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Ontario private school rankings

OUR KIDS ranks Ontario schools to help you find the best fit for your family

Below, find Ontario school rankings. OUR KIDS' rankings can help you quickly compare schools for factors that are important to you, such as class size, tuition costs, admission rates, etc. We've worked with schools for many years to help them fully articulate what makes them distinct. Use these to discover schools you haven't heard of before. No "best schools" ranking list can tell you what's best for your child(ren). Reliance on them can mislead you into enrolling your kids in the wrong environment for them.

Explore the complete list of Ontario private schools on OUR KIDS, the guide families trust to make the right choice.

The lists below should only be a small tool in a comprehensive, well-advised, extensive school search process that explores different options, in which you fully research everything specific private schools offer. Focusing on rankings or on one factor does a great disservice to schools and your children. Along with the schools, OUR KIDS encourages you to deeply consider admissions, academics, course pedagogies, extracurricular activities, special needs support (if needed), gifted programming, and many other aspects. 

Learn much more at OUR KIDS Private School Expos
The expos mentioned above include those in Halton-Peel, Ottawa, and Toronto. Here, you can meet face-to-face with top-ranked local schools and a few international boarding schools.  Sit in on informative Q&A seminars led by education experts. They'll address your concerns and shed light on vital topics when it comes to making the right school choice. Meet with admissions teams from each school and gain valuable insights from current parents who have experienced the journey firsthand. All in one afternoon.  Learn more about our expos here.

Best university placement

University placement is a key concern for many parents investing in private schools. The list below highlights Ontario private schools reporting the highest number of graduates placed in 12 of the world's top universities (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Stanford, University of Chicago, Oxford, or Cambridge) in the last five years. These figures are self-reported. Rankings exclude schools not listed on OUR KIDS.

University placement is just one piece of the puzzle. The best school for your child depends on a range of factors—take time to research thoroughly and consider the full picture.

School Location Grades Grads in Top US/UK
Schools (5 yrs)
1 Havergal College Toronto, ON JK to 12 100
2 University of Toronto Schools Toronto, ON 7 to 12 100
3 Upper Canada College Toronto, ON SK to 12 47
4 Appleby College Oakville, ON 7 to 12 30
5 Academy for Gifted Children - P.A.C.E. Richmond Hill, ON 1 to 8 25
6 St. Clement's School Toronto, ON 1 to 12 25
7 The Hill Academy Caledon, ON JK to 12 25
8 Ontario Virtual School Toronto, ON 6 to 12 25
9 St. Andrew's College Aurora, ON 5 to 12 24
10 Bishop Strachan School Toronto, ON JK to 12 20


Lowest admission rates

A low admission rate may suggest a school selects only top students, leading some to believe it fosters stronger academic outcomes. While high standards play a role, other factors—like marketing, prestige, and location—also influence demand and acceptance rates.

Remember:

  • Acceptance rate is an oversimplified measure of how good any school is.
  • Many private schools with a 100% acceptance rate offer an excellent education that will assure children's long-term success.
  • It's more important to focus your search on finding a school that will most benefit your child.
School Location Grades Acceptance
rate
1 University of Toronto Schools Toronto, ON 7 to 12 20%
2 York School Toronto, ON JK to 12 20%
3 Crescent School Toronto, ON 3 to 12 25%
4 Metropolitan Preparatory Academy Toronto, ON 7 to 12 30%
5 Branksome Hall Toronto, ON JK to 12 30%
6 Crestwood Preparatory College Toronto, ON 7 to 12 30%
7 Havergal College Toronto, ON JK to 12 30%
8 TFS - Canada's International School Toronto, ON NS to 12 30%
9 Appleby College Oakville, ON 7 to 12 32%
10 De La Salle College Toronto, ON 5 to 12 33%

Smallest average class size

Small class sizes are a common reason parents choose private education, as better teacher-student ratios can enhance focus and individual attention. That said, many schools with standard class sizes still offer excellent learning environments. Keep an open mind to all other aspects that make up a school. See the links to our advice guide above.

School Location Grades Avg. class size
1 St. Clement's Early Learning School Toronto, ON PS to 2 1 to 8
2 Linbrook School Oakville, ON JK to 8 1 to 18
3 Oakwood Academy Mississauga, ON JK to 12 2 to 7
4 Toronto STEM School Toronto, ON 9 to 12 2 to 10
5 Elevate Learning Centre Burlington, ON 1 to 8 3 to 5
6 Monarch Academy by Monarch House Toronto, ON K to 10 3 to 8
7 ILAC International High School Toronto, ON 9 to 12 3 to 11
8 Applewood Academy for Progressive Learning Belleville, ON 3 to 12 4 to 6
9 Wildwood Academy Oakville, ON 2 to 8 4 to 8
10 National Ski Academy Collingwood, ON 9 to 12 4 to 12

Top private secondary schools for sports

Sports are an important part of life for many teens. Attending a school with a strong sports orientation can bring out the best in you. Listed below are private schools ranked based on sports programs available. 

School Location Grades Total sports
programs
1 Hillfield Strathallan College Hamilton, ON NS to 12 70
2 St. Jude's Academy Mississauga, ON JK to 12 56
3 Mentor College Mississauga, ON JK to 12 49
4 Crescent School Toronto, ON 3 to 12 46
5 WillowWood School Toronto, ON K to 12 45
6 Montcrest School Toronto, ON JK to 8 44
7 Rosedale Day School Toronto, ON JK to 8 41
8 Northmount School Toronto, ON JK to 8 41
9 Linbrook School Oakville, ON JK to 8 41
10 Trinity College School Port Hope, ON 5 to 12 40

Most expensive schools

For some parents, a private school's tuition is simplistically correlated to the quality of education offered. This is certainly not guaranteed. Many of the best Ontario private schools charge very reasonable tuition and create learning environments that help some students thrive better than they would at more expensive schools. That said, more expensive schools may offer better facilities, more highly qualified instructors, and/or a greater number of extracurricular activities, etc. However, with the schools themselves, OUR KIDS urges you to focus your search on finding the school that will help your child thrive academically and personally.

School Location Grades Tuition
1 National Ski Academy Collingwood, ON 9 to 12 $64,230 to $93,230
2 Appleby College Oakville, ON 7 to 12 $43,090 to $85,970
3 Albert College Belleville, ON PS to 12 $21,400 to $85,500
4 Havergal College Toronto, ON JK to 12 $43,600 to $83,700
5 Trinity College School Port Hope, ON 5 to 12 $31,000 to $83,000
6 Ridley College St. Catharines, ON JK to 12 $29,455 to $82,975
7 Lakefield College School Lakefield, ON 9 to 12 $40,500 to $82,400
8 Pickering College Newmarket, ON JK to 12 $37,800 to $81,900
9 Upper Canada College Toronto, ON SK to 12 $40,750 to $81,100
10 St. John's-Kilmarnock School Waterloo Region (Breslau), ON JK to 12 $21,290 to $78,800

Oldest private schools

Below, we offer a ranking of Ontario private schools with the earliest founding date. 

School Location Grades Founded
1 Upper Canada College Toronto, ON SK to 12 1829
2 Pickering College Newmarket, ON JK to 12 1842
3 De La Salle College Toronto, ON 5 to 12 1851
4 St. Michael's College School Toronto, ON 7 to 12 1852
5 Albert College Belleville, ON PS to 12 1857
6 Trinity College School Port Hope, ON 5 to 12 1865
7 Bishop Strachan School Toronto, ON JK to 12 1867
8 Trafalgar Castle School Whitby, ON 4 to 12 1874
9 Lakefield College School Lakefield, ON 9 to 12 1879
10 Ridley College St. Catharines, ON JK to 12 1889

Wealthiest private schools

Below are Ontario schools with the wealthiest financial endowment. 
School Location Grades Endowment
1 Upper Canada College Toronto, ON SK to 12 $150,000,000
2 Trinity College School Port Hope, ON 5 to 12 $60,000,000
3 Lakefield College School Lakefield, ON 9 to 12 $41,751,462
4 St. Andrew's College Aurora, ON 5 to 12 $33,000,000
5 Crescent School Toronto, ON 3 to 12 $21,000,000
6 Country Day School King, ON JK to 12 $9,000,000
7 St. Anne's School Aurora, ON 5 to 12 $7,500,000
8 Havergal College Toronto, ON JK to 12 $2,637,233
9 Woodland Christian High School Breslau, ON 9 to 12 $300,000

Private schools with the most notable alumni

Below are Ontario private schools ranked in order of the number of notable alumni they have produced. The criteria for choosing these are whether alumni have been granted a Wikipedia page, a credible indicator of renown today. Bear in mind that some schools are much older and so have had more time to produce notable graduates. Newer schools may, in fact, offer more progressive approaches to education and numerous other advantages.

School Location Grades Notable
alumni
1 Upper Canada College Toronto, ON SK to 12 97
2 St. Michael's College School Toronto, ON 7 to 12 47
3 Royal St. George's College Toronto, ON 3 to 12 31
4 University of Toronto Schools Toronto, ON 7 to 12 22
5 Lakefield College School Lakefield, ON 9 to 12 21
6 St. Andrew's College Aurora, ON 5 to 12 17
7 Bishop Strachan School Toronto, ON JK to 12 15
8 Trinity College School Port Hope, ON 5 to 12 13
9 Appleby College Oakville, ON 7 to 12 13
10 Hillfield Strathallan College Hamilton, ON NS to 12 10

Most affordable schools

This list showcases Ontario private schools with the lowest tuition. Affordability is key for many families, understandably, but make sure the school aligns with your child’s learning needs and goals.
School Location Grades Tuition
1 Agate Private School St. Catharines, ON NS to 12 $350
2 Glenmore Christian Academy Calgary, AB JK to 9 $3,210 to $7,595
3 Jehovah Jireh Christian School Caledon, ON JK to 12 $4,000
4 ABC Montessori Mississauga, ON NS to 5 $4,576 to $11,650
5 Bishop Hamilton Montessori School Ottawa, ON NS to 8 $4,620 to $18,925
6 Kuper Academy Kirkland, QC PS to 12 $5,122 to $14,349
7 Rosthern Junior College High School Rosthern, SK 9 to 12 $5,250 to $9,250
8 College Bourget Rigaud, QC PS to 12 $5,330 to $15,700
9 Toronto Waldorf School Thornhill, ON NS to 12 $5,742 to $25,450
10 Nile Academy Toronto, ON PS to 12 $8,400 to $8,900
11 École Montessori Pickering, ON NS to 6 $8,400 to $17,000
12 Maples Academy Amaranth, ON PS to 8 $8,700 to $10,400
13 Progressive Academy Edmonton, AB NS to 12 $8,700 to $11,000
14 Whytecliff Agile Learning Centre - Burnaby Burnaby, BC 8 to 12 $8,900 to $19,500
15 Whytecliff Agile Learning Centres Langley, BC 8 to 12 $8,900 to $19,500
16 Saplings Nature School North Vancouver, BC PS to 5 $9,060 to $9,950
17 Luther College High School Regina, SK 9 to 12 $9,960
18 Guiding Light Academy Mississauga, ON JK to 8 $10,000
19 Junior Academy Toronto, ON NS to 8 $10,000 to $29,400
20 Passages Centre for Self-Directed Learning Toronto, ON 5 to 12 $10,250 to $12,800

Most financial aid

This list ranks Ontario private schools by the percentage of students receiving financial assistance. Aid can make private schools more attainable, but cost alone shouldn’t drive your decision. Focus on finding the school where your child will thrive.
School Location Grades Students
1 Vancouver Independent School for Science and Technology Vancouver, BC 8 to 12 70%
2 Passages Centre for Self-Directed Learning Toronto, ON 5 to 12 60%
3 Foothills Academy Calgary, AB 3 to 12 40%
4 Bishop's College School Sherbrooke, QC 7 to 12 40%
5 The Hill Academy Caledon, ON JK to 12 40%
6 Academie Providence Ottawa, ON NS to 8 35%
7 Hawthorn School Toronto, ON NS to 12 35%
8 Trinity College School Port Hope, ON 5 to 12 33%
9 King's-Edgehill School Windsor, NS 6 to 12 33%
10 Stanstead College Stanstead, QC 7 to 12 30%
11 Rosthern Junior College High School Rosthern, SK 9 to 12 30%
12 YMCA Academy Toronto, ON 6 to 12 30%
13 Shawnigan Lake School Shawnigan Lake, BC 8 to 12 30%
14 Unisus School Summerland, BC PS to 12 30%
15 Sacred Heart School of Montreal Montreal, QC 7 to 12 30%
16 Athol Murray College of Notre Dame Wilcox, SK 8 to 12 30%
17 Lakefield College School Lakefield, ON 9 to 12 30%
18 Rothesay Netherwood School Rothesay, NB 6 to 12 28%
19 Brentwood College School Mill Bay, BC 8 to 12 27%
20 St. Andrew's College Aurora, ON 5 to 12 26%

Largest private schools

This list highlights Ontario private schools with the highest enrollment. Bigger schools may bring broader program choices and a wider peer group, but size alone shouldn’t guide your decision. Focus on where your child will thrive day to day.
School Location Grades Enrollment
1 Ontario Virtual School Toronto, ON 6 to 12 12000
2 College Bourget Rigaud, QC PS to 12 2085
3 Ontario eSecondary School Brampton, ON 9 to 12 2000
4 Columbia International College Hamilton, ON 9 to 12 1700
5 Mentor College Mississauga, ON JK to 12 1500
6 TFS - Canada's International School Toronto, ON NS to 12 1500
7 Hillfield Strathallan College Hamilton, ON NS to 12 1285
8 Upper Canada College Toronto, ON SK to 12 1280
9 Collingwood School West Vancouver, BC JK to 12 1256
10 St. George's School Vancouver, BC K to 12 1202
11 Bayview Glen Toronto, ON PS to 12 1130
12 Central Montessori Schools Toronto, ON NS to 8 1075
13 Havergal College Toronto, ON JK to 12 1050
14 Glenmore Christian Academy Calgary, AB JK to 9 1031
15 Mulgrave School West Vancouver, BC PS to 12 1030
16 St. Michaels University School Victoria, BC K to 12 1003
17 Town Centre Private Schools Markham, ON NS to 12 1000
18 Unionville College Unionville, ON PS to 11 1000
19 Kuper Academy Kirkland, QC PS to 12 985
20 Lycée Claudel Ottawa, ON PS to 12 980

Smallest average enrollment per grade

Below, find Ontario schools with the lowest average enrollment per grade. Tight-knit grade groups may lead to better social bonding and easier classroom dynamics. Just note—this isn’t the same as class size. Weigh this metric alongside academics, culture, and your child’s personality.
School Location Grades Day enrollment avg
1 Alderwood Academy Mississauga, ON JK to 8 1
2 Aurora Alternative Micro School Toronto, ON JK to 8 1
3 Dunblaine School Toronto, ON 1 to 8 1
4 The Cole Academy Toronto, ON JK to 8 1
5 Passages Centre for Self-Directed Learning Toronto, ON 5 to 12 2
6 Monarch Academy by Monarch House Toronto, ON K to 10 2
7 Académie de la Capitale Ottawa, ON JK to 12 2
8 Oakwood Academy Mississauga, ON JK to 12 3
9 Olivet School Etobicoke, ON JK to 5 3
10 Elevate Learning Centre Burlington, ON 1 to 8 3
11 Summit Micro School Toronto, ON JK to 8 3
12 Banbury Crossroads Academy Calgary, AB 1 to 12 3
13 Erudite School Toronto, ON JK to 8 4
14 Oak Learners Etobicoke, ON JK to 8 4
15 Magnificent Minds North York, ON JK to 8 4
16 InnovOak School Kitchener, ON PS to 12 4
17 Vianney Academy Mississauga, ON SK to 12 4
18 Adelfiha Christian Academy North York, ON PS to 6 4
19 GlenOak Academy Sault Ste. Marie, ON SK to 8 4
20 March Academy Kanata, ON 1 to 8 4

Largest average enrollment per grade

These Ontario private schools have the highest average enrollment per grade. More students per grade often bring expanded programs and peer diversity. That said, smaller schools offer their own strengths—focus on the setting where your child will thrive.
School Location Grades Enrollment avg
1 Brentwood College School Mill Bay, BC 8 to 12 111
2 Shawnigan Lake School Shawnigan Lake, BC 8 to 12 110
3 Lakefield College School Lakefield, ON 9 to 12 109
4 Woodland Christian High School Breslau, ON 9 to 12 92
5 St. George's School Vancouver, BC K to 12 92
6 Upper Canada College Toronto, ON SK to 12 91
7 St. Andrew's College Aurora, ON 5 to 12 82
8 Ashbury College Ottawa, ON 4 to 12 81
9 Crescent School Toronto, ON 3 to 12 80
10 St. Michaels University School Victoria, BC K to 12 77
11 Trinity College School Port Hope, ON 5 to 12 72
12 Havergal College Toronto, ON JK to 12 70
13 Athol Murray College of Notre Dame Wilcox, SK 8 to 12 62
14 Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School Foothills, AB K to 12 58
15 Glenlyon Norfolk School Victoria, BC JK to 12 57
16 Country Day School King, ON JK to 12 55
17 Bishop's College School Sherbrooke, QC 7 to 12 45
18 Rothesay Netherwood School Rothesay, NB 6 to 12 44
19 St. Anne's School Aurora, ON 5 to 12 38
20 Study Westmount, QC K to 11 32

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Ontario private schools good?
We interviewed both parents and students. You can read reviews about Ontario private schools on this page.

What is the most expensive Ontario private school?
National Ski Academy has the highest tuition fees from $64,230 to $93,230 per year with an average tuition of $78,730 per year.

Which Ontario private school has the lowest acceptance rates?
The Ontario private school with the lowest acceptance rate is University of Toronto Schools. The school has an overall accepance rate of 20%.

What is the oldest Ontario private school?
Upper Canada College is the oldest Ontario private school. The school was founded in 1829.

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