On this page, we cover private Montessori high schools. This includes schools in Toronto, Ottawa, Mississauga, Pickering, and Scarborough, Ontario, and across Canada.
For a more complete guide to Montessori education, including a thorough discussion of the Montessori method and philosophy, check out our introductory guide.
Montessori high schools include students aged 14 to 18, the equivalent of grades 9 to 12 in most schools. In Montessori high schools, students do lots of independent and group work. They also begin note-taking, assignments, and tests, to prepare for university. Below, we list Montessori high schools. These schools can be filtered for several different features.
| School Name | Approach | Cost | |
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The Element High School (est. 2003)
Ottawa, Ontario The Element nurtures focused, engaged and internally motivated students who strive to do their best. The Element High School provides conditions that will put youth ‘in their element,’ in school and beyond. View profile |
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$18,810 to $21,905
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Hillfield Strathallan College (est. 1901)
Hamilton, Ontario Established in 1901, Hillfield Strathallan College is one of Canada’s leading co-educational independent schools, offering academic programs from Montessori Toddler and Pre-K to Grade 12, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. View profile |
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$8,500 to $52,000
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Westmont Montessori School (est. 1954)
Victoria, British Columbia We identify the experiences that facilitate education that empowers the individual and fosters a community of collaborative contributors through interdisciplinary, integrated integrated projects. View profile |
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$9,000 to $16,000
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TMS (est. 1961)
Richmond Hill, Ontario TMS is a leading, accredited independent school that offers a unique design of Montessori and International Baccalaureate programmes. Our students thrive in academics while building a foundation of Significance for life. View profile |
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$19,100 to $32,700
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OMS Montessori (est. 1966)
Ottawa, Ontario OMS Montessori is a non for profit, independent school offering separate French and English programs within a world class Montessori environment. View profile |
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$16,045 to $27,202
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Century Private School (est. 1994)
Richmond Hill, Ontario Century Private School in Richmond Hill runs from preschool to grade twelve, with small class ratio to ensure best learning for our students. View profile |
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$17,700 to $27,500
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Academy of Thought and Industry Toronto (est. 2022)
Toronto, Ontario ATI is a school for ambitious teens who want to develop into independent, curious, self-motivated individuals who thrive in school and in life. Gain the skills, knowledge and agency to build the future that you want. View profile |
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$17,000
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Unionville Montessori Private Schools (est. 1987)
Unionville, Ontario UMS offers year-ahead advanced programs from pre-school to grade nine. We blend high standards for academic success with the social and emotional development of the individual child. View profile |
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$9,050 to $15,750
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Trillium School (est. 1991)
Markham, Ontario Trillium School is a private school that offers programs from pre-school to grade twelve in Markham with Montessori-based kindergarten. View profile |
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$11,500 to $37,500
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J. Addison School (est. 2002)
Markham, Ontario Since 2002, J. Addison has provided a stimulating education for students. Located at the corner of Woodbine and Valleywood Drive in Markham, ON, Canada, you will find our state-of-the-art 58,000 sq. ft. facility. View profile |
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$16,500 to $40,800
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Kanata Montessori (est. 1974)
Kanata, Ontario For more than 40 years, Kanata Montessori has been graduating students with self-confidence, critical thinking skills, respect, high academic achievement, and an international perspective. View profile |
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$16,750 to $22,500
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Cornerstone Montessori Prep School (est. 1990)
Toronto, Ontario Cornerstone students love to shape the future. They INSPIRE learning, DISCOVER their potential, EMPOWER themselves to be innovative citizens. Our boundless learning strategies open doors for successful learning. View profile |
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$15,800 to $26,000
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Durham Elementary, Durham Academy and G.B.M.S. (est. 1984)
Oshawa, Ontario At G.B.MS, D.E.P.S and Durham Academy Secondary school focus is on each individual student and helping them meet their unique potential and goals. We believe in excellent customer service and families have a voice. Throughout the year we enhance our programs through program enhancement and enrichment. View profile |
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$1,000 to $11,500
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Country Garden Montessori Academy (est. 1995)
Newmarket, Ontario Situated on seven acres of rolling parkland and gardens, Country Garden Montessori Academy in Newmarket is a co-ed private day school for students in grades PS-12. The school provides a family atmosphere and is committed the intellectual growth and emotional well-being of students. View profile |
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$8,100 to $25,900
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Seneca Hill Private School (est. 1988)
Toronto, Ontario With faculty that truly cares for your child’s wellbeing, we provide a rare tight-knit community that feels like home. With a warm and welcoming culture, students are inspired to confidently make their mark in the world. View profile |
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$12,885 to $16,635
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Guidepost Montessori (est. 2016)
Toronto, Ontario Guidepost is a new Montessori school coming to Toronto, serving children from 10 weeks to 12 years old. We offer year-round programming and rolling admissions into our programs to meet the needs of every family. View profile |
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$1,150 to $1,550
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Some schools aren't Montessori schools, but use a Montessori approach for their preschool or daycare program. This approach gives young learners plenty of freedom to choose tasks and activities that interest them, which promotes their independence and confidence. It also strongly emphasizes concrete learning, where children work with lots of hands-on materials, and do practical life activities. Children usually work independently or in small groups in these programs.
| School Name | Approach | Cost | |
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Bond Academy (est. 1978)
Toronto, Ontario Bond Academy is a private, co-educational, non-denominational independent school with students from Montessori Casa to Grade 12. Our educational process is Beyond the Books! Education as it should be. View profile |
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$7,000 to $16,000
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Town Centre Private Schools (est. 1986)
Markham, Ontario Located in Markham, Ontario, Town Centre Private Schools is an International Baccalaureate® World School and offers a Montessori Pre-School program as well as an IB Elementary School and optional IB Diploma Programme. View profile |
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$7,700 to $17,750
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For general advice on how to choose private schools, check out our choosing a school guide and read advice from leading education experts. For advice specific to choosing Montessori schools (including high schools), see our Montessori choosing guide. You can also read our guides to questions to ask private schools and questions students get asked at school interviews.
Private school expos are a great way to find a school, Montessori or otherwise. We have annual private school expos in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, Calgary, and Halton-peel. These expos allow you to speak with tonnes of private schools in Canada. Many of these are Montessori schools (some of which are high schools). Find a Montessori high school near you.
Another important tool in your school search is the Our Kids parent discussion forum. The forum is a great place to discuss options and debate topics related to Montessori education and private schools. Take advantage of our community of parents, education experts, and school officials. They can help answer your most pressing questions.
Open houses are another effective way to learn about private schools. For general advice on open house visits, check out our guide on school visits.
| School name | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|
TMS | October 12, 2022 9:00 am | |
Hillfield Strathallan College | October 13, 2022 5:30 pm | 299 Fennell Avenue West Hamilton Ontario L9C 1G2 |
TMS | October 19, 2022 9:00 am | |
Unionville Montessori Private Schools | October 22, 2022 10:00 am | Unionville Montessori School 4486 16th Ave Markham ON L3R 0M1 |
TMS | October 25, 2022 9:30 am | TMS Upper School 500 Elgin Mills Road East Richmond Hill Ontario L4C 5G1 |
TMS | October 27, 2022 9:30 am | TMS Lower School 8569 Bayview Avenue Richmond Hill Ontario L4B 3M7 |
TMS | November 16, 2022 9:00 am | |
TMS | November 22, 2022 9:00 am | |
Unionville Montessori Private Schools | February 11, 2023 10:00 am | Unionville Montessori School 4486 16th Ave Markham ON L3R 0M1 |
Unionville Montessori Private Schools | April 01, 2023 10:00 am | Unionville Montessori School 4486 16th Ave Markham ON L3R 0M1 |
The cost of Montessori high schools tends to be lower than the cost of other private high schools. In fact, Montessori schools are usually on the lower side of private school tuition in general. Private school tuition can range from $5,000 to over $30,000 per year for day students.
Some Montessori high schools offer needs-based financial aid, such as bursaries or tuition relief. Some offer scholarships (a form of merit-based financial aid). Check out our financial aid guide for more on these options.
Below, you’ll find the range of costs for Montessori high schools:
| Tuition (day school) | Students receiving financial aid | Grade eligibility for financial aid | Avg. aid package size (annual) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
The Element High School | $18,810 to $21,905 | |||
Hillfield Strathallan College | $16,428 to $28,775 | 10% | JK - 12 | $4,500 |
Westmont Montessori School | $9,815 to $14,000 | 1% | Preschool - 12 | $5,000 |
TMS | $26,750 to $32,700 | Preschool - 12 | ||
OMS Montessori | $14,664 to $21,384 | 10% | Nursery/Toddler - 6 | $2,500 |
Academy of Thought and Industry Toronto | $17,000 | 7 - 8 | ||
Guidepost Montessori | Nursery/Toddler - 8 |
Primary curriculum | Secondary curriculum | Curriculum pace | Academic culture | Average class size | Language immersion | Special needs support | Tech integration |
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Bond Academy | Liberal Arts | Standard-enriched | Rigorous | 10 to 15 | Full-time Dedicated Class | Medium integration | ||
The Element High School | Progressive | Montessori | Student-paced | Supportive | Indirect Support | Heavy integration | ||
Hillfield Strathallan College | Traditional | Montessori | Standard-enriched | Rigorous | 16 to 20 | No support | Heavy integration | |
Westmont Montessori School | Montessori | Student-paced | Supportive | Withdrawal Assistance | Medium integration | |||
TMS | Montessori | International Baccalaureate | Student-paced | Rigorous | No support | |||
OMS Montessori | Montessori | Student-paced | Supportive | 16 to 25 | Withdrawal Assistance | Light integration | ||
Century Private School | Montessori | International Baccalaureate | Student-paced | Rigorous | 10 to 20 | No support | Light integration | |
Academy of Thought and Industry Toronto | Montessori | Student-paced | Supportive | 10 to 12 | No support | Heavy integration | ||
Unionville Montessori Private Schools | Traditional | Montessori | Accelerated | Rigorous | 18 to 24 | Withdrawal Assistance | Heavy integration | |
Trillium School | Traditional | Montessori | Accelerated | Rigorous | No support | Medium integration | ||
Town Centre Private Schools | Traditional | International Baccalaureate | Standard-enriched | Supportive | 15 to 24 | No support | ||
J. Addison School | Montessori | Standard-enriched | Supportive | 8 to 15 | No support | Light integration | ||
Kanata Montessori | Montessori | Montessori | Standard-enriched | Rigorous | 12 to 15 | Resource Assistance | Heavy integration | |
Cornerstone Montessori Prep School | Liberal Arts | Montessori | Accelerated | Rigorous | 10 to 15 | No support | ||
Durham Elementary, Durham Academy and G.B.M.S. | Progressive | Montessori | Standard-enriched | Rigorous | 8 to 16 | Indirect Support | Medium integration | |
Country Garden Montessori Academy | Montessori | Standard-enriched | Supportive | 10 to 15 | No support | |||
Seneca Hill Private School | Progressive | Montessori | Standard-enriched | Rigorous | 12 to 16 | Resource Assistance | ||
Guidepost Montessori | Montessori | Student-paced | Supportive | 1 to 10 | No support | Light integration |
Legend:
Bond Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||
The Element High School | ||||||||||||||||||||
Hillfield Strathallan College | ||||||||||||||||||||
Westmont Montessori School | ||||||||||||||||||||
TMS | ||||||||||||||||||||
OMS Montessori | ||||||||||||||||||||
Century Private School | ||||||||||||||||||||
Academy of Thought and Industry Toronto | ||||||||||||||||||||
Unionville Montessori Private Schools | ||||||||||||||||||||
Trillium School | ||||||||||||||||||||
Town Centre Private Schools | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Addison School | ||||||||||||||||||||
Kanata Montessori | ||||||||||||||||||||
Cornerstone Montessori Prep School | ||||||||||||||||||||
Durham Elementary, Durham Academy and G.B.M.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Country Garden Montessori Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Seneca Hill Private School | ||||||||||||||||||||
Guidepost Montessori |
Montessori high schools have lots of self-directed learning, group projects, and challenging work. Overall, their approach to education is progressive, and constrasts with more mainstream schools.
For further discussion of Montessori high school (not to mention preschool, middle school, and elementary school), see our main Montessori school guide.
In some Montessori high schools, students have long uninterrupted work periods, of two to three hours. During these periods, students can often work on their own chosen tasks.
On the other hand, Montessori students need to work through a challenging curriculum. They must master material in compulsory subjects such as math, science, history, and English. And, they’ll have the option of taking other subjects, such as geography, economics, and psychology.
Montessori high schools prepare students for university or college. Unlike preschool and elementary schools, they give students tests and assignments. They also grade many of these (though less than in mainstream schools).
Students are also given credits and grades for courses. Like mainstream high schools, for students to graduate with a diploma, their curriculum must meet the standards of the Ministry of Education.
For more details, see our guide to Montessori curriculum.
Child-specific advice on choosing a Montessori school
Read our child-specific insights on choosing the right school, including Montessori schools. We explore how choosing the right type of school crucially depends on kids' unique traits, such as their mental and academic focus, social tendencies, and activity level.
To customize over 350 school profiles with insights unique to your child's traits, create a child profile through an Our Kids user account.
Montessori high schools have an interesting teaching approach. Some lectures are given, though less than in mainstream high schools. Teachers must ensure students master the basics, especially in required subjects. Usually, though, the teacher doesn’t stand in the front of the classroom, and students don’t sit at desks.
Teachers use textbooks in some courses. Often, though, each student will have their own textbook, tailored to their special learning level. Rarely will there be one textbook for the entire class.
Students have the option to work alone or in groups to complete some projects, with some guidance from the teacher. Moreover, teachers give them quite a bit of freedom to choose their tasks and work at their own pace.
