When students pour in off Yonge Street in the morning, chatting with friends and turning their minds to the day ahead, it seems as if the possibilities of the city itself – and even the world at large – somehow flow into the school with them. You can feel the energy build.
Our 700+ students from JK to Grade 12 are, in many ways, perfect examples of both the world beyond our walls and the International Baccalaureate program inside. They are diverse and contemporary like the city that makes our midtown location so unique. They are resilient and expansive like the Canadian landscape they explore through our extensive outdoor education offerings. And they are complex and multi-faceted like the nations they represent, the global community they are preparing to join, and the renowned universities they will attend.
For over 50 years, this community has worked together to build a distinctive learning environment to realize our mission. In this setting, students thrive, teachers inspire and parents advance the cause. From the strategic thinking of our current Board members to the inquiring questions of our youngest students, our tradition of academic excellence and global understanding continues. Graduates of The York School are knowledgeable and caring citizens of the world.
On behalf of our entire community, we welcome you to our website. We hope you enjoy a first glance at the vast array of academic, co-curricular, and community programming we offer. Contact us for additional information or to arrange for a personal school tour. When you walk through the front doors, you will experience this community of leaders and learners firsthand.
To develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who are engaged citizens of the world. Our mission is distinct among independent schools because it focuses on the strengths of our graduates, rather than the features of our school. The capacity for inquiry arises from curiosity, an inclination toward action, and an ability to adapt. To be knowledgeable is to transform diverse ideas and experiences into integrated understanding.
Caring flows from empathy, compassion, and a genuine appreciation for the community. And engaged citizens feel a sense of responsibility for personal, social, and global progress. To help our students develop these qualities, we provide a learning context that challenges, supports, and inspires. The result is a school community that values individuals for their unique contribution and brings out the best in everyone.
Our approach to learning puts students at the center of the process and builds on the International Baccalaureate’s world-leading, inquiry-based and interdisciplinary model. Our exceptional teachers have extensive international experience and integrate advanced technology into the curriculum to enhance our students' skills and understanding. And we provide interactive, hands-on learning experiences that solidify our students’ knowledge of themselves and their subjects.
Across the three divisions, we focus on developing the whole person through involvement in service-learning, the arts, athletics, clubs, student leadership, and citizenship. Support is a key priority at all times and students benefit from our inclusive approach. The York School defines diversity as a continuous commitment to ensuring the following:
- Diverse student representation from 25+ countries worldwide.
- A commitment to an equal gender balance across all grades.
- Inclusivity of all students who identify as part of the LGBTQ community.
- Tolerance by all students to each other regardless of their religious beliefs.
The York School curriculum reflects our commitment to experiential learning. We focus on the whole child, nurturing their talents and critical thinking skills. Our students learn to become compassionate, positive influences in the world. As an IB World School, our students learn through inquiry-based instruction in all subject areas including mathematics, visual arts, drama, music, physical education, French, science, and social studies.
The York School We offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) for students in Junior Kindergarten to Grade 5. The aim of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) is to provide a well-rounded education where students learn to the best of their ability, enjoy the process, and are well prepared for the next stage of their education. The PYP focuses on guided inquiry as an ideal approach to learning. Learning becomes engaging, relevant, challenging, and significant when students get to ask questions and become involved in their education.
The PYP is structured around six transdisciplinary themes which allow students to explore who they are and their place in the world. In the final year of the PYP (Grade 5), students participate in a culminating project, the PYP Exhibition. The Exhibition celebrates each student's achievement, acknowledging their transition from the primary to middle years.
Many resources have been used to develop The York School’s curriculum, including the Ontario Ministry of Education Elementary Curriculum, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme’s Scope and Sequence documents, and up-to-date pedagogical research. Our teachers employ a variety of teaching strategies that enable our students to develop knowledge, skills, and understanding that build from year to year. The focus is on developing strong skills, knowledge, and understanding in literacy, numeracy, critical thinking, research, problem-solving, communication, and the arts. Our students are encouraged to become independent learners who are aware of their strengths and talents.
In Middle School, learning is focused first on learning skills such as responsibility, organization, collaboration, independent work, and initiative. These learning skills are monitored and reported. Formative assessment (assessment tasks for learning and as learning) such as quizzes and exit cards, allow students to attempt new skills and demonstrate recent learning without their performance affecting their overall grade.
The assessment tasks are designed to allow students to demonstrate all of the categories of achievement: knowledge and understanding, thinking and inquiry, communication, and application/making connections. These four categories are weighted differently in each subject and are based on descriptors set out in both the MYP and Ontario Ministry Guidelines.
Tasks for summative assessment (assessment of learning) such as essays, projects, tests, and exams demonstrate students’ learning and contribute to their overall course grade.
