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Elmwood is one of the most innovative girls' schools in North America and ranked as one of the top 25 private schools in Canada. We are one of only nineteen schools in Canada to receive the Apple Distinguished School designation and the only school in the region offering all three levels of the International Baccalaureate Programme. Acclaimed for its academic excellence, caring atmosphere, and strong community spirit, Elmwood is a school where girls are encouraged to stretch themselves, try new things, create and explore. We are nimble and flexible, modeling best practices in educating girls. We strike a balance between traditional academic goals and innovative approaches to achieving those goals. We create inquiring lifelong learners, compassionate and engaged global citizens, and confidence, caring leaders. Elmwood School has been an institution in the Village of Rockcliffe Park for over one hundred years. It was founded in 1915 as the "Rockcliffe Preparatory School" by Theodora Philpot. The School opened for business in 1915 with only four students, aged four to seven. The educational ambitions of the first Headmistress were high. She wrote: "The discipline of the School and the instruction are by the best modern methods, and constant care is given to the proper development of each pupil and the fostering of good school spirit. When we talk to the girls about what makes their school special, we get as many different answers as we have students. Not far from every girl answer, though is family and confident young women. There is something here for every girl to love, get involved in, and find inspiring. Over 100 years ago, Theodora Philpot, an entrepreneurial and visionary woman, founded Elmwood School. Although the subjects we teach and how we teach have evolved dramatically since 1915, Mrs. Philpot would still recognize the essence of the School she created. Every girl here is known, and valued-we see them as individual girls on individual journeys, and we inspire each girl to reach her full potential. That is the School's mission statement, and it is something every member of our community lives every day. Our holistic approach to girls' education combines superior academics with outstanding co-curricular activities and healthy lifestyle choices. The tremendous and supportive all-girls environment gives students the freedom to stretch themselves, take risks, and learn from their mistakes. We are specialists in how girls learn, so we can tailor things to precisely what works best. At the base of everything is our reputation for academic excellence. Elmwood is the only School in Ottawa accredited to deliver all three levels of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program ranging from preschool right up to the senior grades. This is a fully transferable, world-class education, and the combination of the "gold standard" IB program and a strong Ontario curriculum is the best preparation for university and beyond. When girls graduate from Elmwood, they are ready to move on to the next phase of their education with confidence. They have become inquiring, lifelong learners with an exceptional education, confident, caring leaders and compassionate, engaged global citizens. We believe that the best kind of education combines a world-class curriculum, passionate teachers, innovative teaching methods, and small class sizes, so every student gets individual attention. Elmwood's curriculum exceeds the expectations of the provincial curriculum and is more rigorously evaluated than any other school in Ottawa. Our standards are evaluated by the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme, the Ontario Ministry of Education, and Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS). Elmwood's academic program continues to surpass the expectations of each regulatory body. At Elmwood, we encourage and challenge our students to strive for academic excellence and inspire them to develop a lifelong love of learning. We know that this strong foundation of knowledge and skills is crucial for success in the 21st century. Our outstanding faculty draws on best practices in girls' education as they inspire students to be principled, knowledgeable, and reflective life-long learners. From the early years to graduation day, Elmwood students benefit from a program of study that is student-directed, inquiry-based, rigorous, relevant, and specifically designed to prepare students for life and work beyond the classroom. Our nurturing environment encourages our youngest students to feel secure and helps them start to build their independence. We balance a vibrant, academic environment with creative and purposeful play, helping students construct a solid knowledge of the world around them. A skilled, dedicated educator who is an expert in early childhood education and inquiry-based learning leads each classroom. In our purpose-built Junior School, the Kindergarten classrooms are designed to meet our youngest students' needs. Through experiential and imaginative play, Elmwood students engage in early literacy activities and tackle mathematical problems using various strategies, helping them establish a strong foundation for their future studies. As they progress through Junior School, girls develop skills, passion, and curiosity about the world—resulting in a love of learning. They continue to gain confidence and build the resilience and strength of character that they need to take smart risks, use their voice, and develop to their full potential. The IB Primary Years Programme curriculum framework is guided by six transdisciplinary themes of global significance, and recognizes the importance of not only what they learn but also how they learn. Using this inquiry-based model, our faculty teaches girls to teach themselves, using creativity, critical thinking, and their natural curiosity to discover and understand the world around them. In the Middle School, our goal is to nurture our students a life-long sense of curiosity and joy towards learning. Through the lens of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP), we offer a rich and engaging academic program where collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking are central. Our Middle School students learn and grow within an inspiring and supportive environment where courage, creativity, and character are celebrated. Through our 1:1 program, we support the full use of technology to help students develop academic skills, augment the curriculum, motivate learning, and prepare students for future life experiences in our technologically-based world. Senior School is all about preparing our students to enter university. Our students benefit from an educational environment that stresses higher-level critical thinking and inquiry and research skills, allowing them to develop a broad basis of knowledge and abilities while gaining an in-depth understanding of most interest subjects. This rigorous academic program, along with substantial co-curricular and leadership opportunities, helps Elmwood girls gain acceptance to the universities of their choice, often with generous entrance scholarships. Many universities actively seek out full IB Diploma students in their recruitment strategies, offering incentives such as early acceptance, scholarships, and credit for first-year courses. Alternatively, some students may choose from a wide array of IB Certificate courses in subjects of particular interest. Also, all Elmwood students graduate with the Ministry of Education diploma (Ontario Secondary School Diploma). View full school

Elmwood is a diverse and multi-cultural school where pupils’ personal development and well-being are central to our ethos. Every child is valued and their unique qualities are recognized and encouraged. Lessons are inspiring and a love of learning is encouraged in pupils. At Elmwood, we work together to ensure each pupil reaches their full potential. Pupil's voice is highly valued and we work in close partnership with parents and carers to develop personal, social, moral, spiritual, and cultural well-being. High expectations for all our children enable them to become resilient, independent, confident, and successful learners. Elmwood Junior School can boast a wide range of awards and accreditations which the staff works enthusiastically towards. We currently hold the Inclusion Mark, Arts Council Award for Commitment to the Arts, Eco Citizen Award, Food for Life Award, Primary Geography Quality Mark, Science Mark Silver, Healthy School Award, Activemark, and Sportsmark as well as a Readathon Certificate of Achievement. We have also been designated as an NPQH Leadership School by the National College for School Leadership. Achieving these helps us to celebrate the high standards and love of learning which is instilled in all our pupils. We aim to meet the needs of all children through a broad, balanced, and exciting curriculum that encourages academic success. We also provide opportunities for children to experience a sense of achievement through sport and the creative arts especially music which is central to the school’s successful philosophy of developing children’s self-esteem. Pupils experience learning in different contexts throughout their time at the school and visit a range of places of interest to help them develop their learning. The curriculum is enhanced by educational visits and visitors, authors, artists, musicians, theatre groups, and through themed weeks: Book Week, Arts Week, Geography and History Week, Science and Technology Week, and many more. Teaching methods used will vary according to the type of activity or the aims of each particular session. Children are taught as whole classes, in small groups, and as individuals. As children learn differently, we aim to provide a variety of learning environments that will enable each child to realize their potential. View full school

We are a thriving four-form entry infant school set within the heart of a highly diverse community, with over 50 different languages spoken by our children, families, and staff. Close to West Croydon train station and within easy reach of other transport links, we are always a popular choice for parents and prospective staff. We are fortunate to have a 52 place Nursery attached to our school, providing children from the age of three with a rich and creative learning environment, helping them to develop as confident and independent young people. At Elmwood, children learn about their rights and we are very proud of the fact that we are a UNICEF Rights Respecting School. These rights, alongside our ten super skills, encourage our children to be the best they possibly are in their learning and behavior. We recognize the individuality and uniqueness of every child. Pupils at our school achieve in line with the national average at the end of Year 2 and we have seen an increase over the past few years in the number of children achieving above age-related expectations in Reading, Writing and Maths. We are proud of the fact that children who join us make excellent progress from their starting point and become confident learners in a very short space of time. We offer a curriculum that is broad, creative and encourages children to learn practically as much as possible. We promote global awareness and have an absolute commitment to meeting the needs of all children. Inclusion is an incredibly important part of our ethos so do take a look at our SEN Information Report for more details about our work in this area. The partnership between home and school is incredibly important in the overall development of the child and we work hard to ensure that a school is a welcoming place for everyone. We make ourselves accessible and guide parents on how to support their child’s overall development. We provide opportunities for you to get to know other parents and carers by organizing coffee mornings, fundraising events, offering stay and play sessions, and through the numerous workshops and courses that we run across the year. We are proud of our school and achievements to date but are constantly seeking ways to improve. Each year we seek the views of parents and children and ask for feedback about our school and ideas to support us in making Elmwood an even better place to learn. By providing a flexible curriculum we aim to ensure a successful future in the 21st century by doing our best to enable children to become literate, numerate, and ICT competent to at least the level expected for their ages. We want to encourage children to have a sense of pride in their achievements and an ability to take full, the advantage of the opportunities offered to them. We also aim: to motivate, inspire and expect all children to achieve more than they have achieved before. Never to put a ceiling upon what we expect them to attain, but to help them strive to improve upon their previous best – everyone can be excellent at something. to encourage children to take responsibility for themselves, their actions, and behavior – to be self-disciplined, self-confident, and to think of others to acquire knowledge and skills relevant to life in a fast-changing world through a broad, balanced, and enriching curriculum to leave our school better prepared for life. to develop a cooperative working partnership between all staff, parents/carers, governors, and members of the community – we are all working together to benefit our children and to encourage everyone to respect the school environment. to provide a safe, secure, healthy, and stimulating environment in which all children have a sense of social well-being, can succeed, and be respected for who they are. Individual and group efforts are valued and praised – you don’t always have to be the best, you just have to try your best. View full school