Our campus is close to multiple Boston neighborhoods, and many students walk or ride bikes to school with their families. Others take public transportation or drive. No matter how you arrive, you’ll be welcome at Kingsley.
History of Kingsley
Kingsley Montessori School began with education pioneers Edith Kingsley and Helen Loud, who founded the original Kingsley School in Boston’s Back Bay in 1938. Starting with six students, the small private school grew steadily and eventually acquired 30 Fairfield Street at the corner of Fairfield and Commonwealth Avenue.
Beginning in 1986, the garden level of the Fairfield building was the shared home to another school, Back Bay Montessori, a vibrant preschool program. Shared values and philosophies inspired the 1991 merger of the two programs into an urban independent school for children ages three through twelve. The new school was named Kingsley Montessori School.
Enrollment continued to grow and in 2006, the Elementary Program leased and renovated 26 Exeter Street, at the corner of Newbury Street. Since then, our student population has more than doubled. Two new programs were created, a Toddler Program and a Kingsley Entry Program (KEP), to offer entry points for new families.
In 2023, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity arose to purchase 26 Exeter Street. In a mere 11 months, spurred by the unique urgency of this project, the entire Kingsley community joined together to raise more than $4.8M and secure Kingsley's second permanent home in Back Bay. As the steward and owner of two historic buildings, Kingsley has the ability to innovate, renovate, and constantly pursue a gold-standard educational experience for our students.
Today, with an enrollment of 301 students and 89 faculty and staff, Kingsley serves Toddler through Grade 6 students and is one of Boston’s leading and most innovative independent schools. The School’s two beautifully appointed Back Bay buildings provide a perfect setting for a vibrant learning experience and a welcoming home to the entire Kingsley community.
Kingsley utilizes the history, geography, and resources of the area to provide a unique, well-rounded education experience for its students. Beginning in our historic buildings on Fairfield and Exeter streets, students become comfortable navigating to the Commonwealth Avenue Mall, then the Clarendon playground, and later the Charles River Esplanade, Boston Common, and Teddy Ebersol Field. Students regularly access the world-class resources of the Boston Public Library, the athletic facilities of Boston University, and beyond.
- The Fairfield Street building, originally constructed as a private home, has a long history as an educational institution. Beginning in 1954, it housed a preparatory high school, and starting in the 1970s it housed the early childhood school that would later grow to become Kingsley Montessori School.
- The Exeter Street building has a storied past ranging from its initial use as a Spiritualist temple, to the well-known Exeter Street Theater, and even a stint as a bookstore, before becoming part of Kingsley's growing campus.