155 Clayton Drive, Markham, Ontario, L3R 7P3, Canada
660 Brownsey Avenue, Duncan, British Columbia, V9L 1C2, Canada
155 Clayton Drive, Markham, Ontario, L3R 7P3, Canada
660 Brownsey Avenue, Duncan, British Columbia, V9L 1C2, Canada
1986
1921
1000
553
Nursery/Toddler to 12
Preschool to 12
Coed
Coed
Day
Boarding, Homestay, Day
English
English
Academic
Academic
Traditional, International Baccalaureate
Progressive
15 to 24
16 to 22
$7,400 to $17,250
$17,500 to $25,680
$62,880 to $79,230
No
Yes
0%
25%
None
SK to 12
$0
$3,000
59
35
0%
16%
0%
80%
Nursery/Toddler, Preschool, JK, SK, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Preschool, JK, SK, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Rolling
Rolling
Not available
Rolling
Yes: grades 1 - 9
Yes: grades Preschool - 12
No
No
information not available
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Town Centre offers the best of many worlds, beginning with a pre-school Montessori program. TCPS is also an IB Continuum World School offering the International Baccalaureate PYP, MYP and DP. The programs run from pre-school through Grade 12, and the student body is on the large end of the private school spectrum, certainly much larger than a majority of the schools nearby. All of that provides a lot of room for the school to develop the curricular and extra-curricular programs. For the families that look to TCPS, those are the things that really catch their eye: dedicated teaching, a broad range of programming, and a clear demonstration of academic strength and innovation. For families enrolling in the earlier years, the fact that the school offers before- and after-care is certainly also a plus; for those of older children, equally welcome is the offering of various after-school programs, including after school courses, tutorials, clubs, and competitive sports. Throughout, TCPS provides a truly unique program—there’s no other school quite like it—one based in an attention to learner-based instruction and collaborative learning, and a vibrant student environment.
View full reportVancouver Island has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to beautiful, excellent schools, and certainly Queen Margaret’s is one of them. It was founded in 1921 by Norah Creina Denny and Dorothy Rachel Geoghegan, who dedicated themselves to providing what was, for the time, something unique: a robust educational experience for all, including women “capable of realizing ourselves as complete individuals.” Certainly, that’s what they did, and it’s a tradition that the school maintains today. The riding program is distinguishing, as is the strength of the academic programs. A strategic plan begun in 2014, to complete at the school’s centenary, will reaffirm the commitment of the founders to excellence as well as their commitment to adapting to the changing needs of students.
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" ... outstanding on all levels ... "
Mary Furneaux - Parent (Feb 05, 2018)
At Queen Margret's my child has grown to appreciate the diversity of the students. Being a preschool...
View full review
"Founded in 1986, Town Centre Private Schools (TCPS) is an International Baccalaureate® (IB) Continuum World School providing a foundation for academic excellence with a well-rounded program. TCPS offers a Pre-School Montessori program starting at 18 months. TCPS is enrolled in the CWELCC program. At the age of 4, students start a combined Montessori/IB program. The Pre-School provides half day or full day programs with 2 to 3 teachers per class. The Elementary program offers an IB (PYP and MYP) curriculum with 2 teachers per class providing enrichment in the core subjects. French, Music, Computer studies and Physical Education are taught by specialist teachers. The High School offers an IB/University Prep and optional IB Diploma Programme in addition to the Ontario Secondary School Diploma. 100% of students who apply to university are accepted. School life is enhanced with extracurricular competitive sports, intramurals, clubs, community outreach, trips and visitors. TCPS offers before school 7:00 - 9:00 a.m. and after school programs 3:30 - 6:30 p.m. which are included with tuition. Weekly Pre-School and Elementary Camps are available each summer as well as High School Ministry Credit Courses. Our programs fully prepare the students for the challenges ahead as they advance to the next grade at Town Centre or begin their studies in university."
"Located in the scenic Cowichan Valley, Queen Margaret’s School is an all-gender school with over 100 years of providing an exceptional education that builds confidence, character and compassion. Students develop and grow through a vibrant curriculum that focuses on experiential learning, innovative thinking and environmental stewardship. We proudly offer Canada's only on-campus Equestrian Program. Be curious. Be kind. Be brave. Be you."
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"Our unique educational model guides students to academic and personal excellence while developing the confidence to express their ideas and engage actively in their learning. We use our 30-acre campus and our local communities to serve as living classrooms where "learning by doing" encourages students to apply their knowledge to complex, real-world challenges."
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"Along with our strong academic and well-rounded programming, families choose QMS because of our welcoming community. From the moment families step onto campus, meet staff/teachers, interact with current students and speak with our families, the feeling of warmth and caring permeates all aspects of campus life."
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Welcome to Town Centre Private Schools®. Founded in 1986, TCPS® is a unique school offering a Montessori Pre-School program and an Elementary and High School International Baccalaureate® (IB) World School. Students who take the IB Programme excel in university studies and beyond.
It is so gratifying to find an ideology that can take our Montessori foundations and build upon them in both the Elementary and High School Divisions. The IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) and IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) prepare students for the demands of the High School IB Diploma Programme. In grades 11 and 12, TCPS students have the option of completing the regular Ontario Ministry curriculum, taking IB Certificate Courses, or doing the full IB Diploma Programme (DP). In today’s world with rapidly changing parameters, critical thinking along with self-challenging habits are a necessity and TCPS students will be able to rise to the challenges with ease.
It is with great pride that each year we celebrate the graduating class, many of whom we have had the privilege of watching grow up as part of our TCPS family. With our Remote Learning program in the spring of 2020, our students are fully prepared for the start of school this September, both with Town Centre and those moving on to university. This year the graduating class of 2020 earned over $28,000 in university scholarships. We wish these graduates all the best as they begin the next chapter of their lives.
With detailed safety protocols established, we ran a successful Pre-School Summer Camp and Elementary Summer Camp during July and August. High School students were also able to earn additional credits with online courses this past summer.
Over the summer a comprehensive re-opening plan for the regular school year was put in place allowing students to return to Town Centre this fall and continue with their studies in a safe and controlled environment. Visit TCMPS.com for more information.
Classed resumed on Tuesday, September 8th with students from Pre-School to High School attending class 5 days a week. For TCPS families who prefer to study from home, we are also offering a Remote Learning program for students in Preparatory (age 4) to grade 12.
We have come a long way from our modest beginnings in 1986. One of the keys to our success has been the dedication of our teaching staff and administration. I would like to acknowledge their hard work and enthusiasm over the years. We have grown over the last 3 decades to become a reputable and respected educational institution and I look forward to our future together.
‘Fit’ is everything when choosing a school for your children or when selecting a place into which you want to pour your skills, character and energies. Here at QMS, we pride ourselves on a strong sense of community where everyone is an individual and meaningful relationships are the order of the day. Most people crave a sense of belonging and value connection so a school that works very hard to develop a meaningful culture can indeed be a place where strong attachments are formed.
I encourage you to explore our programmes and approaches to learning both inside and outside of the classroom. If you take that step and visit us here on campus, you will feel the sense of community for yourself. As we approach our 100th birthday, we are proud of our Founders’ vision, yet, we are excited about the future with all of the opportunities that it presents.
QMS is vibrant and ready to keep developing these “young trailblazers” who will take the lessons learned here out into the world to great effect. That’s the joy and it all just seems to be a good ‘fit’ for so many people.
Progressive
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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.
Progressive (sometimes called "in- quiry-based") curricula attempt to place children's interests and ideas at the heart of the learning experience. Instead of lessons being driven by predetermined pathways, progressive curricula are often "emergent", with learning activities shaped by students' questions about the world. Instead of starting with academic concepts and then tying it to everyday experience, progressive methods begin with everyday experience and work back to an academic lesson. Teachers provide materials, experiences, tools and resources to help students investigate a topic or issue. Students are encouraged to explore, reflect on their findings, and discuss answers or solutions.
Some private schools offer International Baccalaureate (IB) programming. The "Diploma Programme" is offered to students in the final two years of high school, while the "Primary Years Programme" (ages 3 to 12) and "Middle Years Programme" (ages 11 to 16) serve as preparation for the diploma program.
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Contact the school for more information.
Students flourish in small classes where everyone has the opportunity to share ideas. QMS is the ideal size to reflect Canada’s many cultures while remaining an intimate community. We are large enough to offer an extensive educational program, yet small enough to ensure that each student is known and respected as an individual. As a university-preparatory school, academic rigor and personal excellence are our aims. Innovative and unique programs are offered to all students and support is provided to those students who need extra time to help build their confidence, self-esteem, knowledge and skills. We have developed a school culture where students can feel proud of their successes.
Equal Balance
These math programs feature an equal balance of “Traditional” and “Discovery” methods.
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Balanced Literacy
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.
Balanced reading programs are typically Whole Language programs with supplementary phonics training. This training might be incidental, or it might take the form of mini-lessons.
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Equal balance
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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Equal Balance
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
Physics
Equal Balance
These literature programs draw in equal measure from “Traditional” and “Social Justice” programs.
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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
Expanding Communities
The Expanding Communities approach organizes the curriculum around students’ present, everyday experience. In the younger grades, students might learn about themselves, for example. As they move through the grades, the focus gradually broadens in scope: to the family, neighbourhood, city, province, country, and globe. The curriculum tends to have less focus on history than Core Knowledge programs.
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Equal Balance
These programs represent an equal balance between the perennialist and pragmatic approach to teaching the humanities and social sciences.
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Communicative
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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Equal Balance
These programs have an equal emphasis on receptive and creative learning.
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Acting
Dance
Drama/Theatre
Graphic Design
Music
Visual Arts
Acting
Dance
Drama/Theatre
Graphic Design
Music
Visual Arts
Medium integration
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
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Queen Margaret’s School offers exemplary curricular and co-curricular athletic and club programs that provide students with the opportunity for physical as well as academic development. The athletic program in the Junior School includes every student. There are many opportunities for involvement in sports. Building a strong athletic program, developing physically fit and motivated students and building team pride is a process that takes many years. Specific skill development must be sequential and must begin early. Therefore, we expect Intermediate students to participate on a team or in a sport at least twice each year. We also offer structured and unstructured opportunities for our primary students to get involved in athletics and team sports. In Senior School, physical education classes for all students combined with an integrated Outdoor Education program develop physical fitness and skills while enhancing sportsmanship and strengthening student self-esteem.
Play-based
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.
Play-based programs are the most common type of preschool and Kindergarten, and are founded on the belief young children learn best through play. Largely open-ended and minimally structured, play-based programs aim to develop social skills and a love of attending school. “Pre-academic” skills are taught, but in a more indirect way than at, say, an Academic program: through children playing in different “stations” set up around the classroom, which children choose on their own volition. Stations often contain an indirect lesson or developmental goal. Play-based classrooms are highly social and active.
Queen Margaret’s Early Childhood Education programs are designed for three and four year-old children. We offer nurturing and play-based programs enriched with a wide variety of age appropriate activities that promote social, physical, intellectual, creative, and emotional development.
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.
Differentiated instruction based on student learning needs.
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.
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”.
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"We honour and distinguish our brightest students, using them as examples for other students to follow."
Balanced
Equal emphasis is placed on a balance of priorities: intellectual, emotional, social and physical cultivation.
Balanced
Equal emphasis is placed on a balance of priorities: intellectual, emotional, social and physical cultivation.
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."
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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
SK - 12
0%
25%
$0
$3,000
0%
80%
Nursery/Toddler, Preschool, JK, SK, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Preschool, JK, SK, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Rolling
Rolling
Not available
Rolling
Yes: grades 1 - 9
Yes: grades Preschool - 12
No
No
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
Our admissions process is very personalized. Members of our team look forward to meeting prospective families to determine if QMS is suited to them. We are looking for students who would benefit from our academic program, small enriched classes and specialist teachers. Student applications are assessed individually, taking into consideration past performance, teacher recommendations and students’ extra curricular interests.
Please refer to the links below for admissions details for each division level.
Pre-School Division - 18 months to age 6
Elementary Division - grades 1 to 8
High School Division - grades 9 - 12
Please visit our Admissions page at qms.bc.ca/admissions/ for our current admissions criteria and fees.
