In Ontario, school is not mandatory for children until age 6 (grade 1). As a result, parents in Ontario have many choices for their children aged 4 and 5. Should they continue in preschool? Should they attend public school? Should you enroll your children in an Ottawa private school? There are many options to consider.
If parents do choose to begin their child’s education journey at Kindergarten, expenses are considered childcare and can be deducted on taxes. This makes the private school option most appealing for parents looking to start their children off on the best path.
Why is Kindergarten So Important?
Though Kindergarten students are only 4 or 5 years old, these early years lay a strong foundation for learning success later in life. According to a 2013 study by the Government of Ontario, students with two years of Full-Day Kindergarten (FDK) instruction demonstrated reduced risks in social competence development, language and cognitive development, communication skills development, and general knowledge development, compared with students with no full-day Kindergarten experience. Students with two years of FDK also demonstrated a 5% overall increase in reading, writing, and math compared with students who did not attend FDK.
Kindergarten students at St-Laurent Academy Private School are offered a comprehensive education program that balances the play-based Ontario Curriculum with direct teaching in small groups, or one-on-one. While Learning is always fun, direct teaching allows the teachers to reach every child exactly where they are in their learning- specifically in mathematics and language arts. Students with clear strengths can be accelerated, while those who are struggling can get the support they need to be successful. This is a great advantage afforded due to the small class size you can find in private Kindergarten, and not available in bigger public school classrooms.
A strong foundation empowers children with healthy learning habits, strong social skills, independence, and a well-rounded being (mind and body).
Why Choose Private School Kindergarten?
Private school Kindergarten has many advantages over public school Kindergarten.
Smaller Class Sizes. With smaller class sizes and a closer teacher-to-student ratio, children are provided with more individualized attention. Young children new to group environments also find smaller group sizes to be less overwhelming and more inviting.
Individual attention. The individual attention and care afforded by smaller class sizes is critical to establish early reading, writing, and math skills.
Enriched Curriculum. Our Kindergarten teachers go beyond the standard Ontario Curriculum. We teach the core subjects of reading, writing, and math, but place an emphasis on other engaging subjects of value such as music and science. For example, St-Laurent Academy is recognized for their highly engaging Science Program, which takes Kindergarteners to the elementary Science Room weekly to learn about astronomy, biology, physics, geology and chemistry. These hands-on lessons have them launching off to space and building imaginary ecosytems, all the while adding scientific terminology to their linguistic base.
Leadership and Peer learning. Our Kindergarten classes include both 4 and 5-year old students. Older students will emerge as leaders as the school year progresses, while younger students will be welcome with open arms and integrated by peers who were in their very shoes 12 months before.
Now is the time to register your child for Kindergarten in Fall 2016. Please contact us if you have any further questions about Kindergarten or whether private school Kindergarten is the right choice for your family.