We're hoping for a move to Toronto in the next few months and central to our location will be a great kindergarten. Any suggestions? My daughters are 3 and 1 - am I right in saying they will attend kindergarten 3 mornings per week until age 6?

Thanks.

Depends. Some school boards do half days every day, others do whole days every other day (and every alternate friday), and even within boards its not consistent. One catholic board school in Belleville does all half days, the rest are everyother whole day.

Here JK starts September of the year they turn 4, SK the year after that and grade one the fall of the year they turn 6, but there are no hard and fast rules applicable across the province, each school board is free to decide if they want to start them all in the fall, or as they reach whatever age.

Choosing a location based on finding a great kindergarten is such a UK approach, most schools here are fine, and there is no easy way to determine which ones are great, and besides, schooling is not assigned on the same geographic basis here. We wanted Catholic Board French Immersion, so it really doesnt matter where we live within a 20 mile radius , there is one school that caters to that and she gets bussed regardless of where we live.

That doesn't sound right at all. Afaik, Junior Kindergarten starts at age 4, with kindergarten next and Grade 1 for six year olds.

Before that if you can find any government run child care you'll be very lucky. That nice Mr. Harper will pay $100 a month towards a private sector child care place which will then only cost you an additional arm and a leg per kid to afford.

^^ Notiain and I work in the Department of Redundancy department.

Not really, google ontario best start

I once knew the staff at this place very well:

http://www.toronto.ca/children/dmc/w...gcreg1702.html

it's centrally located and was then well regarded. Give them a call to get an idea of fees and waiting lists, I expect it's fairly typical of central facilities in that regard.

Way too slow - I was typing what notiaink said (or is that what iaink did not say...) - and now am playing third fiddle to him and Novo. Oh well, hopefully you've got your answer.

Only thing I'd add is that the child benefit rules are pretty convoluted if you're here on WP rather than PR status - read carefully and be prepared to acknowledge you may not be eligible for anything including assistance with childcare costs.

Sorry when I said they would go to kindergarten until age 6, I meant from the age of 3/4.

The system seems very different to here in the UK and I'm finding it hard to get my head around it. Many 3 year olds here (as you probably know) go to 'pre-school' for 5 mornings a week then start school aged 5. I don't have a problem with them beginning later, just need to work the system out.

I know it may seem strange to base our location around an excellent kindergarten but we're only going to be in Toronto for 2 years, so kindergarten is more important to us than a school. It's hard to find info on line, so any reccommendations are great.

My husband's work usually gets kids places at a local international school, but I can't seem to find one in Toronto?

Thanks again

Kindergarten IS school here, its a two year pre grade 1 program provided by the school boards. Its just not mandatory, thats all.

At age 2 to 3 kids go to "nursery school", which operates outside the school system and is less "learning to learn" oriented, with more focus on crafts and play than Kindergarten, where they learn the alphabet and numbers more formally, as well as crafts, gym time etc etc. Nursery schools are either privately or cooperatively run, and I guess that is what you are really looking for recomendations for as there is a better range of consumer choice. Try the "best start" thing I mentioned earlier, as those programs are often associated with the better nursery schools in some way.

There probably are international schools in TO, but they will be geared to the asian market I suspect.

Given the default schooling is in English I dont quite see the point of an international school as we know it in Toronto, not for that age group anyway. International is generally code for ESL over here, and is more applicable to older students.

The only way location is important is if you wish to be within walking distance, School bards cover much wider areas so the schools are not as set on living in a certain location to be eligable as they are in the UK.
This link might help
http://settlement.org/site/ED/elementary.asp

as might the wiki articles
http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Canadian_Schooling
http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Calgary_Schooling