Choosing which school to send your child to can be a daunting experience for many parents.
Not only do you need to weigh up the location and cost of your prospective schools, but you need to take into consideration your child’s learning style, their temperament, and the reputation of the school you will send them to.
The main decision you will need to make is whether to send your child to private school or public school.
But how can you make this decision?
There are many benefits to sending your child to a private school in Toronto you may not be aware of. Let’s have a look at some of the biggest reasons these schools should be on your radar.
Perhaps the most striking benefit of sending your child to a private high school is the typically smaller class sizes.
Public schools generally have to accept every student that is sent their way, which can lead to overcrowded campuses and overstuffed classrooms. The average class size for grades four to eight is 24.5 students, whilst nine to twelve have 22 students on average.
Though this is an improvement upon decades past when class sizes could easily surpass 30 students or more, they are still high when put in the context of your child’s learning and access to a dedicated teacher.
Private high schools have class sizes typically lower than 17 students per class, which has been shown to dramatically improve a student’s academic performance, particularly in literature and mathematics.
This enables your child to reach their full potential and get the attention they need from teachers that aren’t stretched thin with the number of students they are responsible for, which can be worth the cost of tuition alone for many parents.
Private high schools also tend to have highly dedicated teachers with multiple advanced degrees in their fields.
As mentioned above, private high schools typically have significantly smaller class sizes than public schools. This allows teachers to focus more on each individual student, leading to a more rewarding and less stressful experience for the teacher.
Private schools generally also offer higher salaries to their teachers, which combined with the better working environment, makes them very attractive positions for teachers. This means that the best teachers with the highest qualifications often apply for private high school roles, which leads to an extremely talents faculty in many private high schools.
Highly qualified and dedicated teachers can have a huge lasting impact on a child during their school years, and can help them strive for success for the rest of their lives.
The end result of smaller class sizes and dedicated teachers is improved future opportunities for many students at private high schools.
Private high schools have typically higher rates of university attendance than public high schools – many private high schools boast an almost 100 percent rate of students being accepted into their first choice university.
Private high schools also usually have a university placement program, which can help students create their university applications, get face-to-face meetings with university counsellors, and take on campus field trips to their chosen universities to get a sense for what their future might hold.
Another well known benefit to choosing a private high school over a public one is the excellent extracurricular activities offered.
Public high schools will usually offer some activities to students outside of their regular classes, such as book clubs or sport teams to join. However, due to limited resources and large student bodies, these activities can be overcrowded and underfunded.
On the other hand, private high schools generally have more resources at their disposal and are able to offer more activities at a higher quality and consistency. Dedicated instructors and staff contribute to an excellent extracurricular selection at many private high schools, and the smaller groups mean that students can really feel heard and dive into the activity.
Private high schools can also be safer environments for a range of reasons.
Public high schools have large student populations and occasionally limited teacher supervision, which can lead to instances of bullying and emotional distress for more introverted students. This can increase feelings of anxiety and depression for some students who struggle in larger groups.
Private high schools are much smaller and closer-knit environments, allowing every student to feel safe and comfortable. Teachers are able to provide adequate supervision, and no student is usually ever “lost in the crowd”.
Private high schools can also sometimes have onsite guards and other security measures, further enhancing security for both the student body and the faculty.
Cestar High School is a highly rated private high school in Toronto, specializing and welcoming international students and domestic students alike. Our range of academic programs is tailored to help our students achieve success, and our university placement programs lead to excellent university admission rankings.
If you are currently looking at private high schools in Toronto for your child, contact Cestar High School and experience the difference quality can make.
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