Along with schools themselves, Our Kids resists parents' over-emphasizing school rankings. Ranking lists should ultimately play a minor role (if at all) in any families' school decision. No matter our objections to them, though, parents still seek rankings lists, and they find them provided by sources that dubiously present "best schools rankings" without disclaimer or even caution.
Thanks to our long history of working with girls' private schools, Our Kids is able to elicit rich, exclusive data on these schools. With that in mind, we provide lists below, ranking schools on discrete criteria. We make no pretense of telling you what is best.
These tools should be used wisely and judiciously. Focus your research on our wealth of more pertinent information, resources and tools. See, for example, expert advice on girls' schools, our overview of girls' preschools, as well as our comprehensive advice guide on private education.
Some things to bear in mind as you review lists below:
A low acceptance rate makes some girls' schools difficult to get into; some parents may perceive that as making these schools better. However, other factors contribute to an increased demand for some schools, including but not limited to the effectiveness of marketing, the location of the school, and the school's history.
In any case, parents should not put too much emphasis on this single metric. That said, the list below may be of interest to some families in providing an overview of your chances of getting into some top girls' schools in Canada.
| School | Location | Grades | Acceptance rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Branksome Hall | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | 30% |
| 2 | Havergal College ✝ | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | 30% |
| 3 | Bishop Strachan School ✝ | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | 40% |
| 4 | Study | Westmount, QC | K to 11 | 50% |
| 5 | St. Clement's School | Toronto, ON | 1 to 12 | 50% |
| 6 | Miss Edgar's & Miss Cramp's School | Westmount, QC | K to 11 | 60% |
| 7 | St. Andrew's College | Aurora, ON | 5 to 12 | 62% |
| 8 | Elmwood School | Ottawa, ON | PS to 12 | 70% |
| 9 | St. Mildred's-Lightbourn School | Oakville, ON | JK to 12 | 74% |
| 10 | Clear Water Academy ✝ | Calgary, AB | JK to 12 | 75% |
Some parents feel that more expensive girls' schools must necessarily be the best. Certainly, more expensive schools can offer more impressive facilities, hire highly qualified instructors, and afford a selection of other advantageous features. However, many schools for girls with very reasonable tuition rates offer a superior education that will help your daughter(s) succeed.
| School | Location | Grades | Tuition | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Havergal College ✝ | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | $41,520 to $79,905 |
| 2 | Branksome Hall | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | $38,990 to $78,600 |
| 3 | Trafalgar Castle School | Whitby, ON | 4 to 12 | $29,348 to $78,215 |
| 4 | St. Andrew's College | Aurora, ON | 5 to 12 | $41,440 to $77,070 |
| 5 | Bishop Strachan School ✝ | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | $35,800 to $69,145 |
| 6 | St. Margaret's School | Victoria, BC | JK to 12 | $17,200 to $69,100 |
| 7 | Sacred Heart School of Montreal ✝ | Montreal, QC | 7 to 12 | $19,347 to $65,828 |
| 8 | Balmoral Hall School | Winnipeg, MB | PS to 12 | $15,450 to $49,440 |
| 9 | St. Anne's School | Aurora, ON | 5 to 10 | $41,440 |
| 10 | St. Clement's School | Toronto, ON | 1 to 12 | $34,500 |
Schools that have been established for a long time might seem to have the most well-developed reputation. There is some validity to this, but of course many girls' schools with a much shorter history are just as good at offering an excellent education. Here, for interest's sake is a list of girls' schools ranked by their founding date.
| School | Location | Grades | Founded | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacred Heart School of Halifax ✝ | Halifax, NS | JK to 12 | 1849 |
| 2 | Sacred Heart School of Montreal ✝ | Montreal, QC | 7 to 12 | 1861 |
| 3 | Bishop Strachan School ✝ | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | 1867 |
| 4 | Trafalgar Castle School | Whitby, ON | 4 to 12 | 1874 |
| 5 | St. Mildred's-Lightbourn School | Oakville, ON | JK to 12 | 1891 |
| 6 | Havergal College ✝ | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | 1894 |
| 7 | St. Andrew's College | Aurora, ON | 5 to 12 | 1899 |
| 8 | St. Clement's School | Toronto, ON | 1 to 12 | 1901 |
| 9 | Balmoral Hall School | Winnipeg, MB | PS to 12 | 1901 |
| 10 | Branksome Hall | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | 1903 |
We hesitantly present a list of girls’ schools below, ranked by most graduates with a Wikipedia entry. Producing notable alumni is one measure of schools’ excellence but of course it’s a very limited way of judging how a school is best for your child. We urge you to focus on many other factors in finding a girls’ school that will help your daughter succeed.
| School | Location | Grades | Notable alumni | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Andrew's College | Aurora, ON | 5 to 12 | 17 |
| 2 | Bishop Strachan School ✝ | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | 15 |
| 3 | Havergal College ✝ | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | 9 |
| 4 | Study | Westmount, QC | K to 11 | 8 |
| 5 | Branksome Hall | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | 7 |
| 6 | Sacred Heart School of Montreal ✝ | Montreal, QC | 7 to 12 | 4 |
| 7 | St. Clement's School | Toronto, ON | 1 to 12 | 3 |
| 8 | St. Margaret's School | Victoria, BC | JK to 12 | 2 |
| 9 | Elmwood School | Ottawa, ON | PS to 12 | 2 |
| 10 | Linden School | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | 1 |
Are All-Girls private schools good?
We interviewed both parents and students. You can read reviews about All-Girls private schools on this page.
What is the most expensive All-Girls private school?
Havergal College has the highest tuition fees from $41,520 to $79,905 per year with an average tuition of $60,713 per year.
Which All-Girls private school has the lowest acceptance rates?
The All-Girls private school with the lowest acceptance rate is Branksome Hall. The school has an overall accepance rate of 30%.
What is the oldest All-Girls private school?
Sacred Heart School of Halifax is the oldest All-Girls private school. The school was founded in 1849.
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