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Go to child profileThe York School offers a challenging and progressive independent school experience. Located on Yonge Street in the heart of midtown Toronto, our two campuses feature inspiring, flexible learning spaces and close proximity to the landmarks and institutions of this world-leading city. Our inquiring, knowledgeable and caring students are engaged citizens of the world well before they graduate. We integrate the vigour and richness of the International Baccalaureate curriculum with innovative technology, thinking and practice. We create a real-world, hands-on learning environment. We immerse our JK-12 students in a balanced co-educational setting that emphasizes equality, adaptability and social justice. We are an urban school with a global focus, exploring Toronto’s cultural diversity, offering service learning trips around the world, and through an engaged, international community of families and faculty. We are progressive, contemporary, international, urban & unique.
What learning looks like now: In March 2020 a global pandemic placed the world in self isolation. How did a socially active and academically driven school respond? Throughout our Continuity of Learning Plan you’ll see examples of our bustle. Permeated throughout, you’ll see our innovative approach to learning; how we are guided by curiosity and are ‘solutions focussed’. Never has this been more on display than through the initiatives we undertook during the pandemic where our key priorities included: Community Connection - Keeping the student and parent community connected Learn - Student Learning Health - Student, faculty and family wellness and fitness With a positive mindset approach and the right age appropriate technology tools needed to implement and demonstrate these priorities we set off on this new learning adventure. What ‘success’ we have had is due to the extraordinary efforts of our dedicated faculty, staff, students and parents, and commitment to our core academic mission.
Curriculum delivery for 2020/21:
Grades | Living Arrangement | Delivery Model | Frequency |
---|---|---|---|
Day | JK - Gr. 8 | In-person | Full-time |
Day | Gr. 9 - Gr. 12 | Hybrid/blended | Full-time |
Additional notes: As an urban school in the heart of Toronto, our students arrive with parents, or bike, walk or take the TTC to their campus.
Middle & Senior School Gym
Junior School Gym
Junior School Playground
Junior School Campus (JK-Grade 5)
Middle & Senior School Campus (Grades 6-12)
Junior School Art Room
Middle & Senior School - IB Science Lab Breakout Space
IB Science Lab
Middle & Senior School Science Classroom
Middle & Senior School Turf
Middle & Senior School - Digital Lab
Junior School Cafeteria
Middle & Senior School - Learning Commons
Every school is unique, and The York School is particularly adept at proving the point. Just in terms of the basics, it’s an IB, coed day school in downtown Toronto, and that constellation of attributes alone makes it stand out. It’s also true that every school has its own culture, its own character, and The York School is a particularly good example of that as well. With the latest developments, the school has truly arrived, and the evidence for that is ample. The leadership brings a unique, fresh take to the entire project of learning. It’s supported by a significant program of care, exemplified by an active, engaged wellness team, one situated in daily view of the students through their work and their placement within the facility. That attention is continued in a university counselling office that is as good or better than we’ve seen anywhere. If schools aren’t yet looking to York as an example of how best to counsel students in their move to post-secondary education, they should. In all, it’s not just about beginning early, and being attentive, it’s also about perspective, and the one evidenced here is, frankly, inspiring.
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 The York 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 |
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: Enrichment (The main focus is on enrichment. This means that while students may work at a marginally quicker pace than public school peers, the primary aim is to study subject in broader and deeper ways.)
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) |
In grade Gr. 12, The York School students perform an average of 2 hours of homework per night.
JK | SK | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The York School | 15 mins | 15 mins | 15 mins | 30 mins | 30 mins | 45 mins | 45 mins | 60 mins | 90 mins | 90 mins | 90 mins | 90 mins | 120 mins | 120 mins |
Site Average | 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 |
Prose (narrative)-based feedback | JK to Gr. 12 |
Academic achievement reporting | JK to Gr. 12 |
Habits and behaviour reporting | JK to Gr. 12 |
Parent-teacher meetings | JK to Gr. 12 |
Competitive sports: 11
Recreational sports: 18
The York School offers 29 clubs and extracurricular programs.
JK | SK | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
Day | $30,000 | $33,000 |
Grade range that need-based aid is offered: | 6 to 12 |
Percentage of grade-eligible students receiving financial aid | 0% |
Average aid package size | $0 |
Percentage of total enrolment on financial aid | 0% |
Total aid available | $0 |
This school works with Apple Financial Inc. for processing financial applications
The York School does award some bursaries based on need to qualified candidates. There is a process to apply for financial aid which starts with the submission of an application to Apple Financial Services, a third party organization that provides an unbiased evaluation of an applicant’s financial resources and ability to fund their private education. Applications to Apple Financial must be submitted at the same time as The York School application.
At The York School, scholarships recognize academic excellence and also account for community engagement, leadership, creativity and other character-based qualities. The York School offers entrance scholarships for candidates applying to Grades 6 through 11. Scholarships can vary from $5000 to $20,000, with preference given to candidates who demonstrate the following criteria:
All Grade 6-11 applicants to The York School are automatically considered for scholarships.
For more details, visit:yorkschool.comGrades | Gender | Living Arrangement | Enrolment | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Group 1 | JK to Gr. 12 | Coed | Day | 730 |
Total enrolment | 730 |
Average class size | 16 to 22 |
% of international students (total enrolment) | 20% |
Number of different nationalities within student population | 25 |
JK | SK | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Day Enrollment | 32 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 40 | 41 | 51 | 63 | 66 | 80 | 72 | 80 | 61 |
Class Size | 16 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 23 | 22 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 |
Assessment | Required | Grades |
---|---|---|
Interview | 6 - 11 | |
SSAT | 8 - 11 | |
SSAT (out of province) | 8 - 11 | |
Entrance Exam(s) | 8 - 11 | |
Entrance Essay | 6 - 11 |
Day students: December 01, 2020
Offer mid-year entry:
No
Application fee: $250
Registration fee: $8,500
Deposit:
$13,500
Prospective families can participate in our virtual tours before applying. Applications are accepted online. Supporting documentation (e.g. report cards, teacher reference, etc.) is required. Applicants complete the Admission essay, and parents will complete a virtual interview with a member from the Admission team. Shortlisted applicants visit the school with their current grade.
A complete list of application requirements can be found on our website here.
For a quick look at The York School visit prospectus.yorkschool.com.
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 | 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 |
Average graduating class size | 72 |
Students accepted into post-secondary studies upon graduation | 100% |
Percentage of students who attend post-secondary institutions outside of Canada | 20% |
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) | 20 |
University of Toronto | 16% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Queen's University | 15% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
McGill University | 11% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Western University | 10% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dalhousie University | 5% |
The York School Graduates’ Post-Secondary Studies:
Aggregate of All Schools’ Post-Secondary Studies:
Career planning | |
Internships | N/A |
Mentorship Program | |
University counseling |
What The York School says:
Alumni Highlights
The York School is an International Baccalaureate, coeducational, non-denominational school located in midtown Toronto. The International Baccalaureate curriculum, in simple terms, helps guide students in the junior grades to ask lots of questions, in the middle grades to question their understanding of the world, and in the senior grades to challenge themselves to be the very best version of themselves as they look towards the opportunities available at The York School and beyond.
We work hard to ensure all of our students embody our mission statement which is to “develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who are engaged citizens of the world.”
Please read more about our fantastic programming and opportunities on our website. I encourage you to make an appointment with our Admissions team to come in and experience The York School's inclusive, international and exceptional community.
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