We discourage all Alberta parents from over-determining or over-emphasizing rankings in their school decision. Any focus on rankings deters attention from unquantifiable things that are often much more important, namely how well your child fits in at the school or how much he or she will like the school. We urge families to engage in an immersive school search process, following the best advice, understanding the full scope of their options, working toward finding a school that will help their child(ren) thrive.
Other sources who profess to list "best schools" might mislead parents into making the wrong choice for their child(ren). Along with Alberta schools that list with us, Our Kids believes that a proper choice should focus on matching schools with your own values, not someone else's. Families need to investigate every aspect important to them, whether that is academics, pedagogical philosophy, extracurricular acitivities, special needs support and/or gifted programming.
That said, rankings can have their place, as presented below (albeit reluctantly). We hope parents use lists like these with a view toward discovery. Hopefully, you'll find great private schools below that you may not have considered, and which in fact meet some of your top concerns. We have worked closely with Alberta private schools for many years, helping them elaborate their unique value, with the intention of helping parents find the school that most closely matches their needs. Please use these lists with that in mind: one aid in a much fuller process focused on finding a school that is best for your family.
A low admission rate might seem a simple, straightforward measure of which private schools are the best. However, other mitigating factors affect schools' acceptance rates. Some Alberta private schools simply have better marketing; others have a perceived prestige that may be based on a long history. No matter, be assured that many excellent schools have a 100% acceptance rate and will help your child(ren) thrive. As said above, we encourage you to focus your school search efforts on finding the school that matches the needs of your child(ren).
| School | Location | Grades | Acceptance rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alberta Ballet School | Calgary, AB | 7 to 12 | 16% |
| 2 | Glenmore Christian Academy ✝ | Calgary, AB | JK to 9 | 50% |
| 3 | Foothills Academy | Calgary, AB | 3 to 12 | 50% |
| 4 | Calgary Changemaker School | Calgary, AB | K to 8 | 50% |
| 5 | Clear Water Academy ✝ | Calgary, AB | JK to 12 | 75% |
| 6 | Calgary French & International School | Calgary, AB | PS to 12 | 75% |
| 7 | Delta West Academy | Calgary, AB | JK to 12 | 75% |
| 8 | North Point School For Boys | Calgary, AB | K to 11 | 75% |
| 9 | Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School | Okotoks, AB | K to 12 | 80% |
| 10 | Lycée Louis Pasteur | Calgary, AB | PS to 12 | 85% |
It can seem easy (even simplistic) to equate cost with quality. It may seem implicit that schools charging the highest tuition offer the best education, being able to provide the best facilities, hire the most qualified teachers, and facilitate the best sports programs, etc. However, other factors affect the overall school environment, of course.
More importantly, many students will not fare well in an environment chosen by their parents solely on the basis of expense. We encourage parents to use common sense and focus on choosing a school where their child(ren) will thrive personally, academically, spiritually and socially. Many Alberta private schools with very reasonable tuition rates will offer your child(ren) the ideal learning environment that will propel them to success.
| School | Location | Grades | Tuition | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Island College | Calgary, AB | 7 to 12 | $18,560 to $24,560 |
| 2 | Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School | Okotoks, AB | K to 12 | $16,548 to $24,028 |
| 3 | Alberta Ballet School | Calgary, AB | 7 to 12 | $15,250 to $22,200 |
| 4 | Calgary Academy & Calgary Collegiate | Calgary, AB | K to 12 | $13,900 to $18,885 |
| 5 | Rundle: Academy, College & Studio | Calgary, AB | K to 12 | $12,900 to $18,425 |
| 6 | Delta West Academy | Calgary, AB | JK to 12 | $10,300 to $18,350 |
| 7 | Progressive Academy | Edmonton, AB | JK to 12 | $8,550 to $16,800 |
| 8 | Lycée Louis Pasteur | Calgary, AB | PS to 12 | $14,660 to $16,630 |
| 9 | Clear Water Academy ✝ | Calgary, AB | JK to 12 | $13,950 to $16,000 |
| 10 | Foothills Academy | Calgary, AB | 3 to 12 | $15,600 |
Below is a list of Alberta private schools ranked by their date of foundation. Parents may view the age of a school as a sign of its prestige, but many other factors should be part of your school decision process. Please review cautions against focus on ranking, above.
| School | Location | Grades | Founded | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School | Okotoks, AB | K to 12 | 1905 |
| 2 | Lycée Louis Pasteur | Calgary, AB | PS to 12 | 1966 |
| 3 | Calgary French & International School | Calgary, AB | PS to 12 | 1969 |
| 4 | Banbury Crossroads School | Calgary, AB | PS to 12 | 1979 |
| 5 | Foothills Academy | Calgary, AB | 3 to 12 | 1979 |
| 6 | Glenmore Christian Academy ✝ | Calgary, AB | JK to 9 | 1980 |
| 7 | Calgary Academy & Calgary Collegiate | Calgary, AB | K to 12 | 1981 |
| 8 | West Island College | Calgary, AB | 7 to 12 | 1982 |
| 9 | Progressive Academy | Edmonton, AB | JK to 12 | 1983 |
| 10 | Calgary Waldorf School | Calgary, AB | PS to 9 | 1985 |
Listed below find Alberta schools ranked by the most notable alumni. Parents choosing a private school might be understandably swayed by this factor. However, many other factors should take precedence over this, if you are indeed looking for the best school for your child. The list below ranks private schools by how many graduates have Wikipedia entries. Although there is doubt about its consistent reliability, we consider biographical entries that meet Wikipedia’s notability criteria a reasonable measure of influence.
| School | Location | Grades | Notable alumni | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Island College | Calgary, AB | 7 to 12 | 1 |
| 2 | Banbury Crossroads School | Calgary, AB | PS to 12 | 1 |
Maria Montessori wanted kids to be kids, allowing them to learn in ways that were social and engaging. She would have loved the York School. [Read more]
