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THE OUR KIDS REPORT:
Ridley College

Grades JK TO Gr. 12 — St. Catharines, ON (MAP)

Pages in this report:

School address

  • 2 Ridley Road, St. Catharines, Ontario, L2R 7C3 (MAP)
  • Busing available (View details)

School Busing:

Ridley College offers bus transferring. Service options offered are regular rider, regular rider AM only, regular rider PM only, occasional rider.

The regions Ridley College offers busing from are:

  • Niagara-on-the-Lake
  • Grimsby
  • St. Catharines
  • Niagara Falls
  • Thorold
  • Welland
  • Pelham
  • Lincoln

Additional notes: Busing is included in tuition, with service running in the morning and again in the afternoon from Monday to Friday during the school year.  At the end of the school day, the departure time will align with release times for all students; however, it's important to note that depending on your child’s co-curricular schedule, they may need to stay on campus later in the evening and be picked up by a parent or guardian. Learn more about our busing programme: ridleycollege.com/bustransportation

Our Perspective

How we see Ridley College


Our Kids Feature Review

The 50-page review of Ridley College is part of our series of in-depth accounts of Canada's leading private schools. It provides a unique and objective perspective on the school's academics, programs, culture, and community.

Read our in-depth review

School's Perspective

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How Ridley College sees itself


The school administration answered our questions

Who are you, as a school?

"Ridley College is an independent day and boarding school for students in JK through Grade 12. As leaders in positive education and wellbeing education, we teach the habits of mind, body, and spirit so that students are primed for learning and success–now and long after graduation. Our learner-centred and inquiry-based learning approaches are enhanced by the International Baccalaureate (IB) philosophy–a comprehensive and rigorous program that challenges and sets students apart, empowering them to excel and grow."

  • Founded in 1889
  • 59 countries represented: Canadian school, global mission
  • Strong residential life program
  • Wireless internet access
  • MacBook computer integration
  • Outstanding athletic tradition
  • Comprehensive arts program: music, drama, dance and visual arts
  • CAIS, CESI, CIS, NAIS, TABS affiliate
  • Tiger Arena with an NHL-sized ice surface for training and competition
  • Fieldhouse with 20,000 square feet of synthetic surface including a four-lane track

What do you do differently and uniquely well?

"Ridley is a leader in positive education and wellbeing education. We aim to teach students the habits needed to lead flourishing lives by deliberately and consciously applying the science behind positive education. We house the largest boarding programme in Ontario and the third largest in Canada. Every Ridleian belongs to one of our ten Houses and is supported by our unrivalled circle of care and engaged with vibrant, challenging, modern programmes to nurture and mentor them on their journeys."

To your knowledge, why do families choose your school over others?

"Our families are looking for a place that will academically and emotionally prepare their children for university. Most commonly, we hear our families love the warmth of our community, our positivity, and the individualized care we provide, along with our strong academics and activities. They further appreciate our passion for making all who step onto our campus feel like they belong and our celebration of cultural diversity and global perspective while maintaining a rich Canadian legacy."

What aspect of your school is underappreciated?

"The Ridley community is often called the Ridley family. All Ridleians belong to a broader community of peers, faculty, parents, and alumni. As a boarding school, our lifeblood is community connection and relationship building across age groups, generations, and identity groups, creating a strong feeling of belonging that defines and sustains us. Students make lifelong connections with peers from around the globe, maintaining friendships across time zones, forever shaped by the Ridley experience."

What might families find surprising about your school?

"Our commitment to service is more than just words. Service helps students develop strengths in empathy, compassion, and kindness while emphasizing the importance of giving. People feel a deeper sense of fulfilment and meaning in their lives when they give to others, and our students learn to realize and appreciate this as one of the pillars of a flourishing life through supporting local House charities, participating in weekly service opportunities and optional global service trips and more."


Summer camps and programs

Ridley College operates summer camps and programs. Click here to learn about Ridley College Summer Programmes .


School Facilities

Photo-tour of facilities


Campus


Residences


School Videos

Insider Perspectives

How people from the school’s community see Ridley College


Video reviews of Ridley College

Parents, Ryan & Nicki Serravalle (2023)

Gr. 1 to Gr. 6 (current) — Watch our parent interview with Ryan & Nicki Serravalle to get the inside scoop on what it’s like to have a child attend Ridley College.

Parent, Jo Hanna (2020)

Watch our parent interview with Jo Hanna to get the inside scoop on what it’s like to have a child attend Ridley College.

School leadership

Top-down influence on the school’s direction and tone


Message from school leadership

J. Edward Kidd, Headmaster

Welcome to Ridley!

 

One of the favourite times of my day is the opportunity to walk the halls of Ridley College, drop in on classrooms and watch active learning in action. At Ridley College, you will find that students are engaged in exploring new ideas, debating eternal questions and solving relevant problems. Learning is student-centered and exciting to witness!

 

In our Lower School, you will discover inquiry-based learning in all classrooms from Kindergarten to Grade 8. Students engage with ‘big ideas’ and pursue essential and enduring questions – ‘what is an economy and how does it impact the human experience?” You’ll see students Skype interviewing an anthropologist from Kansas. You’ll hear the excitement of innovation in the robotics lab. 

 

In our Upper School, you will meet young adults who confidently pursue their passions – academic inquiry, athletic endeavour, or artistic expression. You will see focused and disciplined students leading a Socratic seminar in a literature class, singing a solo in Chapel or persevering through a two-kilometer time trial in our indoor rowing tank.

 

Cultivating the full potential of each student requires a caring, committed and world-class faculty. The task also requires intimate relationships that are built day by day, year after year. At Ridley, you’ll find a community of adults who are excited to build those relationships. As a boarding school, Ridley provides students with a 24/7 experience that will help them cultivate those lifelong bonds with peers and adults alike – in the classroom, in the House, on the ice or in the theatre.

 

The reality is that one cannot be certain what children and young adults can do until we challenge them to be their best. At Ridley, students are surrounded by peers who share their sense of purpose, who believe in the value of hard work and who are building the courage to pursue their dreams. Add to this the experience and care of a community of adults who are dedicated to nurturing their potential, and you have the Ridley formula.

 

I hope that our website offers you a glimpse into the life of our unique community of learners and that you are inspired to look deeper into the Ridley experience. Check out our YouTube channel to get a real glimpse into the Ridley difference. Better yet, I invite you to visit the School to soak in its idyllic setting, to experience classes in action, to meet teachers and Head of Houses' and to talk with students. We warmly welcome you and your family to Ridley. 

 

I look forward to greeting you on campus in the near future.

 

Come experience the legacy that is a Ridley education.

 

J. Edward Kidd

Headmaster


THE OUR KIDS REPORT: Ridley College

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