Top 8 Oldest High Schools in Canada

No doubt, Canada is one of the best study abroad locations in the world. Canada provides a safe and secure environment for students to learn. Additionally, it offers high quality education, from elementary education to post secondary education, all to ensure academic and professional success.

There is an assertion that older high schools in Canada have more value to offer in terms of education. This assertion is true in many cases, and here’s why. Over time, these high schools have faced many challenges, which prompted an upgrade of their educational systems and services.

Before making a decision on which high school to send your child, it is necessary to know every detail about the oldest high schools in Canada and how what they teach aligns with your child’s academic goals or dream. Keep reading as we explore the top 8 oldest high schools in Canada.

High School Education in Canada — What You Should Know

The Canadian government has made education a priority. Great efforts have been made to make its educational system the best in the world. As a matter of fact, over 92% of the Canadian population has a high school education. Canadian high school education consists of four levels of study: Grades 9, 10, 11, and 12. Each of these levels has its own age range, starting from 14 – 18 years of age. All Canadian high school curricula are designed with one focus: to prepare their students for post secondary education. Additionally, the curriculum includes both core and optional subjects. Core subjects may include maths, general sciences, and social sciences, just to mention a few.

Types of Canadian High Schools

There are two categories of high schools in Canada:

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• Public Canadian High Schools

One notable thing about public high schools in Canada is that they are free for Canadian students. However, international students will be expected to pay tuition fees. The funding for Canadian public high schools is done at the local level, with each province delivering its own curriculum.

• Private Canadian High Schools

Private Canadian high schools are similar to public Canadian high schools in some ways. Just like public schools, they offer top quality education. They make use of the same curriculum provided by the province for public high schools. Unlike in public high schools in Canada, where international students alone pay tuition fees, in private Canadian high schools, both domestic and international students pay tuition fees. Also, there are shorter term durations as compared to public high schools.

Each of these types of Canadian high schools has its pros and cons. Nevertheless, be sure that your child will get top quality education regardless of which type of high school you choose.

Reasons to Choose Canadian High Schools

No doubt, Canada is one of the top study destinations abroad. However, if you are still in doubt about Canada being the best place for you to send your child, then check out these reasons. It will definitely change your mind. 

• High quality education

There is a high rate of high school education completion. As a matter of fact, Canada is the second-highest in the world. It is a notable fact that young people in Canada are amongst the most educated worldwide. Upon completion of high school education, students may enrol directly in any of the Canadian higher education institutions.

• Relevant educational curriculum

Each province in Canada has a responsibility to provide its own curriculum, which has a wide range of choices for the students and cuts across all disciplines. The Canadian curriculum is designed to tackle real world issues and prepare students for their future careers.

• Low tuition fees and scholarship opportunities

Oftentimes, the challenge most students have is funding their education. However, when you talk about affordable education, Canada tops the list of affordable study destinations. This cuts across all levels of education; from kindergarten to elementary school, high school, even post secondary education. Additionally, when you enrol your child in the Canadian education system, you can have access to scholarships or financial aid.

• Highly trained teaching staff

Teachers employed to teach in Canadian high schools are well vetted by the province and teach in areas where they are qualified for. In Canadian high schools, you are unlikely to find a teacher who graduated with a major in English language teaching mathematics. Teachers provide great support for their students. They can go as far as spending extra hours with the students and providing them with great student resources.

• Diverse learning environments

Canada is a diverse country. People from different ethnic groups and social backgrounds enrol their children to study in Canadian high schools. In addition, Canada has a friendly learning environment for international students.

The Top 8 Oldest High Schools in Canada

The assertion that older high schools in Canada offer more value in terms of education is true in many cases. Here are the top 8 oldest Canadian high schools:

• Albert College

This is a private high school founded in the year 1857 and is located in Belleville, Ontario, Canada. This high school is not gender specific. Albert College is committed to inspiring excellence in academics, athletics, the arts, adventure, and active citizenship: the 5 A’s. Furthermore, Albert College has state-of-the-art facilities, which include a library, an outdoor tennis court, and a fitness room, amongst others. In addition, there is a well equipped health centre. Finally, Albert College is both a day and a boarding school.

• St. Michael’s College School

St. Michael’s College Schools, a private high school for boys, was founded in 1852. It is committed to educating young men to become the leaders of tomorrow through its diverse and dynamic curriculum. As a liberal arts school owned by the Catholic, the students are being prepared to discover their potential and thrive in post secondary institutions. Furthermore, St. Michael’s College provides her students with an engaging environment, as well as extracurricular activities for their all-round development.

• king’s-Edgehill School

This high school is reputed to be the first private high school in Canada and one of the oldest in Canada. It is located in Windsor, Nova Scotia. Established in 1788, King’s-Edgehill School has created a conducive learning environment and extracurricular activities to help students discover, and become all that they could have ever imagined.

• Jarvis Collegiate Institute

History has it that this high school was founded firstly as a private high school in 1797. However, in 1807, it was taken over by the government of Ontario and incorporated as one of the public grammar schools then. No doubt, Jarvis Collegiate Institute is one of the oldest high schools in Canada and is reputed to offer academic excellence. Jarvis is located in Toronto, Canada and offers a wide range of programs, both academic and extracurricular. In addition, this high school has well equipped facilities, including a laboratory. 

• Pickering College

This is a private high school founded in 1842 that accommodates both day and boarding students. It is located in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. As a diverse school, Pickering College is focused on building courageous, innovative and compassionate students who can take up the responsibility of making the world a better place. 

• Bishop’s College School

Bishop’s College School, also known as BCS, is a diverse and inclusive community of students from more than 40 countries. In 1836, this high school was established to prepare students for post secondary school life. It accommodates both boarding and day students. However, 85% of students at BCS are boarders, including international students. In addition, BCS has state-of-the-art facilities which includes modern laboratories and classrooms, library, outdoor tennis courts, outdoor sport fields, fitness centre, just to mention a few.

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• Upper Canada College

In the year 1829, this high school was founded. Upper Canada College, also known as UCC, is a private high school, specifically for boys, located in Toronto, Ontario. UCC is both a day and boarding school. Currently, over 1200 students are enrolled; 88 of them are boarders, of whom majority are international students. UCC is committed to offering transformative learning experiences through a variety of co-curricular activities and state-of-the-art facilities.

• St. John High School

Founded in 1805, St. John High School is one of the oldest high schools in Canada and is located in New Brunswick. Its mission is to challenge students to become innovative thinkers so as to achieve personal standards of success. This high school has about 900 students enrolled. Furthermore, St. John High School offers extracurricular activities through its state-of-the-art facilities which include the media centre, mini theatre, mini art room, swimming pool, just to mention a few.

To Wrap Up

Choosing to study in Canada is one of the best decisions you can ever make. Canada is known to offer top quality education through its top-notch curriculum and its committed and highly qualified teachers. It is a proven fact that the oldest high schools in Canada offer the best value in terms of education. In this article, we have explored the top 8 oldest high schools in Canada.