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Go to child profileFounded in 1915 and located in the historic Rockcliffe Park neighbourhood of Ottawa, the nation’s capital, Elmwood is one of the most innovative girls’ schools in North America. Ranked as one of Canada’s top 25 independent schools, we strike a balance between traditional academic goals and innovative approaches to achieving those goals. We are the only school in the region offering all three levels of the International Baccalaureate Programme and one of a handful of schools in Canada to receive the Apple Distinguished School designation. Acclaimed for academic excellence, a caring atmosphere and a strong community spirit Elmwood is a school where girls are encouraged to stretch themselves, try new things, create and explore. And through the process, we create inquiring lifelong learners, compassionate and engaged global citizens, and confident and caring leaders.
What learning looks like now: At Elmwood, we feel that the complete educational experience and the regular routine of families are best supported by having students on campus daily. With the safeguarding and wellness of our community as our top priority, Elmwood students started school September 9, learning through conventional delivery with school every weekday, class sizes that reflect current regulations, regular social interaction and modified co-curricular activities. Our Operational Readiness Plan, briefed to staff, faculty and families alike, detailed the protocols and practices put in place to protect the health and safety of our community. Key highlights of the plan include: - A modified school day routine based on smaller class sizes, cohorting, blended learning and staggered starts - An At-Home Learning option with enhanced remote delivery for students unable to come to campus - Enhanced daily cleaning practices and continuous cleaning of high-touch areas - Mandatory PPE for all staff, faculty and students from Grades 4-12 and recommended PPE for Pre-k to Grade 3 - Daily screening practices and isolation rooms to limit the exposure those who may be symptomatic - Desk placement that allows for physical distancing, protective plexiglass barriers in specific areas and medical-grade air purifiers in every classroom - Increased emphasis on public health education and proper hygiene practices - Mental health support in place for all community members to ease the stress and anxiety
Curriculum delivery for 2020/21:
Grades | Living Arrangement | Delivery Model | Frequency |
---|---|---|---|
Day | Preschool - Gr. 12 | In-person | Full-time |
Elmwood School offers bus transferring. Service options offered are regular rider, occasional rider.
The regions Elmwood School offers busing from are:
Additional notes: We offer service to select areas of the city.
Elmwood was founded in 1915 by Theodora Philpot who, in addition to having a great name, was well ahead of her time in the world of education. Like Maria Montessori, Rudolf Steiner, and others, she felt that traditional education wasn’t meeting the needs of students, both academically and personally. She wanted to offer an alternative, one that was student-centric, and that would stimulate a love of learning rather than the rote memorization of facts. She felt that there should be a bit of poetry in the course of daily life, and a bit of joy, too. She began that first year with just four students, all of whom were boys. Despite the obvious differences—it’s now home to nearly 400 students, all of whom are girls—the spirit of the school nevertheless is reflective of Philpot’s vision. The school is one very much centred on possibility, creating opportunities for students to explore their world and to find their place within it. The ideal student is a girl looking for a vibrant, challenging, community-oriented academic environment.
here on OurKids.net, is part of our series of in-depth accounts of Canada's leading private schools. Insights were gardnered by visiting the school and interviewing students, parents, faculty, and administrators.
This 50-page review of Elmwood School, published as a book and available to read in full,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.
Program | offered |
---|---|
Primary Years | |
Middle Years | |
Diploma program | |
Career-related program |
Focus |
---|
Academic |
DIBELS Testing: This school does not use DIBELS testing to assess reading progress.
Subject | offered |
---|---|
Evolution as consensus theory | |
Evolution as one of many equally viable theories | |
Evolution is not taught |
Subject | offered |
---|---|
Biology | |
Chemistry | |
Ecology | |
Geology | |
Meteorology | |
Physics | |
Physiology | |
Zoology |
Subject | offered |
---|---|
Acting | |
Dance | |
Drama/Theatre | |
Graphic Design | |
Music | |
Visual Arts |
Expressive | |
Disciplined |
Subject | offered |
---|---|
Computer science | |
Robotics | |
Web design |
Flexible pacing style | offered |
---|---|
Subject-streaming (tracking) | |
Multi-age classrooms as standard | |
Ability-grouping (in-class) as common | |
Frequent use of cyber-learning (at-their-own-pace) | |
Regular guided independent study opportunities | |
Differentiated assessment |
Elmwood School offers no/limited support for students with learning difficulties or special needs.
Subject Type | offered |
---|---|
Learning strategy and study counselling; habit formation | |
Extra support and minor accommodations for children experiencing subclinical difficulties |
Subject Type | offered |
---|---|
Accommodations | |
Modifications | |
Extra support |
Read our guide to special needs schools and special education
Program | offered |
---|---|
Full-time gifted program (parallel to rest of school) | |
Part-time gifted program (pull-out; parallel to rest of class) |
Curriculum delivery: Acceleration and enrichment (There is an equal emphasis on acceleration and enrichment.)
Program | offered |
---|---|
Custom subject enrichment (special arrangement) | |
Custom curriculum compacting (special arrangement) | |
Guided independent study (custom gifted arrangement) | |
Cyber-learning opportunities (custom gifted arrangement) | |
Formalized peer coaching opportunities (specifically for gifted learners to coach others) | |
Custom subject acceleration (special arrangement) | |
Career exploration (custom gifted arrangement) | |
Project-based learning (custom gifted arrangement) | |
Mentorships (custom gifted arrangement) |
English - 80% | French - 20% |
In grade Gr. 12, Elmwood School students perform an average of 1.5 hours of homework per night.
PS | JK | SK | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Elmwood School | 0 mins | 15 mins | 15 mins | 30 mins | 30 mins | 30 mins | 45 mins | 45 mins | 60 mins | 60 mins | 60 mins | 60 mins | 60 mins | 90 mins | 90 mins |
Site Average | 2 mins | 6 mins | 7 mins | 15 mins | 17 mins | 24 mins | 30 mins | 35 mins | 41 mins | 53 mins | 57 mins | 69 mins | 81 mins | 97 mins | 106 mins |
Lettered or numbered grades | Gr. 6 to Gr. 12 |
Prose (narrative)-based feedback | Preschool to Gr. 12 |
Academic achievement reporting | Preschool to Gr. 5 |
Habits and behaviour reporting | Preschool to Gr. 12 |
Parent-teacher meetings | Preschool to Gr. 12 |
Competitive sports: 15
Recreational sports: N/A
Elmwood School offers 22 clubs and extracurricular programs.
PS | JK | SK | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
Day (Domestic) | $14,800 | $28,300 | |||||||||||||
Day (International) | $28,300 |
Discounts
Discount Type | Enrolment Type | Amount |
---|---|---|
3rd child (sibling) | all students | 5% |
Grade range that need-based aid is offered: | 6 to 12 |
Percentage of grade-eligible students receiving financial aid | 35% |
Average aid package size | $6,800 |
Percentage of total enrolment on financial aid | 24% |
Total aid available | $500,000 |
This school works with Apple Financial Inc. for processing financial applications
Parents are encouraged to apply for a needs-based scholarship at the same time as a child’s application for admission is submitted to the school. These scholarships are awarded according to need (not scholastic or other special gifts), but successful applicants must satisfy the school’s entry requirements and work to capacity while at the school. Needs-based scholarships may be combined with one of our merit-based scholarships.
Decisions related to needs-based scholarships are administered by a third party. On behalf of the school, they administer a questionnaire that is used to determine to whom an offer of a needs-based scholarship would be most beneficial.
This information is not currently available.
Grades | Gender | Living Arrangement | Enrolment | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Group 1 | Preschool to Gr. 12 | All girls | Day | 370 |
Total enrolment | 370 |
Average class size | 15 to 17 |
% of international students (total enrolment) | N/A |
Number of different nationalities within student population | N/A |
PS | JK | SK | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Day Enrollment | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Assessment | Required | Grades |
---|---|---|
Interview | PS - 12 | |
SSAT | ||
SSAT (out of province) | 6 - 12 | |
Entrance Exam(s) | 6 - 12 | |
Entrance Essay |
Day students: Rolling
Offer mid-year entry:
N/A
Application fee: $150
Registration fee: $3,500
Deposit:
N/A
Interested families should fill out our online application form: http://www.elmwood.ca/application-form/
This is the percentage of applicants typically accepted into the school. So if 50 students are admitted out of 100 applicants, the school has an overall acceptance rate of 50%.
Student Entry Points
This shows approximately how many openings there are likely to be in each grade in a typical year, as well as the estimated acceptance rate for each grade level.
Student Type | PS | JK | SK | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Day Acceptance (Acceptance rate) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Average graduating class size | 35 |
Students accepted into post-secondary studies upon graduation | 100% |
Percentage of students who attend post-secondary institutions outside of Canada | 30% |
Students who attended a Ivy+ school Number of students in the past 5 years that that attended one of Harvard, Yale, Princeton, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Stanford, University of Chicago, Oxford or Cambridge (UK) | 16 |
Elmwood School Graduates’ Post-Secondary Studies:
This information is not currently available.Aggregate of All Schools’ Post-Secondary Studies:
Career planning | |
Internships | N/A |
Mentorship Program | |
University counseling |
What Elmwood School says:
Alumnus | Grad Year | Accomplishment |
---|---|---|
Catherine Clark | 1995 | Host of CPAC's Sunday Sound Off and Beyond Politics |
Elizabeth Smart | 1933 | Author of 'By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept' |
Mary MacKay-Smith | 1966 | Childrens television writer |
When we talk to the girls about what makes their school special we get as many different answers as we have students. Not far from every girls answer though is family and confident young women. There is something here for each and every girl to love, to get involved in and to find inspiring.
Over 100 years ago, Theodora Philpot, an entrepreneurial and visionary woman, founded Elmwood School. Although the subjects we teach and the manner in which we teach have evolved dramatically since 1915, Mrs. Philpot would still recognize the essence of the school she created. Every girl here is known and valued-we see them as individual girls on individual journeys, and we inspire each girl to reach her full potential. That is the School's mission statement, and it is something every member of our community lives every day
Our holistic approach to girls' education combines superior academics with outstanding co-curricular activities and healthy lifestyle choices. The powerful and supportive all-girls environment here gives students the freedom to stretch themselves, take risks and learn from their mistakes. We are specialists in how girls learn, so we can tailor things to exactly what works best for them.
At the base of everything is our reputation for academic excellence. Elmwood is the only school in Ottawa accredited to deliver all three levels of the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme ranging from preschool right up to the senior grades. This is a fully transferable, world-class education, and the combination of the "gold standard" IB program and a strong Ontario curriculum is the best preparation for university and beyond
When girls graduate from Elmwood they are ready to move on to the next phase of their education with confidence. They have become inquiring, lifelong learners with an exceptional education, confident, caring leaders and compassionate, engaged global citizens.
I hope you will come visit us soon. We all look forward to sharing our school with you.
Best regards,
James Whitehouse, Head of School
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