Facebook to finally get her to call me back a month later at the end of February 2022. Almost all of her email communications were delayed and she was unresponsive. I tried calling many times, but not ONCE have I called this place and had someone answer the phone. These were the first red flags.
Still, I scheduled a tour with Ashley in March. The tour went fine, and she told me that a spot would be available for my infant in November 2022 for Fall enrollment. She sent me home with the paperwork. My husband and I took the night to think about it, and the very next day scanned and emailed our application to Ashley. She responded and confirmed she received the application and told us "Welcome to Primrose". I emailed her again to ask if I could drop off the $150 deposit in person, as I live right down the road, which I did do. Ashley again emailed me after this and told me she received my check (she wasn't available when I arrived) and "Welcome to Primrose". My check was cashed shortly after.
Now, in September, I'm making plans to go back to work and email Ashley for an official start day. Two weeks go by with no response. I call - as usual, they don't pick up the phone. Finally, I sent ANOTHER email and she responds back that she 'regrets to inform me' that she never processed my application through their system and therefore she never actually reserved my spot - despite cashing my deposit. That was it - no offer to return my deposit, no mention of a way to remedy the situation, not even information on when a new spot might be available.
I thought for sure there was a mistake. I called Ashley's direct line and the main line to the daycare - big surprise, no answer. I left voicemails on both. I got tired of waiting and sent another email to Ashley saying that I didn't understand what was happening, as I'd submitted an application, paid a deposit, and was welcomed to the school. She responded to my email and told me that it was her error, but there is nothing they could do. The soonest availability for my daughter would be June 2023 when she turned a year old. I emailed her back and told her to call me, I wanted to speak on the phone.
I spoke with both Ashley (Director) and Liz (Owner) over the phone. Both were unapologetic, unsympathetic and nonchalant about the entire situation. Liz said "I don't know what you want us to do, we're just humans here." Yes, we all make mistakes, but when I make a mistake, I fix it.
This is a mistake that is going to cost me greatly financially, professionally and emotionally. My options are to take a leave of absence from work, pay almost triple to hire a full-time nanny (if I can even find one on short notice) or to sacrifice both the quality of my daughter's care and the quality of my work by juggling both. Yet, Primrose doesn't care.
So, ask yourself if you want incompetent, unsympathetic people caring for your child. And if you do decide to enroll at Primrose, double, triple, quadruple check that they do their jobs.
Don´t trust them with your kids, don´t trust a word they say. They coach kids into saying everything is well and that they are having lots of fun. Kids, teachers and staff abused and neglected a child with special needs, denied him basic care - food and hygiene, refused him help, left him to be bullied and on his own, disciplined him with rough methods supposedly not allowed in the institution (yelling, punishing, humiliating is NOT positive reinforcement). Assured us everything was well - he cried, he yelled, he asked for us. Our son is in speech therapy, he has very limited vocabulary. They knew it and abused that. These people disciplinary methods, moral and mental health are far from assertive. We taught him to yell for help so the teachers could hear him and they punished him for that. On his last day, after we shared with Mrs. Shirkey on the phone our son concerns and how sad he was she pulled out violently his arm while Mrs. Murdock, the new aspiring director took away all his toys and told him to seat. THEY ASKED HIM NOT TO TELL HIS PARENTS. Mrs. Orr is very used to get away with it by playing the motherly character who knows best to parents. They leave kids on their own, teach them to suck it all in and pretend everything is ok and punish them until they say to parents they are ok. If a kid needs a hug they call staff, not a kind word, explanation, nothing. Our son was very excited with school. Staff and the director Mrs. Emily personally insisted on a zero bully policy. Mrs. Orr did not receive well my son, she said `You know everyone has jobs here`. The first two days my son went he kept saying naughty kids and naughty teachers. There was one girl with him who had bullied him who was apparently his new `best friend` recommended by the teacher Mrs Haught. I shared our son is not fully able to speak up for himself or recognize true friends. That day he had food all over his face and he was very hungry right after lunch. We complained he had been coming on a daily basis very dirty with dry food all over his face and dirty clothes. I noticed he was refusing to talk or sing. When we left him next day he started crying when I made my way out. I believe it was on this same day I saw Mrs. Shirkey with her arm on her chest. I questioned my son. Apparently some violent episode took place and no one told us. On his 5th day when we were driving him to school when he saw the building he started crying and yelling. He kept saying `naughty kids, naughty teachers, very loud`. He was hiding behind us from the teacher. He was terrified of Mrs. Haught. After running from me to my wife several times and begging us not to leave we left him with a very serious and rude teacher and a bunch of looking sad kids. We already asked him to forgive us. That day we called twice to check on him, shared his thoughts and asked them to make sure he would eat properly. All those days he acted like he didn t like or trusted his teachers. When we picked him up he had a little smile and Mrs. Orr again told me everything went great as usual. While talking with him in the car the other teacher Mrs. Haught comes to our car and refuses to leave trying to force an answer on him like she had done the last days asking him if it was fun. She constantly harassed him into saying it was fun. My son looked angry at the floor. That day he told us he was hungry and asked Mrs. Orr for more and she refused him. He also showed us he was being physically and psychologically bullied by kids supposed to be his friends - pinched him, imitate him, called him names and that the teachers yelled at him and other kids. He specifically told us NONE of the teachers HELPED him deal with other kids, that they helped him sometimes with other things but not with that. In 5 school days he went from a happy cheerful confident child to a sad confused low self-esteem refusing to talk and sing child. The director said he did not had enough time to adapt to change! We are glad he didn´t. That would be a change to physical, psychological and emotional abuse he never had before. He was very clear - he wants to go to another school.
Primrose Schools is a prominent provider of early childhood education and care, catering to families seeking high-quality daycare and preschool programs. With locations across the United States, the company serves children from infants as young as 6 weeks to pre-kindergarten and kindergarten levels, as well as offering after-school care for children up to 12 years old.
The company's educational approach, known as Balanced Learning, emphasizes the development of the whole child through a blend of play, creativity, and academic learning. Primrose Schools aims to create a safe and engaging environment that prepares children for future academic success and fosters a lifelong love of learning. Parents looking for reliable and developmentally appropriate educational options for their young children can find a Primrose School location nearby for more information on their programs and values.