On this page, we cover private schools in Ottawa, Ontario that offer gifted programs and support. This includes gifted schools and programs in downtown Ottawa, Ottawa-Gatineau, Rockliffe Park, Rockland, Kemptville, Nepean, Kanata, Centretown, Centrepoint, the Glebe, Riverside Park, and Hampton Park.
For a more complete guide to gifted education, including a discussion of private vs. public options, start with our introductory guide.
Private schools are not obligated to support gifted learners with special programs. Many private schools don't—even ones with strong academic reputations. The schools listed on this page, however, do. We organize the schools into groups: dedicated gifted schools, schools with dedicated gifted classes, and schools offering in-class gifted support. Then, in the fourth group, we identify schools that don't offer formal gifted support but have accelerated curricula for all their students.
These are self-contained gifted schools, where 100% of the students are gifted. Teachers and staff can focus on tailoring the environment to gifted students, without compromise.
 Ottawa, Ontario Iris St/Woodroffe Ave "Empowering girls from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8 through bilingual education." —From the school
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 Ottawa, Ontario Richmond Rd./John Sutherland Dr. "We drive learners of all ages to ask questions, think critically, solve complex problems collaboratively, and act. Academic success is achieved via dynamic learning, differentiated teaching and meaningful assessments." —From the school
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 Ottawa, Ontario Kirkwood/Laperriere "Revel Academy is a learner-driven micro-school that utilizes adaptive and mastery-based technology, Socratic discussions, hands-on projects, and real-world apprenticeships in an innovative, character-forging community." —From the school
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 Ottawa, Ontario Donald St/Frances St "Promote academic excellence that stimulates the acquisition of language skills, the development of scientific and artistic competencies as well as the formation of a critical mind, in a multicultural environment." —From the school
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 Ottawa, Ontario Pinecrest Road/Queensview Drive "MindWare Academy is a small, supportive private school specializing in education for students with learning differences. Here, students rediscover their strengths and succeed academically and personally." —From the school
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These schools have a separate, dedicated class (or classes) where 100% of the students are gifted. These gifted classes can be either full-time or part-time, and exist in parallel to regular, non-gifted classes.
 Ottawa, Ontario St. Laurent Blvd./Montreal Rd. "Our mission is personalized student academic success in a friendly and caring school community, in which all students are emotionally supported and socially welcome." —From the school
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 Ottawa, Ontario "Our mission is to provide students with the support they deserve to enable them to reach their full academic potential. This solid foundation equips students to confidently pursue their desired post-secondary paths." —From the school
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 Ottawa, Ontario Bank/Heron "Westboro International Academy is a proud leader in bilingual education for young learners from Kindergarten to Gr. 8. Give your child a lifetime of excellence with Ottawa's most personalized, truly bilingual education." —From the school
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 Nepean, Ontario "R.I.S.E. Academy empowers youth with personalized, experiential learning rooted in equity and the UN SDGs.We focus on inquiry-based, culturally relevant education that fosters creativity, leadership, and community impact" —From the school
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 Kanata, Ontario • Kanata, Province Eagleson Road/Stonehaven Drive "For 50 years, Kanata Montessori has offered excellent learning environments for students to grow emotionally, socially and academically into a positive global citizen." —From the school
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These schools offer support for gifted students within the regular classroom. Gifted students stay with regular learners, while receiving special, individualized programming.
 Ottawa, Ontario Carling Avenue/Broadview Avenue "Phoenix Private Academy offers elementary education to students with ASD and other exceptionalities, maintaining small teacher to student ratios. We promote strong academic, physical and social-emotional development." —From the school
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 Ottawa, Ontario Baseline Rd./Woodroffe Ave. "Bishop Hamilton Montessori School, a not-for-profit independent school in Ottawa, provides an authentic Christian Montessori approach for children 3 months to 14 years." —From the school
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 Ottawa, Ontario Fisher Ave/Baseline Rd "Turnbull School is dedicated to academic excellence in a caring environment. Highly qualified teachers, small class sizes, comprehensive, enriching programming, and variety in athletics, science, technology and the arts." —From the school
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 Ottawa, Ontario Bank Street/Marché Way "Our programs find the interaction of youth’s developmental characteristics, the Ontario curriculum, and the requirements of the adult world to create the focussed engagement that naturally leads to personal excellence." —From the school
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These schools offer no formal program for gifted students, but have an accelerated baseline curriculum. This means all students—gifted or not—do the work of older peers at other schools. For highly gifted learners (those in the 99th percentile), this alone is likely not enough to support their needs.
"This traditional private school in Ottawa offers Grades 4-12 with 100 boarding and 650 day students. Tuition ranges from $38,970 to $84,700. Ashbury excels in academics, co-curriculars, and experiential learning.
—From the school
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 Ottawa, Ontario Buena Vista Road/Springfield Road "Elmwood School is Ottawa’s leading school for girls from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12. With high academic standards, small classes, and a supportive environment, each girl is known, challenged, and empowered to reach her" —From the school
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Our gifted education guide has advice specific to finding gifted programming. For insights that are more general (on how to evaluate school options), we recommend you review our hub on choosing a school, as well as top expert advice. You can also read our guides to questions to ask private schools and questions students get asked at school interviews.
Private school expos are ideal launching pads for your school-finding journey. The Ottawa private school expo allows you to speak with 15+ of the leading Ottawa private schools — all in one place. Find a gifted school near you.
Word-of-mouth is another powerful tool in your school-finding arsenal. The Our Kids parent discussion forum allows you to discuss your options and debate topics about gifted education. You can use our community of parents, educational experts, alumni, and school officials to help answer your questions and stimulate your thinking.
Attending open houses is a great way to learn more about a school and get a feel for the environment. For some general advice on open house visits, go here. For questions to ask that are specific to gifted programs, check out our main gifted education guide.
| School name | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|
Kanata Montessori | August 05, 2026 12:00 am |
Broadly speaking, the cost of gifted schools in Ottawa reflects private school tuition in general. Private schools can range from $5,000 to over $30,000 per year for day students.
There are quite a few affordable private schools for gifted kids. Inexpensive schools can often provide an excellent education by focusing on the classroom basics. You don't need to spend a fortune on bells and whistles: the key is getting your child individualized support. Having said that, the pricier schools will tend to provide a wider breadth of in-class and extracurricular opportunities. They will also tend to be larger and more established. Nonetheless, for most schools, the largest operating expense is usually teacher salaries.
Many schools offer financial aid (also known as "bursaries", "tuition relief", or "tuition assistance") and scholarships. Financial aid is needs-based, while scholarships are given for some measure of merit (whether it be academic, athletic, or something else). You can read more about financial aid and scholarships in our dedicated guide. Generally speaking, the larger and more expensive private schools provide the most aid. Even comfortable middle-class families can be eligible to receive aid, so don't be afraid to ask a school about it—whatever your financial situation.
Below you'll find the range of costs at Ottawa private schools with gifted programming:
| Tuition (day school) | Students receiving financial aid | Grade eligibility for financial aid | Avg. aid package size (annual) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Ashbury College | $38,970 | 10% | 7 - 12 | $15,000 |
Elmwood School | $18,800 to $37,650 | 24% | 6 - 12 | $6,800 |
Académie de la Capitale | $23,285 to $26,920 | 2% | 1 - 12 | $6,500 |
Bishop Hamilton Montessori School | $4,620 to $19,495 | 1 - 8 | ||
Academie Providence | $11,600 to $13,300 | 35% | 1 - 8 | $40 |
The Element High School | $18,810 to $21,905 |
Legend:
| DS | DC | SE | CC | IS | CL | AC | LI | AP | IB | SN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ashbury College | |||||||||||
Elmwood School | |||||||||||
Joan of Arc Academy | L'Academie Jeanne d'Arc | |||||||||||
Académie de la Capitale | |||||||||||
Académie St-Laurent Academy | |||||||||||
Phoenix Private Academy | |||||||||||
Heritage Academy of Learning Excellence | |||||||||||
Bishop Hamilton Montessori School | |||||||||||
Académie Internationale Westboro International Academy | |||||||||||
Revel Academy | |||||||||||
Academie Providence | |||||||||||
Turnbull School | |||||||||||
MindWare Academy | |||||||||||
The Element High School | |||||||||||
R.I.S.E. Academy | |||||||||||
Kanata Montessori |
| Founding date | Endowment | Admissions rate | Enrollment | Enrollment per grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ashbury College | 1891 | $17,000,000 | 70% | 750 | 75 |
Elmwood School | 1915 | $0 | 70% | 385 | 26 |
Joan of Arc Academy | L'Academie Jeanne d'Arc | 1954 | $0 | 85% | 115 | 10 |
Académie de la Capitale | 1998 | $0 | 85% | 65 | 5 |
Académie St-Laurent Academy | 2007 | $0 | 90% | 550 | 34 |
Phoenix Private Academy | 2007 | $0 | 95% | 50 | 6 |
Heritage Academy of Learning Excellence | 1989 | $0 | 75% | 170 | 14 |
Bishop Hamilton Montessori School | 1983 | $0 | 99% | 200 | 17 |
Académie Internationale Westboro International Academy | 1993 | $0 | 90% | 160 | 15 |
Revel Academy | 2017 | $0 | 80% | 60 | 5 |
Academie Providence | 2002 | $0 | 100% | 270 | 23 |
Turnbull School | 1992 | $0 | 80% | 425 | 39 |
MindWare Academy | 2005 | $0 | 80% | 40 | 5 |
The Element High School | 2003 | $0 | 95% | 100 | 17 |
R.I.S.E. Academy | 2020 | $0 | 100 | ||
Kanata Montessori | 1974 | $0 | 70% | 386 | 24 |
Primary curriculum | Secondary curriculum | Curriculum pace | Academic culture | Average class size | Language immersion | Special needs support | Tech integration |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ashbury College | Traditional | International Baccalaureate | Accelerated | Rigorous | 17 | No support | Medium integration | |
Elmwood School | Progressive | International Baccalaureate | Accelerated | Rigorous | 15 to 18 | No support | Heavy integration | |
Joan of Arc Academy | L'Academie Jeanne d'Arc | Progressive | Standard-enriched | Supportive | 16 to 18 | No support | Medium integration | ||
Académie de la Capitale | Progressive | International Baccalaureate | Accelerated | Rigorous | 8 to 12 | Special needs school | Heavy integration | |
Académie St-Laurent Academy | Progressive | Standard-enriched | Rigorous | 12 to 15 | No support | Medium integration | ||
Phoenix Private Academy | Traditional | Student-paced | Supportive | 4 to 12 | Special needs school | Medium integration | ||
Heritage Academy of Learning Excellence | Traditional | Standard-enriched | Supportive | 8 to 14 | Special needs school | Medium integration | ||
Bishop Hamilton Montessori School | Montessori | Student-paced | Supportive | No support | Light integration | |||
Académie Internationale Westboro International Academy | Traditional | Standard-enriched | Rigorous | 14 to 18 | No support | Medium integration | ||
Revel Academy | Progressive | Student-paced | Supportive | Indirect Support | Heavy integration | |||
Academie Providence | Progressive | Montessori | Standard-enriched | Rigorous | 8 to 20 | Full-time Dedicated Class | Medium integration | |
Turnbull School | Traditional | Standard-enriched | Supportive | 10 to 18 | Resource Assistance | Medium integration | ||
MindWare Academy | Liberal Arts | Student-paced | Supportive | 8 to 9 | Special needs school | Light integration | ||
The Element High School | Progressive | Montessori | Student-paced | Supportive | Indirect Support | Heavy integration | ||
R.I.S.E. Academy | Reggio Emilia | Montessori | Student-paced | Supportive | 1 | Special needs school | ||
Kanata Montessori | Montessori | Reggio Emilia | Standard-enriched | Rigorous | 12 to 23 | Resource Assistance | Light integration |
Legend:
Ashbury College | ||||||||||||||||||||
Elmwood School | ||||||||||||||||||||
Joan of Arc Academy | L'Academie Jeanne d'Arc | ||||||||||||||||||||
Académie de la Capitale | ||||||||||||||||||||
Académie St-Laurent Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Phoenix Private Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Heritage Academy of Learning Excellence | ||||||||||||||||||||
Bishop Hamilton Montessori School | ||||||||||||||||||||
Académie Internationale Westboro International Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Revel Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Academie Providence | ||||||||||||||||||||
Turnbull School | ||||||||||||||||||||
MindWare Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||
The Element High School | ||||||||||||||||||||
R.I.S.E. Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Kanata Montessori |
| Admission deadline | SSAT required | Interview required | Acceptance rate | Next open house | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ashbury College | Day: Dec 1, 2023 Boarding: rolling | 4 - 12 | 70% | ||
Elmwood School | Day: rolling | Preschool - 12 | 70% | ||
Joan of Arc Academy | L'Academie Jeanne d'Arc | Day: rolling | JK - 8 | 85% | ||
Académie de la Capitale | Day: rolling | JK - 12 | 85% | ||
Académie St-Laurent Academy | Day: rolling | JK - 12 | 90% | ||
Phoenix Private Academy | Day: rolling | K - 8 | 95% | ||
Heritage Academy of Learning Excellence | Day: rolling | 1 - 12 | 75% | ||
Bishop Hamilton Montessori School | Day: rolling | Nursery/Toddler - 8 | 99% | ||
Académie Internationale Westboro International Academy | Day: rolling | JK - 8 | 90% | ||
Revel Academy | Day: rolling | JK - 8 | 80% | ||
Academie Providence | Day: rolling | 3 - 8 | Preschool - 8 | 100% | |
Turnbull School | Day: rolling | 80% | |||
MindWare Academy | Day: rolling | 1 - 8 | 80% | ||
The Element High School | Day: rolling | 7 - 12 | 95% | ||
R.I.S.E. Academy | |||||
Kanata Montessori | Day: rolling | Nursery/Toddler - 12 | 70% | Aug 5, 2026 |
Nursery/Toddler | Preschool | JK | SK | K | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ashbury College | 70% | 70% | 70% | 70% | 70% | 70% | 70% | 70% | 70% | ||||||||
Elmwood School | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | |
Joan of Arc Academy | L'Academie Jeanne d'Arc | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | ||||||
Académie de la Capitale | 90% | 90% | 0% | 85% | 85% | 85% | 85% | 85% | 85% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | ||
Académie St-Laurent Academy | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Phoenix Private Academy | 95% | 95% | 95% | 95% | 95% | 95% | 95% | 95% | 95% | ||||||||
Heritage Academy of Learning Excellence | 75% | 75% | 75% | 75% | 75% | 75% | 75% | 75% | 75% | 75% | 75% | 75% | |||||
Bishop Hamilton Montessori School | 99% | 99% | 99% | 99% | 99% | 99% | 99% | 99% | 99% | 99% | 99% | 99% | 99% | ||||
Académie Internationale Westboro International Academy | 90% | 90% | 0% | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% | 90% | ||||||
Revel Academy | 95% | 95% | 95% | 95% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | ||||||
Academie Providence | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | |||||
Turnbull School | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | ||||||
MindWare Academy | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | |||||||||
The Element High School | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | |||||||||||
Kanata Montessori | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Nursery/Toddler | Preschool | JK | SK | K | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ashbury College | 70% | 70% | 70% | 70% |
| Math | Science | Literature | Humanities Social Sciences | Foreign Languages | Fine Arts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ashbury College | Traditional Math | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance |
Elmwood School | Equal Balance | Inquiry | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Communicative | Creative |
Joan of Arc Academy | L'Academie Jeanne d'Arc | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | We don't offer Foreign Languages | Equal Balance |
Académie de la Capitale | Equal Balance | Inquiry | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance |
Académie St-Laurent Academy | Equal Balance | Inquiry | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance |
Phoenix Private Academy | Traditional Math | Equal Balance | Traditional | Equal Balance | Communicative | Creative |
Heritage Academy of Learning Excellence | Equal Balance | Inquiry | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | We don't offer Foreign Languages | Equal Balance |
Bishop Hamilton Montessori School | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Pragmatism | Equal Balance | Equal Balance |
Académie Internationale Westboro International Academy | Equal Balance | Inquiry | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance |
Revel Academy | Equal Balance | Inquiry | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Communicative | Creative |
Academie Providence | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Audio-Lingual | Equal Balance |
Turnbull School | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Traditional | Equal Balance | Communicative | Creative |
MindWare Academy | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Pragmatism | We don't offer Foreign Languages | Creative |
The Element High School | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Pragmatism | Equal Balance | Equal Balance |
R.I.S.E. Academy | Equal Balance | |||||
Kanata Montessori | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance | Equal Balance |
Student council | School newspaper | Yearbook | Radio club | Photograph club | Art club |
Choir | Band | Dance club | Yoga club | Drama club | Debate club |
Chess club | Math club | Science club | Robotics club | Computer club | Environmental club | Outdoor club | Community service |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ashbury College | ||||||||||||||||||||
Elmwood School | ||||||||||||||||||||
Joan of Arc Academy | L'Academie Jeanne d'Arc | ||||||||||||||||||||
Académie de la Capitale | ||||||||||||||||||||
Académie St-Laurent Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Phoenix Private Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Heritage Academy of Learning Excellence | ||||||||||||||||||||
Bishop Hamilton Montessori School | ||||||||||||||||||||
Académie Internationale Westboro International Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Revel Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Academie Providence | ||||||||||||||||||||
Turnbull School | ||||||||||||||||||||
MindWare Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||
The Element High School | ||||||||||||||||||||
Kanata Montessori |
Badminton | Baseball | Basketball | Cricket | Equestrian | Football | Golf | Gymnastics | Ice Hockey | Lacrosse | Rowing | Rugby | Soccer | Softball | Squash | Swimming | Tennis | Track and Field | Volleyball | Wrestling |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ashbury College | ||||||||||||||||||||
Elmwood School | ||||||||||||||||||||
Joan of Arc Academy | L'Academie Jeanne d'Arc | ||||||||||||||||||||
Académie de la Capitale | ||||||||||||||||||||
Académie St-Laurent Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Phoenix Private Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Heritage Academy of Learning Excellence | ||||||||||||||||||||
Bishop Hamilton Montessori School | ||||||||||||||||||||
Académie Internationale Westboro International Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Revel Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Academie Providence | ||||||||||||||||||||
Turnbull School | ||||||||||||||||||||
MindWare Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||
The Element High School | ||||||||||||||||||||
Kanata Montessori |
Make no mistake: gifted kids have different needs than typical students. These learners are often so advanced in their intellectual abilities that they are outliers in the classroom: a normal curriculum and approach won't be enough. When these students don't receive the custom support they need, they can disengage from school -- and even become depressed.
If you know or suspect your child is gifted, you're faced with the following questions:
You can also consider other options, like language immersion programs, the International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement courses (for older students), special needs programs, or other alternatives like Montessori schools.
If you're still grappling with these questions, start with our introductory guide to gifted education. Once you're versed in the fundamentals, re-visit this page to explore your specific school options in Ottawa area.
Private schools are not required by law to provide support for gifted children—and many don't. On the other hand, some private schools are able to offer highly individualized programs for gifted learners. The term "buyer beware" definitely applies here: it's up to you to make sure schools are properly set up for gifted learners. The list of private schools on this page (above) is a good place to start your search.
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