While it’s misleading to rank private schools overall, it can be helpful to rank them in terms of specific criteria. Here we rank them in terms of age: we provide a list of the top 20 oldest private schools in Canada.
A school’s age is important. If a school has been around a long time, it likely has something valuable to offer. It may also have established a strong reputation in Canada and worldwide.
Keep in mind, though, there’s far more to evaluating a school than its age or prestige. Just because a school is the oldest doesn’t mean it’s the best. Age is just one factor to consider when choosing a school. You’ll also want to look at a school’s cost, community, culture, programs, and academics, among other things. In the end, you should try to find a school that’s the right fit—for your child and family.
To help you out, we list schools by location and type. While combing through these lists, which can be filtered using our advanced search, make sure to check out our comprehensive school profiles. You can also compare schools in terms of a wide range of metrics, like academics, admissions, course pedagogies, special needs support, and more. Finally, we provide an invaluable advice guide, which contains detailed articles on different types of schools, choosing a school, applying to schools, and many other topics.
School | Location | Grades | Founded | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | King's-Edgehill School | Windsor, NS | 6 to 12 | 1788 |
2 | St. John's-Ravenscourt School | Winnipeg, MB | K to 12 | 1820 |
3 | Upper Canada College | Toronto, ON | SK to 12 | 1829 |
4 | Bishop's College School | Sherbrooke, QC | 7 to 12 | 1836 |
5 | Pickering College | Newmarket, ON | JK to 12 | 1842 |
6 | Sacred Heart School of Halifax ✝ | Halifax, NS | JK to 12 | 1849 |
7 | College Bourget | Rigaud, QC | PS to 12 | 1850 |
8 | De La Salle College ✝ | Toronto, ON | 5 to 12 | 1851 |
9 | St. Michael's College School ✝ | Toronto, ON | 7 to 12 | 1852 |
10 | Albert College | Belleville, ON | PS to 12 | 1857 |
11 | Sacred Heart School of Montreal ✝ | Montreal, QC | 7 to 12 | 1861 |
12 | Trinity College School | Port Hope, ON | 5 to 12 | 1865 |
13 | Bishop Strachan School ✝ | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | 1867 |
14 | Stanstead College | Stanstead, QC | 7 to 12 | 1872 |
15 | Trafalgar Castle School | Whitby, ON | 4 to 12 | 1874 |
16 | Rothesay Netherwood School | Rothesay, NB | 6 to 12 | 1877 |
17 | Lakefield College School | Lakefield, ON | 9 to 12 | 1879 |
18 | Trafalgar School For Girls | Montreal, QC | 7 to 11 | 1887 |
19 | Ridley College | St. Catharines, ON | JK to 12 | 1889 |
20 | Mennonite Collegiate Institute ✝ | Gretna, MB | 9 to 12 | 1889 |
21 | Ashbury College | Ottawa, ON | 4 to 12 | 1891 |
22 | St. Mildred's-Lightbourn School | Oakville, ON | JK to 12 | 1891 |
23 | Carmel New Church School ✝ | Kitchener, ON | JK to 8 | 1892 |
24 | Olivet School ✝ | Etobicoke, ON | JK to 5 | 1893 |
25 | Havergal College | Toronto, ON | JK to 12 | 1894 |
What is the oldest private school?
King's-Edgehill School is the oldest private school. The school was founded in 1788.