Toronto private schools are many, and they all charge private tuition fees. To make sure your child gets the personalized education it deserves in an independent school, choose the best private schools in Toronto and make sure that it receives a great education in a learning environment that is supportive. Independent schools and dedicated teachers can do wonders for your child and help them grow into young men or young women who are ready for all the challenges that the work market of tomorrow will be demanding.
Considering that Canada supports the immigration of highly skilled and highly educated professionals, it is clear that this is the work market that your child will be competing in once they finish their school. This is exactly where private schools offer the biggest benefit. The best private schools in GTA focus on SKILLS, rather than MEMORISING, to provide your child with what the work market is looking for.
Although Canada has amazing public schools and a great overall educational system, advanced placement courses, colleges, and universities, it is a school’s mission to bring out the best in your child, and public schools simply cannot keep up with this. For this reason, many parents decide to send their children to schools where the academic focus is on creating young experts and enabling them to develop skills and absorb the knowledge of tomorrow – and these are private schools.
List of Top Private Schools in Toronto
In fact, very small class sizes, personalized approaches to education, and hands-on learning styles make up for a nurturing environment that can educate the top-tier professionals of the future. Outdoor education, advanced placement courses, starting with developing skills from junior kindergarten, and much more are just some of the characteristics of Toronto private schools. However, as not all of them are the same, we’ve done some research to find those that are the best, so you don’t have to.
In doing so, we’ve paid attention to their online rankings, the extracurricular activities, and the hands-on approach to learning that they use. We also took a look at some online reviews to get a better understanding of how true everything stated on their websites is, and we also paid closer attention to their mission statement. When it comes to these schools, it is clear that not all of them were made equal, so we paid attention to incorporating only those that have been ranked with a minimum score of 4 out of 5.
These schools, as you will notice, offer education in different grades as well. While some start as early as junior kindergarten, some of these start at the high school level. We’ve divided them for you, and what follows is a detailed description of each of the well-ranked private schools in Toronto. Let’s dive right in.
Best Private High Schools in Toronto
- Hudson College
- The Bishop Strachan School
- Royal St. George’s College
- Blyth Academy Lawrence Park
Best Private Elementary Schools in Toronto
- Hudson College
- Century Private School
- The Bishop Strachan School
- The Rosedale Day School
- Royal St. George’s College
- Howlett Academy
- Seneca Hill Private School
- The York School (Junior School Campus)
- Cornerstone Montessori Prep School
Blyth Academy Lawrence Park
Blyth Academy is a student-centered school that offers studies organized in quadmesters. This way, your children can learn two subjects at the same time, but they can also gain a much more in-depth knowledge about each of the subjects. The school puts a lot of emphasis on arts and sports, and they even host a Triathlon competition.
The four-term structure was an experiment 10 years ago, but the high appreciation on the side of the students has made it into their permanent model of education. The classes are small, with an average of 12 students per class, and the school offers robust university preparation. This is truly one of the best private schools in Toronto.
They offer several education models, with full-year or term-by-term being the most commonly attended formats. They also offer night school, summer school, and private courses for students in Grades 9-12. Over 85% of their students receive scholarships to post-secondary institutions.
- Grades Offered: 7-12
- Phone: +1 416-488-9301
- Address: 2660 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4P 2J5
- Email: info@blythacademyonline.com
- Website: https://blytheducation.com/blyth-academy/
- Work Hours: MON-FRI 8:20-4 PM
Century Private School
Century Private School was founded in 1994. The school focuses on leadership, character, and community service. The school is situated in a historical landmark dating back to 1922. The classes are small in size and the curriculum rich. The curriculum is based on the Montessori method of education.
- Phone: +1 905-737-1160
- Address: 11181 Yonge St, Richmond Hill, ON L4S 1L2
- Email: info@centurypscanada.com and Contact Form
- Website: http://www.centurypscanada.com/
- Work Hours: 8 AM-6 PM
Cornerstone Montessori Prep School
The Cornerstone Montessori Prep School focuses on developing faith, leadership, and character among its students. They are proud to nurture leadership qualities and work on developing confidence, respect, and moral integrity in children. With younger children, they focus on experiences and hands-on learning approaches. They also develop sensitivity in children to the local and global world and focus on developing life skills early on.
For senior levels, they provide a strong and positive environment, where youngsters can feel supported and respected. They can struggle in controlled conditions, and learn the value of hard work, responsibility, and challenges that are easy to overcome. They also use the Montessori method to educate children.
- Grades Offered: Kindergarten – Grade 12
- Phone: +1 416-977-1204
- Address: 177 Beverley St, Toronto, ON M5T 1Y7,
- Email: info@cornerstoneprep.ca
- Website: http://www.cornerstoneprep.ca/
- Work Hours: MON-FRI 8 AM-6 PM
Grades Offered: Kindergarten – Grade 12
Howlett Academy
The school has been founded in 2001. It is located in the Annex, in the centre of Toronto. The school offers a well-established, meaningful academic program. It focuses on integrating, engaging, and inspiring the best in your children. Self-esteem, responsibility, and sense of others are just some of the skills that the school ensures its students can practice.
The school provides an informal admission process that starts with a simple conversation. The classes are small, and children are taught individuality from a young age. When it comes to their sporting activities, children are given outside time from a very early age. The school reinforces kindness above all, respect for self, and respect for others.
- Grades Offered: JK to Grade 8
- Phone: +1 416-921-7225
- Address: 15 Madison Ave, Toronto, ON M5R 2S2
- Email: info@howlettacademy.com
- Website: http://www.howlettacademy.com/
- Work Hours: MON-FRI 8:30 AM-5 PM
Grades Offered: JK to Grade 8
Hudson College
This is a non-denominational school in Toronto. It enforces belief in oneself and celebrates individuality in students. The school allows them to express themselves from a very early age, and it also enables children to provide a balance for themselves. The school has been educating for 20 years.
- Grades Offered: JK-12
- Phone: +1 416-631-0082
- Address: 21 Ascot Ave, Toronto, ON M6E 1E6
- Email: Inquiry Form
- Website: https://www.hudsoncollege.ca/
- Work Hours: MON-FRI 8:30 AM-5 PM
Take A Look At My Best Academic Self: Milena’s Story:
Royal St. George’s College
Royal St. George’s College is a day school that combines supportive and a stimulating environment. The school was founded in 1964 and has so far provided challenging programs to its students. The program is challenging to better prepare students for the placement at the university they wish to attend. The RSGC school also offers a lot of musical education, as a part of its heritage and Anglican values. The school is for boys only and it enables one to partake in varied activities, be exposed to Georgian values, and improve their academic background.
The school provides different services and resources for students, including food services, as well as health and wellness resources. The school also insists on developing an athletic body and a state of mind and offers many extracurricular activities to students who attend it. Their beyond-classroom approach allows students to actually focus on the knowledge they find useful and they also implement student leadership methods into their curriculum.
- Grades Offered: 3-12
- Phone: +1 416-533-9481
- Address: 120 Howland Ave, Toronto, ON M5R 3B5
- Email: info@rsgc.on.ca
- Website: http://www.rsgc.on.ca/page
- Work Hours: MON-FRI 7:30 AM-4:30 PM
Seneca Hill Private School
Seneca Hill Private School offers a variety of focal points for your child. The school focuses on developing the whole child, including their intellectual, emotional, physical, and social competencies. They provide an opportunity for children to grow into independent thinkers and to establish themselves as responsible adults.
The school offers small class sizes and their teachers also have a teacher mentorship program. The school insists on a family environment that is safe, nurturing, and supportive. The school offers a personalized approach tailored to the needs of each child, and they offer a positive school climate, free of bullying and inclusive to all. This is a private school for the community, as it was intended.
- Grades Offered: Kindergarten to Grade 8
- Phone: +1 416-499-8790
- Address: 33 Overland Dr, North York, ON M3C 2C3
- Email: julia@senecahill.ca
- Website: http://www.senecahill.ca/
- Work Hours: 7:30 AM-6 PM
The Bishop Strachan School
The Bishop Strachan School focuses on nurturing a love for learning among its students. This school is a girls-only school, and it engages in empowering young girls to be free individuals, to have respect for themselves as much as they do for others and to develop their understanding of different cultures and schools of thought.
The school also works on developing intellectual courage and critical thinking. The school also provides opportunities for girls to enhance their leadership skills and to express themselves. The school encourages children to make mistakes – as this is often the best way to learn. Children are also taught responsibility and the value of hard work while teaching them to think instead of what to think is the moral stronghold of the school.
- Grades Offered: JK to Grade 12
- Phone: +1 416-483-4325
- Address: 298 Lonsdale Rd, Toronto, ON M4V 1X2
- Email: info@bss.on.ca
- Website: http://www.bss.on.ca/
- Work Hours: 7 AM-8 PM
The Rosedale Day School
The Rosedale Day School is one of the oldest private schools in Toronto. The school was established in 1955 and has since then helped educate thousands of young people and help them grow into respectable and respected members of the community. The school is likely to be one of the best in Toronto and it has a very low student-to-teacher ratio: 170 students get accepted and as many as 30 teachers take care of them.
When it comes to the classrooms and labs, they are very well-equipped, with the Innovation Lab getting updated regularly. STEAM tools, games, and instruments are there to make the experience as engaging as possible. There is also a music program that relies on rhythm games and movement exercises. An Arts Program exists as well and it develops creativity in children from a very young age.
- Grades Offered: Kindergarten to Grade 8
- Phone: +1 416-923-4726
- Address: 131 Bloor St W #426, Toronto, ON M5S 1R1
- Email: office@rds-on.com
- Website: http://www.rds-on.com/
- Work Hours: 8 AM-6 PM
The York School (Junior School Campus)
The York School is one of the best private schools in Toronto, and one of the oldest as well: it was established in 1965. They focus on providing learning opportunities that go beyond the classroom and enable students to work on their skills, and curiosity and to discover the world on their own. The school provides the students with access to technology and other interactive and immersive ways of learning.
- Grades Offered: JK-12
- Phone: 1 416-926-1325
- Address: 1639 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4T 2W6
- Email: reception@yorkschool.com
- Website: http://www.yorkschool.com/
- Work Hours: 8 AM-4 PM
Factors to Consider When Choosing Private Schools in Toronto
As we’ve mentioned before, not all of these schools were created equal. And while you may want to consider only those ranking higher than 4.5/5 stars, we gave a chance to the rest as well. You may still want to consider a number of factors in choosing the best school for your child, and the search is just about to begin.
After all, choosing the best school for the youngest in your family is a big step, especially if you’ve moved to Canada recently. With no one to pinpoint the best school for your particular child, you may want to consider searching both in our list and on your own. What we do recommend is that you start looking at our list, and then seek more details that are of interest to you among these schools.
When doing so, you may want to pay close attention to the sporting events that the school organizes, as well as special classes for those gifted in math, science, or literature. You may also want to focus on the location, transportation to and from school, their teaching curriculums if this is what you want to focus on, as well as what extracurricular activities the school has to offer. Let’s consider all the factors that you may want to check out to ensure your child gets to attend the best boarding school there among all of Toronto’s private schools:
- The location and accessibility of the school
- The neighborhood that the school is in
- Academic excellence that the school showcases
- Curriculum and the teaching methods the school employs
- Notable alumni of the school and their achievements
- College and University acceptance rates
- Extracurricular activities offered by the school
- Sports programs and achievements, as well as the sporting events the school organizes on its own
- Art and music programs
- Different clubs and organizations that the school has
- The reputation of the school and its history
- School rankings and awards
- Historical background or other private schools
- The admission process
Location and Accessibility
When speaking of the location of the school and its accessibility, there is no use in your child attending the best possible school in Toronto if there is no easy and fast way for the child to get to and from the school. If your child spends more than an hour commuting every day, this could be an issue. Do not forget that your child is young, but they still get tired and they also need ways to get to and from school quickly. On top of this, they also need to have their own free time, and two or more hours a day on the commute is time wasted.
Private Schools in Different Toronto Neighborhoods
The part of the city that the school is in is also an important consideration to make. Canada is a very safe country, but bigger cities, such as Toronto, come with issues of their own. Toronto schools are very safe, and even in an all-girls school, your child will be safe and well taken care of. Still, it is important to keep the children safe, especially during winter when the days are short and nighttime starts at 4-5 PM. Better neighbourhoods will also mean better schools and a chance for your child to enjoy getting educated in historical parts of the city or a building with historical value.
Transportation Options to Private Schools
Taking your child to their boarding school is not a big issue, but doing so every single day can be tiring both for you and the child. For this reason, it is a good idea to check out what kind of transportation options the local school has to offer and to make sure to use them to your advantage. Private schools in Toronto, Ontario that offer transportation will make your life easier, but make sure to check out with them at first, as not all of them may be offering this type of service.
Academic Excellence
When it comes to academic excellence, nowhere is this more important than in a university preparatory school. These schools are there to prepare your kids for university life and the increased workload there will be. When it comes to focus points, besides general revision, and essay writing, the children will be picking up the skills and knowledge pertaining to delivering targeted word count, information processing, and more, including critically approaching the world around them. Your future students will love these schools, which, in essence, are similar to the Japanese notion of cram schools.
Curriculum and Teaching Methods
The curriculum and the teaching methods differ from one school to another, and what is important is that the quality of education your children will receive is top. The best education in Canada comes in private school and higher education, core values, and emotional intelligence are all developed here. What remains is for you to choose what curriculum you like and how you want it delivered. While some schools organize their curriculum around semesters, some go as far as to introduce quadmesters, all with amazing results.
Notable Alumni and Achievements
The pride spot of every private school is all the alumni and achievements the school has made so far. When it comes to these, you will usually find some information on the website or online, but it is much better to visit the trophy hall and see what alumni the school has nurtured so far. This is much better done in person than online, and we recommend that you ask the school whether there are alumni networks that your child could prosper from in the future.
College/University Acceptance Rates
Most schools we had a look at had a very high acceptance rate to colleges and universities after the pre-graduation stages of their education were finished. Most of the schools had a reported acceptance rate of more than 85%. This is the acceptance rate to the first-wish colleges and universities. So, the academic well-being of your child will be taken good care of, and your child will be able to join the best students in the world in their strive to the intellectually curious.
Extracurricular Activities
Extracurricular activities are also very important to consider. All work and no play make Jake a dull boy, this holds true, so breaking up the school curriculum with some extracurricular activity organized by schools on all levels (kindergarten to Grade 12) is a sure way to make your child want and achieve more. These activities can pertain to social activities, as well as sports, arts, digital technologies, competitions, races, and much more. Offer your child a diverse set of possibilities that will later on turn into abilities.
Sports Programs and Achievements
The importance of sports cannot be overstated, so ensure that you pay close attention to the different sports and sporting events that the school organizes or hosts. When it comes to these events and activities, they will be very important for your child, as they will enable them to grow both in the physical and social spheres. Sports are a great way to learn about teamwork and even top universities have their own sports teams. Sporting events are also a great place to learn about fair competition, and leadership skills and to get rid of feat of public performance.
Arts and Music Programs
Besides sports and achievements of this kind, the school should also offer different ways for your child to express themselves. This is usually done in arts and music classes. When it comes to these, the co-educational spirit of these classes is bifold in nature – your children will learn fine motor skills, as well as how easy it is to express yourself using arts and music. If this is something you think may pertain to your child, you should definitely consider the arts and music programs the school offers to their children.
Clubs and Organizations
A good private school also offers different clubs and organizations that your child can join. From kindergarten to Grade 12, it is good to expose children to different clubs, always in line with their affinities, as this will be a great way for young students to explore the world around them in a group of like-minded people. Different teaching styles presented in every school can be, therefore, complemented in a school club, where the child will learn all sorts of skills, from camping to presentation and how to respect other’s opinions.
Reputation and History
The reputation and the history of the school are also important. When checking these out, you may come across the names of their alumni – ex-students who have managed to reach exceptional heights in their lives and have managed to make the school proud. Have a look at their ex-students, the history of the building, the neighbourhood, the different headmasters, and more. While there, you can also check out the current staff and know who and with what credentials will be teaching your child.
School Rankings and Awards
School rankings and awards are also very important. Look at the rewards that will tell you more about the school. Best student in a math competition, or voted best school in the area are just some of the awards that you may want to consider. In most cases, you should be looking at schools that have had a long history of being awarded and recognized. Needless to say, these awards should match your child’s interests.
Admissions Process
On top of this, you should also consider the admissions process and the tuition costs in a school like this. It is not rare that you need financial assistance to send your child to a private school, but the quality of students leaving this school is more than enough to ensure you get your money’s worth. The small class size, low teacher-to-student ratio, and even the individualized approach are certain to benefit your child anytime from senior kindergarten to Grade 12, as this is the highest grade you can attend in a Canadian high school.
Take A Look At How to Find the Right Private School in Toronto:
How to Apply to Private Schools
When applying for private schools in Canada, there are different prerequisites depending on the school. When it comes to this, it is important to consider that all the schools will ask for a single visit and a chance to speak with your child at least. A completed application package, some documents, a visit to the campus, and a personal tour, as well as an interview and a possible entrance exam, may all be necessary. At times, even more will be asked form but at times, you may need to bring fewer documents and have the child have a very short interview.
Admission Requirements and Deadlines
When it comes to the admission requirements and the deadlines, you will have to check with each school separately. The thing is that most schools have their own prerequisites and their own admission requirements and entrance exams. It is based on all of these that the schools will be choosing who gets to attend them. When it comes to these, it is also important to consider that you may need to contact the school and check when the admission period is and how many students will be accepted into their school for each grade (yes, you can also enroll your child at a random grade, not necessarily at grade 1 or Kindergarten level).
Tuition and Financial Aid
When it comes to tuition costs and financial aid, there are some options that you may want to consider. These are available for boys schools, girls schools and mixed schools alike. There are many solutions to tuition aid and financial aid for all students who would like to attend private schools, are gifted but at the same time may not be able to afford one. When it comes to resources that you can follow to find out what type of financial aid would be the best for you, you can check out some of the programs on OurKids.
Cost of Private School Education
Public schools in Canada are available to all and they are completely funded by the government. When it comes to these, it is important to note that the quality of education is high enough. However, those who would like their children to enjoy small classes, have a personalized approach to their education and more, are likely to pay between CAD4,000 to CAD26,000 a year, without other expenses included (transportation, books and gadgets, school trips, and more).
Here are some tuition fees for the best private schools in Toronto. Please mind that they may change at all times and that some schools do charge entrance fees, registration fees, uniforms, meals, extended care before and after school, and more on top of these:
| School | Domestic Tuition Fee in CAD | International Tuition Fee in CAD |
| Blyth Academy Lawrence Park | 24,920 | 29,360 |
| Century Private School | 28,500-21,500 | 23,600-28,500 |
| Cornerstone Montessori Prep School | 15,800-18,960 | N/A |
| Howlett Academy | 19,500-23,500 | N/A |
| Hudson College | 23,900-26,400 | N/A |
| Royal St. George’s College | 39,760 | N/A |
| Seneca Hill Private School | 14,635-16,635 | N/A |
| The Bishop Strachan School | 39,800-49,800 | N/A |
| The Rosedale Day School | 29,190 | N/A |
| The York School (Junior School Campus) | 40,350 | N/A |
Scholarships and Financial Aid Options
Although this is not a small amount, it is important to consider that all these costs, Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 can be covered by means of financial help for attending private schools. Sometimes, even the schools themselves will offer these for gifted children, and most of these are merit-based, although some are also need-based. When it comes to the amount covered, it varies between dollars and percentages, with the highest we’ve seen being set at CAD150,000 and offered by the Hillfield Strathallan College in Hamilton, Ontario.
Parent and Student Perspectives
There are many reasons private schools in Toronto appeal to both students and parents. First and foremost, the quality of education is unprecedented. The small class size ensures that the children get enough speaking time and teacher time, while the curriculum is the result of the latest research and is always top-notch. On top of this, children enjoy smaller, closely-knit communities and benefit from many extracurricular activities that can be found in these schools. Public schools can only offer some of these benefits, but never all, for the sheer reason that efficiency and cost-optimization have to be considered.
FAQs
What Is the Most Prestigious School in Toronto?
The most prestigious school in Toronto is the University of Toronto, ranking 21st on the list of the top best schools in the world. When it comes to high schools, the St. George Academy is generally considered the best, while the same data on the best elementary school is not available.
What Is the Most Expensive Private School in Toronto?
The Branksome Hall private school is the most expensive private school in Toronto. When it comes to their tuition fees, they are as high as CAD78,600 per year. The school is followed by Havergal College (CAD74,000 a year) and Upper Canada College (CAD71,000 per year). There are more affordable options, but a higher cost usually indicates a better quality of education.
Final Considerations
Private schools in Toronto are many and they all offer a good level of education. If you are considering one, take into consideration the curriculum, the alumni network, and the school’s achievements to help you choose which school is the best for your young ones. Extracurricular activities, many different approaches to education, hands-on learning, as well as personalized learning approaches are all the amazing benefits that private schools have to offer that your child is certain to benefit from.