A Canadian education
In international comparison tests, Canada’s school students rank among the best in the world. Given that this is a bilingual country with no integrated national education system and no federal department of education, however, relocating parents will need to navigate different systems across the 13 jurisdictions. We take a look at considerations for families looking for a school.
Language issues
There are, of course, many similarities in the education systems across Canada, but the significant differences in curriculum and assessment will need to be examined carefully by parents looking for a place in the country’s state-funded education system, to ensure that the school they choose meets the immediate needs of their child.Language issues could be one of the barriers to learning in the first instance if applying to state schools. The country is officially bilingual and so in certain provinces such as Quebec, families will find that, in the vast majority of schools, the language of instruction is French.International schools
For families on shorter assignments and those with older children, fee-paying international schools can offer ease of transferability and even the curriculum of their home country or an internationally recognised programme of learning, such as the International Baccalaureate (IB).One example is The York School, in Toronto, the first school in Canada to implement the IB programme from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12.“The duration of most relocations is three to five years,” says Praveen Muruganandan, the school’s director of admission and advancement.“As such it is imperative to identify schools where the transition for children will be fairly easy. One strength of the IB Programme is that the curriculum transcends borders, allowing for children to ease in and out with minimal disruption. Almost a quarter of our community are internationally mobile families representing 30+ countries worldwide. This makes for a truly culturally diverse community which supports the IB vision of developing global citizens.”Meadowridge, an independent International Baccalaureate World School in British Columbia, offers coeducational schooling for students from junior kindergarten (age four) to Grade 12.“Our students are prepared for a future where knowledge is unstable, with a curriculum based on inquiry,” explains Hugh Burke, headmaster of Meadowridge. “This ensures our students are among the most knowledgeable in the world, and that they learn to embrace the complex questions that will shape their lives.“They learn to think and to communicate; to research and to question; to collaborate; and to be independent. We are committed to experiential learning as a way to integrate the learning of the head, the heart and the hands – so that children can learn to live well, with others and for others.”A welcoming environment
Canada has long had a reputation for being friendly and welcoming – in fact, it took first place in the Reputation Institute’s 2017 ranking of countries by perceived image and in HSBC’s 2017 Expat Explorer survey, the top reason expats cited for moving there was to improve their quality of life.The York School’s Mr Muruganandan explains the importance of the York International Parents (YIP) group in welcoming new families to the school.“YIP is an invaluable resource for orienting families to the country, city and school,” he says. “Adjusting to a new city or country can be daunting and we recognise that parents often need support as well as students. YIP works to provide international parents with valuable social connections and practical information about their new home – whether it be looking to meet new people, wondering how to find a family doctor or knowing where the closest coffee shop is.”This article is from Relocate Global's Guide to International Education & Schools 2019/20 which is packed with expert tips and information for those relocating and the professionals supporting them. For volume options, co-branded editions, digital or online licence agreements and advertising opportunities, contact Fiona Murchie at +44 (0)1892 891334 or email fiona@relocatemagazine.comNow available as an ebook on Amazon! Simply download from Amazon onto your Kindle, mobile phone or tablet to read wherever you are!
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