Questions parents
ask before touring

We serve children from 6 weeks through Grade 6. Our five programs cover: Infant Care (6 weeks–18 months), Toddler (18 months–3 years), Preschool (3–6 years), Aftercare (Kindergarten–Grade 6), and Summer Program (all ages, June–August).

Each program is designed around a specific developmental stage. Infant Care is built around a primary caregiver model and follows your baby's schedule. Toddler focuses on independence and practical life. Preschool is the most curriculum-intensive — three hours of uninterrupted Montessori work every morning, aligned to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Aftercare gives school-age children a snack, homework time, and open play until pickup. Summer runs weekly themes for all ages.

The Programs page has the full breakdown.

Yes. We accept enrollments throughout the year, space permitting. Summer weeks can be booked individually with no long-term commitment. For other programs, the process is the same any time of year — tour first, then enrollment paperwork.

It depends on the program and time of year. Infant Care tends to fill earliest. Summer weeks in July and August fill fast — book those as early as possible. The best way to find out current availability is to call us at (469) 214-5555 or book a tour and ask during the visit.

Summer Program weeks can be booked individually — that's the most flexible option we offer. For Aftercare, drop-in is available. For other programs, ask us about your specific situation during the tour; we work with families on a case-by-case basis.

Montessori is a method — it defines how children learn. Self-directed work, an uninterrupted work cycle, and a prepared environment where children choose their own activities. In our Preschool, this means a 3-hour morning block from 9am to noon where children work without interruption.

We use it because the evidence for self-directed learning in early childhood is strong, and because children who learn to concentrate and manage their own work develop skills that matter beyond any specific subject.

EYFS stands for Early Years Foundation Stage — a UK-origin curriculum framework covering seven areas of learning from birth through age 6. The seven areas are: Communication and Language, Physical Development, Personal Social and Emotional Development (PSED), Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World, and Expressive Arts and Design.

Montessori is a brilliant method but doesn't prescribe a curriculum scope in the same structured way. EYFS fills that gap. Our Educational Director Lata Nathani has used this framework in DFW Montessori schools for over 10 years.

TEKS — Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills — is the Texas state curriculum standard. It defines exactly what a child should know entering kindergarten in a Texas public school. We align our Preschool curriculum to TEKS so that when your child transitions to any Texas public school kindergarten, there's no gap.

Montessori handles how they learn, EYFS handles what they learn, and TEKS ensures they land where Texas schools expect them to be. All three run simultaneously — they're not separate subjects on a schedule.

To our knowledge, yes. Other Irving schools may use Montessori, or follow TEKS, or reference EYFS. We are not aware of any other school in Irving combining all three in the way we do — with EYFS integrated directly into a Montessori environment and aligned to TEKS outcomes. This is a result of Lata Nathani's specific background: she spent years working with EYFS in DFW Montessori settings before bringing the combined approach to Roots Prep.

A standard daycare prioritises safe, supervised care. That's a legitimate and important service. Roots Prep is structured as a school — with a defined curriculum framework, intentional learning environments, and academic outcomes built in. Children aren't just cared for here; they're learning in a structured way from the time they arrive. The extended hours (6:30am–6:30pm) mean we do both — but the educational component is not an add-on.

We are open Monday through Friday, 6:30am to 6:30pm, all year.

Yes. Since we're open 6:30am to 6:30pm every day, you can drop off or pick up any time within those hours — no fixed schedule required beyond what your program specifies. Just let your child's room know if your timing will be unusual that day.

We follow our own schedule, not the Irving ISD calendar. We're open through most school holidays. Specific closure dates (typically a few days around major federal holidays) are communicated to families well in advance. Ask during your tour for the current calendar.

2750 Ranch Trail, Irving TX 75063 — in Valley Ranch, easy off 635/LBJ and MacArthur Blvd. We serve families from Valley Ranch, Las Colinas (75038, 75039), North Irving, Coppell, and the broader DFW area.

Start with a tour. We don't enroll families without a tour first — not because of a policy, but because the tour answers questions that paperwork can't. After the tour, if it's the right fit, enrollment is straightforward: paperwork, health records, and a start date. The Book a Tour page has the form.

Yes. Completely free, no obligation. Tours typically run 45 minutes and include a classroom walkthrough, time to ask questions, and a chance to see the Montessori materials and environment up close.

You'll walk through the classrooms your child would join, see the Montessori materials in use, and meet the team who would be caring for and teaching your child. Most parents leave with a clear sense of fit within the first fifteen minutes — the classroom does most of the talking.

Tour to first day is typically 1–2 weeks, depending on how quickly paperwork and health records are submitted and whether a spot is immediately available. We'll give you a realistic timeline during the tour.

Standard documentation: completed enrollment forms, your child's up-to-date immunisation records, emergency contact information, and any relevant medical or allergy notes. We'll walk you through the full list after the tour.

In our Infant Care program, each baby is assigned a primary caregiver as part of a consistent caregivers team — specific staff members who are the consistent adults in that child's daily experience. This isn't a rota system where whoever is available that day handles your child. Consistent caregiving is foundational to infant development, particularly around attachment and emotional security.

Infant Care families receive daily updates — photos, notes, and information on feeding, sleep, and mood throughout the day. You won't be wondering how your baby's day went; you'll know as it's happening.

Their own. We do not put infants on a shared classroom schedule. Feeding, sleep, and activity follow each baby's individual rhythm. We track this and communicate it daily so you and your baby's schedule stay in sync.

We follow Texas CCR licensing requirements and maintain small group sizes. Ask us during your tour for current ratio specifics — these can change based on enrollment and staffing and we want to give you the current number, not a general one.

Summer Program weeks run June through August and can be booked individually — no commitment to the full summer required. Each week has a theme. July and August weeks fill fastest, so book those early. All ages (6 weeks through Grade 6) are welcome.

Yes, drop-in is available for Aftercare (Kindergarten–Grade 6). Contact us in advance to confirm availability for a specific day. Regular enrolled families are prioritised, but we accommodate drop-in when space allows.

We share fee information during the tour rather than publicly, because fees can vary based on program, schedule, and specific needs. Book a tour and we'll give you a clear, complete picture with no surprises.

Yes. Roots Prep School has been licensed by Texas Child Care Regulation (CCR) since 2000 — the year we opened. We are inspected regularly and our licensing status is current. If you'd like to verify this independently, CCR records are publicly available through the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.