Below, find Ontario school rankings. OUR KIDS' rankings can help you quickly compare schools for factors that are important to you, such as class size, tuition costs, admission rates, etc. We've worked with schools for many years to help them fully articulate what makes them distinct. Use these to discover schools you haven't heard of before. No "best schools" ranking list can tell you what's best for your child(ren). Reliance on them can mislead you into enrolling your kids in the wrong environment for them.
Explore the complete list of Ontario private schools on OUR KIDS, the guide families trust to make the right choice.
The lists below should only be a small tool in a comprehensive, well-advised, extensive school search process that explores different options, in which you fully research everything specific private schools offer. Focusing on rankings or on one factor does a great disservice to schools and your children. Along with the schools, OUR KIDS encourages you to deeply consider admissions, academics, course pedagogies, extracurricular activities, special needs support (if needed), gifted programming, and many other aspects.
Learn much more at OUR KIDS Private School Expos
The expos mentioned above include those in Halton-Peel, Ottawa, and Toronto. Here, you can meet face-to-face with top-ranked local schools and a few international boarding schools. Sit in on informative Q&A seminars led by education experts. They'll address your concerns and shed light on vital topics when it comes to making the right school choice. Meet with admissions teams from each school and gain valuable insights from current parents who have experienced the journey firsthand. All in one afternoon. Learn more about our expos here.
University placement is a key concern for many parents investing in private schools. The list below highlights Ontario private schools reporting the highest number of graduates placed in 12 of the world's top universities (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Stanford, University of Chicago, Oxford, or Cambridge) in the last five years. These figures are self-reported. Rankings exclude schools not listed on OUR KIDS.
University placement is just one piece of the puzzle. The best school for your child depends on a range of factors—take time to research thoroughly and consider the full picture.
| School | Location | Grades | Grads in Top US/UK Schools (5 yrs) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Havergal College | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | 100 |
| 2 | University of Toronto Schools | Toronto, ON | 7 to 12 | 60 |
| 3 | Upper Canada College | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | 45 |
| 4 | Appleby College | Oakville, ON | 7 to 12 | 30 |
| 5 | Academy for Gifted Children - P.A.C.E. | Richmond Hill, ON | 1 to 8 | 25 |
| 6 | St. Clement's School | Toronto, ON | 1 to 12 | 25 |
| 7 | The Hill Academy | Caledon, ON | JK to 12 | 25 |
| 8 | Ontario Virtual School | Toronto, ON | 6 to 12 | 25 |
| 9 | St. Andrew's College | Aurora, ON | 5 to 12 | 24 |
| 10 | Bishop Strachan School ✝ | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | 20 |
A low admission rate may suggest a school selects only top students, leading some to believe it fosters stronger academic outcomes. While high standards play a role, other factors—like marketing, prestige, and location—also influence demand and acceptance rates.
Remember:
| School | Location | Grades | Acceptance rate |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Head Start Montessori School | North York, ON | NS to 6 | 7% |
| 2 | University of Toronto Schools | Toronto, ON | 7 to 12 | 20% |
| 3 | York School | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | 20% |
| 4 | Crescent School | Toronto, ON | 1 to 12 | 25% |
| 5 | Globe Cambridge School | North York, ON | 1 to 12 | 25% |
| 6 | Metropolitan Preparatory Academy | Toronto, ON | 7 to 12 | 30% |
| 7 | Branksome Hall | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | 30% |
| 8 | Crestwood Preparatory College | Toronto, ON | 7 to 12 | 30% |
| 9 | Havergal College | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | 30% |
| 10 | TFS - Canada's International School | Toronto, ON | NS to 12 | 30% |
Small class sizes are a common reason parents choose private education, as better teacher-student ratios can enhance focus and individual attention. That said, many schools with standard class sizes still offer excellent learning environments. Keep an open mind to all other aspects that make up a school. See the links to our advice guide above.
| School | Location | Grades | Avg. class size | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakwood Academy | Mississauga, ON | JK to 12 | 1 to 7 |
| 2 | St. Clement's Early Learning School | Toronto, ON | PS to 2 | 1 to 8 |
| 3 | North York Academy | North York, ON | 9 to 12 | 1 to 8 |
| 4 | École Louis Legrand | Ancaster, ON | 1 to 12 | 1 to 10 |
| 5 | Globe Cambridge School | North York, ON | 1 to 12 | 1 to 15 |
| 6 | Linbrook School | Oakville, ON | JK to 8 | 1 to 18 |
| 7 | Toronto STEM School | Toronto, ON | 9 to 12 | 2 to 10 |
| 8 | Monarch Academy by Monarch House | Toronto, ON | K to 10 | 3 to 8 |
| 9 | TAIE International Institute | Thornhill, ON | 7 to 12 | 3 to 15 |
| 10 | Applewood Academy for Progressive Learning | Belleville, ON | 3 to 12 | 4 to 6 |
Sports are an important part of life for many teens. Attending a school with a strong sports orientation can bring out the best in you. Listed below are private schools ranked based on sports programs available.
| School | Location | Grades | Total sports programs |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hillfield Strathallan College | Hamilton, ON | NS to 12 | 70 |
| 2 | St. Jude's Academy | Mississauga, ON | JK to 12 | 56 |
| 3 | Mentor College | Mississauga, ON | JK to 12 | 49 |
| 4 | TEAM School | Mississauga, ON | 1 to 8 | 46 |
| 5 | WillowWood School | Toronto, ON | K to 12 | 45 |
| 6 | Montcrest School | Toronto, ON | JK to 8 | 44 |
| 7 | Tall Pines School | Brampton, ON | NS to 12 | 43 |
| 8 | Rosedale Day School | Toronto, ON | JK to 8 | 41 |
| 9 | Northmount School ✝ | Toronto, ON | JK to 8 | 41 |
| 10 | Linbrook School | Oakville, ON | JK to 8 | 41 |
For some parents, a private school's tuition is simplistically correlated to the quality of education offered. This is certainly not guaranteed. Many of the best Ontario private schools charge very reasonable tuition and create learning environments that help some students thrive better than they would at more expensive schools. That said, more expensive schools may offer better facilities, more highly qualified instructors, and/or a greater number of extracurricular activities, etc. However, with the schools themselves, OUR KIDS urges you to focus your search on finding the school that will help your child thrive academically and personally.
| School | Location | Grades | Tuition | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Albert College | Belleville, ON | PS to 12 | $22,900 to $91,500 |
| 2 | Branksome Hall | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | $45,140 to $90,710 |
| 3 | Ridley College | St. Catharines, ON | JK to 12 | $31,875 to $87,500 |
| 4 | Havergal College | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | $45,670 to $87,485 |
| 5 | St. John's-Kilmarnock School | Waterloo Region (Breslau), ON | JK to 12 | $26,925 to $86,700 |
| 6 | Appleby College | Oakville, ON | 7 to 12 | $43,090 to $85,970 |
| 7 | St. Andrew's College | Aurora, ON | 5 to 12 | $44,825 to $84,435 |
| 8 | Oakwood Academy | Mississauga, ON | JK to 12 | $24,875 to $83,010 |
| 9 | Trafalgar Castle School | Whitby, ON | 4 to 12 | $32,000 to $83,000 |
| 10 | Trinity College School | Port Hope, ON | 5 to 12 | $31,000 to $83,000 |
Below, we offer a ranking of Ontario private schools with the earliest founding date.
| School | Location | Grades | Founded | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Upper Canada College | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | 1829 |
| 2 | Pickering College | Newmarket, ON | JK to 12 | 1842 |
| 3 | De La Salle College ✝ | Toronto, ON | 5 to 12 | 1851 |
| 4 | St. Michael's College School ✝ | Toronto, ON | 7 to 12 | 1852 |
| 5 | Albert College | Belleville, ON | PS to 12 | 1857 |
| 6 | Trinity College School | Port Hope, ON | 5 to 12 | 1865 |
| 7 | Bishop Strachan School ✝ | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | 1867 |
| 8 | Trafalgar Castle School | Whitby, ON | 4 to 12 | 1874 |
| 9 | Lakefield College School | Lakefield, ON | 9 to 12 | 1879 |
| 10 | Ridley College | St. Catharines, ON | JK to 12 | 1889 |
| School | Location | Grades | Endowment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Upper Canada College | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | $150,000,000 |
| 2 | Trinity College School | Port Hope, ON | 5 to 12 | $60,000,000 |
| 3 | Lakefield College School | Lakefield, ON | 9 to 12 | $41,751,462 |
| 4 | St. Andrew's College | Aurora, ON | 5 to 12 | $33,000,000 |
| 5 | Crescent School | Toronto, ON | 1 to 12 | $30,000,000 |
| 6 | Country Day School | King, ON | JK to 12 | $10,000,000 |
| 7 | St. Anne's School | Aurora, ON | 5 to 12 | $7,500,000 |
| 8 | Havergal College | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | $2,637,233 |
| 9 | Woodland Christian High School ✝ | Breslau, ON | 9 to 12 | $300,000 |
Below are Ontario private schools ranked in order of the number of notable alumni they have produced. The criteria for choosing these are whether alumni have been granted a Wikipedia page, a credible indicator of renown today. Bear in mind that some schools are much older and so have had more time to produce notable graduates. Newer schools may, in fact, offer more progressive approaches to education and numerous other advantages.
| School | Location | Grades | Notable alumni |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Upper Canada College | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | 97 |
| 2 | St. Michael's College School ✝ | Toronto, ON | 7 to 12 | 47 |
| 3 | Royal St. George's College | Toronto, ON | 3 to 12 | 31 |
| 4 | University of Toronto Schools | Toronto, ON | 7 to 12 | 22 |
| 5 | Lakefield College School | Lakefield, ON | 9 to 12 | 21 |
| 6 | St. Andrew's College | Aurora, ON | 5 to 12 | 17 |
| 7 | Bishop Strachan School ✝ | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | 15 |
| 8 | Appleby College | Oakville, ON | 7 to 12 | 13 |
| 9 | Trinity College School | Port Hope, ON | 5 to 12 | 13 |
| 10 | Havergal College | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | 12 |
| School | Location | Grades | Tuition | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Agate Private School | St. Catharines, ON | NS to 12 | $350 |
| 2 | ABC Montessori | Mississauga, ON | NS to 5 | $4,576 to $11,650 |
| 3 | KMSchool | Brampton, ON | NS to 12 | $4,576 to $18,700 |
| 4 | Toronto Waldorf School | Thornhill, ON | NS to 12 | $5,742 to $25,450 |
| 5 | Passages Centre for Self-Directed Learning | Toronto, ON | 5 to 12 | $7,455 to $15,000 |
| 6 | École Montessori | Pickering, ON | NS to 6 | $8,400 to $17,000 |
| 7 | Mater Boni Consilii Academy ✝ | Oakville, ON | JK to 8 | $8,500 |
| 8 | Maples Academy | Amaranth, ON | PS to 8 | $8,700 to $10,400 |
| 9 | Nile Academy | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | $9,000 to $10,000 |
| 10 | Crawford Adventist Academy ✝ | North York, ON | JK to 12 | $10,000 to $11,500 |
| School | Location | Grades | Students | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shining Stars School | Mississauga, ON | JK to 5 | 50% |
| 2 | The Hill Academy | Caledon, ON | JK to 12 | 40% |
| 3 | Hawthorn School ✝ | Toronto, ON | NS to 12 | 35% |
| 4 | Trinity College School | Port Hope, ON | 5 to 12 | 33% |
| 5 | Lakefield College School | Lakefield, ON | 9 to 12 | 30% |
| 6 | Passages Centre for Self-Directed Learning | Toronto, ON | 5 to 12 | 30% |
| 7 | Aurora Alternative Micro School | Toronto, ON | JK to 8 | 30% |
| 8 | St. Anne's School | Aurora, ON | 5 to 12 | 26% |
| 9 | St. Andrew's College | Aurora, ON | 5 to 12 | 26% |
| 10 | YMCA Academy | Toronto, ON | 6 to 12 | 25% |
| School | Location | Grades | Enrollment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ontario Virtual School | Toronto, ON | 6 to 12 | 20000 |
| 2 | CEFA Early Learning | Oakville, ON | NS to SK | 4300 |
| 3 | Ontario eSecondary School | Brampton, ON | 9 to 12 | 3500 |
| 4 | Mentor College | Mississauga, ON | JK to 12 | 1500 |
| 5 | TFS - Canada's International School | Toronto, ON | NS to 12 | 1500 |
| 6 | Hillfield Strathallan College | Hamilton, ON | NS to 12 | 1285 |
| 7 | Upper Canada College | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | 1277 |
| 8 | Bayview Glen | Toronto, ON | PS to 12 | 1130 |
| 9 | Central Montessori Schools | Toronto, ON | NS to 8 | 1075 |
| 10 | Havergal College | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | 1050 |
| School | Location | Grades | Day enrollment avg | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | OakHaven Academy For Diverse Learners | Burlington, ON | K to 8 | 1 |
| 2 | Aurora Alternative Micro School | Toronto, ON | JK to 8 | 1 |
| 3 | Alderwood Academy ✝ | Mississauga, ON | JK to 8 | 1 |
| 4 | Bright Start Academy | North York, ON | PS to 12 | 2 |
| 5 | Monarch Academy by Monarch House | Toronto, ON | K to 10 | 2 |
| 6 | Mater Boni Consilii Academy ✝ | Oakville, ON | JK to 8 | 2 |
| 7 | Dunblaine School | Toronto, ON | 1 to 8 | 2 |
| 8 | École Louis Legrand | Ancaster, ON | 1 to 12 | 2 |
| 9 | Passages Centre for Self-Directed Learning | Toronto, ON | 5 to 12 | 3 |
| 10 | Oakwood Academy | Mississauga, ON | JK to 12 | 3 |
| School | Location | Grades | Enrollment avg | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ontario Virtual School | Toronto, ON | 6 to 12 | 2,857 |
| 2 | Virtual High School | Bayfield, ON | 9 to 12 | 2,000 |
| 3 | CEFA Early Learning | Oakville, ON | NS to SK | 1,075 |
| 4 | Ontario eSecondary School | Brampton, ON | 9 to 12 | 875 |
| 5 | Appleby College | Oakville, ON | 7 to 12 | 136 |
| 6 | Hamilton District Christian High ✝ | Hamilton, ON | 9 to 12 | 128 |
| 7 | St. Michael's College School ✝ | Toronto, ON | 7 to 12 | 125 |
| 8 | Toronto District Christian High School ✝ | Woodbridge, ON | 9 to 12 | 125 |
| 9 | University of Toronto Schools | Toronto, ON | 7 to 12 | 112 |
| 10 | Lakefield College School | Lakefield, ON | 9 to 12 | 112 |
Are Ontario private schools good?
We interviewed both parents and students. You can read reviews about Ontario private schools on this page.
What is the most expensive Ontario private school?
Albert College has the highest tuition fees from $22,900 to $91,500 per year with an average tuition of $57,200 per year.
Which Ontario private school has the lowest acceptance rates?
The Ontario private school with the lowest acceptance rate is Head Start Montessori School. The school has an overall accepance rate of 7%.
What is the oldest Ontario private school?
Upper Canada College is the oldest Ontario private school. The school was founded in 1829.
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