Quick summary of key school information
School details
| Number of students |
160 students |
| Number of nationalities represented in the school |
While the majority of inquiries made to our school are from local Canadian students, interest from Europe, US, and Asia has been strong. |
| Most common nationality |
Canadian |
| Ratio of local students to international students |
Anticipated 9:1 |
| Native English speaking teachers |
Yes |
| Language support for students not fluent in English |
No |
| Additional language classes offered by the school |
French as a Second Language |
| Max. number of students per class |
20 |
| Average number of students per class |
18 |
| Does the school employ teaching assistants? |
Yes |
| Use of technology in the classroom |
Relevant technology is featured in our programme to engage learners, cater to a variety of learning styles and develop students who will be savvy in the global marketplace. Pamoja Education is the only IB approved online course provider. They work in close collaboration with the IB to develop and deliver authorised online Diploma Programme courses. Pamoja Education continues to develop innovative ways to provide students and teachers with a collaborative and dynamic online learning environment to support students in achieving their academic potential. |
| Do students practice religion at the school? What religion? |
Religious studies are not a part of our curriculum. |
| How does the school accommodate non-religious students or students of a different religion? |
Students are permitted to practice in designated areas; to be arranged through administration. |
| External examinations or assessments available |
None at the current time. |
| Results in these examinations |
N/A |
| Do teachers assign homework to their students? |
Yes. In the Early and Primary Years Programme (PYP), students are encouraged to engage in Home Talks with parents and families, while our middle years students (Grades 6-8) are expected to complete review and extended inquiry at home. We promote literacy by encouraging students to read for leisure at home even when formal homework is not assigned. |
| Approximate hours of homework given |
Our rule of thumb is approximately 10 minutes per grade (i.e., 10 mins in Grade 1; 20 mins in Grade 2 and so on). |
| Percentage of students who pursue further education post-graduation |
Anticipated 100% |
| Dedicated staff/programs for students with special learning needs |
While we do not have a formal program for students with special learning needs, teachers are expected to provide accommodations as per student Individual Education Plans (IEP). |
| Learning support offered |
Some members of our faculty have Special Education qualifications and are available for in-class and/or withdrawal support. |
| The school supports gifted, able and talented students |
Students who demonstrate advanced abilities are engaged in extended studies related to grade-appropriate curriculum. Students who are identified as exceptional will be accommodated as per their IEP. We do not provide accelerated studies. |
| Student access to education psychologist |
No |
| Entry evaluation for students |
All prospective students are invited to a minimum two-day class visit where they are integrated with students. Teachers and the Admissions team have the opportunity to observe social interactions, and engage the prospective student in age/grade-appropriate assessments for literacy, numeracy and inquiry skills. International Students (and their families) who reside outside of the province/country and are not able to attend class visits will be asked to participate in a Skype Interview with our Admissions Team. |
| Brief description of entry evaluation required |
N/A |
| Waiting list |
Not currently |
| Deadline for registration (new academic year) |
March 1st is the deadline for registration. We do, however, accept student applications and registrations throughout the school year, pending class visit or successful Skype interview. |
| Students can join after academic year begins |
Yes |
| School start time |
Formal instruction begins at 9:00 a.m. |
| School finish time |
The school day ends at 4:00 p.m. |
| Supervised care before/after school |
Our Before School Program runs daily 7:30-8:30 a.m. while our After School Program is scheduled daily from 4:00-6:00 p.m. |
| School bus service available |
Yes, via private third-party transportation service. |
| School provided lunches |
A Hot Lunch program through a third-party catering service is available to students and faculty at our Oakville Campus only. |
| Food alternatives for special dietary needs (ie. vegan, kosher, halal etc) |
For catered events and meals arranged by the school, every effort will be made to be accommodate students with special dietary needs. |
| Uniform required |
Yes |
| Extracurricular activities or clubs offered |
Our Brampton Campus (Junior Kindergarten to Grade 5) relies on the use of community facilities for our co-curricular programme. Visual and Performing Arts is offered through our Day School programme. Our Oakville Campus (Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 8) offers extra-curricular activities on-site. These include a varied range of intramural sports and activities, inter-school team sports, performing arts, robotics, speech festivals, math contests, to name a few. Both campuses are also active in service learning. Students initiate fundraising programs to support local, regional, national and international causes. |
| Sports activities included |
Students at both campuses are expected to participate in wellness activities such as daily mindfulness, and during formal programming on a weekly basis. Students in Kindergarten through to Grade 8 at our Oakville Campus have additionally scheduled Phyical Education (PE) classes throughout the week. |
| Sports teams or sport competitions available for students |
Students attending our Oakville Campus have the opportunity to participate in inter-school team sports. |
| Sports facilities at the school |
Our Brampton Campus shares an outdoor community field that accommodates sports such as soccer, cricket and baseball. Additional facility requirements will be coordinated with neighbouring amenities on a per-need basis. Our Oakville Campus has a gymnasium that can accommodate a variety of sports including basketball, volleyball, badminton, indoor hockey. |
| Qualities and characteristics best defining the school |
Global education, Service Learning, and Wellness are pillars of Walden International School that are rooted in all aspects of the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and programme for middle years students. Our nature-centric approach and learning environment is designed to foster planet-focused innovation and a respect for the natural world. |
| Teaching approach of the school |
Walden International School is an authorised IB World School offering the Primary Years Programme (PYP) to students in Early Years/Pre-Kindergarten through to Grade 5. We expect to be a candidate school for the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) that will serve students in Grade 6-8 and, later, for students in Grade 9 & 10. |