Ranked in the top 100 statewide across all North Carolina licensed childcare centers scored in our 2026 rankings.
Top 10 in Cary
Ranked in the top 10 overall across all 11 quality dimensions among every licensed childcare center in Cary.
Best Curriculum
Earned the highest curriculum score in Cary. This dimension evaluates structured learning, developmental programming, and how well daily activities prepare children for each stage.
Best Kindergarten Prep
Earned the highest kindergarten readiness score in Cary. This dimension measures literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional skill-building that prepares children for elementary school.
Best Teacher Quality
Earned the highest teacher quality score in Cary. This dimension reflects educator credentials, tenure, consistency, and the depth of praise parents direct at specific staff members.
Most Compassionate
Earned the highest compassion score in Cary. This dimension captures warmth, emotional attunement, and the degree to which parents feel their child is genuinely loved and seen.
Best Management
Earned the highest management score in Cary. This dimension reflects director responsiveness, operational consistency, communication quality, and how problems are handled.
Full Ranking Detail
childcarepreschool
Chesterbrook Academy Preschool of Cary has operated since 1997 and holds North Carolina's highest 5-star child care license, serving up to 199 children from 6 weeks through Pre-K at its secure NW Cary Parkway campus. The center's proprietary Links to Learning curriculum blends purposeful play with hands-on academics across seven core domains, and its tenured faculty are frequently praised by families for warmth, patience, and individualized attention. As a Duke University childcare partnership site and a long-standing anchor of the Cary preschool community, it ranks among the most credentialed options in the Raleigh hub.
Safety8.0
Curriculum9.0
Art / Music7.0
Infant care8.0
Kindergarten readiness8.0
Teacher quality9.0
Compassion9.0
Management8.0
Culture8.0
Class sizes7.0
Extracurriculars7.0
What parents say
“The curriculum is engaging and age-appropriate and includes important social-emotional skills like sharing, making friends, and problem solving.”
“Both of our kids go to this child care center and they just love all the teachers and activities.”
“The teachers in the Infant classroom are friendly, warm, and patient with the babies.”
“The staff's tenure and experience is unmatched by every other facility we've toured. This raises Chesterbrook Academy far above the competitors. Additionally, the administrative team's open communication and willingness to partner to raise my child as a team puts Chesterbrook over the top.”
Programs & curriculum
Curriculum & approach: Proprietary Links to Learning curriculum balancing academic instruction with social-emotional skills across seven core areas including language & literacy, math, social-emotional learning, wellness, creative expression, scientific exploration, and citizenship.
Programs & activities: Programs for infants through Pre-K2 plus summer camp; activities include outdoor play, creative arts, music, dance, Spanish language exposure, hands-on science, and imaginative play with a Discovery Lab.
What sets it apart: Open M-F 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM. Secure facility with restricted keypad access and locked perimeter fencing; licensed (#92000754); markets small group learning and individualized support; students noted to earn high scores on Comprehensive Testing Program.
Recognition of Excellence — Website Badge
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Top 100 in NC
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Chesterbrook Academy Preschool of Cary -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/north-carolina/raleigh/cary/chesterbrook-academy-preschool-of-cary/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/rank-100-state.jpg" alt="Top 100 in NC - Chesterbrook Academy Preschool of Cary - Cary, NC" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Top 100 in NC</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Ranked in the top 100 statewide across all North Carolina licensed childcare centers scored in our 2026 rankings.</span>
</span>
</a>
Top 10 in Cary
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Chesterbrook Academy Preschool of Cary -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/north-carolina/raleigh/cary/chesterbrook-academy-preschool-of-cary/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/rank-10-city.jpg" alt="Top 10 in Cary - Chesterbrook Academy Preschool of Cary - Cary, NC" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Top 10 in Cary</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Ranked in the top 10 overall across all 11 quality dimensions among every licensed childcare center in Cary.</span>
</span>
</a>
Best Curriculum
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Chesterbrook Academy Preschool of Cary -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/north-carolina/raleigh/cary/chesterbrook-academy-preschool-of-cary/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-curriculum.jpg" alt="Best Curriculum - Chesterbrook Academy Preschool of Cary - Cary, NC" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Best Curriculum</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest curriculum score in Cary. This dimension evaluates structured learning, developmental programming, and how well daily activities prepare children for each stage.</span>
</span>
</a>
Best Kindergarten Prep
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Chesterbrook Academy Preschool of Cary -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/north-carolina/raleigh/cary/chesterbrook-academy-preschool-of-cary/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-kinder.jpg" alt="Best Kindergarten Prep - Chesterbrook Academy Preschool of Cary - Cary, NC" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Best Kindergarten Prep</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest kindergarten readiness score in Cary. This dimension measures literacy, numeracy, and social-emotional skill-building that prepares children for elementary school.</span>
</span>
</a>
Best Teacher Quality
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Chesterbrook Academy Preschool of Cary -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/north-carolina/raleigh/cary/chesterbrook-academy-preschool-of-cary/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-teacherq.jpg" alt="Best Teacher Quality - Chesterbrook Academy Preschool of Cary - Cary, NC" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Best Teacher Quality</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest teacher quality score in Cary. This dimension reflects educator credentials, tenure, consistency, and the depth of praise parents direct at specific staff members.</span>
</span>
</a>
Most Compassionate
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Chesterbrook Academy Preschool of Cary -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/north-carolina/raleigh/cary/chesterbrook-academy-preschool-of-cary/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-compassion.jpg" alt="Most Compassionate - Chesterbrook Academy Preschool of Cary - Cary, NC" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Most Compassionate</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest compassion score in Cary. This dimension captures warmth, emotional attunement, and the degree to which parents feel their child is genuinely loved and seen.</span>
</span>
</a>
Best Management
<!-- Recognition of Excellence: Chesterbrook Academy Preschool of Cary -->
<a href="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/north-carolina/raleigh/cary/chesterbrook-academy-preschool-of-cary/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="display:flex;align-items:flex-start;gap:16px;padding:18px;background:#FFFBF0;border:1px solid #EDD97A;border-radius:10px;max-width:420px;text-decoration:none;color:inherit;font-family:-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,'Segoe UI',Roboto,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;">
<img src="https://creativemindsmontessori.com/US-wide-childcare-preschool-rankings/badges/dim-mgmt.jpg" alt="Best Management - Chesterbrook Academy Preschool of Cary - Cary, NC" width="80" height="80" style="border-radius:8px;flex-shrink:0;" loading="lazy">
<span>
<strong style="display:block;font-size:15px;color:#1A1A18;margin-bottom:5px;">Best Management</strong>
<span style="font-size:13px;color:#4A4A46;line-height:1.5;">Earned the highest management score in Cary. This dimension reflects director responsiveness, operational consistency, communication quality, and how problems are handled.</span>
</span>
</a>
This recognition is awarded independently by Creative Minds Montessori based on publicly available parent reviews and public records. Centers do not pay for or request these rankings. Scores reflect editorial synthesis of verified parent experience — not center marketing materials. Rankings are updated periodically as new reviews are analyzed.
