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Ontario Montessori schools

Find the top Montessori schools and programs in Ontario.

On this page, we cover private Montessori schools in Ontario. This includes schools in Toronto, Ottawa, and Mississauga.

For a more complete guide to Montessori education, including a detailed discussion of philosophy and classroom practices, start with our introductory guide.

There are lots of Montessori schools in Ontario, including in Toronto, Ottawa, and Mississauga. These schools vary in terms of their philosophy, program offerings, and special needs support. The schools listed below reflect this diversity. They can be filtered for a wide range of features.

Our Montessori choosing guide has specific advice for choosing Montessori schools. For advice on how to choose and assess private schools in general, check out our choosing a school guide. If your child isn't school age yet, check out our preschool choosing guide.

Private school expos

Private school expos are a great starting point for finding a school. In Ontario, we have private school expos in Toronto, Ottawa, and Oakvile. These expos allow you to speak with lots of private schools, including some Montessori schools—all in one place. The expos are held in the fall.

Parent discussion forum

Another useful resource in your school search is the Our Kids parent discussion forum. The forum is an ideal place to discuss options and debate topics related to Montessori education. Our community of parents, educational experts, school officials, and alumni can help answer your questions and lay out your options.

Open house events

Open houses are another great way to learn more about schools. For general advice on open house visits, check out our guide on school visits. For specific questions to ask Montessori schools, see our Montessori education guide.

The cost of Montessori schools in Ontario tends to be lower than the cost of other private schools in Ontario. In fact, Montessori schools are usually on the lower side of private school tuition in general. Private school tuition can range from $5,000 to over $30,000 per year. There are no public Montessori schools in Ontario, though some public schools use certain Montessori principles.

Many schools offer needs-based financial aid, such as bursaries or tuition relief. Other schools, though not as many, offer scholarships, which are given based on merit. You can learn more about need- and merit-based financial aid in our dedicated guide. You can learn more about preschool costs, in our dedicated guide.

Below, you’ll find the range of costs for private Montessori schools in Ontario:

Academics

	Primary curriculum	Secondary curriculum	Curriculum pace	Academic culture	Average class size	Language immersion	Special needs support	Tech integration
The Element High School	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive			Mild difficulties	Heavy integration
The Thinnox Academy	Progressive	Montessori	Student-paced	Supportive	6 to 12		Very High	Heavy integration
Clanmore Montessori School	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive			High	Light integration
Forest Hill Montessori School	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive			Limited
TMS	Montessori	International Baccalaureate	Accelerated	Rigorous			Limited
York Montessori School	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive	15 to 24		Mild difficulties
Westside Montessori School	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive	10 to 24		Mild difficulties
Bond Academy	Liberal Arts		Standard-enriched	Rigorous	15		High	Medium integration
Royal Cachet Montessori School	Montessori		Accelerated	Supportive	3 to 8		Mild difficulties
Alive Montessori & Private School	Montessori		Accelerated	Rigorous	10 to 16		High	Light integration
Central Montessori Schools - York Mills	Montessori		Standard-enriched	Supportive	15 to 24		Limited
Toronto French Montessori	Montessori		Standard-enriched	Rigorous	15		Limited	Medium integration
OMS Montessori	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive			Moderate	Light integration
Richmond Hill Montessori & Elementary Private School	Traditional	Montessori	Accelerated	Rigorous	16 to 20		Limited	Medium integration
Momentum Montessori	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive			Mild difficulties	Medium integration
Guiding Light Academy	Traditional	Montessori	Accelerated	Rigorous	5 to 16		Limited
Enquiring Minds Montessori Casa	Montessori		Student-paced	Rigorous	8 to 24		High	Light integration
Ellington Montessori School	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive	15 to 24		High	Medium integration
Peel Montessori Private School	Progressive	Montessori	Student-paced	Supportive			High
Tall Pines School	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive	15 to 18		High	Light integration
Century Private School	Progressive	Montessori	Student-paced	Rigorous	8 to 16		High	Light integration
Rowntree Montessori Schools (RMS)	Progressive	Montessori	Standard-enriched	Rigorous	8 to 18		Limited	Heavy integration
Meadow Green Academy	Traditional	Montessori	Accelerated	Rigorous	12		High
Kaban Montessori School	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive	15 to 20		Limited
Montessori For Children	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive	16 to 24		Limited
Town Centre Private Schools	Progressive	International Baccalaureate	Standard-enriched	Supportive	15 to 24		Mild difficulties
Humberside Montessori School	Montessori						Limited
Odyssey Heights School for Girls	Progressive	Montessori	Student-paced	Supportive	8 to 18		High	Heavy integration
Rotherglen School - Oakville	Progressive	Montessori	Standard-enriched	Supportive	18		Limited
Liberty Prep School	Montessori		Student-paced	Rigorous	10 to 26		Mild difficulties
The Montessori Country School - Milton Campus	Montessori		Standard-enriched	Supportive			High	Light integration
Montessori House of Children	Montessori		Standard-enriched		8		Limited
The Mildenhall School	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive	16 to 24		Mild difficulties
Unionville Montessori Private Schools	Traditional	Montessori	Accelerated	Rigorous	18 to 25		High	Heavy integration
Montessori Learning Centre of Pickering	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive			Limited
Maria Montessori School	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive			Limited
Aurora Montessori School	Montessori		Accelerated	Rigorous	18 to 24		Limited
Downtown Montessori	Montessori			Supportive	10 to 16		Mild difficulties
Dearcroft Montessori School	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive	10 to 20		Limited	Light integration
Blaisdale Montessori School - Oshawa	Montessori			Rigorous			Mild difficulties	Medium integration
Beyond Montessori School	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive	5 to 15		Mild difficulties	Light integration
Fun to Learn Montessori School	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive	15 to 24		Limited
Shining Light Montessori School	Montessori		Student-paced		5 to 16		Limited
High Park Gardens Montessori School	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive	15 to 24		Mild difficulties
Trillium School	Montessori		Accelerated	Rigorous			Moderate
Mississauga Christian French School (MCFS)	Progressive	Reggio Emilia	Accelerated	Supportive	10 to 15		Limited
Wishing Well Schools	Traditional	Montessori	Accelerated	Rigorous	15		Mild difficulties	Medium integration
Rotherglen School - Mississauga	Progressive	Montessori	Standard-enriched	Supportive	18		Limited	Light integration
Bannockburn	Montessori		Accelerated	Supportive	12 to 20		Limited	Light integration
Braemar House School	Traditional	Montessori	Standard-enriched	Supportive	12 to 16		Moderate	Heavy integration
Dundas Valley Montessori School / Strata Montessori Adolescent School	Montessori		Student-paced	Rigorous	15 to 30		High	Light integration
Emerson Academy	Progressive	Montessori	Student-paced	Rigorous	15 to 16		Limited	Light integration
The Montessori Country School - Nobleton Campus	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive			High	Light integration
Yip’s Music & Montessori School	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive	5 to 12		High
Bishop Hamilton Montessori School	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive			High	Light integration
J. Addison School	Traditional		Standard-enriched	Supportive	8 to 15		Limited	Light integration
Blaisdale Montessori School - Ajax	Montessori			Rigorous			Mild difficulties	Medium integration
Prince Edward Montessori School	Montessori		Accelerated	Supportive	10 to 16		Limited
La Villa Montessori School	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive			Limited
Hatch House Montessori School	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive			Limited	Light integration
Taddle Creek Montessori School	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive	16 to 24		Mild difficulties
Blooming Lives Montessori	Montessori		Standard-enriched	Rigorous	15 to 24		Mild difficulties
Central Montessori Schools - Sheppard Campus	Montessori		Accelerated	Supportive	15 to 24		Limited
Country Garden Montessori Academy	Montessori		Standard-enriched	Supportive	10 to 15		Limited
Durham Elementary, Durham Academy and G.B.M.S	Progressive	Montessori	Standard-enriched	Supportive	8 to 15		Limited
Odyssey Montessori School	Montessori		Student-paced		15 to 24		Limited	Light integration
ABC Montessori	Traditional	Montessori	Standard-enriched	Rigorous	12		Limited	Light integration
Home Sweet Home Montessori Academy	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive			Mild difficulties
Blaisdale Montessori School - Pickering	Montessori		Student-paced				Limited
Blaisdale Montessori School - Scarborough	Montessori			Rigorous			Mild difficulties	Medium integration
Star Academy	Progressive	Montessori	Student-paced	Supportive	10 to 20		High	Heavy integration
Cornerstone Montessori Prep School	Liberal Arts	Montessori	Accelerated	Rigorous	10 to 15		High
Montessori School of Wellington	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive	22 to 24		High
Montessori Jewish Day School	Montessori		Standard-enriched	Supportive	8 to 24		High	Light integration
Fairview Glen Montessori	Montessori		Accelerated	Rigorous			High
Avalon Children's Montessori School	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive			High	Medium integration
Blaisdale Montessori School - Bowmanville	Montessori			Rigorous			Mild difficulties	Medium integration
Trinity Montessori School	Traditional	Montessori	Accelerated	Rigorous			Limited
Wheatley School	Montessori	International Baccalaureate	Student-paced	Supportive	15 to 18		Moderate
Lakeview Montessori School	Progressive	Montessori					Very High
Northstar Montessori Private School	Montessori		Student-paced	Supportive			Limited	Heavy integration
Shepherd Montessori Private Catholic School	Montessori		Standard-enriched		10 to 15		Limited

Special needs support

The Montessori philosophy and approach, based on the research and insights of Maria Montessori, is unique. And Montessori schools (including preschools), in Ontario and other provinces, have several progressive classroom practices. Some of the main ones are discussed below.

For more comprehensive coverage of the Montessori method, see our main Montessori school guide.

Montessori classroom practices

Self-directed work: Montessori students do lots of independent work. While the learning environment provides some structure, students often choose their own tasks and learning materials. With some guidance from the teacher, they also determine the pace of their studies. This allows them to do work they find challenging and stimulating, and that they’re likely to complete. It can also lead to a love of learning, thoughout the school years and beyond.

Concrete learning: The main focus is on concrete learning, rather than abstract learning. Especially at the preschool and elementary level, kids work with lots of different concrete materials to learn important practical life skills.

Concrete learning engages many of the senses. And research has shown that it has several benefits. For instance, it leads to faster and more efficient learning, and it can also improve a child's focus and engagement.

Minimal tests and grades: Similar to Waldorf and Reggio Emilia schools, Montessori schools almost never test students or give them assignments. Moreover, student work is rarely graded, except in high school (and sometimes middle school). 

Instead, student progress is informally assessed through observation and developmental rubrics. The belief is that kids should be intrinsically motivated—by doing meaningful work they enjoy and find fulfilling—rather than externally motivated (through grades, report cards, and the like).

Individualized curriculum: Montessori schools focus heavily on academics, even sometimes at the preschool level (3-6). Kids must master the basics in math, science, the language arts, and other subjects. They can then move on to more advanced work.

The curricular focus and pace, though, will differ between children. Each child will move at a different pace and study subjects in different ways, depending on their specific learning needs and interests. Each child will also have their own individualized learning plan, one that’s arrived at by both the child and the teacher. This is a hallmark of the Montessori method. 

Montessori curricular and teaching approach

In Montessori schools in Ontario, subjects are almost never taught in isolation. Typically, several subjects are taught together, as part of what's called an integrated curriculum.

For instance, biology or chemistry aren’t taught as single subjects, except possibly in high school (and maybe middle school). Rather, they’ll be taught as part of an integrated unit.

To this end, a teacher might deliver what Montessori educators refer to as a great lesson. For instance, in some schools, teachers give a great lesson on the beginning of life, where students learn about biology, chemistry, history, religion, and other subjects.

An integrated curriculum can be very rewarding for Montessori students. It encourages them to make connections between ideas and concepts from a variety of disciplines. It also can lead to positive learning outcomes, such as a broadening of knowledge and a wider range of interests.

Unlike mainstream schools, though, Montessori schools don’t deliver this curriculum through direct instruction. Teachers rarely, if ever, give long lectures or lessons. When lessons are given, they tend to be shorter and more interactive and engaging than lectures given in mainstream schools.

Instead of lecturing, teachers tend to work with individuals or small groups of students. Their main role is to be a facilitator: they provide the necessary support and guidance for students to complete their work. They also help connect students with meaningful work.

Sometimes, though, teachers will just sit back and observe kids work. Often, this will be group work, where small groups of kids come together (of their own accord) to work on different tasks and projects.

The belief is that classmates often do a better job of teaching than the main teacher. In particular, older kids can excel at teaching and mentoring their younger peers, and modelling appropriate behaviour to them. The teacher, in these situations, will intervene or provide guidance only when absolutely necessary.

To learn about how Montessori education evolves through the years, read our Montessori curriculum guide. To learn how it might be suitable for kids with special needs such as gifted children, read our Montessori and special needs guide.  

Montessori schools in Ontario

There are plenty of Montessori schools, preschools, and daycares in Ontario. This includes schools in Toronto, Ottawa, Brampton, Mississauga, London, Kingston, St. Catharines, Oakville, and Vaughan. Parents will thus have a lot of options when selecting a school.

Some schools are more traditional, and follow the Montessori philosophy to the letter. Other schools are more supplemented, and combine the Montessori philosophy with more modern curricular approaches and materials. Remember, each Montessori school has a unique approach. In choosing a school or preschool, it’s best to look for one that’s the right fit for your child in terms of philosophy, culture, values, and the like.

Ontario has plenty of great public and private schools. It's also home to some first-rate post-secondary institutions. These include the University of Toronto, Queen’s University (in Kingston), Western University (in London), McMaster University (in Hamilton), and the University of Waterloo (in Kitchener-Waterloo).