Trends in Montreal private education

With their independence, Montreal private schools are able to remain current, respond to changing conditions, and tailor their programs around the needs of their students. But outside the classroom, schools are also implementing original, research-based supports that complement learning and align with students’ interests.

For families comparing options, it can help to view trends alongside practical decision tools—such as questions to ask on school tours, and guides that connect school environments to a child’s learning profile (e.g., mental, academic focus, social tendencies, and physical activity level).

Students’ wellbeing was on the mind of a teacher at Trafalgar School for Girls when she suggested altering the schedule, allowing students more time to sleep before heading to class. The teacher provided study after study about the benefits of a later start, grounded in adolescent brain development and the natural shift toward later sleep times and later morning wake times.

Experts have argued that early-morning learning is not optimal for teens because of what is known as “sleep phase delay,” a shift in biological clocks that can make it harder to fall asleep early and wake up alert. Some schools in the United States, and a small number in Canada, have moved to alternative schedules in response. When they do, however, schools often still start relatively early—usually to accommodate school-bus logistics rather than for health or developmental reasons.

“Our head of school had challenged staff, asking ‘what things do you think we could be doing to better serve our students?’” and late starts arose out of that.

“By moving our start time to 8:50 a.m., we are proactively addressing the mental, physical, and academic health of our students,” the school says. “We aren’t just adjusting a clock; we are optimizing the environment for girls to thrive.”

“Kids need that extra bit of sleep, and are more productive and more receptive,” adds associate director of admissions Nadine Paree. “A lot of other schools will start around 8 o’clock, maybe 45 minutes to an hour before us.” The impact, she says, has been “astronomical.”

“That same focus on the adolescent brain underpins much of what we do at Trafalgar,” she adds.

Beyond the start of the day, Montreal private schools are also building dedicated time into the schedule to give students structured access to one-on-one help, guidance, and academic support.

At a time when class size is a key factor for parents choosing private schools, the push to personalize education underscores the advantage of low student-teacher ratios—and makes it easier to respond to individual needs without forcing students to stay late.

At Trafalgar, that translates into academic support twice a week, built into the school day after lunch, where teachers are in the building and available.

Referred to as Quiet Focus, Open Doors, “students can go in and say ‘I didn’t understand this, or I didn’t understand that.’ Or maybe, if they struggle in science, they sit down and start doing their science homework in that classroom in that period, and they can ask questions of the teacher and maybe work on group projects,” explains Paree.

Sometimes, the extra support is planned in advance, so students who want additional instruction in an area know it will be available.

Time for extracurricular activities is also scheduled during the school day so that students don’t have to stay late for clubs, and each student also has a personal teacher adviser.

Teachers also meet once a week to discuss each student in the school.

For families weighing supports more broadly, related resources include special education, learning disabilities, and social-emotional challenges, as well as Montreal-specific options for Special needs.

At The Study, a focus on entrepreneurship and business has emerged as the school prepares girls for the real world—and it begins in elementary school.

In Grade 3, girls complete an entrepreneurship project where they grow basil to make pesto, which they sell at the end of the year.

Lindsay Woods, director of advancement, marketing and communications, says a group of high school girls started the Pink Profit Club, an all-female entrepreneurship club. The students reach out to high-profile business leaders and invite them to speak at the school.

“They’re not afraid to pick up the phone or write an email and find an email and reach out to them,” she says, no matter how prominent the person is. “We give them the platform and say ‘yes, you can do this.’”

The school has also launched “Business Fundamentals: Educating Our Future Women Leaders” for Grade 11 students, a course offered in partnership with a local university-level business school. Girls get a chance to learn about entrepreneurship, marketing, human resources, and finance.

“It’s very cool because the girls are now being exposed to the post-secondary world, university faculty, and just getting a taste of life after school,” says Woods. “It’s very much aligned with how we see our students and where we see them ending up in the entrepreneurship world, the business world.”

Customizing students’ experiences is a key trend in education, and with low student-teacher ratios, Montreal private schools are positioned to lead the way. For parents planning a longer-term commitment, it can also help to review financial aid options, grants, and resources for families who want to create a user account and child profile to organize their shortlist.

For additional context on how families compare systems and evaluate value, see our overview of public and private education and our guide to Fraser Institute school rankings.

Families exploring Montreal-specific school types can also review faith-based and specialty options such as Christian, Catholic, and Jewish schools, along with early-years pathways like Private preschools.

For official provincial context on education policy and regulation, visit the Ministry of Education of Quebec (MELS).

Kells Academy sets aside time each week within the school day for students in elementary or secondary school to pursue an interest outside of their regular classes, while still keeping it connected to learning.

The program provides multi-grade settings where students can choose from arts-based options such as yoga, dance, choir, theatre, cinema studies, or stop-motion animation; STEM-related sessions in chess, robotics, or coding; and general interest offerings such as cooking or gardening.

Students can also pursue academic interests, including extra time to challenge themselves in math, which is a strong focus at the school.

“Flex is a unique and innovative concept because it carves out time for students to pursue their interests,” says high school principal Tom Malone.

“During the school day, on Tuesdays, kids can pick from one of these, and they can change over the course of the year if they want to,” he says of the 90-minute weekly period for teens.

Apart from appealing to students, it’s “helpful for the families that it happens during the school day.”

Picking up on the trend of personalized education services, Kells is also launching a new Sport-Études program catering to elite, competitive athletes, giving them time to practice and train while staying on track academically.

With approval from the provincial government of Quebec, the school aims to have students in the program starting next fall. “Kids can do their studies in the morning and go off to their sports programming elsewhere in the afternoon,” says Malone.

Families who are also considering broader program types and pathways may compare options such as Montessori, Waldorf, and International Baccalaureate schools, as well as day versus Boarding or boarding schools.