255 Yorkland Blvd, Toronto, Ontario, M2J 1S3, Canada
7700 Brimley Road, Markham, Ontario, L3R 0E5, Canada
255 Yorkland Blvd, Toronto, Ontario, M2J 1S3, Canada
7700 Brimley Road, Markham, Ontario, L3R 0E5, Canada
1981
1990
375
Varies
JK to 12
JK to 8
Coed
Coed
Day
Day
English
English, French, Mandarin
Academic
Academic
Traditional
Traditional
15 to 25
13 to 18
In-class adaptations
$11,472 to $17,360
$14,300
No
Yes
0%
5%
None
1 to 8
$0
$0
25
0
0%
0%
75%
95%
JK, SK, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Rolling
Rolling
Not available
Not available
Yes: grades JK - 12
Yes: grades 1 - 8
No
No
information not available
information not available
The program at NTCS has been developed to extend the lived experience of Christianity of home and church into an academic setting. The values expressed there, as well as Biblical teaching, provide a foundation for the delivery of the curriculum across all instructional areas. For the families that enroll, that’s a primary draw, as is the opportunity for the learner to enter a student population of true peers in terms of academic ability and worldview. The extracurricular offerings are broad, and supported by the size of the student body, which is 400 annually. An emphasis on athletics and active lifestyles is also a draw. The ideal student is one able to thrive in a challenging yet supportive setting, and preparing for university studies.
View full reportSomerset has established its reputation in offering a challenging, supportive academic program to prepare students for success in high school and beyond. The school is small, something that is a primary draw for families looking for a more personal approach to instruction. The core curriculum is augmented by an overt attention to fostering communication and interpersonal engagement. The offering of French and Mandarin language instruction is also a notable draw. The ideal student is one operating toward the top of his or her peer group, who will thrive in a very close-knit, community oriented educational environment, and is able to work effectively through an accelerated curriculum.
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"North Toronto Christian School was founded in 1981 to offer a co-ed, advanced, university preparation program to all parents who desire a strong academic program for their child with a Christian emphasis based on Biblical principles. A family focus, strong teacher direction and a positive, disciplined environment are promoted. The school partners with parents to uphold Christian values and to encourage and assist students to prepare for a fulfilling and successful future in all areas of their lives."
"Established in 1974, Somerset Academy is an independent, not-for-profit private school providing education to students from JK to Grade 8. Our school provides an enriched, accelerated curriculum; a variety of extra-curricular activities; enhances your child's self-esteem; and encourages team building skills. We offer classes in French and Mandarin, as well as the Reach Ahead program, which enables our Grade Eight students the opportunity to gain high school credits. Somerset is a certified STEM school."
"Our Outdoor Education program occurs at a 75 acre facility, owned by NTCS, just outside the town of Apsley, ON. Students from Grades 3 to 12 are able to participate in land-based education, with strong curriculum tie-ins. Our Aquatics program begins in Grade 4 as part of the Physical Education curriculum and continues through Grade 12. Group and private lessons for children as young as 4 years old, three swim teams, and recreational swimming all make good use of our indoor 25m pool."
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"Families typically choose NTCS because of the Christian culture that we strive to create in all aspects of our school program. This is our defining quality. Families seek to have their children educated by active Christian believers who recognize and promote the Christian way of life. They want teachers to influence their child with a personal value system based on a conservative, evangelical Christian worldview and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ."
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"The school's commitment to outdoor education and education concerning indigenous issues. While the school may be traditional in many ways, the trips to the school's outdoor education property provide a unique, hands-on opportunity for students to learn in new and memorable ways."
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"Families tell us that they observe our teachers with a variety of talents and interests that they willingly share with the students. Each teacher understands that they have a role to play in the development of each student, even students they don't teach. They have a holistic view of what education should be, and they humbly serve the students to ensure that every aspect of student growth is supported"
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I am glad that you are considering Christian education for your child. The decision to enroll your child in a Christian school will be one of the most important decisions that you make.
North Toronto Christian School (NTCS) was founded in 1981 to provide a quality academic education integrated with a Christian view of God and the world, and that continues to be our purpose today. Our goal is to educate students in the light of Biblical truth so that they are prepared to serve God and be active Christian believers in their future academic endeavours, their family lives and their careers.
NTCS currently has a student population of 340 students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12. NTCS provides an education that will prepare students for the demands of university studies. We take a traditional approach to education with a strong focus on developing a well-rounded student. We encourage students to pursue and use their gifts to contribute to a positive school culture and the broader community. Our students have a proven track record of success in their university studies, using skills they have developed at NTCS.
If your desire is to provide a quality Christ-centred education for your child, where the school and the family work closely together, then I invite you to consider North Toronto Christian School as your partner. It would be our privilege to serve you and to support you in the education and development of your child. Please call our school office to inquire further or to book a visit at any time of the year.
Blessings,
Mrs. Nicole Brouwer
"Success comes from working together"
When people ask what makes Somerset special, I always say that we are members of a "family" that help guide each other to be the best. Somerset education sets the foundation for a successful future. Our students atrive for excellence and our educators do a remarkable job in preparing them.
Traditional
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Traditional curricula tend to be very content-based and rooted in the core disciplines. It is a structured approach that involves the teacher delivering a unified curriculum through direct instruction. Students usually learn by observing and listening to their teacher, studying facts and concepts in textbooks, and completing both tests and written assignments - which challenge students to not only demonstrate their mastery of content but their ability to analyze and deconstruct it critically. Class discussions are also used to create critical dialogue around the content of the curriculum.
Traditional curricula tend to be very content-based and rooted in the core disciplines. It is a structured approach that involves the teacher delivering a unified curriculum through direct instruction. Students usually learn by observing and listening to their teacher, studying facts and concepts in textbooks, and completing both tests and written assignments - which challenge students to not only demonstrate their mastery of content but their ability to analyze and deconstruct it critically. Class discussions are also used to create critical dialogue around the content of the curriculum.
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The mission of North Toronto Christian School is to prepare young minds for the demands of a university education within the framework of a Christian worldview. In our elementary program, there is a significant emphasis on mastering the basics of reading, writing and mathematics. In our high school program, courses are only offered at the academic or university preparation level. We offer a diverse liberal arts style program that gives students a wide variety of educational experiences so that they can more effectively choose a university program that will allow them to utilize the gifts that God has given them. In order to provide a comprehensive educational experience, students in grades 3-10 participate in a fall and winter, three-day outdoor education trip to our school camping facility located in the Kawarthas.
At Somerset Academy, we promote intellectual curiosity. We encourage students from Grade 1 to 8 to interpret, evaluate and communicate ideas in a knowledgeable and confident manner within a framework of high academic, artistic and athletic standards. Working one year ahead of their chronological grade level, our students experience an enriched academic program with a balance of Visual Arts, Physical Education, Music, and Computer Study, as well as many diverse extra curricular activities. Somerset Academy in conjunction with Yips Collegiate, offer a number of credits towards your child’s high school Diploma. The Reach Ahead programme is designed to allow your child to participate in one (if not all) of the following high school courses: English – ENG1D, Mathematics – MPM1D, Chinese (Mandarin) – LKAAD. Somerset Academy also offers a Gifted Programme for students in the Grades Three to Seven. This programme will be designed to challenge the students who meet the criteria in the following areas: Language, Mathematics and Science and History.
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Traditional Math typically teaches a method or algorithm FIRST, and THEN teaches the applications for the method. Traditional algorithms are emphasized and practiced regularly: repetition and drills are frequently used to ensure foundational mastery in the underlying mathematical procedures. The traditional approach to math views math education as akin to building a logical edifice: each brick depends on the support of the previously laid ones, which represent mastery over a particular procedure or method. Traditional Math begins by giving students a tool, and then challenges students to practice using that tool an applied way, with progressively challenging problems. In this sense Traditional Math aims to establish procedural understanding before conceptual and applied understanding.
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Systematic-phonics programs teach young children to read by helping them to recognize and sound out the letters and syllables of words. Students are then led to blend these sounds together to sound out and recognize the whole word. While other reading programs might touch on phonetics (either incidentally or on a “when needed” basis), systematic phonics teaches phonics in a specific sequence, and uses extensive repetition and direct instruction to help readers associate specific letter patterns with their associated sounds.
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Programs that balance systematic and process approaches equally likely have an emphasis on giving young students ample opportunities to write, while providing supplementary class-wide instruction in grammar, parts of sentences, and various writing strategies.
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Science programs that balance expository and inquiry learning equally will likely have an equal blend of tests and experiments; direct, textbook-based instruction and student-centred projects.
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Evolution as consensus theory
Evolution as one of many equally viable theories
Evolution is not taught
Evolution as consensus theory
Evolution as one of many equally viable theories
Evolution is not taught
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In traditional literature programs students focus on decoding the mechanics of texts: plot, characterization, and themes. These texts tend to include a balance of contemporary and “classic” literature. When studying a past work, students investigate its historical context -- but only insofar as this adds understanding to the work itself. Past works are therefore studied “on their own terms”, and not merely as historical artifacts to be deconstructed: traditional literature programs are firmly rooted in the humanities, and carry the belief that great literature can reveal fundamental and universal truths about the human condition. These programs emphasize class discussions and critical essay writing, and aim to develop in students critical thinking, communication skills, and a cultivated taste and ethos.
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Ancient lit
English lit
World (non-Western) lit
European (continental) lit
American lit
Canadian lit
Ancient lit
English lit
World (non-Western) lit
European (continental) lit
American lit
Canadian lit
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The Thematic approach organizes the curriculum around certain themes or cultural universals. Students might spend time focused on food. Then they might focus on transportation or government, and so on.
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Perennialism in the humanities and social sciences emphasizes the idea of education being a kind of “conversation” between generations, and so frequently turns to “Great Works” and “Big Ideas” for teaching-content. Perennialist programs approach past works on their own terms; as if they might actually help students understand “today” better. Past works are not viewed as mere historical artifacts, but as gateways to a deeper understanding of the human condition. History (and, by extension, the humanities in general) therefore plays a large role in perennialist curriculums, though social sciences like economics, psychology, and sociology can still be taught. There is a strong Liberal Arts bent to perennialist programs. The key goals are to develop critical thinking, a strong foundation of core knowledge (or “cultural literacy”), and persuasion skills through informed debate and extensive practice in essay writing.
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The communicative method of language acquisition emphasizes the use of the target language in authentic contexts. The approach commonly features interactive group work, games, authentic texts, and opportunities to learn about the cultural background of the language. Drills and quizzes may still be used, but less frequently than with the audio-lingual method.
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Hebrew
ESL
Spanish
Russian
Latin
Japanese
Italian
Greek
German
French
Chinese-Mandarin
Chinese-Cantonese
Hebrew
ESL
Spanish
Russian
Latin
Japanese
Italian
Greek
German
French
Chinese-Mandarin
Chinese-Cantonese
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Creative arts programs are studio-driven. While historical works and movements may still be taught to add context to the program, students mainly engage in making art (visual, musical, theatrical, etc). The goal is use the actual practice of art to help educate students’ emotions, cognition, and ethos.
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Acting
Dance
Drama/Theatre
Graphic Design
Music
Visual Arts
Acting
Dance
Drama/Theatre
Graphic Design
Music
Visual Arts
Not applicable
Effort is made to integrate the development of digital literacy through the curriculum. However, this is not a dominant focus.
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Web design
Robotics
Computer science
Web design
Robotics
Computer science
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Montessori
Academic-based preschools and Kindergartens are the most structured of the different types, and have a strong emphasis on math and reading readiness skills. These programs aim to expose children to what early-elementary school is like. While time is still allotted to free play, much of the day is built around explicit lessons guided by the teacher. Classrooms often resemble play-based ones (with different stations set up around the room), but at an Academic program the teacher leads students through the stations directly, and ties these activities to a whole-class lesson or theme.
Montessori programs aimed at preschool and Kindergarten- aged children allow young learners to choose which “tasks” or activities interest them. These tasks centre around special Montessori puzzles -- the essential features of these puzzles being they contain a “right answer” and allow for self-correction. A strong emphasis is therefore placed on learning being concrete and rooted in practical experience, along with children developing a sense of self-sufficiency and confidence. Specially trained teachers act as guides, introducing children to progressively more difficult materials when appropriate. A Montessori classroom is typically very calm and orderly, with children working alone or, sometimes, in small groups.
If you want to learn more about Montessori education, check out our comprehensive guide. You can also check out our guide to Montessori preschools, elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools.
At North Toronto Christian School, our desire is to begin educating students academically, spiritually, socially and physically, from the moment they walk through our doors. Our kindergarten program is a challenging academic program, focusing on the basics, which provide a solid foundation for continued study and academic success at NTCS.
In Pursuit of excellence in Academic, Language and Performing Arts Education
Standard-enriched
Broadly-speaking, the main curriculum -- like that of most schools -- paces the provincially-outlined one. This pace is steady and set by the teachers and school. The curriculum might still be enriched in various ways: covering topics more in-depth and with more vigor than the provincial one, or covering a broader selection of topics.
Broadly-speaking, the main curriculum -- like that of most schools -- paces the provincially-outlined one. This pace is steady and set by the teachers and school. The curriculum might still be enriched in various ways: covering topics more in-depth and with more vigor than the provincial one, or covering a broader selection of topics.
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Supportive
A school with a “rigorous” academic culture places a high value on academic performance, and expects their students to do the same. This does not mean the school is uncaring, unsupportive, or non-responsive -- far from it. A school can have a rigorous academic culture and still provide excellent individual support. It does mean, however, the school places a particular emphasis on performance -- seeking the best students and challenging them to the fullest extent -- relative to a normal baseline. High expectations and standards – and a challenging yet rewarding curriculum – are the common themes here. Keep in mind this classification is more relevant for the older grades: few Kindergarten classrooms, for example, would be called “rigorous”.
A school with a “supportive” academic culture focuses more on process than short-term outcomes: academic performance is a welcomed side-benefit, but not the driving focus. This does not mean the school lacks standards, or has low expectations for its students: a school can have a supportive academic culture and still light the fire of ambition in its students. It does mean, however, the school provides a less intensive culture than schools with a “rigorous” academic classification, and is focused more simply on instilling a love of learning and life-long curiosity.
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"We honour and distinguish our brightest students, using them as examples for other students to follow."
"We intentionally avoid all forms of public distinction between students in terms of academic performance."
Intellectual
The goal is to cultivate "academically strong, creative and critical thinkers, capable of exercising rationality, apprehending truth, and making aesthetic distinctions."
Intellectual
The goal is to cultivate "academically strong, creative and critical thinkers, capable of exercising rationality, apprehending truth, and making aesthetic distinctions."
Spiritual
The goal is to cultivate "individuals with inner resourcefulness, strong faith and respect for God or a higher power."
Physical
The goal is to cultivate "strong, ?exible - bodied and active individuals, in tune with the joys of movement, sport and wellness."
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CompetitiveComp. |
RecreationalRec. |
CompetitiveComp. |
RecreationalRec. |
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Badminton |
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Baseball |
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Basketball |
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Canoeing/Kayaking |
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Cricket |
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Cross-country skiing |
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Cycling |
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Downhill skiing |
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Equestrian |
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Fencing |
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Field Hockey |
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Figure Skating |
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Football |
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Golf |
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Gymnastics |
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Ice Hockey |
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Ice Skating |
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Lacrosse |
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Martial Arts |
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Mountain biking |
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Racquet Ball |
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Rowing |
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Rugby |
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Running |
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Sailing |
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Skateboarding |
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Snowboarding |
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Soccer |
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Softball |
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Squash |
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Swimming |
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Tennis |
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Track & Field |
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Volleyball |
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Weightlifting |
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Wrestling |
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Archery |
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Curling |
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Ultimate |
Ballet and Classical Ballet
Yoga
Yearbook
Student Council
Scouting
Science Club
School newspaper
Round Square
Robotics club
Radio club
Poetry/Literature club
Photography
Paintball
Outdoor Education
Outdoor Club
Online Magazine
Musical theatre/Opera
Math Club
Jazz Ensemble
Habitat for Humanity
Foreign Language Club
Environmental Club
Drama Club
Debate Club
Dance Club
Computer Club
Community Service
Choir
Chess Club
Band
Audiovisual Club
Astronomy Club
Art Club
Animation
Ballet and Classical Ballet
Yoga
Yearbook
Student Council
Scouting
Science Club
School newspaper
Round Square
Robotics club
Radio club
Poetry/Literature club
Photography
Paintball
Outdoor Education
Outdoor Club
Online Magazine
Musical theatre/Opera
Math Club
Jazz Ensemble
Habitat for Humanity
Foreign Language Club
Environmental Club
Drama Club
Debate Club
Dance Club
Computer Club
Community Service
Choir
Chess Club
Band
Audiovisual Club
Astronomy Club
Art Club
Animation
1 - 8
0%
5%
$0
$0
75%
95%
JK, SK, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Rolling
Rolling
Not available
Not available
Yes: grades JK - 12
Yes: grades 1 - 8
No
No
No
No
No
Yes: grades 2 - 8
No
No
No
Yes
Students should be serious about academic achievement, interested in fully participating in the varied activities of school life, and comfortable with the Christian emphasis in all aspects of the school program. A wide range of opportunities are given to each student. Those who have success are active, disciplined, and intent on making a positive contribution to school life.
Students are welcome to apply for entry to any level from JK to Grade 8.
Overall, admission is based on availability of space, a personal interview, an admissions test (if necessary), analysis of the previous report card, written indication of parental support for our program, and a verbal indication of interest by the student. When the application has been approved and the registration fee and capital deposit have been received, a letter of acceptance will be issued to reserve a place in class.
Acceptance into Somerset is determined by means of an academic screening, and the completion of the following preliminary steps:
• Parent and Student interview
• Submission of a deposit
• A completed and original application form
• Birth certificate/passport (photocopy)
• Health insurance card (photocopy)
• Immunization record (photocopy)
• Medic alert card, if applicable (photocopy)
• Custody agreements, if applicable (photocopy)
• 3 Copies of the June report card from the previous year and all report cards from the current year (if applicable)
• A completed and original transportation permission form
• A completed and original media release form
• A completed and original release of information form/OSR request (if applicable)
Completion of these steps does not necessarily guarantee acceptance into Somerset Academy.
For further information, please call the school at (905) 940-8990.
