There are several different types of preschool programs. Some of these programs are quite academic, while others are more play-based. Yet others combine the two approaches. Read more
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Elmwood School is Ottawa's pre-eminent school for girls from JK to Grade 12. Our high academic standards, small class sizes and safe, supportive environment ensure that each girl is inspired to reach her full potential.
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This academically re-known French & English bilingual serves students from Pre-Kg to High School. Class size averages 20 students; tuition ranges from $15,000 to $18,00 . Boarding is available.
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Oakville's SMLS continues to be a premier independent school for girls Preschool to Graduating Year since 1891. "Millie" graduates take on the world with confidence and the knowledge that they can do anything.
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St-Laurent Academy is a private school that offers programs from nursery to high school in Ottawa. Its average class size is ten to 15 students.
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The Maples is a private IB school in Orangeville, ON from PS to grade 8. Tuition starts at $8500. The Maples offer daily French instruction starting in PS.
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Glenburnie School, Oakville, offers enriched, child-centred, responsive, academic programs from Pre-K through Grade 8. Class sizes range from 8 to 18 students depending on grade level.
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La Citadelle's Excellence in Bilingual Education and academically advanced curriculum develop successful global citizens through IB & AP programs and a holistic approach where students achieve their highest potential.
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Kendellhurst offers students an enriched curriculum with a mix of project based, traditional and arts infused curriculum, with digital displays, Macs and PC's in every room and Edwin personal devices for grades 5 to 8.
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Hawthorn School is an all-girls school in Toronto that offers programs from toddler to grade 12. Our unique mentoring program is tailored to each girl to help them reach their full potential.
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Lynn-Rose Heights Private School offers challenging academic programming from three years old to grade twelve in Mississauga. Lynn-Rose Heights school is an official International Baccalaureate World School.
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Established in 1901, Hillfield Strathallan College is one of Canada’s leading co-educational independent schools, offering programs to students 18 months through Grade 12 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
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Acadecap International School a.k.a. Académie de la Capitale, an IB school, offers bilingual and/or English programmes from Pre-K to Grade 12. Students thrive in a culture of academic excellence and real-life learning.
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Kidz Kare offers a wide range of services that help with all parents' needs. Our flexibility in childcare services is what sets us apart from all other schools.
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TFS - Canada's International School (West Campus) offers programs from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 7. Its average class size is 12 to 22 students.
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Prestige School offers programs from junior kindergarten to grade 12 in Toronto. Its average class size is 10 to 18 students.
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RMS is an award-winning progressive private school, and voted the BEST private school in Brampton. We offer a structured programme that is ahead of the Ministry set guidelines.
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Located in the Leaside neighbourhood of Toronto, Children's Garden Nursery School is a well-established private school that offers exceptional programming including Core French and French Immersion.
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The Prestige School offers programs from pre-school to grade eight in Richmond Hill. Its average class size is ten students.
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The PK – Grade 6 program is a visible expression of the philosophy embodied in Ledson's books, Raising Brighter Children and Teach Your Child to Read in Just 10 Minutes a Day.
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Bayview Glen is a traditional co-ed day school in Toronto, Ontario from Preschool (age 2) to Grade 12, a global member of Round Square and offers Advanced Placement programme. Tuition ranges from $17,000 to $26,500.
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River Valley is an inclusive independent school in the heart of NW Calgary that provides exceptional education for 3-year-olds to grade 6 students.
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Oxford Learning Academy offers a bilingual academic program complemented by a personalized school experience. We grow lifelong learners by focusing on early primary education.
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St. Clement's Early Learning School 70 St. Clements Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M4R 1H2 St. Clement’s Early Learning School provides a child with an opportunity for growth in all areas of his or her development.
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Lycée Louis Pasteur is the only school in Calgary to teach the French Ministry of Education and Alberta Education curricula. Three years old to Grade 12. All linguistic backgrounds welcome. Small class sizes.
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Magnificent Minds Inc. caters to learners whose needs are not being met in traditional school environments, pursuing academic excellence, and individual greatness.
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Kuper Academy offers programs from pre-school to grade eleven in Kirkland. Its average class size is 22 students.
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Lycée Français de Toronto is a French school that offers programs from nursery to grade 12. Its average class size is 17 students.
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Star Academy offers programs from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade Eight in Mississauga. Small class sizes, daily physical education and French for all grades, and academic excellence set us apart.
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Little Owl Preschool, Elementary and Middle School develops motivated, confident, and happy problem-solving individuals. We invite your child to become a Little Owl student.
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Calgary French & International School graduates will be active global citizens with a foundation for life-long success, and our school will be the leader in French immersion and international education.
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Philopateer Christian College offers programs from pre-kindergarten to grade 12 in Mississauga. Its average class size is 12 to 18 students.
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The bilingual French and English curriculum of Ecole la Nouvelle Vague is based on the Ministry of Education accredited program.
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Established in 1978, our passion is to provide families with transformative, excellent education that equips and inspires students to be disciples who are world changers that love and serve God and others.
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Founded in 1912, Montverde Academy is an elite college preparatory school for students in grades Pre-K3 through post-graduate studies with a distinct student population from over 80 countries worldwide.
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Queen Margaret's School is an independent day/boarding university preparatory school in Duncan, BC.
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Fern Hill School provides a calm, engaging & academic program for Preschool to Grade 8. We offer a structured approach that focuses on developing intellectual curiosity, creativity & confidence. Maximum class size is 19.
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Founded in 1893, Olivet School is a Christian private school in Etobicoke, offering PS-Gr5. Olivet School combines quality teaching with individual attention to help each child achieve their personal potential.
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Wesley Christian Academy offers programs from Toddler to Grade 8 in Markham. As we are a Christian school, we share our beliefs with all our students but we warmly welcome families from ALL faiths and backgrounds!
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TFS - Canada's International School offers Canada's only bilingual IB programs from PK to Grade 12. Average class size is 12 to 22 students. Entrance Scholarship to Grade 7 is available.
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MacLachlan is a world-class school offering the benefits of small class sizes, highly dedicated and engaged teachers and an internationally recognized curriculum for students in Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12.
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Providence Academy is the only Private French Catholic School offering a trilingual program of study in Ontario with classes from nursery to grade eight. Tuition: $8,800-10,300. Extracurricular activities: $600-$650.
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Hitherfield School offers programs from pre-school to grade 8. With an average class size of 14 students, we offer an excellent academic program along with a multitude of outdoor activities.
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Bussing from Toronto (Bayview and Sheppard) available. Early Learning Centre to Grade 12. Discipline. Character. Respect. Complete your child's academic and spiritual foundation. Discover why PCA students excel!
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e.p.i.c. is a leading progressive school specializing in early education for students in Pre-K, J.K. and S.K. Discover e.p.i.c. School!
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Meadow Green Academy offers programs from pre-school to grade eight in Mississauga. Its average class size is 12 students.
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The Giles School is a French immersion private school in Toronto for children age 2 (Pre-K) to Grade 8. Open Admissions through Grade 1, small classes, and Mandarin introduced as a third language in Grade 1.
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Oakville Christian School offers programs from pre-school to grade eight in Oakville. Its average class size is 22 students.
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Children absorb multiple languages, music & develop sports skills VERY easily. Momentum Montessori is a multilingual school exposing kids (1.5 - 6 yrs) to multiple languages, sports & music like no other program.
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For the past 36 years Kingsley Primary School offers programs from junior kindergarten to grade five in Etobicoke. Its average class size is eight to 12 students.
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Located in Vaughan, King Heights Academy provides a unique educational experience for toddlers to grade eight, which includes the IB Program.
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CGS (Children's Garden School) offers co-ed, Preschool-Grade 3 programming. Small class sizes. Exceptional phonics program.
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Voted Oakville's Best Preschool, The Oakville Academy School for the Arts offers Preschool and Kindergarten classes in an arts-enriched learning environment.
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Primary Prep Academy offers programs from Pre-school to Grade 3 in Mississauga. Before and After school program included in tuition.
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Since 1979, Banbury's student-paced approach with tutorial instruction is in small, multi-aged groups of 10:1. Meainingful relationships enhance learning. Member of Canadian Coalition of Self Directed Learning--CCSDL.
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Mulgrave School offers programmes from Preschool to Grade 12 in West Vancouver. Its average class size is 20 students with teacher to student ratios of 1:8.
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We offer a sound, internationally recognized academic foundation. Our students gain fluency in three languages and achieve mastery of biology, chemistry and physics.
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The Nature School at Kortright provides an alternative form of education designed to provide experiential learning opportunities and promote curiosity to nurture the whole child.
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Oxford Learning Academy – where your child will experience a homeschooling approach with the benefits of socialization in a small classroom environment. This Milton private school runs from PK to grade 8.
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Fern Hill School is a private independent school for Preschool through Grade 8 offering individualized learning by subject-specific teachers. Our school is regarded as one of the pre-eminent elementary schools in Canada.
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Collège Bourget is a day & boarding school situated between Montreal & Ottawa, that exceeds Quebec curriculum guidelines & ensures our students grow through different spheres: arts, sports, community service & science.
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German International School in Toronto offers programs from PK to grade 8. It provides a German curriculum enriched with Canadian content.
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Ottawa’s Fern Hill School offers Preschool, Kindergarten and Elementary Grades, including extended French. Tuition starts at $2,950.
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When looking for a preschool or daycare for your child, it’s important to think about which approach is the best fit. To learn more about this, read our choosing a preschool guide. To learn more about preschools in general, read our preschool education guide.
Academic preschools and daycares focus on school readiness skills. They aim to prepare kids for the school years.
These preschools have a mostly teacher-led classroom. Teachers and staff guide kids through a tightly structured curriculum. They introduce kids to several subjects, including math, reading, writing, science, and nature.
Teachers sometimes give whole-class lectures or lessons in an academic preschool. Normally, though, these are shorter and more interactive than what you’ll find in the school years, especially at the upper levels.
While academic preschool provides quite a bit of formal instruction, it normally allows some unstructured time. This may include indoor free-play time or outdoor recess, where kids are free to choose what they want to do. It’s just that there will be less of this than in play-based preschools.
Play-based preschools and daycares are less structured. Kids are free to move around, choose their activities, and play with kids in class. They thus have plenty of free-play time. They also have lots of time for exploration, and open-ended and imaginative activities.
In a play-based preschool (also called "play schools"), kids tend to spend a lot of time interacting with other kids. They play games, explore the environment, and work on projects with their peers—one-on-one or in groups.
For most of the day, they can choose what they want to do. They can move between different areas or “stations” in the classroom, such as a kitchen, dressup, sensory, building, and arts and crafts area. These areas are changed often, such as every week or even every day. To learn more about the preschool classroom, click here.
Play-based preschools offer little formal instruction. Kids may, though, learn some basic math (such as numbers and addition) and language (such as letters and reading). Normally, though, this is done through short, interactive lessons and fun activities.
As Maureen Myers, executive director at Sprouts, a preschool in Toronto, Ontario, says "We don't sit down and teach by rote or repetition, but the ideas and concepts of letter recognition, language, math, and sciences are learned by very hands-on activities."
The belief is that kids learn best through play. By interacting with their peers in different settings, they learn important social and emotional skills. They become more independent, mature, and capable. They also learn to reason, reflect (about themselves and others), and solve problems.
To learn more about the similarities and differences between various types of preschools, read our comparison guides. In separate articles, we compare Montessori to Waldorf, Montessori to Reggio Emilia, Waldorf to Reggio Emilia, Montessori to play-based, and Montessori to academic preschools. If you want to compare specific schools one-to-one, visit our compare hub. You can also read our guide to preschool questions.
Preschool questions (read our in-depth answers) |
“Academic preschools have teacher-led instruction and follow a curriculum. Whereas play-based preschools, it it often believed, allow the children to play freely, without guidance or instruction. However, this is not necessarily so. Many preschools combine play-based learning with direct instruction. This can spark curiosity and provide opportunities for students to engage directly with the environment and make sense of the world.” Vanessa Sjerven, teacher at Elmwood school (the early years program), in Ottawa, Ontario
“My point of view: children can play and learn in preschool. One does not preclude the other. Play is an integral part of learning the ‘academics.’ A school can be both academic and play-based without stressing the child with academics. Children should be encouraged to inquire, to question, and to play, to make sense of the world.” Nora Ibrahim, preschool teacher and IB PYP (Primary Years Program) coordinator at Académie de la Capitale, in Ottawa, Ontario
