The ideal kindergarten programme for your child is an important decision you must make as a parent since it will affect both their academic and personal development.
The good news is that Toronto is home to some of the best kindergarten schools, providing your children with a secure and supportive learning environment.
In order to make an educated choice for your child’s future, read on to learn more about the top kindergarten schools in Toronto!
How much does the tuition in kindergarten schools in Toronto cost?
Tuition in kindergarten in Toronto may range from free (public schools) to well over $10,000 per year, depending on the location, the quality of the curriculum, and the range of extracurricular activities available.
Full-time kindergarten programmes in Toronto typically cost between $10,000 and $30,000. Nevertheless, certain schools may charge more or less than this.
Uniforms, textbooks, transportation, and extracurricular activities may all incur additional charges on top of tuition. Although, you can inquire whether or not the school provides financial assistance or scholarships.
Top Kindergarten Schools in Toronto
We used the following criteria to determine which kindergarten schools in Toronto to include in our review.
1. Fieldstone School
QUALITY | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Curriculum | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Teachers | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Facilities | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
Programmes | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
FEES(A higher score means better value) | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
REPUTATION | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
LOCATION | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Fieldstone School is a private co-educational and non-denominational Cambridge school.
It’s impressive that their Cambridge curriculum sets a global standard for education.
They practice the Cambridge Primary Program and the Cambridge ICT (Information and Communications Technology) Starters, which pleases parents as it is internationally recognised.
The Cambridge certificates given by this school elevates students’ applications to bigger schools.
In addition, we’ve come to know that their programmes are not only inclined with academics but with the arts as well, implementing the Orff music approach starting from kindergarten.
We like that Fieldstone School emphasises the advantage of small class sizes, house system, character education, and individualised approach to education.
We’ve talked to parents who found their small size class helpful because their kids are given individual attention, resulting into a tight-knit community and culture within the campus.
Parents have also said they appreciate how professional, encouraging, and helpful the teachers at Fieldstone are.
One parent talked about how, when they realised their son was good at math, his teachers made classes for him that were tailored to his needs.
Fieldstone School also has a lot of extracurricular activities that we think are good for the students.
But some people have complained that their buildings are old and that Wi-Fi sometimes doesn’t work.
Despite that, Fieldstone School maintains good-quality sports facilities and recreational areas. Their buildings are surrounded by a courtyard and gardens, too.
Overall, students, alumni, and their parents have said that they are proud to be a part of this school and admire it.
Having said that, this type of school programme does not come cheap. Their tuition fee with expenses is relatively expensive, starting at $20,570 for domestic and $28,695 for international students.
Fieldstone School is located in Dufferin Street, making it a convenient location where students have access to several sights, cafés and shops.
Pros
- Cambridge curriculum (internationally recognised)
- Global standards for education
- Orff music approach
- Small size classes
- Individualised approach to education
- Professional, encouraging, and supportive teachers
- Personalised classes for gifted children
- Numerous extracurriculars
- Sports facilities and recreational areas
- Convenient location
- Teaches Shakespeare from JK
- All subjects (English, Math, and Science) are taught every day
Cons
- Old classroom buildings
- Wi-Fi problems
- Relatively expensive
Parent Reviews
The school helps form strong foundations
“Our daughter loves Fieldstone! We have an amazing group of kids’ teachers and parents. Strong foundations are being formed that will follow her thru her entire life.” —Carla Pinheiro, Google Reviews
Caring and supportive teachers
“Fieldstone has amazing teachers and staff. I appreciate the regular feedback on how my son is doing and the strategies to succeed. The students are great as well. my son made great friends right on day one.” —Manuela Carvalho, Google Reviews
2. Nile Academy
QUALITY | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Curriculum | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Teachers | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Facilities | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
Programmes | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
FEES(A higher score means better value) | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
REPUTATION | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
LOCATION | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
The kindergarten programme at Nile Academy is uniquely designed for the educational, social, and emotional needs of their students.
We’ve seen that the school uses the Handwriting Without Tears Model, which is a multisensory way to teach and fix writing problems by using tactile senses.
Parents are happy with this method because they say it lets their kids “get their hands dirty.”
Nile Academy also has classes in music and art for their kindergarten programme. We and a lot of other parents love these classes because they give kids experiences outside of school.
This school also has small classes, which is another thing that draws people to it.
Also, one of the parents we talked to said that they had seen Nile Academy’s counselors work hard to give each student enough time.
Parents confirm that their teaching staff is professional and engaging, and constantly keeps in touch with them, updating them of their kids’ progress.
Looking at more testimonials, we discovered that the school actively listens to criticism and urgently answers parent and student queries.
In line with this, Nile Academy could improve on the emergency exits of their buildings as there have been remarks about them being blocked or inaccessible.
There have been delays of 1-2 hours in their bus services lately, so they might need some work in this area as well.
Nile Academy is less expensive than other private schools, with fees ranging from $8,900 to $19,300 for international students. Keep in mind that, for the price, the school already has good one-on-one help.
Nile Academy is in a good place at Blue Haven Crescent because it is close to places where you can buy food and get professional services.
Pros
- Handwriting without Tears Model
- Has Music and Art classes
- Small size classes
- Teaching staff is professional and engaging
- School actively listens to parents
- Cheaper tuition fee
- Good location
Cons
- Remarks on inaccessible emergency exits
- 1-2-hour delays in bus services
Parent Reviews
Great at adapting to different situations and provide quality education
“Both of my sons have been studying at Nile Academy since 2018. Despite the pandemic and all the other challenges since then, the school and its staff has been great at adapting to different situations and provide quality education. Highly recommended to anyone looking for a school with an ideal education environment.” —Faruk Saglam, Google Reviews
We are very happy with the staff, curriculum, activities, and school organizations
“Best school in Canada. My kids [have been] going to school [here] over 10 years. As a family, we are very happy with [the] staff, curriculum, activities, extra school organizations like weekend school. I strongly recommend [Nile Academy] to families who want to raise successful and respectful kids.” —Ozgur Boyacioglu, Google Reviews
3. Cornerstone Montessori Prep School
QUALITY | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
Curriculum | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Teachers | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Facilities | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Programmes | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
FEES(A higher score means better value) | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
REPUTATION | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
LOCATION | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Cornerstone Montessori Prep School instills a faith-based education with enriched individualised programmes.
Their core studies are supplemented by music, sports, French and Mandarin classes. We understand how these classes help kids nourish their social, emotional, and educational progress.
A parent we talked to stated that when they compared their observations about their son to the observations of parents in other schools, Cornerstone’s curriculum remains “superior”.
We liked that their teachers paid close attention to the students and that, when problems came up, the staff worked with the parents to solve them.
We think that the teachers at Cornerstone Montessori Prep School are great teachers who can adapt to each student’s needs and still meet the requirements of the Ministry of Education.
The school has a programme that focuses on the child. According to a parent, “teachers are ready to work with us to change the courses to meet our child’s needs.”
But there were some complaints about how often teachers change, which disrupts the flow of teaching and makes students angry or confused.
There were also problems with the admissions staff taking too long to answer the questions of the parents.
On the other hand, students have talked about how excited they were about school-planned trips and summer camps.
This school’s average tuition costs range from $13,750 to $18,960. Based on what other private kindergartens charge, this range is thought to be average.
Cornerstone Montessori Prep School is located at downtown Toronto, making it close to workplaces. This is quite convenient for working parents.
Pros
- Faith-based education with enriched individualised programmes
- Core studies supplemented by music, sports, French, and Mandarin classes
- Teachers pay close attention to students
- Child-centred
- Encourages active participation from parents
- Summer camps and trips
- Average tuition fee
- Close to workplaces
Cons
- Frequent change in teachers
- Admission staff replies late
Parent Reviews
The teachers treat each student as a unique young person
“Cornerstone Montessori has been an absolute blessing for our entire family! Our son has been enrolled since 18 months, first in the Toddler program, then through Pre-K, JK and now SK. The teachers and entire staff have become like part of our extended family. They all work incredibly hard to lead by example, treating each student as a unique young person and instilling within them a sense of responsibility, curiosity, open-mindedness and self-respect…” —Robert D., Google Reviews
Our children are so happy to be at Cornerstone and enjoy school
“We wanted to post a review because Cornerstone has exceeded our expectations. Cornerstone is an excellent, enriched, and, supportive school that models a family environment. Dr. Ling and the teaching staff excel at providing individualized teaching styles which has proven to be successful with our son. Every learning challenge we have experienced has been addressed with attention to detail and continuous follow up. Our children continue to have a successful and happy learning experience every year. They are so happy to be at Cornerstone and enjoy school, even with learning challenges being faced, and nothing is more important to us than that. The Faculty continues to develop and enrich our children’s learning standards. We are so happy to be part of the Cornerstone family!” S. T., Google Reviews
4. Alive Montessori & Private School
QUALITY | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
Curriculum | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Teachers | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Facilities | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Programmes | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
FEES(A higher score means better value) | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
REPUTATION | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
LOCATION | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
The kindergarten programme of Alive Montessori and Private School is based on the Ontario Public School Curriculum but with heavy emphasis on reading, writing, and mathematics.
One thing that makes their programme stand out is that they teach students “how to study.”
In their courses, they focus on active learning, individual approaches, cognitive growth, and learning through play.
They also offer classes in piano, salsa, drama, and piano, and their students can choose from a number of workshops.
But we heard that a member of the Alive Montessori staff at a summer camp wasn’t very nice. Apparently, this staff member didn’t pay attention to their child’s needs as he or she grew up.
On the other hand, we did notice that most of the parents said the teachers cared about each student and paid attention to them.
They say that their kids are always excited and happy to go to school because of these things.
Alive Montessori’s staff could benefit from sensitivity training if they want to keep building a good reputation.
We’re surprised that the school also puts on events in which parents can take part.
Parents who have been to Alive Montessori can say that it is clean and has good facilities.
Even though they have these good qualities, compared to other private schools, they only have 50 students from preschool to elementary school. This may make it harder for students to make friends.
We acknowledge their effort to maintain daily updates to parents with photos of their children. Most parents declare that their child blossomed when they started to enter this school.
In addition, Alive Montessori’s lunch programme was greatly adored by the parents because of the innovation and variation.
One parent claimed that her son was once a picky eater but has now developed into an “eating anything under the sun” eater.
The school has a cheaper tuition fee between $15,500 to $17,500 compared to other private schools.
Their fee depends on the preferred schedule of the clients. They have the usual full time, and a part time schedule which means that the child goes to school half day.
The school moved to a more central location near the Bathurst and Eglinton intersection, which makes its location more convenient to parents.
Pros
- Emphasis on active learning, individual approach, cognitive development and play-based learning
- Provides piano, salsa, drama, and piano classes
- Parents allowed to actively participate in school events
- Lunch programme
- Cheaper tuition fee
- Full time and part time schedules
- Convenient location
Cons
- Reports on staff’s lack of sensitivity during past summer camps
- Few students enrolled overall
Parent Reviews
All of the staff are incredibly warm, loving, and caring
“My daughter has been at Alive for JK/SK, and I only have positive sentiments towards the school. All of the staff are incredibly warm and loving, and care about the children deeply. They create an environment where everyone are friends, children feel secure, which is amazing for their self-esteem. The teachers are very communicative and open. My daughter is excited for school every day, which is a blessing. Alive does a wonderful job of creating school events where the children participate, and the parents can come together. Last year they had a tremendous cultural event where we were able to learn about all different cultures and backgrounds, and respective cuisine and costumes, with the parents representing different countries. It is truly an inclusive environment! I truly wish I had known about Alive for preschool, that’s my only regret :-)” —Lindy Ulrich, Google Reviews
Communication with the parents is top notch
“Me and my wife heard about the Montessori system and felt it was right for our daughter. The school had great reviews and after our daughter attended a summer session there, we understood why and enrolled her for the year. Alive has great, caring teachers and a welcoming environment. The administration is professional and the communication with the parents is top notch.” —Mikhail Galkin, Google Reviews
5. The Giles School
QUALITY | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Curriculum | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Teachers | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT | ★★★★☆ (4.5/5) |
Facilities | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Programmes | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
FEES(A higher score means better value) | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
REPUTATION | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
LOCATION | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
The Giles School offers a bilingual education with an all-inclusive perspective. They have a French immersion programme with Mandarin as the third language.
We realised that the emphasis on the language curriculum honed their students to not only be educated but cultured as well.
Their curriculum focuses on new ways of teaching, and they keep classes small, with 10 to 16 students, which we like.
Through a creative academic curriculum, their kindergarten programme focuses on helping kids develop their creativity and sensitivity. This lets people tell stories, sing songs, play games, and make music together.
During this level, they also teach basic math skills and ways to communicate orally and in writing.
Parents have said they love the “quiet time” or slow-paced activities that have been put in place after lunch. This lets their kids learn in a more solid way, which we think is a big plus.
Also, we saw how parents say that the teachers are caring and flexible.
One parent confirmed this by saying that the staff was helpful and happy to work with her daughter, who is a new kindergarten student.
We also found out that the school building is beautiful, big, and colourful, but it doesn’t have a gym.
Tuition fee for The Giles School is on the expensive side, ranging from $24,180 to $29,995.
However, even with higher expenses, The Giles School is still known for giving their students the chance to “grow intellectually, socially, and emotionally” according to the majority of parents we’ve talked to.
Situated at Scarsdale Road, the school is accessible to public transit and is surrounded by several restaurants.
Pros
- Bilingual education with all-inclusive perspective
- French immersion program and Mandarin as third language
- Small class size
- Creative academic curriculum
- “Quiet time” after lunch period
- Spacious building
- Friendly and supportive school management
- Accessible location
Cons
- Lack of proper gym
- Expensive tuition fee
Parent Reviews
Great environment and very welcoming atmosphere
“Both of my kids attended Giles from JK and PK to grade 8 and we have a lot of great things to say about the school. Our experience at Giles was exceptional: Amazing teachers who care, administration who love what they are doing, great curriculum, small class sizes, great environment and very welcoming atmosphere. Academic program is second to none to say the least and each student is treated with care and respect. Giles integrates compassion into their teaching standards, emphasizes the importance of values, and builds leaders through each of their classes and lessons…” —IC C., Google Reviews
The teachers here are unparalleled
“Giles was a wonderful experience for us as a family. As a school, it seamlessly provides an environment where children can thrive academically in a nurturing space. The teachers here are unparalleled and always challenging their students to do more and better. Small class sizes also ensure that they are able to devote enough time to each student. Many thanks to The Giles School for providing stepping stones to success for their students.” —Malini Dave, Google Reviews
FAQs on Kindergarten Schools in Toronto
In your search for the top kindergarten schools in Toronto, we hope that our review has been useful!
If you’re a parent who’s also looking for private schools, we can help narrow down your search! Take a closer look at the best private schools in Toronto in our review.