Preschool Near Watertown, Arlington & Waltham
BCNS Preschool
BCNS Preschool is at 130 Common Street in Belmont, 2 to 4 miles from Watertown, Arlington and Waltham, and families from all three towns attend. Below: the drive from each town, and how each town's public pre-K and kindergarten dates line up with ours.
Coming From Watertown
Close to home: About 2 miles straight up Common Street from Watertown Square, around 7 minutes without traffic. Park in the upper lot on School Street and walk behind the church buildings to the door with our sign.
Start before PreK: Watertown's public PreK is for children who are four by August 31, as space allows. BCNS starts at 2 years 9 months, so your child can begin a year or more earlier, with Elm Extended Day to 5:00 PM.
Apply to both: Our enrollment opens in mid-November and families hear back in December, so you can apply to BCNS alongside Watertown PreK.
Coming From Arlington
Close to home: About 2.5 miles from Arlington Center: south on Pleasant Street into Belmont, then Leonard Street to Common Street. Around 7 minutes without traffic.
A bridge year for fall birthdays: Arlington kindergarten starts at five by August 31. If your child just misses the cutoff, our Birch pre-K class works as a bridge year before kindergarten.
Apply alongside Menotomy: Arlington’s Menotomy Preschool fills its places for children without special needs by lottery, and those places carry tuition. Our enrollment opens in mid-November, with decisions in December, so you can apply to both.
Coming From Waltham
Close to home: About 4 miles from Waltham center by Waverley Oaks Road, Trapelo Road and Pleasant Street, under 10 minutes without traffic.
More days, longer hours: Waltham’s integrated pre-K at Stanley and Northeast Elementary offers places Wednesday to Friday, by lottery. BCNS offers three to five mornings a week, with Elm Extended Day to 5:00 PM.
On Belmont's kindergarten calendar: Waltham’s kindergarten cutoff is five by September 1, the same as Belmont's, so our Birch pre-K year leads straight into it. Waltham's pre-K applications run November 1 to January 15; ours open in mid-November.
Preschool & Pre-K Programs
Preschool Classes (Maple & Oak): For children from 2 years 9 months to 4, three to five mornings a week, with small groups and a focus on play, collaboration and independence.
Pre-Kindergarten (Birch): For 4- and 5-year-olds, four mornings a week plus an optional Friday, with every other Monday at Mass Audubon's Habitat sanctuary in Belmont.
Early Care & Elm Extended Day: Early Care from 8:15 AM, and Elm Extended Day after morning class to a 2:30, 4:00 or 5:00 PM pickup, chosen by weekday.
