Meet Havergal College's admission team at the Private School Expo: Toronto (Oct 04). RSVP NOW
The big picture on Havergal College
We wrote a book reviewing the school
The 50-page review of Havergal College is part of our series of in-depth accounts of Canada's leading private schools. It provides a unique and objective perspective on the school's academics, programs, culture, and community.
"Havergal College is a leading independent school for girls (JK to 12) in Toronto dedicated to excellence in education, character development and community engagement. With a focus on empowering students to lead lives of purpose and impact, the school combines tradition with innovation to prepare its students to make a positive difference in a rapidly changing world. Situated on a beautiful 22-acre campus, Havergal offers a distinctive educational journey shaped by innovation, wellbeing and community."
Beautiful 22-acre campus in the heart of Toronto.
Innovative curriculum and future-ready programming for students.
Small class sizes with a focus on wellness and student agency.
Award-winning Art, Music and Drama departments.
More than 80 co-curricular athletic teams.
Advanced Placement (AP) courses offered.
Supportive Boarding School community.
Scholarships and bursaries available.
2. What do you do differently and uniquely well?
"Campus: Havergal has the largest girls’ independent school campus in the city. This allows students to explore and learn outdoors on our 22 acre sprawling campus in the heart of...(more)
"Campus: Havergal has the largest girls’ independent school campus in the city. This allows students to explore and learn outdoors on our 22 acre sprawling campus in the heart of midtown Toronto (including 3 athletic fields, a woodland trail with brook, 2 outdoor classrooms, tennis courts and other green spaces).
Technology: HC-X is the innovation hub of Havergal for the development and delivery of future-ready education. Out of HC-X comes future-ready programming for students and educators."
3. What tradeoffs has your school made to serve families in this way?
"Havergal College has made several strategic trade-offs to better serve families, focusing on personalized education while balancing resource allocation. The school emphasizes a...(more)
"Havergal College has made several strategic trade-offs to better serve families, focusing on personalized education while balancing resource allocation. The school emphasizes a strong academic foundation alongside a comprehensive co-curricular program. This dual focus requires significant investment in both state-of-the-art facilities and specialized staff, potentially limiting the scale of enrollment to maintain quality."
4. What key junctures in your school's history have most shaped its present?
"Havergal College established many of its defining traditions in the early 20th century, including the introduction of the school uniform in 1912, the first yearbook in 1898, and...(more)
"Havergal College established many of its defining traditions in the early 20th century, including the introduction of the school uniform in 1912, the first yearbook in 1898, and the Old Girl/Alum publication, Chronicle, in 1914. The latter half of the century saw significant expansions, including a new Junior School in 1999 and the Athletic Centre in 2006. The 2021 Limitless Campaign further enhanced facilities, including the Art, Design and Technology wing. Recently, Havergal has integrated modern educational practices and global perspectives, exemplified by its participation in the Round Square network for global learning and leadership and HC-X innovative learning experiences."
5. What type of student is a good fit for your school?
"An ideal Havergal student is eager to engage in a challenging Liberal Arts educational environment. Ideal candidates are academically motivated, curious and willing to participate...(more)
"An ideal Havergal student is eager to engage in a challenging Liberal Arts educational environment. Ideal candidates are academically motivated, curious and willing to participate in a variety of co-curricular activities. Havergal recognizes students who demonstrate leadership potential, resilience and a commitment to making a positive impact in their communities. The school also prioritizes inclusivity, so a student and family who respects and embraces diversity and believes in living our values will thrive as members of the Havergal College community."
6. Under what conditions would you advise a family against choosing your school?
"Families might be advised against choosing Havergal College if their child is not suited to a highly structured and academically rigorous environment. Additionally, if the...(more)
"Families might be advised against choosing Havergal College if their child is not suited to a highly structured and academically rigorous environment. Additionally, if the family's values do not align with Havergal's strong emphasis on leadership, inclusivity and community involvement, they might find the school less suitable. Families looking for a less intense educational experience or those who prioritize a different educational philosophy might prefer other institutions."
7. To your knowledge, why do families choose your school over others?
"When people think about Havergal College, attributes such as tradition, academic excellence, leadership and a nurturing community come to mind. The school has a reputation for...(more)
"When people think about Havergal College, attributes such as tradition, academic excellence, leadership and a nurturing community come to mind. The school has a reputation for producing graduates who are well-prepared for university and who often go on to become influential leaders in various fields. Havergal's commitment to innovation while maintaining its rich traditions is also a key part of its identity, creating a balanced and forward-thinking educational experience."
8. How would you characterize your school's image amongst the public?
"When people think about Havergal College, attributes such as tradition, academic excellence, leadership and a nurturing community come to mind. The school has a reputation for...(more)
"When people think about Havergal College, attributes such as tradition, academic excellence, leadership and a nurturing community come to mind. The school has a reputation for producing graduates who are well-prepared for university and who often go on to become influential leaders in various fields. Havergal's commitment to innovation while maintaining its rich traditions is also a key part of its identity, creating a balanced and forward-thinking educational experience."
9. What aspect of your school is underappreciated?
"Families are often surprised by how connected their daughters feel with the school community. Our students are mentored and guided in many decisions through the school's Guidance,...(more)
"Families are often surprised by how connected their daughters feel with the school community. Our students are mentored and guided in many decisions through the school's Guidance, Wellness and Teacher Advisor programs. They make lasting connections not only with their peers across different grades, but also with the school's faculty and staff. The end goal is to ensure that students have direction for their future outside of Havergal's ivy walls."
10. What might families find surprising about your school?
"Havergal supports students in and out of the classroom by offering mentoring opportunities, providing cross-grade community building opportunities on a weekly basis and taking a...(more)
"Havergal supports students in and out of the classroom by offering mentoring opportunities, providing cross-grade community building opportunities on a weekly basis and taking a genuine interest in the wellbeing and development of each student. Our families are often surprised by how our faculty go above and beyond what's expected of them in the classroom through mentorship. Our Wellness Team and other staff members are available to help students who need additional support."
11. What improvements or changes has your school made recently?
"With the launch of our Strategic Plan, Empowering Excellence, Havergal continues to build on our programming and support in the areas of Wellbeing and Equity, Diversity, Inclusion...(more)
"With the launch of our Strategic Plan, Empowering Excellence, Havergal continues to build on our programming and support in the areas of Wellbeing and Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (EDIB). With the introduction of a Vice Principal Wellbeing and an Executive Director of EDIB whose portfolios span Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12, our focus is on full school programs in place to ensure student wellbeing and our community's commitment to equity, diversity and belonging remains at the forefront, complimenting our strong academic program. Our newly developed Wellbeing and Inclusive Excellence Frameworks guides our programs in and out of the classroom, allowing our students to find their purpose, understand themselves as learners, leaders and humans,in an environment that allows them to be authentic and feel valued for who they are."
12. How will your school change in the next 5 years?
"Havergal College has a clear vision for the future that revolves around strengthening its core mission while expanding its educational offerings to prepare students for an...(more)
"Havergal College has a clear vision for the future that revolves around strengthening its core mission while expanding its educational offerings to prepare students for an evolving world. Over the next five years, the school plans to continue integrating modern educational practices with a focus on global learning, digital wisdom and leadership development.
A key aspect of Havergal's future strategy is the expansion of programs that emphasize global perspectives. The school is committed to fostering a supportive environment that prepares students to be confident and resilient global citizens. This includes deepening its involvement with the Round Square network and enhancing programs that encourage students to engage in social innovation and global experiences.
The infrastructure at Havergal will also see improvements, with ongoing upgrades to facilities that support the arts, technology and physical education."
Watch our Havergal College Q&A discussion with Buffy (Parent), Yasmin Porter (Alum), Carrie Porter (Parent) to gain fresh insight into the school’s culture, values, and strengths.
Our daughter’s experience at Havergal has been extremely rewarding. She started at the school in JK and is currently almost finished grade 2. My husband and I had researched same-sex independent schools for our children and Havergal felt like the best fit for our daughter and our family. We had high expectations for the school and weren’t really sure if these expectations were realistic. In a nutshell, the school has surpassed any and all expectations we had and has delivered a caliber of education that every parent wishes for their child. Our daughter is very happy and excited to go to school each day and beams when she talks about her day at pick up. The connections she has with her teachers, administrators and staff is something she immensely appreciates. She is greeted every morning by name and with warm, caring smiles. She has developed trusting relationships with her teachers and knows they are there to help her reach her full potential. She is happy and thriving, which is all we can ask for.
My daughter loves attending Havergal and each year gets better for her! She looks forward to each and every day. She loves her friends, the clubs, programs and most important the faculty and staff at Havergal and the support they give her. She loves that the VP of the school is her baseball coach and that she can sit next to him on on a 2 hour bus ride and have a fun and engaging conversation. She loves that her PE teacher tells her jokes and she can joke back, she loves that she can go to her guidance councillor and ask about anything, she loves going to her math teacher to get extra help and get chocolate out of his candy bowl, she is so grateful that the people in the food service department will spend hours going through garbage to look for her retainer. These types of stories come in daily from my daughter. There is no question that the academics and athletic programs at Havergal are very strong but it is these types of special moments and acts of kindness from the faculty and staff that make Havergal stand out above all the other schools. Havergal prioritizes the wellbeing of the girls and the teacher and faculty play a huge part in laying a solid foundation for self-esteem and confidence in the girls.
There is a special atmosphere at Havergal College; a supportive, nurturing and encouraging place where girls feel comfortable trying new things, making mistakes, branching out socially and expressing their views. There is no judgment - girls are celebrated for their thoughts, and diversity of opinions and values. Both of my girls have felt very supported by their teachers who were always willing to go above and beyond. They were honest in their assessments and evaluations and always guided the students on how to improve and were always advocates and cheerleaders for their success. When they struggled with something academically they always knew they could seek out support from their teachers. When they needed advice about college or anything pertaining to their futures, they felt very supported by guidance.
My daughter loves being a student at Havergal College. She really enjoys all of her classes and and speaks so positively of her teachers, and I believe that the enthusiasm all of her teachers' share have my daughter engaged and excited in what she is learning. She also loves all of the different clubs, athletics and opportunities that Havergal has to offer. The school encourages the girls to become involved in activities at school outside of academics, and they have the opportunity to become very well rounded and explore many different interests. The school spirit at Havergal is probably what my daughter loves most of all. It is a very warm, caring and fun environment -- a place to nurture strong self-confidence, curiosity, awareness and empathy, all the while enjoying her experience at school!
Our daughter has had a wonderful time in her three years at Havergal, and is very excited about completing her secondary school years there. Since entering the school in Grade 7, our daughter has thoroughly enjoyed the friendships she has developed at Havergal, the incredible extra curricular opportunities offered by the school, the challenging curriculum, and the amazing facilities available to the students. The school has harnessed many of our daughter's positive traits and stimulated her growth and development, not just academically, but socially, emotionally, and physically. Through an atmosphere of challenge, exploration and inclusion, Havergal has allowed our daughter to discover and hone skills and talents she likely wasn't even aware she possessed prior to joining the school. For our daughter, Havergal has been much more than just a place to learn curriculum, it has been an experience that will serve her well in virtually all facets of her adult life.
Havergal’s mission is “to prepare young women to make a difference and take on an ever-changing role with confidence and resilience.” Dr. Samson says that a single-gender school allows students and faculty to expand that mission.
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