Introduction to Schools in Markham
Education is such an important part of your child’s life! Many schools in Markham offer different philosophies of guidance, teaching styles and are very diverse in the amenities they offer. Therefore, many parents find choosing the right school an overwhelming challenge. If you are already living in Markham and need to find a school for your child or plan on moving to Markham, these ‘Schools in Markham – a Complete Guide’ pages have all the information you need to make an informed choice in easy to use lists.
Choosing a School
There are many factors to consider when you choose a school for your child. When it comes to public schools, your choice will be limited to area boundaries – but you still will probably have some choices!
Schools in Markham are, on the whole, excellent schools. In fact, 30 out of the 47 elementary schools in Markham rank in the top 15% of schools in the province. Additionally, 7 of the 9 secondary schools in Markham are in the top 8.5% of all secondary schools in the province! It’s an impressive achievement.
However, most parents do lean towards schools that are the highest ranking in their area – according to the Fraser Institute. However, this doesn’t have to be the only way to assess if a school is a good match for your child.
Fraser Institute Rankings
The Fraser Institute uses average scores on province-wide tests to compile its list. Therefore, if a school has a high intake of children who have English as a second language, their results will differ from a school whose students have a wider comprehension of English. The school is actually a great school, but they are judged on their results. Markham is fortunate to have a very diverse population. This is beneficial for children, as they learn without prejudice from a young age about other religions, cultures and languages by having friends and peers who come from diverse backgrounds.
Another example would be a high percentage of special needs children or large class sizes. All of these numbers are listed in the A-Z list of schools page.
Assessing Schools
The best way to assess if a school is right for your child is to do some research. Look at their website, read their mission statement, look at their policies, class sizes and facilities. We would also recommend attending an open day for new students. Talk to teachers, ask questions, and get a feel for the school. If you are looking at a high school, talk to existing students about the school, school life, and aspirations for the future. A good measure of a school is confident, engaged students who take on responsibility for their own learning, and have some sense of the path they may want to follow. Good pastoral care at school facilitates great education.
Extracurricular Activities
Most universities now look at extra-curricular activities to differentiate between students with the same exam results. Therefore, it may be a good idea to find a school that offers after school activities. Choices in music, art, dance, sports, drama, academic teams and clubs will help your child’s education, social skills and health as well as being very attractive activities for university applications.
How To Navigate All of This
Here are 4 essential lists to help you!
-
- A map of all the schools in Markham. Find the schools nearest to you.
-
- A list of every school in Markham in an easy to use sortable A-Z list, with all the details of each school you are interested in.
-
- Fraser Institute rankings for all elementary schools from highest to lowest. – How do the schools you are looking at rank in Ontario against other schools in Ontario?
-
- Fraser Institute rankings for all secondary schools from the highest to the lowest.
Click on the images below to jump to the page where you want to begin and good luck with your journey to the best school for your child!
Conclusion
Schools in Markham – a complete guide is here to help you find the schools available to you, discover school websites, compare school rankings and other factors affecting rankings and ultimately make choices that work for you as a family. Try out our essential lists to make a start!
