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Montessori middle schools

Find the top Montessori middle schools in Canada.

On this page, we cover Montessori middle schools in Canada. This includes schools in Toronto, Ottawa, Mississauga, Pickering, and Scarborough, Ontario, and across Canada.

For a more detailed guide to Montessori education, including a discussion of Montessori philosophy, theory, and curricular approaches, check out our introductory guide.

Montessori middle schools (or junior high schools) include kids aged 12 to 14, the equivalent of grades 7 and 8 in most schools. There are quite a few Montessori middle schools in Canada (though not as many as there are elementary or preschools). These schools vary in terms of their approach, philosophy, learning environment, and program offerings. The schools listed below reflect this diversity. They can be filtered for a wide range of features.

2. Choosing a school

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 middle schools), see our main Montessori school guide. You can also read our guides to questions to ask private schools and questions students get asked at school interviews.

Private school expos

Private school expos are a great starting point if you're looking for a school. We have annual private school expos in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, Calgary, and Halton-peel. These expos allow you to speak with lots of private schools in Canada, many of which are (or have) middle schools. Find a Montessori middle school near you.

Parent discussion forum

Another great resource is the Our Kids parent discussion forum. The forum is an ideal place to discuss options and debate topics related to private schools, Montessori schools, and Montessori middle schools. Our community of parents, education experts, school officials, and alumni can help answer your questions and stimulate your thinking.

Open house events

Open houses can be a great way to learn more about schools. For general advice on open house visits, check out our guide on school visits.

3. Tuition at Montessori middle schools

The cost of Montessori middle schools tends to be lower than the cost of other private middle 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.

Some Montessori middle schools offer needs-based financial aid, such as bursaries or tuition relief. Some offer merit-based financial aid, namely, scholarships. Check out our financial aid guide for more on these options.

Below, you’ll find the range of costs for Montessori middle schools:

Academics

Special needs support

Montessori middle schools have a unique approach and philosophy based on the insights of Maria Montessori. They have a lot of self-directed learning, interaction, and group projects. For more coverage of Montessori middle schools (not to mention preschools and elementary schools), see our main Montessori school guide.

Montessori school curriculum

In Montessori middle schools, students do lots of independent and group work. They also often have some uninterrupted work time. During this time, they can work on tasks or projects, by themselves or with others. This is a hallmark of the Montessori method.

Montessori middle schools focus a lot on core academics, though. Montessori kids take math, science, languages, creative writing, and history, among other subjects. They may also work with modern-day technology. For instance, they may use computers, though usually only for research.

Middle schools start to prepare kids for high school, where they likely won’t be in a Montessori. Kids are given worksheets and start to practice note-taking. They may also be given some assignments and tests. They may not be graded on these, though.

Montessori middle schools are often a blend of standard Montessori education (including self-directed learning, group work, and student-to-student teaching) and traditional middle school education (including note-taking, assignments, and tests).

Montessori teaching approach

Some lectures are given, especially for difficult subjects such as math and science. More often, though, teachers give short lessons to small groups of students. Teachers also offer special guidance and support. They encourage students to take notes, and sometimes start to grade some of their assignments and tests.

Montessori students often work in groups to complete challenging projects. Older children help younger children with their work. This is a great way for both to reinforce their knowledge.