REVIEW OF Fieldstone School BY parent, Chris Chan

(5) Student Experience

Our child enjoys the smaller class sizes, the consistent and focused attention from the teachers, and the interesting curriculum and looks forward to going to school every day! The children get individualized attention and focus, and if your child should miss a day or two from being sick, all the material is online so you can still guide your child through and catch up, and even if you don't, the teachers will help your child catch up. It's the type of school where every teacher seems to know every child, and certainly, I don't know how the leadership seems to know everyone! The school dog is a bonus for us, dog lovers, but if you are not a dog-lover, don't worry, London is gentle and he does not visit often but makes delightful appearances now and then.

(5) School Leadership

The school is well run by the administrative leaders, who are very approachable, responsive and you will see them around all the time - so very accessible. Right from the one-day trial and the discussion with Ms. Butcher, we had confidence that we had made the right choice, and after a successful year, we can confirm that we feel so lucky we chose to come here! The leaders are very thoughtful, and considerate, and you can approach them about virtually anything - they are so kind and helpful.

(5) Teaching

The teaching follows the Cambridge curriculum and our child enjoys the books and lessons greatly. The teachers are highly qualified and love teaching, they are very accessible and know the kids individually (a benefit of small class sizes), and their ethnic and intellectual diversity is just wonderful. Good exposure and learning for the children to be among highly qualified and experienced people passionate in their expertise, and the mix of cultures helps shape your child's understanding of different cultures of Toronto, and the world. The reports you get from the school are very detailed and helpful, and we go through them with our child, to help her focus on areas of improvement. The teachers are only too helpful and ready to help if you voice a concern or a challenge your child is experiencing.

(5) Academics

Academic pursuit is the central priority at Fieldstone, a reason we chose this school. The teachers are highly qualified, professional and know how to teach and motivate and manage the children. Each subject has a textbook which is fun and easy to follow, and enjoyable for the children to work through. The teachers pace the learning at quite a fast pace so your child has to apply some discipline to follow, but it is well worth it. The homework is manageable and valuable, even for our child who never used to get ANY homework in her old school. She has come to not only appreciate it but enjoy the homework as it is not too arduous but just enough to keep them on top of things.

(5) Extracurriculars

We are happy with the level of extracurriculars that the school offers. There are after-school and lunch programs and different activities the kids can be involved in from drama, games, character pins and so on. It is a bonus that the school has such big and well-kept gardens and a large field. From time to time, the school organizes programs. Recently, there was a coding program and our child registered for it (weekly, for 1.5 hours) - she enjoyed it so much!!

(5) Students

Almost every student we have interacted with is polite, happy, and has a sense of belonging. As a parent, I too have a sense of belonging. The students have a camaraderie and help one another, not only of the same age but across ages as there is some cross-pollination in activities. I love the cultural diversity of the school, and also that there is not a pompous type of feeling although it is clearly a private school. People are real and genuine and students don't tend to focus on things that are unrelated to school life for long i.e. there is very little bullying, unpleasantness, etc. I'm actually not sure how they manage these things as there is so little of it, and my child has experienced none of it personally.

(5) School Life

An unexpected bonus for us was the concerts that our child can participate in. The concerts are incredible, the winter and summer showcases and who can forget the French Soirees musicale - they had French-themed decor, sculptures, art/scenes, and the children dressed and sang and danced in berets and French costumes. The school does not have fairs or big community events, but that suits us just fine. There really are already enough activities throughout the year, and when you add the fabulous concerts, the kids are already pretty much fully occupied. So the quality of student life is healthy and just the right mix of events and the feeling you get is that the kids are not too busy, school life is not too hectic, this way the kids can enjoy learning and have times of rest.

(5) Community

The teachers and the leadership (Ms. Butcher, Ms. Khan, etc.) all make you as a parent feel included, and they have such a gentle and respectful manner towards the kids. The kids feel loved, for sure, and I, as a parent, feel a part of the school life. The school is located in a busy area near Dufferin and Lawrence but it is tucked in, so it is not exposed to the main street. The large field and plentiful parking and the gracious beautiful buildings, well kept and maintained by Mr. Glen, all make it a very welcome, quiet and ordered part of the neighbourhood. We have found the other parents to be decent and civilized (!) types of people, so you have a sense that your child is in a healthy environment.

(5) School Location

The school location is safe, out away from the main street, and very accessible for us. There is plenty of parking so NO STRESS at all for pickup and drop off!! during cold winters or hot summers. The school is tucked in from the main street so even though Dufferin/Lawrence is very busy, you get a sense of calm as soon as you turn into Wenderly Drive.

(5) Admissions

I would advise interested parents to do a day-trial. We (and our child more importantly) were at first not sure whether our child could get used to the uniforms and the structured learning but she came home that very day of the trial, and said she would like to go back the very next day! She has never looked back even though she loved her old school, she discovered this one is different and she enjoys it TONS MORE. This was a good lesson for her, as we can now more easily encourage her to explore options and try new things.