Not too long ago, South Etobicoke became a popular neighbourhood for in-the-know Toronto couples looking for a place to settle down. And why not? It’s an easy commute to Toronto, with affordable high-end condos offering exceptional views of lake Ontario. Of course, once settled, many of those couples inevitably had kids. With more kids came more families anxious to own a home in this little gem of an area. Today, if you’re one of those families, finding a good school in South Etobicoke is top of mind. Unfortunately, the area has a pretty small footprint, which means schools are limited. However, to help you understand what’s available, we’ve done the legwork to find the top schools in South Etobicoke based on the following:
- The Fraser Institute Rating: The Fraser Institute collects provincial data from standardized tests and other relevant information to calculate an overall rating out of 10.
- EQAO testing: The EQAO standardized tests are administered in grades 3, 6, 9 and 10 to measure reading, writing, and math performance against the provincial standards.
Looking for more strategies for finding the best schools in Toronto? Read our post here.
Here we’ve listed each of the top-rated schools for Alderwood, New Toronto, Mimico, and Long Branch.
Alderwood
As the westernmost neighbourhood of South Etobicoke, Alderwood sits just north of Long Branch. Although not on the lake, it offers the best assortment of houses, with rows of bungalows and storey-and-a-half houses built between the 1920’s and 50’s. Most homes are well-maintained, with lovely lawns and mature trees. The top-ranked school in Alderwood is St. Ambrose Catholic School.
St. Ambrose Catholic School, 20 Coules Court
School type: Catholic
Grades: JK to Grade 8
St. Ambrose offers a variety of clubs including Choir, Eco Club, Student Leadership Team, and the ME to We Team. Their CSPC has also provided funding to support various programs and projects over the years including:
- Curriculum-based Science, Visual Arts, Drama and Dance in-school workshops
- Time-management and communication skills using yearly agendas grades 1-8
- Enrichment opportunities through classroom excursions
- Technology hardware
- Guest speakers for students and parents
Learn more about Alderwood in our neighbourhood guide right here.
- Fraser: 7.5/10
- EQAO
- Grade 3:
- Mathematics: 83%
- Reading: 96%
- Writing: 94%
- Grade 6:
- Mathematics: 42%
- Reading: 97%
- Writing: 90%
Long Branch
Long Branch sits just south of Alderwood, where it continues to experience new home development, especially along Lakeshore Boulevard. Sitting on the waterfront, it offers lovely parkland and some of Toronto’s original “resort” homes. The Holy Trinity Catholic School was top-ranked in this area.
The Holy Trinity Catholic School, 6 Colonel Samuel Smith Park Drive
School type: Catholic
Grades: JK to Grade 8
This Long Branch school focuses on academics, athletics, and the arts, helping to inspire and empower students while learning the importance of teamwork and perseverance. The school also focuses on creativity and expression through art.
- Fraser: 7.7/10
- EQAO
- Grade 3:
- Mathematics: 58%
- Reading: 78%
- Writing: 80%
- Grade 6:
- Mathematics: 52%
- Reading: 88%
- Writing: 93%
Read our neighbourhood guide about Long Branch right here.
Mimico
Situated on Toronto’s western lakefront, Mimico has long been a desirable area thanks to its short commute, lovely parkland, and selection of Arts and Crafts and Tudor-style houses. Although some of the area’s charm was sacrificed to create larger custom homes, most of the pockets of original homes still offer original architecture in hand with new renovations. You’ll also find newer townhouses and condominiums. The top-ranked school in Mimico is John English Junior Middle School.
John English Junior Middle School, 95 Mimico Avenue
School type: Public
Grades: JK to Grade 8
John English offers both English and French Immersion programs for students. Their programs include sports, nutrition, and guidance for Grade 8 students to help them transition smoothly into high school.
- Fraser: 7.6/10
- EQAO
- Grade 3:
- Mathematics: 55%
- Reading: 69%
- Writing: 69%
- Grade 6:
- Mathematics: 57%
- Reading: 88%
- Writing: 89%
Curious about living in Mimico? Check out our Mimico neighbourhood guide here.
New Toronto
As an industrial corridor, New Toronto is in a constant state of transition. But this is good news, with residential zoning conversions making way for new home development. The big draw here is the selection of bungalows and two-storey houses dating as far back as the 1910s. However, many people have their eyes on the larger homes located south of Lake Shore Boulevard. Second Street Junior Middle School is #1 in New Toronto.
Second Street Junior Middle School, 71 Second St, Etobicoke
School type: Public
Grades: JK to Grade 8
Second Street JMS has a daily Healthy Kids snack program and YMCA Daycares with before and after-school programs for kindergarten and school-age students. In addition, the school is committed to eco-friendly practices, including planting trees to honour Heroes of War, creating eco-folders to instruct families on how to help the environment, and selecting students to attend the Middle School Conference to share their learnings with the rest of the school.
- Fraser: 6.3
- EQAO: Unavailable
Learn more about living in New Toronto, read our neighbourhood guide here.
High Schools
The top-ranked high school in South Etobicoke is Fr John Redmond:
Fr John Redmond, 28 Colonel Samuel Smith Parkway
School type: Catholic
Grades: 9 to 12
Fr John participates in the regional arts program (RAP) to help students enrich their talents and advance their technical skills. They offer smaller classes focusing on Dance, Drama, Music (band, strings, vocal), or visual arts with a specialized Arts certificate awarded to students who graduate.
- Fraser: 8.6
- EQAO (OSSLT): 89%
This tiny area of Etobicoke is a wonderful place for families with community-centric schools, a wide variety of homes, and plenty of green space for family fun.
If you’re looking for the best Toronto real estate team to guide you on finding a home in an area with excellent schools, call The Christine Cowern team at 416.291.7372 or email us at hello@christinecowern.com. We’d love to work with you!