Heritage Academy is one of those Ottawa schools that’s already staple in the community. Established in 1989, they accept applications year-round and have continued to provide an academic environment for students with unique needs.

They also provide a specialised system for students with language-based disabilities like dyslexia. We appreciate their small class sizes, which add an individualised environment for students with learning exceptionalities like ADHD, ADD, and anxiety.

On that note, we’re impressed with their use of the Simultaneous Multisensory Teaching (SMT) method, which is a strategy that stimulates all senses so students can understand and remember better. It’s nice that it’s also done in English and French.

By following the Ontario curriculum, this school teaches all the core subjects but combines them with the SMT method for more effective learning.

We also like how this Ottawa school isn’t just about books, as students get to enjoy plenty of extracurricular activities. There’s jiu-jitsu, badminton, space and science club, ski and snowboard club, and even a monster club!

It’s just unfortunate that one-on-one tutoring is only available during the summer in July. Still, group tutoring is available twice a week during the school year.

Finally, we heard from many parents that Heritage Academy provides a positive environment for students with unique needs. They also accept international students, providing a diverse community.

Established in 1966, OMS Montessori has earned a spot as one of Ottawa’s best schools because of their commitment to following the teachings of Maria Montessori.

We like that, with their true Montessori approach, students can learn independence that can help them into adulthood. 

Many parents we spoke with mentioned they love how OMS Montessori promotes collaboration among the students through interactive and hands-on learning.

For instance, toddlers get to learn self-reliance through various challenging activities. It’s nice that even high school students get the chance to experience the real world through adventure trips and community service.

Another thing we like is the after-school activities. There’s a good variety, too, as students can join sports, music, arts, science, dance, and mindfulness-focused clubs.

An impressive thing is this is the only school in Ottawa that has an exclusive French Montessori education. That said, it’s important to note that only students with at least one parent who speaks or is fluent in French can enrol in the Francophone program.

While we appreciate they provide financial aid to students in need, it’s just a bummer that it’s only available to currently enrolled students.

Despite that, this Ottawa Montessori school remains an overall top pick because of the interactive learning it provides through academics and extracurriculars.

Turnbull School is a private school in Ottawa that opened in 1992. But what’s awesome is that all classes are small, and based on the stories we’ve heard from parents, it gives every student a chance to participate.

And from what we’ve seen, the environment in this school is very engaging, with a strong focus on extracurricular activities. There’s a fenced-in play area, a soccer field, and rooms for science, music, and arts!

Turnbull School’s curriculum follows a cross-curricular approach, which is nice as students get to apply their knowledge in various activities. We also like how classes follow a creative approach to avoid repetitiveness for students.

There’s also a good French program that teaches students to speak and write in French. Students get exposed to French culture, which basically enriches their knowledge.

We also like the variety of athletic activities, such as soccer, cross-country running, badminton, and hockey. Plus, every grade level gets daily physical education classes to keep them active.

There’s even a wide array of clubs for students to join in, like the glee club, Lego club, scrapbooking, and fundraisers. It’s nice that there are plenty of choices that can entice anyone to develop and expand their interests.

It’s just a little unfortunate that there’s no financial aid available. But, we think it’s awesome there’s no application fee for students who want to enrol.

What’s so great about Astolot Educational Centre is the small classes, which allow for a more personalised teaching approach. Each student even gets their own program, which they develop along with their parent/s and the school principal.

Here, primary-level classes have a 6:1 student-to-teacher ratio, junior grades have 10:1, and intermediate levels have 12:1. Parents we surveyed love these class ratios, mentioning that their children received more attention from the teacher. 

This independent day school caters to elementary and high school students, except kindergarten, unfortunately.

We think it’s incredible they’re able to teach gifted learners and students with learning disabilities. In our books, this aspect makes Astolot Educational Centre more inclusive and provides a more diverse community.

There’s even a one-on-one Multisensory Structured Language (MSL) program for students with dyslexia. Plus, in-person and online tutoring sessions are available in English and French.

Daily physical exercises outside the classroom are also held to keep students active, which is awesome. When it’s raining, there are indoor games and exercises, like yoga.

It’s also cool that there are clubs to join, like card club games, knitting, and reading, even though there’s not much of an option. Still, the personalised and collaborative classes make this school a solid choice.

Lastly, the $17,000 to $18,000 tuition fee makes sense for us because the resources are incredible.

Here’s what makes Westboro Academy an impressive school in Ottawa: they provide bilingual education. Students can develop their skills in English and French, which certainly gives them an edge in the future.

Westboro Academy follows the Ontario English curriculum and Quebec’s French first language education. It’s awesome because students can solve problems with ease in two languages.

You don’t have to speak French to enrol your child here, which is nice because they’re inclusive—they even accept international students.

It’s also cool that they have complete technological equipment and only use Apple computers, ensuring students can easily grasp advanced technology after graduating. There are even MacBook Air laptops and iPads they can use for school—fancy, eh?

We also appreciate that students will have plenty of time for extracurricular activities to develop their interests. There’s a nature club, sports club, dance lessons, taekwondo, and even Lego robotics.

The tuition fee is around $17,500, which is alright since it’s the same as other private schools here—and the top-tier education makes sense. 

But this school isn’t easy to get into since there’s only one class for every grade and the school only accepts up to 176 students per year. The silver lining is small class sizes and a strong sense of community, considering the teachers know all students by name.