100% Canadian
Canada's Guide
to Private Schools
 
Find Schools
Evaluate Schools
Explore Advice
Meet Schools

My Shortlist

Keep track of your top schools
1

BUILD YOUR SHORTLIST

Login or sign up to save schools.
2

EVALUATE YOUR SCHOOLS

3

TRACK IMPORTANT DATES

Trusted by families since 1998.
 
Toronto Prep School logo
in-depth report
The OUR KIDS Report: Toronto Prep School
Grades Gr. 7 TO Gr. 12 — Toronto, ON (Map)
Report Contents
Visit School Website

THE OUR KIDS REPORT:
Toronto Prep School
REPORT CONTENTS
Reviews
Analysis

Meet them
at the Expo

Toronto (Oct 04)

Get Family Pass

Student Body

Toronto Prep School has a larger student body compared to most private schools. It is co-educational and currently includes a small percentage of international students. Families and alumni describe the school’s diverse student body as gaining hands-on experiences and developing strong community connections.

Page Contents

Facts and analysis

Total enrollment

430 students attend Toronto Prep School.

Toronto Prep School has a larger student body than 75% of all schools we cover.

  • Breakdown by grade
    Grade Enrollment
    Toronto Prep School Median of all other schools
    Gr. 73924
    Gr. 83925
    Gr. 97540
    Gr. 108540
    Gr. 118743
    Gr. 127543

  • Why it matters

    While some researchers have looked to uncover the "ideal" school size, these studies often generalize student preferences and behaviours. Your real goal is to find what best suits your child’s needs. Smaller schools can offer a school-wide sense of connection, while larger schools often provide broader programming and opportunities. Also, note that per-grade enrollment often tells a more meaningful story than total enrollment alone (read topic guide).

Gender

Both girls and boys attend.

This makes Toronto Prep School like 91% of other schools we cover.

  • Why it matters

    A school’s gender composition influences its social, academic, and extracurricular experiences. Coed schools often encourage collaboration across genders, while single-gender schools (all-boys or all-girls) may focus on specialized learning approaches (read topic guide).

International Students

2% of students come from outside Canada.

See how this ranks Toronto Prep School below.

  • Why it matters

    A diverse international student body offers opportunities for cultural exchange and a global perspective. These experiences can enhance your child’s understanding of different cultures and prepare them for a globalized world (read topic guide).

 

Qualitative insights

These insights are based on conversations with parents, alumni, and school leadership. Handpicked and curated by our editor, they offer a close look at how the school is experienced and perceived by those who know it best.


Students have diverse backgrounds and talents.

Observations from administrators and parents emphasize that the school's inclusive admissions strategy caters to both high achievers seeking academic excellence and students needing emotional and educational support, ensuring personalized attention for all.

We have such a diverse student population, because of our approach to admissions. We have our straight-A students that come to us from the public system because there are 30 kids in their class. They want to get into competitive university programs. They need very high grades, and they need to know their stuff, and they need access to the teacher to get extra help. We have that group of kids, and we have a group of kids that come in who have no self confidence or self-esteem, because if they struggle with something, instead of a teacher sitting down and showing them how it works, they would get categorized as being in a different class of learner. They get sent to remedial, and that plays havoc with your personality. So we help both of these kinds of students.
—Fouli Tsimikalis, Director (see full interview)
There isn’t really a single ‘best fit’ person for TPS. The school is like a chameleon—it changes to fit the student. So whoever the student is at the time they’re coming in, they’re going to be changed for the better, but they’ll be supported as an individual. But if I had to say who’s going to do well at TPS, who would really shine, it’s the students who want to contribute beyond just coming to school, and doing their work, and getting the grades, and applying to university. So I think those people will definitely shine.
—Astrid Fischer, parent (beginning in Gr. 7) (see full discussion)
The class sizes, the number of students, the teachers, more attention paid to students, the actual facilities — these are all things that set TPS apart.
—Shai Mandel, alum (see full interview)

They gain hands-on experiences in dynamic educational setting.

Insights from administrators highlight that the school's significant growth in student population and facilities has not compromised classroom intimacy, instead enhancing extracurricular activities and community engagement.

The way we’ve managed to grow so much, instead of squeezing more kids into each class, is by adding classes and growing our cohorts. We wanted the school to grow. We wanted the cohorts to grow — because it really enhances the sports system, it really enhances our clubs, and the charity work we do as a school — but we still wanted the intimacy of the classroom. So what we did was we just kept taking over more space whenever we could open up a class.
—Fouli Tsimikalis, Director (see full interview)
I’d say what’s most surprising is, yes, it’s a small private school, but it’s actually quite large. And when you think about the fact there’s over 400 students at TPS now, it makes sense. Some people would consider TPS to be a very small private school, but then they come to know that actually they’ve got a lot more going on than they would have thought.
—Astrid Fischer, parent (beginning in Gr. 7) (see full discussion)
When we started in 2009, we had 70 students and now we’re over 400. That’s a testament to our approach. It happened because parents appreciate the full care and time that we take with their kids.
—Fouli Tsimikalis, Director (see full interview)

They develop strong connections and a community spirit.

Comments from students and parents underscore that despite the diversity in socioeconomic backgrounds, the school ensures equal treatment and care for all students, fostering a strong sense of community and belonging.

We have kids who come from all different backgrounds, including different socioeconomic backgrounds. We do have our billionaires. We do have our millionaires. We do have our middle class. But we also have students here at the school whose parents are working two jobs to have them here. Or they might have their own small business and they give up a vacation to be here, or they don’t buy an extra car, or whose grandparents are helping pay tuition. But what’s lovely is that all these students become equally part of the TPS family. Once they walk through the doors, you cannot identify who’s who, because they’re all equal. They get the equal treatment, equal service, equal attention — because they’re our kids and we take care of our kids.
—Fouli Tsimikalis, Director (see full interview)
Out of a population of 400, we have eight international students. When they apply, I still like to meet them first. I don’t just simply have an agent bring me a crew of international students, because I think I do the kids a service. I like to meet with them just the way I meet with the Canadian kids here. I like to get to know their personality. I like to know their interests. I’d like to see if I feel they’ll fit into the school socially as well as academically. And I can’t do that if I don’t meet them. So we use the same filtering mechanism for international students as we use for Canadian kids.
—Fouli Tsimikalis, Director (see full interview)
There was never a dull moment, with the extracurriculars or the energy they put into making it fun at school, building a community. I was given opportunities. Any initiative you as a student would take, they’d be like, ‘Okay, when do we start? Let’s do it’. There was no pushback, no hesitation. It was, ‘Great idea. Let’s talk about it. Let’s see how we can make this a reality for you’. It’s going back to you and who you are as a student. You’re not just coming to school. You are part of a community. You have a voice. You can really shine as bright as you want in that community.
—Shai Mandel, alum (see full interview)
 

THE OUR KIDS REPORT: Toronto Prep School

  Previous: Academics
Next: Tuition  

Continue your research on Toronto Prep School:

Visit school website
 Add to shortlist
 

Continue using
The OUR KIDS Guide to Private Schools
or visit Toronto Prep School's website

 The Trusted Source for Families since 1998
× How helpful is this report?
(1 = Not at all helpful; 5 = Extremely helpful)
Our Kids
Get the eNewsletter
Canada's Guide to Private Schools
Canada's Guide to Camps & Programs

Information presented on this page may be paid advertising provided by the advertisers [schools/camps/programs] and is not warranted or guaranteed by OurKids.net or its associated websites. By using this website, creating or logging into an Our Kids account, you agree to Our Kids' Terms and Conditions. Please also see our Privacy Policy. Our Kids ™ © 2025 All right reserved.

Sign up to receive our exclusive eNews twice a month.


Name
Email
Verify Code
verification image, type it in the box
You can withdraw consent by unsubscribing anytime.

Our Kids
From OUR KIDS, Canada’s Guide to Private Schools,
Camps & Kids' Programs.