Alternative private schools
Find a list of the top alternative private schools in Canada
Written by Lisa Evans Read more
Written by Lisa Evans Read more
Access school reviews, insights, and comparisons through our comprehensive reports below.
These are the leading schools that Our Kids editors have covered most extensively so far, providing detailed insights and thorough analysis of their programs, student life, and more.
"At Upper Canada College tradition, excellence and innovation meet. UCC inspires boys to lead lives of leadership, service and impact through transformative learning experiences that develop head, heart and humanity.
—From the school
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"Sunnybrook School offers the IB Primary Years Program for all students in JK - Grade 6. Our inquiry approach fosters and develops critical thinking, student agency and globally minded citizens.
—From the school
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"The York School is a co-ed JK-Grade 12 IB World School in midtown Toronto. Our mission is to nurture curious learners to become globally minded leaders with integrity and purpose.
—From the school
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"Branksome Hall is Toronto’s only leading International Baccalaureate (IB) World School for girls in JK-Grade 12, developing the leaders of tomorrow through the nurturing of curiosity and critical thinking at every age.
—From the school
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 Ottawa, Ontario Buena Vista Road/Springfield Road "Elmwood School is Ottawa’s leading school for girls from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12. With high academic standards, small classes, and a supportive environment, each girl is known, challenged, and empowered to reach her" —From the school
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 Waterloo Region (Breslau), Ontario "SJK offers an enriched environment of exploration in a caring and inclusive community. Through its IB curriculum and rich co-curricular programming, SJK guides students to discover their unique talents and passions." —From the school
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 Brampton, Ontario Sunforest Drive/Bovaird Drive E "Rowntree is Brampton's Top Choice Private School year after year. Focusing on excellence, leadership, and inclusivity, each child develops academic strengths in both traditional and 21st Century skills." —From the school
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 Mississauga, Ontario Derry/Millcreek "Lynn-Rose School is a premier private school for grades PK-12 that prepares students to be independent thinkers and lifelong learners. We foster global citizenship, preparing students to excel in a rapidly evolving world" —From the school
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 Oakville, Ontario Winston Churchill/Lakeshore Road East "Clanmore Montessori offers a warm, inclusive community where children learn with purpose. Our caring educators and mixed‑age environments help students grow with confidence, curiosity, and joy." —From the school
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 Mississauga, Ontario Erin Mills Parkway/Argentia Rd "There’s a different energy at SJA. As a leading IB World School and university preparatory school, SJA creates an atmosphere of acceptance that allows us to challenge students to take ownership of their own success." —From the school
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 Toronto, Ontario Davenport Rd/Spadina Rd "Waldorf education is 'schooling with heart'. Students and parents love our class sizes, strong teacher relationships, incredible curriculum, unique opportunities and arts-infused academics!" —From the school
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 Toronto, Ontario Spadina Ave/College Street "Authentic, CCMA accredited Montessori Schools located in downtown Toronto, offering programs for Toddlers, Casa, Elementary and Adolescent children in beautiful settings with large and expansive natural playgrounds." —From the school
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 Oakville, Ontario Trafalgar Road/Dundas "TRMS uniquely provides enriched French as a second language (FSL) instruction for all levels from Preschool to Elementary. We give students a head start in their educational journey, instilling a "Love of Learning!"" —From the school
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 Richmond Hill, Ontario "Richland Academy is a progressive, innovative, Reggio-inspired and IB-authorized school. In 2027, our new Senior Campus will expand us to Grade 12, making us a full IB continuum school." —From the school
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 Oakville, Ontario QEW/Ford Drive / Ninth Line "La Villa Montessori is an AMI recognized school that adheres to Dr. Montessori's principles. We provide a nurturing environment that fulfills the child's emotional, social, physical and intellectual needs." —From the school
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 Ottawa, Ontario Richmond Rd./John Sutherland Dr. "We drive learners of all ages to ask questions, think critically, solve complex problems collaboratively, and act. Academic success is achieved via dynamic learning, differentiated teaching and meaningful assessments." —From the school
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 Markham, Ontario Woodbine/HWY 7 "Wishing Well Schools offers an accelerated, enriched curriculum in a supportive, family-focused environment, where students thrive, lead, and develop a lifelong love of learning." —From the school
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 Toronto, Ontario "At Central Montessori School (CMS), young minds are inspired to be creative, innovative, and inquisitive. We cultivate bright, young leaders and strong communicators ready for the 21st century." —From the school
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 Richmond Hill, Ontario Yonge Street/Silverwood Ave. "Century Private School is located in Richmond Hill, and our campus occupies 12 acres of land. Our programs runs from preschool to grade twelve, with small class ratio to ensure best learning for our students." —From the school
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 Toronto, Ontario Dufferin St/Lawrence Ave W "LDVA provides foundational education and challenges students to develop to their full potential. Officially recognized by the Italian Government, our unique curriculum incorporates Italian language and culture." —From the school
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 Burlington, Ontario Walkers Line/Fairview Street "Inspiring Independent Minds with Purpose and Integrity! Positive school culture begins with passionate educators and a commitment to excellence. At FGMS children are guided with dignity because they are capable of more." —From the school
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 Burlington, Ontario Appleby Line/Upper Middle Road "Discover Halton Waldorf School—where confidence, independence, and curiosity thrive. Nestled on five lush forested acres, our unique campus has nurtured young minds through Waldorf education since 1984." —From the school
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 Aurora, Ontario St. John Sideroad/Yonge St. "Aurora Montessori delivers an enriched Montessori program that builds strong academic foundations, critical thinking, and independence, while developing adaptive, future-ready skills in a supportive community." —From the school
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 Brampton, Ontario Torbram/Clark "Tall Pines School is focused on post education success. As an IB World School, we go beyond academics to nurture character development while developing critical thinkers today that thrive in the uncertainty of tomorrow." —From the school
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 St. Catharines, Ontario Edinburgh Dr/Scott Street "We provide students with opportunities to explore real-world concepts and issues, broadening their sense of responsibility, develop their critical thinking skills, and empower them to take action in a global community." —From the school
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 Toronto, Ontario Lawrence Ave./Bathurst St. "The Clover School offers an authentic Montessori education across two Toronto locations for Toddler to Grade 6, rooted in community, academic excellence, and whole-child development where every child is truly known." —From the school
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 Markham, Ontario 14th Ave/Kennedy "Trillium School is a private school that offers programs from pre-school to grade twelve in Markham with Montessori-based kindergarten." —From the school
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 Richmond Hill, Ontario Bayview/Hwy 407 "Lauremont School is a leading, accredited independent school that offers a unique design of Montessori and International Baccalaureate programmes. Our students thrive in academics while building a foundation for life." —From the school
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 North York, Ontario Bayview/Sheppard "Bannockburn provides a strong academic foundation anchored in the principles of the Montessori philosophy that supports your child’s intellectual, moral, social, and emotional development in a nurturing environment." —From the school
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 Markham / Stouffville, Ontario Woodbine Ave/Major Mackenzie Dr E "Royal Cachet has authentic Montessori programs for infants to grade 6 in our healthy and safe environments. We focus on the Language & Math areas of the Montessori Curriculum & encourage our students to grow and succeed." —From the school
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 Ottawa, Ontario Baseline Rd./Woodroffe Ave. "Bishop Hamilton Montessori School, a not-for-profit independent school in Ottawa, provides an authentic Christian Montessori approach for children 3 months to 14 years." —From the school
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 Oakville, Ontario "Rotherglen School - OAKVILLE offers programs for students age 4 to grade eight. The average class size is 18 students." —From the school
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 Toronto, Ontario Bathurst St./Eglinton Ave. West "At Alive Montessori, Grades 1–6 students develop independence, curiosity, and strong academic foundations through hands-on Montessori learning, personalized instruction, and a supportive school family." —From the school
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 Brampton, Ontario "KMSchool offers accredited Montessori education from 18 months to Grade 12, blending academic excellence with ethnic language, culture, and faith to nurture well-rounded, curious, and culturally grounded students." —From the school
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 Toronto / Whitchurch-Stouffville, Ontario Ellerslie/Yonge St "TFMS offers bilingual education in English and French from Pre-K to Gr. 8. Spanish is introduced as a second language from Gr. 1–8. Small classes and Christian values support each child’s full development and growth." —From the school
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 Rothesay, New Brunswick Rothesay Rd/College Hill Rd "Our unique, daily Advisor Program ensures every student is surrounded by a strong network of highly qualified, dedicated faculty and staff whose mission is to provide academic, emotional, and social guidance and support." —From the school
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 Ottawa, Ontario Alta Vista Drive/Industrial Road "OMS Montessori is a non for profit, independent school offering separate French and English programs within a world class Montessori environment." —From the school
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 Toronto, Ontario "Humberside Montessori School is internationally recognized and accredited by Association Montessori Internationale (AMI). Our AMI certified teachers provide an authentic Montessori experience for our students." —From the school
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 Mississauga, Ontario Hurontario St/Matheson Blvd E "ABC Montessori is one of Mississauga's premier schools. We offer montessori and traditional childcare programs from pre-CASA to Senior CASA with an emphasis on developing literacy, numeracy, sciences, and arts." —From the school
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 Mississauga, Ontario Tomken Rd./Eglinton Ave. E "Northstar Montessori offers an accredited Montessori curriculum from Toddler age to Grade 8. Our goal is to develop strong character and contributing citizens who understand that their involvement makes a difference." —From the school
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 Whitby, Ontario Brock Street South/Dundas Streer West "The Hatch House Montessori School is a very child centered school where each student is respected for their uniqueness and is guided through learning accordingly. Ask about our unique, fully bilingual elementary program." —From the school
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 Mississauga, Ontario Glen Erin/Dundas "Kaban Montessori School is a CCMA accredited school in the west area of Mississauga . Our environments foster each child's interests and abilities while supporting them to achieve their full potential." —From the school
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 Mississauga, Ontario "Rotherglen School - MISSISSAUGA is a montessori school that offers programs from JK to grade eight. The average class size is 18 students." —From the school
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 Toronto, Ontario Queen Street East/Glen Manor Drive "Our goal is to guide children with respect and understanding, nurturing a lifelong love of learning. We strive to create a supportive environment that fosters intellectual, social, and moral growth." —From the school
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 Oakville, Ontario Lakeshore Road East/Bel Air Drive "Offering Montessori programs from Toddler to Grade 8, Dearcroft is accredited by CCMA and staffed by dedicated teachers. We have three campuses in Oakville, delivering exceptional Montessori Programs." —From the school
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 Pickering, Ontario whites/kingston road "Montessori Learning Centre is a non-denominational, inclusive school that has been serving families for 40 years. We recognize and honour religious and cultural events as part of our whole-life educational philosophy." —From the school
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 North Vancouver, British Columbia Keith Rd/Lynnmouth Ave "Collaborative and engaging, North Star's programs put students at the center of their learning and quest for knowledge." —From the school
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 Thornhill, Ontario Bathurst St/Rutherford Rd "Toronto Waldorf School offers a curriculum that integrates academics, arts and movement while addressing the intellectual, physical, emotional and social aspects of child development from preschool to gr. 12." —From the school
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 Mississauga, Ontario Hurontario/Queensway "Shepherd Montessori Private Catholic School in Mississauga offers Casa Montessori programs for children a ged 2.5 to 6. Before- and after-school care and summer camps also available." —From the school
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 Ottawa, Ontario Bank Street/Marché Way "Our programs find the interaction of youth’s developmental characteristics, the Ontario curriculum, and the requirements of the adult world to create the focussed engagement that naturally leads to personal excellence." —From the school
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While dissatisfaction with traditional primary and secondary education models has led some parents to turn to private schools offering specialized programs in music, sports, or the arts; others have opted for an altogether different approach – alternative schools. “Alternative” refers to any educational institution that offers a curriculum, learning environment, or education philosophy that differs from the mainstream.
With a plethora of alternative schools to choose from, it can be easy to get overwhelmed. Here, we’ve explored four popular models to help you determine whether an alternative school is right for your child.
Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician, opened the first Montessori school in 1907. While a range of practices now exists under the name “Montessori”, the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) prescribes to the idea that optimal development is achieved when children have the liberty to act freely within their environment. Schools that follow this philosophy believe students learn best through self-exploration. The teacher acts as a guide, presenting children with a selection of activities to choose from. “Children [become] self-initiated. They’re intrinsically motivated. They’re very comfortable meeting challenges. They’re able to self-correct their work and they’re extremely self-disciplined,” says Sandra Girlato, Director of Training at the Foundation for Montessori Education. In her work as an adult educator, Girlato says students who attended Montessori schools or preschools as children tend to be more self-motivated and are more comfortable receiving feedback and asking for help when they need it.
While a Montessori education can benefit every child, Girlato says it might not be well suited to every family. “Sometimes parents want their child to read as early as possible, but some children are early readers and some don’t read until they’re five, six, or seven,” says Girlato. The Montessori model that allows children to develop at their own pace may not be comfortable for these parents.
Developed in preschools in the Northern Italian town of the same name in 1963, the Reggio Emilia approach recognizes children as intelligent, resourceful, and capable of having good ideas. While a traditional classroom is led by teacher instruction and structured in time (9:15 for arts and crafts, 11:00 for literacy, for example), a Reggio Emilia classroom is structured in space with the room divided into various workstations and is built on the idea that children can self-regulate, using their will to make and execute a plan. “Where it really differs from a traditional classroom is in letting children be creative, letting them design things and letting them have ideas and theorize about the world,” says York University Professor Carol Ann Wien, author of Emergent Curriculum in the Primary Classroom: Interpreting the Reggio Emilia Approach in Schools.
The overarching theme of the Reggio Emilia approach is to honour children’s intellectual capacities and intense curiosities. “Children have amazing ideas and thinking capacity far beyond what [we] originally thought four, five and six-year-olds could do,” says Wien. The organization of the physical environment is a crucial component of the Reggio Emilia approach. Classrooms are filled with indoor plants, have large windows to welcome natural light, and are open to a centre piazza.
While the Reggio Emilia approach is most often seen in preschool and primary levels, some private schools such as Bishop Strachan School in Toronto, Ontario, are attempting to incorporate Reggio-inspired education all the way up to high school.
Developed on the educational philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, the first Waldorf school opened in 1919. Waldorf pedagogy first focuses on developing children’s physical bodies, focusing on practical, hands-on activities and encouraging creative play. “We know that the more their body is moving the more neurons and synapses are firing in their brains,” says Ryan Lindsay, Board President of the Waldorf School Association of Ontario. The Waldorf slogan “the right thing at the right time” is based on the understanding that the brain changes as children age. While the traditional education system takes the same approach to learning in the early years as in the later years, the Waldorf approach distinguishes between stages in child development. “We have a start slow, finish fast approach,” says Lindsay.
While education in the primary years involves multiple periods of extended free play to develop children’s imagination and capacity to move and think, the elementary level engages their connection to the world through emotions, focusing on artistic expression and social capacities. Secondary education emphasizes core academics and focuses on developing a student’s critical mind. “By that time, they’re really ready to excel with technology, math, and science,” says Lindsay.
The Waldorf model of “slow and steady wins the race” can be challenging for parents who lack patience and who engage in comparisons between their child and others in traditional educational systems. Elementary students tend to score lower on standardized testing than public schools, but by eighth grade, Waldorf students excel far above average. “If parents stick with it, by high school they’re pretty confident in their decision,” says Lindsay.
If your child is being held back by learning difficulties, you may want to look into the Arrowsmith program. Designed by Barbara Arrowsmith-Young, author of The Woman Who Changed Her Brain, this program is based on the principle of neuroplasticity; the belief that the brain can be modified through targeted stimulation. While most special education programs accept that we are all born with a certain intellect and focus on changing the environment or the learning materials to accommodate students’ special needs, the Arrowsmith approach argues that the learner’s brain can be modified by identifying and strengthening cognitive capacities.
With a low student-to-teacher ratio (10:1), Arrowsmith instructors deliver intensive and graduated cognitive exercises designed to target specific areas of learning difficulties. Once the deficient area is improved, the student’s ability to perform academic tasks increases.
While students in traditional resource classrooms typically make gains representing half a school year, Tara Anchel, Assistant Director of the Arrowsmith School, a learning disabilities school, in Toronto, Ontario, says their students can make one to three school year gains after only one year in the program and can successfully integrate into a full academic program at a public or private school after two to four years of study at Arrowsmith.
There’s a lot to consider when deciding whether to enrol your child in an alternative school, but finding a model that fits with your own educational philosophy and your child’s personality is key. Follow these tips to determine which alternative school model is right for your child:
Observe: Spend the day observing what’s happening in the classroom. Watch how children interact with each other and with the instructor and ask yourself whether you can picture your child fitting into this environment.
Ask questions: Ask current and former students and parents what they think about the school and how it helped prepare students for the next stages of their lives or education.
Consider the level of involvement: Some alternative schools require a higher level of parental engagement than others. The Waldorf model, for example, places great importance on parent participation, so much so, that Lindsay says this may play as much a role in a student’s application as the student’s aptitude.
Common questions to ask a prospective school:
Child-specific advice on school choice
For child-specific insights on choosing a school, read our guide. We explore how school choices crucially depend on kids' unique traits, such as their mental and academic focus, social tendencies, activity level, academic interests (such as art and STEM), and other attributes (such as giftedness, special needs, learning disabilities, and social issues).
To customize over 350 school profiles with insights unique to your child's traits, create a child profile through your user account.
Montessori Society of Canada -https://www.montessorisocietycanada.org/schools.html
Association Montessori Internationale - https://www.montessori-ami.org/
Waldorf Canada - https://www.waldorf.ca/
Arrowsmith School - https://www.arrowsmithschool.org/
Ontario Reggio Association - https://www.ontarioreggioassociation.ca/
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