Children
Canadians are proud of their education system and believe all children have the right to a publicly funded (free) education in the official language of their choice, English or French. Children attend school from the beginning of September to the end of June until they are at least 16 years old.
The Ministry of Education manages the school system and sets a standard curriculum for all Ontario schools. The curriculum details the knowledge and skills students are expected to develop in each subject at each grade level. The aim is to provide the same education to all Ontario students, no matter where they live.
There are two types of schools, elementary and secondary:
Elementary School - Elementary schools instruct children from Junior Kindergarten (3-4 year olds) to the end of grade eight (13-14 year olds). Most grade levels are taught individually, but sometimes two grades must be integrated to more efficiently use resources.
Secondary or High School - Secondary school, also called high school, teaches grades nine through 12. Students must earn a total of 30 credits to obtain an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). Students must also complete 40 hours of community service, or volunteer work, and pass the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test, which is taken in Grade 10.
Alternatives to the English public school system in Ontario include Catholic schools, French Catholic schools, French language schools and a number of private school (for fee) and independent schools (for fee) devoted to serving particular ethnic and language groups.
Whether the public or private option is best for your family, in London, there are a number of excellent schools throughout our city.
Learn More:
-
Thames Valley District School Board
(TVDSB)
- London District Catholic School Board (LDCSB)
- Conseil scolaire de district du Centre-Sud-Ouest
- Conseil scolaire de district des écoles catholiques du Sud-Ouest
- English as a Second Language
-
WISE program (Western's Initiative for Scholarly Excellence) - High achieving grade eleven and twelve students in London and area have access to free courses at the University of Western Ontario
- Education Quality and Accountability Office - conducts province-wide testing of literacy and numeracy skills in grades three, six and ten. The tests are designed to measure student achievement against curriculum expectations.
- Identification, Placement, and Review Committee - will determine the best programs and services for students with behavioural, communicational, intellectual, and physical challenges.
