Toronto’s best elementary schools are pretty much all in one place
The Fraser Institute has just released the latest version of its annual ranking of Ontario’s elementary schools, and, as in past years, there’s a distinct pattern. A 17-way tie for first place includes six Toronto schools. Half of them are concentrated in a single part of North York.
Hillmount, Arbor Glen and Seneca Hill, three top finishers, are all located within about two kilometres of each other between Steeles and Finch avenues, just west of the 404. What’s more, all three are public schools. Sathya Sai School, a private school that also has a place in the Fraser Institute’s top slot, is only a few kilometres away, at Warden Avenue and Ellesmere Road. (The two other first-place schools from Toronto are Cottingham Junior Public School, in Summerhill, and St. Michael’s Choir, a Catholic school that’s located downtown.)
The neighbourhoods surrounding this nexus of childhood education aren’t particularly expensive to buy into, at least by Toronto standards. The latest Toronto Real Estate Board data puts the average home price in Hillcrest Village at $541,194, while nearby Pleasant View comes in at $459,740. A family with young kids could find a bargain.
![](http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https://torontolife.com/real-estate/toronto-best-elementary-schools-fraser-institute-ranking/&title=Toronto’s best elementary schools are pretty much all in one place&picture=https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/seneca-hill-public-school-624x395.jpg&description=[caption id="attachment_257854" align="alignnone" width="656"] Seneca Hill Public School. (Image: Google Street View)[/caption]
The Fraser Institute has just released the latest version of its annual ranking of Ontario's elementary schools, and, as in past years, there's a distinct pattern. A 17-way tie for first place includes six Toronto schools. Half of them are concentrated in a single part of North York.
Hillmount, Arbor Glen and Seneca Hill, three top finishers, are all located within about two kilometres of each other between Steeles and Finch avenues, just west of the 404. What's more, all three are public schools. Sathya Sai School, a private school that also has a place in the Fraser Institute's top slot, is only a few kilometres away, at Warden Avenue and Ellesmere Road. (The two other first-place schools from Toronto are Cottingham Junior Public School, in Summerhill, and St. Michael's Choir, a Catholic school that's located downtown.)
The neighbourhoods surrounding this nexus of childhood education aren't particularly expensive to buy into, at least by Toronto standards. The latest Toronto Real Estate Board data puts the average home price in Hillcrest Village at $541,194, while nearby Pleasant View comes in at $459,740. A family with young kids could find a bargain.){kind=link}
Now if you could only get teachers who know how to educate you will be all set.
The problem, if you look carefully at the report, is that poorly rated schools have high percentage special needs students. Add to that the high student teacher ratio, over worked, under paid, scrutinized, usually highly educated and motivated but disillusioned teacher and low government funding and … poor to average education system that is 10 years behind Australia and New Zealand.