The Goddard School of

Chester - River's Bend

4.7 (96 reviews)

School Phone Number: 804-530-0096

, School Hours: 7:00 am - 6:00 pm

School Address: 13036 River's Bend Boulevard, Chester, Virginia 23836

Proudly Accredited by:

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School Highlights

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After School
Air Filtration Systems
American Sign Language
Basketball Court
Before School
Before School Transportation
Child Learning Kitchen
Dance
Disinfectant Sprayer

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Where They Start Matters

At The Goddard School of Chester - River's Bend, we believe that the start of your child's journey matters. That's why we offer an expert curriculum, experienced teachers and a nurturing environment to provide the best foundation for their growth.

Where They Start Matters

We nurture your child’s unique potential by encouraging their natural curiosity so they’re prepared to confidently take on the world.

Curriculum

Our education program, Wonder of Learning^®, is the most innovative and well-researched on the market. It was created by early childhood development experts to empower children to explore their natural curiosity.

Expert, Caring Teachers

Our extraordinary educators shape your child’s experience, creating a fun and engaging learning environment with personalized lesson plans focused on whole-child development.

Meet Our Teachers

Leading with Curiosity

The Goddard School’s high-quality educational programming is designed to ignite curiosity and fuel a lifelong love of learning.

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Meet Nicole On-site Owner

Hi, my name is Nicole Nelson and I am so excited to be the On Site Owner here at The Goddard School in River’s Bend! I grew up in Fairfax, Virginia, and moved to Richmond to attend VCU where I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish with a lead in Early Childhood Education. I later returned to VCU to obtain a Masters degree in Early Childhood Education. Working with Goddard Schools for over 20 years, I was honored to have experienced teaching as lead preschool, pre-kindergarten, first step and get set teacher before being promoted to Assistant Director of the Chesterfield Goddard School. I came to the River’s Bend Goddard School in September 2006 as the Education Director. In my free time, I love spending time with my husband, Patrick and our two children, Clara and Landon. Our favorite place to spend time together is on the beach in Topsail Island, NC. My door is always open so please feel free to stop by at any time!

Meet The Team

Classrooms & Programs

From infants and toddlers to pre-K, kindergarten and beyond, our classrooms are designed specifically with your little one’s needs in mind.

Infant

6 w - 12 m

In the Infant program, our teachers provide your baby with all the cuddles and care they need with opportunities to begin exploring the world around them.

Toddlers

12 - 24 m

As your little one rapidly develops physically and cognitively, our Toddler classroom is where their natural curiosity is fostered and their budding skills are nurtured.

Twos

2 - 3 yrs

In the Twos classroom, experienced, caring teachers guide your child through playful exploration, helping navigate big emotions while providing hands-on learning experiences that nurture their innate curiosity.

Bridge

2.5 - 3.5 yrs

As your child continues to gain independence, build self-care skills and learn more about themselves, the Bridge classroom provides the support they need to thrive in a preschool setting.

Preschool

3 - 4 yrs

In our Preschool classroom, your child starts their journey into a cooperative learning environment where they can discover interests and learn in a more structured setting.

Pre-K

4 - 5 yrs

As your child prepares for Kindergarten, our Pre-K classroom offers exciting opportunities to develop important skills, make new friends and explore the world around them.

Prioritizing Health and Happiness

Explore all the features and programs found at The Goddard School of Chester - River's Bend.

Health and Safety

Air Filtration Systems
Disinfectant Sprayer

Food and Nutrition

Caring for your child includes ensuring that they're fueled up and ready to learn and play!

Enrichment and Environment

American Sign Language
Basketball Court
Child Learning Kitchen

Dance
Engineering
Exploration Room
Music Appreciation
Physical Fitness
Playground(s)
Rock Wall
Secondary Languages
Sports & Fitness
Yoga & Mindfulness

What Our Goddard Village Is Saying

This is our first year with The Goddard School. It is such a positive environment for our children. They are happy to go to school each day and have made great progress in their education. The entire faculty is friendly and welcoming. The building is bright, cheerful, and safe. The constantly changing themes and artwork keep things interesting. We will certainly miss Goddard when the twins start kindergarten this fall!

Aaron & Alexis's Mother

Pre-K Classroom

The Goddard School has been nothing but AMAZING for my son - he has learned so much and such a short period of time. I am truly amazed. The teachers are also amazing!

Branson's Mother

Toddler Classroom

My wife and I truly appreciate the time and dedication that the employees bring to the Goddard School. Add the fact that our 6 year enjoyed her time there and began public schools having been well prepared from her experience and time while at Goddard, it was not a tough decision to enroll our 2 year old there beginning in the Fall.

Audrey & Caroline's Father

Kindergarten Classroom

Our 2 children have been in the The Goddard School at Rivers Bend since they were babies. Now they are in 4th and 2nd grade and still attend the after hours daycare. Stephen and Paula's dedication and their team's passion for child care and education is admirable. It is especially important for parents that have a busy schedule to have a place were we know our kids are going to be safe and also will have educational activities. We have been blessed. Frank Duarte

Demi & Francisco's Father

Before/After School Program

My baby is loved as a family member with Ms Edie and Ms Lavern. I feel she is safe and I can work at peace. Steve is the best, I can't thank him enough for opening a space for my baby in Jan as I was out of options for daycare and had to go back to work.

Mark & Andrea & Ashley's Mother

Infant Classroom

Not only does my daughter learn new things faster than I can keep up with, but the staff has made us all feel like family! My daughter has flourished in the care of Goddard, and I could not be more grateful for the peace of mind they have given me when I'm at work.

Arden's Mother

Preschool Classroom

Preview the Fun

Get a snapshot of what happens in our classrooms at The Goddard School of Chester - River's Bend.

Upcoming Events

More fun is on the way! Stay tuned for upcoming events.

Care You Can Trust

The Goddard School of Chester - River's Bend is proud to be recognized for our commitment to quality care and early learning! These accolades reflect our dedication to providing a safe, nurturing and enriching environment for every child.

CHILD CARE AWARE®

Child Care Aware is the nation's most respected hub of information for parents and child care providers. A program of Child Care Aware of America, Child Care Aware helps families learn more about the elements of quality child care and how to locate programs in their communities. Child Care Aware also provides child care providers with access to resources for their child care programs.

January 2020 - January 2030

COGNIA® ACCREDITED

Cognia (cognia.org) is a global organization with a holistic approach to continuous improvement of education through accreditation and certification, assessment, professional learning and customized improvement services.

June 2021 - June 2026

MARKET OF EXCELLENCE

The Market of Excellence Award is presented annually and acknowledges a market that has demonstrated the best collaborative effort in representing The Goddard School in their community.

January 2019 - January 2020

BRAND AMBASSADOR AWARD

The Brand Ambassador Award acknowledges a franchisee that has gone above and beyond Goddard’s system standards to keep its facility and program current and competitive while meeting the highest standards in the areas of quality assurance, business operations, brand standards, marketing, advertising and public relations.

January 2019 - January 2020

LEADERSHIP AWARD

The Leadership Award recognizes the top franchisee or franchisees based on their leadership and their mentoring of fellow franchisees. These franchisees demonstrate an unwavering belief in the Goddard system.

January 2014 - January 2015

BEST OF LIST - RICHMOND MAGAZINE

This award recognizes the best in the Richmond area as voted by the readers of Richmond Magazine.

January 2013 - January 2014

BEST OF THE TRI-CITIES - PROGRESS-INDEX NEWSPAPER

This award recognizes the best in the Tri-Cities area as voted by the readers of the Progress-Index Newspaper.

January 2013 - January 2014

PHILIP SCHUMACHER SCHOLARSHIP

The Philip Schumacher Scholarship was named for the retired President and CEO of Goddard Systems. The scholarship is presented annually to a franchisee who exemplifies managing an outstanding business, commitment to maintaining and improving The Goddard School brand as well as being valued by their community and respected by fellow franchisees for their commitment to quality.

January 2012 - January 2013

Ready To Learn More?

Discover what makes Goddard extraordinary.

Learn More & Tour

The Goddard School of Chester - River's Bend

School Highlights

Where They Start Matters

Where They Start Matters

Curriculum

Expert, Caring Teachers

Leading with Curiosity

Meet Nicole On-site Owner

Classrooms & Programs

Infant

Toddlers

Twos

Bridge

Preschool

Pre-K

Prioritizing Health and Happiness

Health and Safety

Food and Nutrition

Enrichment and Environment

What Our Goddard Village Is Saying

Preview the Fun

Upcoming Events

Follow Us on Social

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Care You Can Trust

CHILD CARE AWARE®

COGNIA® ACCREDITED

MARKET OF EXCELLENCE

BRAND AMBASSADOR AWARD

LEADERSHIP AWARD

BEST OF LIST - RICHMOND MAGAZINE

BEST OF THE TRI-CITIES - PROGRESS-INDEX NEWSPAPER

PHILIP SCHUMACHER SCHOLARSHIP

Ready To Learn More?

The Goddard School of

Chester - River's Bend