Safety8
Curriculum9
Art/Music7
Infant care9
K-ready8
Teachers9
Compassion8
Mgmt8
Culture8
Class sizes6
Extracurriculars8
ARMC Family Enrichment Center is Burlington's most credentialed licensed childcare option, holding both the top 5-Star NC DCDEE rating and national NAEYC accreditation while operating under the Bright Horizons network on the Alamance Regional Medical Center campus. In continuous operation since the mid-1980s, the center serves up to 184 children from 6 weeks through pre-K with a structured play-based curriculum, catered USDA meals, and dedicated age-group playgrounds. Minor administrative violations in recent inspections are not uncommon at large centers and do not reflect on the center's strong overall quality standing.
Strengths
- Holds a 5-Star NC DCDEE license (#01000324) — the highest rating available in North Carolina, confirmed active as of June 2026
- Nationally accredited by NAEYC, meeting rigorous standards for child-to-teacher ratios, staff qualifications, curriculum, health, and safety
- Operated by Bright Horizons, one of the largest and most credentialed childcare operators in the US, using the World at Their Fingertips play-based curriculum
- Established in the mid-1980s on the Alamance Regional Medical Center campus — decades of continuous operation in the Burlington community
- Large capacity of 184 children across dedicated rooms for infants (6 weeks), toddlers, twos, preschool (3s/4s), and kindergarten prep
- USDA-approved catered meals provided daily; open-door visitation policy; My Bright Day parent communication app
- Age-segregated playgrounds; staff trained in CPR and First Aid; comprehensive background checks on all employees
- Participates in NC subsidized childcare program, improving access for lower-income families
Considerations
- No publicly accessible Google or Yelp reviews found; online review presence is very limited for this center
- Full-time enrollment only — part-time slots currently unavailable, reducing flexibility for families
- Waitlist active on several age-group programs (toddlers, twos, threes); enrollment is not guaranteed
- Primarily serves infants through pre-K (6 weeks to 5 years); limited or no school-age programming
What parents say
“The ARMC Family Enrichment Center is nothing short of amazing! My daughter started at the center at 5 months old in the infant class and has been there ever since and in Pre K now.”
Safety7
Curriculum8
Art/Music7
Infant care8
K-ready7
Teachers8
Compassion8
Mgmt7
Culture7
Class sizes6
Extracurriculars7
The Growing Years Learning Center Burlington is a well-established NC 5-Star licensed childcare center serving up to 211 children ages 6 weeks through 12 years at 3804 Bonnar Bridge Pkwy in Burlington. Led by a director with a master's degree and 18 years of ECE experience, the center employs the Creative Curriculum and maintains a 4.4 Google rating across 20 parent reviews. Recent inspection records show a clean March 2024 visit, though prior years included minor administrative violations common at large centers.
Strengths
- Holds a 5-Star NC DCDEE license (#1000635) — the highest rating available in North Carolina, confirmed active via childcarecenter.us
- Large capacity of 211 children serving a wide age range from 6 weeks through 12 years, with dedicated infant, toddler, preschool, enrichment, and summer camp programs
- Director Dana Bailey brings 18 years of early childhood education experience and holds a Master's Degree in ECE, providing strong academic leadership
- Uses the Creative Curriculum, a research-backed play-based framework that supports language, STEM, and social-emotional development
- Located near Lake MacKintosh and Elon University on University Drive — convenient for families in western Burlington and surrounding areas
- Participates in NC subsidized childcare program, broadening access for income-qualifying families
- March 2024 unannounced inspection passed with zero violations, indicating improved compliance following earlier minor citations
- Ranked among the top daycares in Alamance and Guilford Counties by local and regional directories
Considerations
- Multiple minor violations documented in 2022–2024 inspections: playground surfacing depth, medication storage, small items accessible to children under three, and insufficient activity materials — administrative in nature rather than serious safety incidents
- Yelp presence not confirmed; limited review volume across platforms makes consumer comparison harder
- Employee reviews on Indeed average 2.8 out of 5, with recurring concerns about management communication and staff retention — may affect consistency of teacher experience over time
- Operating hours (7:00 AM–6:00 PM) are more restricted than some competitors, potentially limiting access for early-shift or late-working parents
- No NAEYC or national accreditation listed beyond the NC 5-Star designation
What parents say
“My son transferred here from another daycare and he loves it — the teachers treat him like he's their own child and were so welcoming from day one.”
Safety7
Curriculum7
Art/Music6
Infant care2
K-ready7
Teachers7
Compassion8
Mgmt7
Culture8
Class sizes7
Extracurriculars6
Excel Christian Academy is a 5-Star NC DCDEE-licensed childcare and preschool center serving up to 123 children ages 30 months through 12 years at 734 Apple St in Burlington's 27217 zip code. Operating as an outreach ministry of Ebenezer United Church of Christ under director Dr. Terry Walker, the academy emphasizes holistic development across five growth domains within a rigorous faith-based academic framework. Recent inspection history is largely clean, with only administrative paperwork violations in 2023 and a fully clean inspection in May of that year.
Strengths
- Holds a 5-Star NC DCDEE license (#1000604) — the highest rating in North Carolina's star rating system, confirmed active via childcarecenter.us
- Capacity of 123 children in Burlington's 27217 zip code, serving a broad age range from toilet-trained toddlers (30 months) through age 12
- Faith-based mission rooted in Ebenezer United Church of Christ, with holistic programming across spiritual, emotional, social, intellectual, and physical development domains
- Director Dr. Terry Walker holds a Ph.D. and brings academic leadership to the program's rigorous early childhood curriculum
- Uses NC Opportunity Scholarship vouchers and DSS subsidized care, broadening access for income-qualifying families
- Parent review praises the director and staff highly — 'My daughter loves going to Excel so much that she is a little upset when school is closed' — with strong homework support noted
- May 2023 unannounced inspection passed with zero violations; most recent violations (September 2023) were administrative in nature with no child safety incidents
- Located in Burlington's East side (27217 zip), filling a gap distinct from the 27215-based centers in the Alamance County pipeline
Considerations
- Does not accept infants — minimum age is fully toilet-trained children at approximately 30 months, limiting options for families with children under age 2.5
- September 2023 inspection documented administrative violations: expired vehicle registration on transport van, staff health questionnaires and emergency forms not current, and annual staff evaluations incomplete
- No confirmed Google or Yelp numerical ratings available — limited consumer review footprint makes platform-based comparison difficult
- No NAEYC or national accreditation listed beyond the NC 5-Star state designation
- Operating hours (7:00 AM–5:30 PM) with mandatory arrival before 8:30 AM may be restrictive for parents with early-shift or variable work schedules
What parents say
“My daughter loves going to Excel so much that she is a little upset when school is closed. The director, Mrs. Woods is awesome, friendly and very knowledgeable. The staff is amazing and her homework is always done and done well.”
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