Schools

[vyckil]

Hi there,

Is there any way of researching elementary schools in Canada? In UK we can check OFSTED reports online to see which primary schools achieve in which areas, but I cannot find anything similar for Canadian schools?

Any information would be very gratefully received!

Many thanks

Vicki

[DanHoward]

Originally Posted by vyckil

Hi there,

Is there any way of researching elementary schools in Canada? In UK we can check OFSTED reports online to see which primary schools achieve in which areas, but I cannot find anything similar for Canadian schools?

Any information would be very gratefully received!

Many thanks

Vicki

Have you any idea where you are moving? I am not aware of any process through which you can check the school's but I will look into it.

[chan_konabe]

The Fraser Institute puts out a ranking of schools in various provinces. However, read this list with the following consideration in mind:

The Fraser Institute is a right-wing think tank that does not value public education and public health care, prefering privatization of such institutions. The schools on the top of the lists tend to be the elite private schools who, of course, are on top because they individually select their students. The top public schools are in prosperous, wealthy neighbourhoods. Many newspapers have visited the low-ranked schools on the list only to find extremely educated and dedicated staff who are teaching students with complex home situations (ex, generational poverty, substance abuse, violence, etc...). Please do not judge a school by where it is on such lists. Instead, visit the schools and speak with the teachers and parents. You'll get a much clearer idea of the school.

[vyckil]

Thanks for the info. We are planning to move to Hamilton / Toronto area.

I guess it is another thing which has to wait until we get there :-)

[froud]

In Canada there really isn't the emphasis on the quality of elementary schooling that there is abroad.

There is a great difference between course options between rural and urban schools though. ie At a high school in rural Ontario your second-language class options would include French and possibly a First Nations language (usually Ojibwe). But in an urban area you might have French, Spanish, Urdu, German etc.

For post-secondary education it is your grade percentage which determines whether you get into a good university. Maclean's publishes a yearly ranking of Canadian universities.