One of the best aspects about living in Toronto’s west end is just how family-friendly it is. Between walkable neighbourhoods with safe, tree-lined streets, the vast and diverse collection of local parks and green spaces, convenient public transportation, and nearby amenities, it’s really the perfect place for families.

However, one question we’re asked a lot is “which west end schools are the best?” And the answer is, there are so many to choose from! We’ve previously covered which west end schools make our top picks in Roncesvalles and Bloor West Village, but between both areas is another hotbed for fantastic west end schools — High Park.

To get our opinion on which west end schools near High Park pass our examinations, read our guide here.

Annette Street Junior and Senior Public School

Coining its name from its namesake High Park street address, Annette Street Junior and Senior Public School is one of the most well-known schools in the neighbourhood. And, with the original school dating all the way back to 1886, it’s been around long enough for local High Park residents to have familiarized themselves with it.

Annette Street Public School is also one of the largest schools in the local area, welcoming just over 500 students per year across the grade levels of Junior Kindergarten through to Grade 8. This means the easy transition from elementary school to the middle school grades is one of the biggest conveniences for the students and families of Annette Street PS.

According to the highly-trusted Fraser Institute School Performance rankings, which analyzes public school performance levels based on recent data calculating average scores from province-wide testing, Annette Street PS received an average rating of 5.8 out of 10.

High Park Alternative Junior School

Welcoming students between the grades of Junior Kindergarten all the way through to Grade 8, High Park Alternative Junior School is one of the most beloved and well-known west end schools in High Park.

When it was originally built back in 1981, High Park Alternative Junior School only had three classrooms. Today, the school has seven classrooms and an annual capacity to educate over 150 students across all grade levels.

According to the highly-trusted Fraser Institute School Performance rankings, which analyzes public school performance levels based on recent data calculating average scores from province-wide testing, High Park Alternative Junior School scores an impressive 7.8 out of 10.

St. Cecilia Catholic School

Located at 355 Annette Street — one of our favourite streets in the west end — St. Cecilia Catholic School is a west end school that truly deserves your attention.

With roots that date all the way back to 1914, St. Cecilia is a school that is rich in history and tradition. Part of the Toronto Catholic District School Board, St. Cecilia teaches a faith-based curriculum that intertwines teachings of Christianity with current Provincial-standard classroom learning.

While values of compassion, courage, and commitment are ingrained in students from a young age, so are the values of learning and education. For that reason, St. Cecilia Catholic School scores well above average on the Fraser Institute rankings at a 7.7 out of 10.

Ursula Franklin Academy

Heading into the upper years of the west end schools scene in High Park, there are few public high schools as notable as Ursula Franklin Academy (UFA).

Welcoming just over 500 students from Grades 9 to 12 every year, Ursula Franklin Academy is relatively small compared to other secondary schools in the area. However, UFA’s more intimate learning atmosphere is by design.

Because of their smaller size, students at UFA have access to advanced technology and computer software resources available across all academic disciplines.

How does that translate into provincial-wide standardized testing? Quite well, according to the Fraser Institute, who award Ursula Franklin Academy with a remarkable score of 9.2 out of 10.

Humberside Collegiate Institute

Just a hop, skip, and a jump away from UFA is Humberside Collegiate Institute, a west end school that also welcomes students from Grades 9 to 12 in the High Park area.

Humberside — as it is commonly known as — has a long history of high-performance education, with the institution first opening its doors all the way back in 1892. The school has changed quite a bit since then and is now at the forefront of environmental sustainability practices, holding a Gold Ecoschools accreditation.

However, Humberside’s main focus is on academic excellence, an area their students excel in based on the Fraser Institute rankings. Humberside scores a strong 7.7 out of 10, with strong historical ratings too.

Convinced about High Park based on our high praise of its local west end schools? Learn much more about the neighbourhood directly from our team of west end experts. Contact us here to get in touch about all-things west end Toronto.

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