◈ Homepage — http://www.first-pres.net/Current Events Apply Today Schedule a Tour First Pres Nursery School We invite families to join us in a collaborative, Reggio-inspired learning environment where children's curiosities are nurtured and learning is discovered through shared explorations. We are a non-religious school that welcomes families from all backgrounds and experiences. Apply Today Schedule a Tour Community Creativity Diversity Reggio Inspired Collaboration Community Creativity Diversity Reggio Inspired Collaboration Who Chooses First Pres? First Pres, 65+ Years of Trusted Early Childhood Education Founded in 1959 as a private, not-for-profit school that welcomes families from all backgrounds and experiences, First Pres has seen Santa Monica change from a small coastal town to an urban city. In the midst of this transformation, the school has remained a nurturing environment for early childhood education within the community. Enhancing this sense of continuity is the fact that many families return generation after generation, supported by teachers and staff who have been a part of the educational team for decades. Curiosity & Inquiry that Inspires Learning Daily life at First Pres is a meaningful intersection of relationships, where children help carry out daily life routines and manage experiences. These opportunities form the core of the curriculum throughout the school and give context to explorations, studies and projects while fostering autonomy and empathy towards the environment, materials and peers. Explorations are opportunities to learn about materials, play with ideas, while studies are organized to understand an idea and information in-depth and apply different thought processes while considering other points of view. Our Practice Inspired by the Reggio Approach Learning Together Learning Made Visible Learning Environment Materials and Children Teachers as Researchers A School Where Parents, Teachers and Children Learn Together School-wide experiences such as community sings, classroom meetings, cultural celebrations and family conferences provide opportunities for adults' and children's perspectives to come together. Round table discussions, Parent Association initiatives and parent workdays provide more occasions for us to think together about the context and relationships that form our school. Learning Made Visible Visibility of children's work in progress is viewed as an important tool in understanding how children are thinking, learning and developing and helps parents and teachers to understand steps they can take to support them. Observing and interpreting ongoing experiences create a context of a deep learning process that supports both the teacher and child as researcher and investigator. An Environment that Supports Learning & Relationships Thoughtfully organized and prepared, the environment is considered the "third teacher" through the visibility and messages it conveys that guide and suggest possibilities for using materials, spaces and learning from others. Dynamic and changing over time, the many spaces of school take inspiration from the children's "way of living" in the environment and support opportunities that can arise. Materials and the Many Languages of Children Wire, paint, clay, drawing media among other materials have properties that help support communication and thinking in diverse ways. Learning about and interacting with materials allows children to build a working knowledge about their affordances and use them to explore topics, develop skills and build knowledge about subjects and ideas they are exploring. Teachers as Researchers Teachers at First Pres have years of experience, education and insight about children, learning and their development. They carefully listen, observe and document children's work, provoke, and build next steps with children in order to stimulate thinking and collaboration with their peers and build relationships. As a result, the role of the teacher is that of a researcher who is constantly learning alongside the children, building next steps and relationships with the children. Generations of Santa Monica Parents Share Their Experiences Rated 5 out of 5 "Unlocks what's special about young children" "First Pres has a really unique ability to unlock what's so special about this age and stage of young children. We feel like everyone is a partner in this growing and parenting journey." Sheila Current Parent, Classes of 2026 & 2029 "Best Preschool in LA" "First Pres is the best Preschool in LA. It is so wonderful. The teachers are so kind and loving and they make my child feel like she can do anything." Joanna Current Parent, Classes of 2018, 2021 & 2026 "Everyone is so happy to see the kids" "As soon as you walk into the school, everyone is so happy to see the kids and families. They just run right up to each other - hugging, dancing and singing. The kids genuinely want to be at school." Jordana Current Parent, Classes of 2024 & 2026 "Incredible early education experience" "We love the community of teachers and families. First Pres has given our family the most incredible early education experience." Jen & Sean Current Parents, Class of 2026 "Such a relief to walk through those doors" "It's such a relief to walk through those doors everyday. I know I'm bringing my child to a place where she feels safe and happy, and I feel happy too! It's the first place I've been since becoming a parent and I feel like I have a whole team of people helping raise my child." Laura Current Parent, Classes of 2026 & 2030 "Everyone is free to be their full person" "Everyone is free to be the full person they are meant to be. Everyone goes the extra mile being so thoughtful of one another from parents to everyone that works there." Djoser Current Parent, Classes of 2026 & 2028 "Great community of like-minded people" "It's a great community of like-minded people. Everyone is dedicated to making sure the kids are living their best lives and getting the best start for their future." Ashley Current Parent, Class of 2026 "Sense of community and family" "I love the sense of community and the fact that it feels like a family. First Pres has made children curious members of the community and it's the best early education you can give your kids." Tom & Crystal Current Parents, Classes of 2023 & 2026 "A second home that's truly magical" "What makes First Pres truly exceptional is its sense of community. The connections we've built here - with teachers, staff, and fellow families, are genuine and lasting. This isn't just a school, it has become a second home for us. We have made lifelong friends through this community, and our children have felt deeply known, supported and celebrated every step of the way. We are endlessly grateful to have been part of a place where both our children and our family have grown so much. This school is truly a magical and special place!" Ritu Alumni Parent, Classes of 2022 & 2025 "Every kid is different and understood" "The programs were well organized, and the teachers were extremely nice. The teachers understood that every kid was different and tried to provide the best environment for each kid. My children particularly enjoyed art programs. Wednesday Farmers Market was a bonus after dropping off our kids." Hyowook Alumni Parent, Classes of 2014 & 2018 "A special community we'll always be a part of" "Thanks to the school's approach, my children truly developed a love of learning and their deep curiosity has continued into their elementary school experience. We had excellent teachers that remained with the students through their time in preschool, which also helped guide us to evolve as parents through each of their milestones. We all met some of our closest friends during those years and it's truly a special community that we will always be a part of." Angela Alumni Parent, Classes of 2020 & 2023 "So welcoming and the best teachers" "LOVE First Pres! The community is so welcoming and the teachers are the best. Very patient, kind and thoughtful in how they deal with the children. The school is inclusive in their teachings and my son has learned a great deal about different cultures." Brittany Current Parent, Classes of 2026 and 2028 "A magical experience with friendships to last a lifetime" "First Presbyterian Nursery School has been nothing short of a magical experience for our family. We have been honored to share many memories and develop friendships to last a lifetime." David Alumni Parent, Classes of 2022 & 2025 "Incredibly engaged and dedicated staff" "I wish I could give six stars! Both the administration and teaching staff are incredibly engaged and dedicated. It's been so special to watch our child thrive over the past two years. It has truly been a wonderful part of our family's journey." Kristy Alumni Parent, Class of 2025 "Reggio inspired school with tremendous support" "Beautiful school with excellent environment staff and approach. Reggio inspired school a block from the beach. A long history of high quality work a tremendous support from families and the community." Persephone Alumni Parent, Class of 2019 "Unlocks what's special about young children" "First Pres has a really unique ability to unlock what's so special about this age and stage of young children. We feel like everyone is a partner in this growing and parenting journey." Sheila Current Parent, Classes of 2026 & 2029 "Best Preschool in LA" "First Pres is the best Preschool in LA. It is so wonderful. The teachers are so kind and loving and they make my child feel like she can do anything." Joanna Current Parent, Classes of 2018, 2021 & 2026 "Everyone is so happy to see the kids" "As soon as you walk into the school, everyone is so happy to see the kids and families. They just run right up to each other - hugging, dancing and singing. The kids genuinely want to be at school." Jordana Current Parent, Classes of 2024 & 2026 "Incredible early education experience" "We love the community of teachers and families. First Pres has given our family the most incredible early education experience." Jen & Sean Current Parents, Class of 2026 "Such a relief to walk through those doors" "It's such a relief to walk through those doors everyday. I know I'm bringing my child to a place where she feels safe and happy, and I feel happy too! It's the first place I've been since becoming a parent and I feel like I have a whole team of people helping raise my child." Laura Current Parent, Classes of 2026 & 2030 "Everyone is free to be their full person" "Everyone is free to be the full person they are meant to be. Everyone goes the extra mile being so thoughtful of one another from parents to everyone that works there." Djoser Current Parent, Classes of 2026 & 2028 "Great community of like-minded people" "It's a great community of like-minded people. Everyone is dedicated to making sure the kids are living their best lives and getting the best start for their future." Ashley Current Parent, Class of 2026 "Sense of community and family" "I love the sense of community and the fact that it feels like a family. First Pres has made children curious members of the community and it's the best early education you can give your kids." Tom & Crystal Current Parents, Classes of 2023 & 2026 "A second home that's truly magical" "What makes First Pres truly exceptional is its sense of community. The connections we've built here - with teachers, staff, and fellow families, are genuine and lasting. This isn't just a school, it has become a second home for us. We have made lifelong friends through this community, and our children have felt deeply known, supported and celebrated every step of the way. We are endlessly grateful to have been part of a place where both our children and our family have grown so much. This school is truly a magical and special place!" Ritu Alumni Parent, Classes of 2022 & 2025 "Every kid is different and understood" "The programs were well organized, and the teachers were extremely nice. The teachers understood that every kid was different and tried to provide the best environment for each kid. My children particularly enjoyed art programs. Wednesday Farmers Market was a bonus after dropping off our kids." Hyowook Alumni Parent, Classes of 2014 & 2018 "A special community we'll always be a part of" "Thanks to the school's approach, my children truly developed a love of learning and their deep curiosity has continued into their elementary school experience. We had excellent teachers that remained with the students through their time in preschool, which also helped guide us to evolve as parents through each of their milestones. We all met some of our closest friends during those years and it's truly a special community that we will always be a part of." Angela Alumni Parent, Classes of 2020 & 2023 "So welcoming and the best teachers" "LOVE First Pres! The community is so welcoming and the teachers are the best. Very patient, kind and thoughtful in how they deal with the children. The school is inclusive in their teachings and my son has learned a great deal about different cultures." Brittany Current Parent, Classes of 2026 and 2028 "A magical experience with friendships to last a lifetime" "First Presbyterian Nursery School has been nothing short of a magical experience for our family. We have been honored to share many memories and develop friendships to last a lifetime." David Alumni Parent, Classes of 2022 & 2025 "Incredibly engaged and dedicated staff" "I wish I could give six stars! Both the administration and teaching staff are incredibly engaged and dedicated. It's been so special to watch our child thrive over the past two years. It has truly been a wonderful part of our family's journey." Kristy Alumni Parent, Class of 2025 "Reggio inspired school with tremendous support" "Beautiful school with excellent environment staff and approach. Reggio inspired school a block from the beach. A long history of high quality work a tremendous support from families and the community." Persephone Alumni Parent, Class of 2019 Made With Love in Santa Monica Since 1959, our not-for-profit school has been a pillar of our community, welcoming families from every background into the First Pres family. Our coastal surroundings become a building block of wonder for our children, inspiring questions and projects daily. At First Pres, parents, children, and teachers learn together - generation after generation. Join Our School Community Join the First Pres Family Join the Families Learning Together at First Pres Apply Today Plan Your Tour Frequently Asked Questions Is First Pres a religious school? How do I apply to First Pres? When should I apply? What ages do you accept and how are classes organized? Is there a waitlist? How does it work? Do you offer financial aid? What schedule options are available (full-day, half-day)? What happens after we're offered a space? What does 'Reggio-inspired' mean at First Pres? How experienced are the teachers? What is the teacher to child ratio? Apply Today Contact Information (310) 451-9259 [email protected] 1248 2nd St Santa Monica, CA @fpnssantamonica1959 Find us on: