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Trusted by families since 1998.
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OUR KIDS REPORT:

MindWare Academy

Grades 1 — 8 — Ottawa, ON (Map)
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THE OUR KIDS REPORT:
MindWare Academy
REPORT CONTENTS
Reviews
Analysis

School overview

  • Grades
    1 — 8
  • Gender
    Coed
  • Class Size
    8 — 9 students
  • Tuition
    $18,000/year
  • Language of instruction
    English
  • Special Needs Support
    Special needs school
  • Enrolment
    40 day students
  • Curriculum
    Liberal Arts
  • Associations
    OFIS
  • LOCATION
    Ottawa, ON (View address)

The big picture on MindWare Academy

We summarized the school ourselves

Students who benefit from highly individualized support will find MindWare Academy especially well-suited to their needs. The school serves students in Grades 1 to 8, particularly those with dyslexia, ADHD, and other learning differences. With very small classes, a calm environment, and specialized approaches like Orton-Gillingham (a structured, step-by-step approach to teaching reading and spelling), Structured Word Inquiry (an approach to teaching spelling and vocabulary by exploring how words are built and where they come from), executive-function support, and daily remediation, the school is designed for children who have struggled in larger mainstream settings. Its model emphasizes not only academic growth but also self-regulation, confidence, social development, and close collaboration with families. The school’s small scale allows staff to know students well and tailor support closely, though it also means fewer facilities and extracurricular options than a larger school might offer. Parents consistently praise the school as transformative for children who had previously felt discouraged, anxious, or left behind. Reviews also highlight the personalized attention, strong literacy support, and notable gains in confidence, happiness, and readiness to learn.

We questioned the school administration

1. Who are you, as a school?

"MindWare Academy is a small nurturing private school catering to students who require support with learning and social skills, empowering them to achieve their personal goals. We offer an inclusive, flexible, caring environment. MindWare recognizes that students thrive when they feel connected. MindWare supports students with Dyslexia, MID, ADHD, learning differences in Language and/or Mathematics, and/or neurodivergent learners."

  • Maximum of 8 students per class
  • Multi-sensory teaching methods across subjects
  • Certified teachers with specialized training (e.g., Orton-Gillingham, ABA)
  • Balanced day with academics, electives, outdoor play, and social growth

2. What do you do differently and uniquely well?

MindWare Academy is a small, nurturing, caring, and compassionate school, offering support to children with learning differences, MID, ADHD, and neurodivergent learners. The school provides a flexible learning space in a close-knit environment. MindWare is family oriented and prioritizes open communication, allowing the school to best meet the needs of the child, setting them up for academic and social-emotional success. MindWare uses the Orton Gillingham method, as well as Structured Word Inquiry, to support the development of spelling, reading and writing. Moreover, MindWare teaches social skills, character education, and focuses on regulation strategies. Each student is provided accommodations and modifications within the classroom, offering individualized programming and support. Each day, students participate in an Individual Remediation block to receive extra support in an area of need, such as spelling, reading, writing, math, or social skills.

3. What tradeoffs has your school made to serve families in this way?

MindWare is committed to providing students with a flexible learning space where they can learn curriculum content in a non-traditional, creative, hands-on classroom environment. Though MindWare Academy follows the Ontario Curriculum, all material is delivered based on the individual learner, moving away from the mainstream and traditional large classroom setting you would find in most schools, and instead toward programming that best supports the learner as a whole, integrating methods that work for the child in a small and inclusive classroom environment. MindWare Academy intends to stay small, as this is the close-knit environment that children thrive in so beautifully. MindWare strives to keep tuition and costs low, to ensure that our programming is within reach for families in search of private education options. MindWare is a place where students feel connected and where they learn to embrace their strengths and feel supported in the remediation of their needs.

4. What key junctures in your school's history have most shaped its present?

MindWare began as a tutoring company. In 2005, MindWare Academy opened its doors as a school for students with learning differences. Over time, as the academic and social-emotional needs have varied, MindWare has implemented unique spaces, such as our MindAwareness Space and our Serenity Centre, as well as developed new ways to accommodate and/or modify material and lessons, in an environment tailored to individual student success. MindWare's expert faculty, which has grown to include wonderful staff with a variety of strengths and talents, ensures students feel connected and develop a strong sense of belonging.

5. What type of student is a good fit for your school?

MindWare Academy provides an individualized and supportive environment for students requiring additional academic or social skills support. The school supports students with learning differences, Dyslexia, MID, ADHD, and/or neurodivergent learners. MindWare has flexible learning spaces, such as the Serenity Centre, Reading Room, and MindAwareness Space. MindWare Academy uses the Orton Gillingham method, as well as Structured Word Inquiry. The school offers remediation daily in spelling, reading, writing, math, and/or social skills. Additionally, MindWare has a Journey Program that runs each day to help students generalize the Language skills and rules they acquire. Each day, MindWare students participate in a Peace Circle, where they learn important social skills and discuss character education topics.

6. Under what conditions would you advise a family against choosing your school?

MindWare Academy is a small school with five classrooms and five teachers. Though the school staff are well-versed in supporting students, the small school environment also means that MindWare is not equipped to support highly disruptive, aggressive, or unsafe behaviours. Our school goes to a public park each recess and students must be able to attend safely.

7. To your knowledge, why do families choose your school over others?

Many parents are in search of a small and supportive non-traditional learning environment, with flexibility and the whole child in mind. At MindWare, staff tailor programs to meet the individual needs of each student in their class. The school team is committed to finding methods that work for each child's personal profile. Repetition and increased exposure, such as revisiting spelling rules, reading strategies, writing techniques, and/or math concepts, is common practice to facilitate retrieval. Support with executive functioning skills, such as breaking down assignments into more manageable tasks, or chunking information and locating key terms, is offered throughout the day. Homework is not assigned on a daily basis, as so many of MindWare's students invest additional time and effort into their school tasks, to reach academic and social success. MindWare is committed to helping students form meaningful connections, while offering remediation in academics.

8. How would you characterize your school's image amongst the public?

MindWare Academy is a warm, caring, compassionate school community. Students express feeling supported and quickly develop a sense of both belonging and empowerment. Parents report feeling supported both by caring teachers and by other parents in the school circle. When families walk through MindWare's doors, they often comment on how happy, comfortable, and confident the students seem. It truly is a kind, friendly, and warm-hearted school.

9. What aspect of your school is underappreciated?

MindWare Academy's staff team comes together to brainstorm, modify approaches, and extend our strategies daily. All of the staff invest extra time, effort, and planning, to ensure each child reaches their full academic and social-emotional potential. MindWare's approach is flexible and staff are committed and willing to work as a team with parents to find the recipe for success for their child to thrive.

MindWare offers cozy, warm and inviting learning spaces and areas to take learning or regulation breaks. You'll find the areas offer a comfortable ambiance.

MindWare also offers lots of outdoor time, with two half-hour recesses at the beautiful park nearby. The park has a basketball court, two fields, two baseball diamonds, and a play structure. Gym often takes place outdoors, with skating and sledding offered in the winter months. There is a forested area for nature walks and games nearby. Moreover, MindWare has a fenced-in backyard space for extra outdoor time or outdoor learning.

10. What might families find surprising about your school?

MindWare is all about feeling connected and feeling a sense of belonging. With this comes a sense of empowerment. Students who attend MindWare gain great confidence in their abilities over time, tapping into their passions and talents, and learning strategies to navigate any challenging aspects to their learning. Parents often find their child's advocacy and communication skills blossom and they begin to believe in their own ability to thrive. Students find their inner strength over the course of their time at MindWare Academy, finding their own path to success.

11. What improvements or changes has your school made recently?

MindWare Academy is consistently exploring programming and effective teaching methods. Staff are committed to furthering our learning and techniques. Growth often shows up in the tools, resources, and strategies used to reach students. Moving toward more personalized learning over time, where every child receives the academic support they need, and prioritizing individualized instruction, moving away from a uniformed delivery model, allows MindWare to better meet specific student requirements. Technology integration has been a useful tool to support academics and critical thinking, while remaining committed to finding a balance and integrating fine motor and handwriting skills.

12. How will your school change in the next 5 years?

In the next five years, MindWare Academy will continue to create niche spaces, designed for deep focus, quiet zones, collaboration, and social-emotional regulation. MindWare Academy is consistently developing our Journey program and the way we teach Language, integrating Orton Gillingham methods and Structured Word Inquiry practices. MindWare Academy continues to work collaboratively with other schools, centers, OTs and speech therapists, and is excited to explore new avenues to connect.


We got insight from alumni, parents, and students

Parent, Elizabeth Mavor (2026)

(4.9)

Gr. 4 (current) — My daughter is a completely different child since starting at MindWare Academy. Getting her to school used to be a daily struggle, and learning often felt frustrating and discouraging for her. Now, she is engaged, motivated, and genuinely enjoys learning. The instruction is tailored to her needs and accommodations, and she is truly met where she is in every subject. Within six weeks of starting, she was reading independently and by choice—something years of specialized programs in public school hadn’t been able to achieve. Her writing, spelling, and math skills have all improved dramatically. The biggest change, though, has been emotional. She has grown so much in her ability to manage her emotions, interact positively with others, and feel confident in herself. The school actively teaches self-regulation, kindness, and empathy, not just academics. What she appreciates most is feeling understood, supported, and successful. She feels safe to try, ask questions, and make mistakes. At this point, there is nothing about the school that she finds disappointing. MindWare doesn’t just teach reading and math—they teach confidence and the whole child. I am incredibly grateful we found this school and for the positive impact it has had on her and her future.

Parent, Tracy Moisan (2026)

(4.2)

Gr. 6 (current) — Our son's experience in public school — specifically with special education supports in the classroom — was absolutely horrible. We transitioned to Mindware in the hopes that a more inclusive, individualized approach would better suit his learning and social development needs. That has definitely been the case! Mindware's small classroom cohorts, individualized learning plans, and highly supportive environment have completely turned around my child's learning experiences. Three years into being a student at Mindware, his academics have improved significantly, his social skills and social development have blossomed, and his confidence continues to grow. In particular, core reading and math skills have improved, and he's continuing to grow in his abilities. Mindware blends a small school approach with very tailored learning strategies specific to the individual student. Our son has a very complicated learning profile, with complex learning disabilities and a neurodevelopmental disability. The team at Mindware has worked collaboratively with us to meet his needs, adapt their strategies, and support him in feeling comfortable and confident at school. We have been thrilled with his progress.

Parent, JENNIFER KITCHER (2026)

(4.5)

Gr. 2 (current) — MindWare Academy’s small class sizes have been a game-changer for our child. With only five classrooms, the school is large enough to provide a full range of grade levels, yet small enough that every student knows one another. This creates a powerful sense of community where no one feels lost in the crowd. The shorter class periods punctuated by frequent breaks are perfect for students who crave routine but needs to get up and move. We also love the flexible approach to grouping; core subjects are taught at grade level, while physical education, art, and drama allow for multi-age social interaction. The change to multi-age groups for learning in areas needing individual improvement like reading, ensures the students get the support they need. Beyond academics, the school’s focus on social skills development has been invaluable in helping our child navigate peer interactions both inside and outside the classroom. Perhaps most importantly, the administration works as a true partner with parents, co-creating success plans for students who may struggle with standard classroom routines. Having a sports minded child, they occasionally wish there was a gym and the opportunity for intramural sports. Having seen the individual growth and development of students graduating over the years speaks to the variety and support Mindware Academy offers its students.

Parent, Robin Goodall-Copestake (2026)

(4.2)

Gr. 3 (current) — MindWare is a haven for our daughter, and I am not exaggerating when I say that it changed her life. She was in the public system until the end of grade 2, unable to read and struggling with focus. We were also starting to see some "mean girl" behaviours that were not being addressed because there were too many other challenges in the classroom. That summer, we had her reassessed, and she was diagnosed with a reading disability and ADHD. We knew she was not getting the support she needed at her public school, and we also had her in reading tutoring 2 evenings a week. This is when we decided to look for an alternative and found MindWare. It has been a saving grace. Within a month, we saw a more confident kid who was pushing herself rather than just trying to disappear. The focused support she got from the IR program, Orton-Gillingham-based concepts and practice, Structured Word Inquiry, has turned her into both a reader and a writer. They also really support children to develop and practice executive functioning skills, and I am confident that these will support our daughter for the rest of her life. Beyond skills development, what really makes MindWare's approach stand out for me as a parent is the Journey Jam and Peace Circle programs. Peace Circle is a weekly age-appropriate discussion on topics like Self and Co-Regulation, Following Directions, Using our Filters, The power of positive thinking, and so many more core skills to become a contributing, empathetic, self-aware person. Journey Jam is a school-wide weekly project that gets the students working together on things like an egg drop challenge or creating their own board games. These two programs are critical in helping build a safe space to help our daughter become the best version of herself. As a parent, I can see the skills, maturity and confidence these programs have helped her to build when I watch her participate in competitive extracurriculars, navigate friendships and approach tough challenges. MindWare is a tiny and selective school, and I am thrilled that we have a place there that is supporting our daughter to thrive.
See all reviews (4 total)

 

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