Understanding the Canada Education System

While education structure varies from territory to territory, for this section and the remainder of this guide we’ll focus on the most common practices across the country.

Most children in Canada start school before or at age five in a kindergarten or nursery school, though it’s not compulsory for children to attend before age six. School is then mandatory until age 16, however, it’s highly unusual for students to leave school before they graduate at age 18.

Preschool in Canada refers to any education that happens before children reach first grade. That can include daycare programs for toddlers, as well as kindergartens for older children, which take a more academic approach childcare. Attending school at this level isn’t required of Canadian children, and pre-schools are typically private, meaning they come with a cost to parents. Kindergarten, however, is usually public, and the majority of Canadian children attend. While it’s not required across the country, in some territories children are required to attend kindergarten when they reach age five. There’s a wide range of preschool types available in the northern country, from non-profit cooperative schools to Catholic schools, other religious schools, community schools and private schools. Typically cooperative schools are the least expensive, however, they tend to require the most parent participation in the form of volunteering as teachers aides. Religious schools are also quite popular, however, they’re not for all families as they usually involve some level of religious curriculum. Private schools tend to be the priciest of the bunch, though they’re also considered to be the best. Montessori schools fall under the private school umbrella, teaching under the montessori philosophy of educating children based on their unique needs and interests. While attending preschool isn’t required, it’s recommended - especially for expat families whose first language isn’t English (or French, in some provinces). Preschool helps children develop social and emotional skills, and can be a good first step in integrating new students into their local community. Preschool can also help parents who are new to Canada meet the other parents within their town, making it a great social opportunity for children and adults alike. 95% of of Canadian five year olds do attend a kindergarten, while 40% of four year olds attend preschool (though these numbers vary widely by jurisdiction). Registering your child for preschool is usually done at the school itself and typically involves a short questionnaire or a pre-enrollment interview.

It’s required for children to begin attending school in the first September after they turn five. This first stage of compulsory school is usually called elementary school, though in some provinces it may be referred to as primary school. This stage of education usually covers students from ages six to 11, in grades one to six, however, some schools extend elementary school to grade eight, or age 13. Curriculum in elementary school varies widely from province to province, however, the typical schedule includes courses in reading, writing, math, history, geography, art, music, science and physical education. In some schools, French is also a compulsory subject, while in others it’s offered to elementary school students in the form of an “early French immersion programme,” but isn’t required. Other foreign languages don’t typically start until junior high. Promotion from grade to grade within elementary schools is usually performance based, meaning students must pass yearly exams to advance. It’s not uncommon for children who are performing poorly to be held back, while it’s also fairly usual for gifted students to skip a year entirely.

Junior high and high school, typically thought of as two parts to secondary education, are attended by children from age 12 to age 18, and is required until age 16. Children 16 and older may elect to leave school, however, this is relatively uncommon. While secondary school is sometimes the same physical location from grade seven onwards, it’s more common for schools to be divided by junior high, grades seven to nine, and high school, grades 10-12. The major outlier in this area is Quebec, where students attend high school from grade seven until grade 11, and then move to a general or vocational college for the next two years of their education. Depending on the region, secondary schools either continue the core-subject curriculum that begins in primary school or divide students into academic “streams,” which prepare them more specifically for the vocational college or university - and ultimately the career - of their choosing. Even where the streaming system is in place, it’s required for students to take core subjects, including English, math, science, health, physical education and social studies, for a certain number of years or credits. The exact number of years varies from province to province. Starting in secondary school, students are allowed to begin choosing courses that interest them, known as electives. These classes are intended to help students better understand their interests and the possibilities for career paths that can stem from them. By the time students are in ninth grade, it’s not uncommon for electives to take up more than half of a student’s school day. Beginning around the same time, career counseling becomes available to students. This career guidance is geared towards helping students choose appropriate electives that will ultimately get them ahead in their chosen educational path or vocation. Counselors are typically available to students throughout their high school experience and starting in grade 10 begin to focus on university planning. This is often broken into two distinct tracks: university, which focuses on academic subjects from biology to literature, and vocational programs, which focus on more career-oriented subjects. Those can include agriculture, farm management, business operations, home economics, child care or industrial education, which focuses on mechanical and manufacturing skills. Secondary school is also the time when most students begin extracurricular activities, like sports. High schools typically have school sports teams, which are often seen as not only physical endeavors but an important part of the school’s social scene. Education, however, always takes precedence; in most schools students are barred from sports if they’re unable to maintain an acceptable grade point average. Students who aren’t keen on athletics also take on extracurriculars, like clubs, musical groups, theater and dance, debate or model UN teams. Many schools also have opportunities like student newspapers, photography studios and yearbook teams. Canadian universities and employers both look for students who have participated in extracurriculars, so there’s some pressure for high schoolers to participate.

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