Q: What is so special about York?

A: 

The York School began as an incredibly small school. Despite the growth we've experienced in recent years - our student population has doubled since 1998 - we have managed to maintain a small community, family feel.

We have a unique approach to learning, a probing approach.  Our teachers manage the learning process in a hands-on way. Our students research, draft and finalize their work in class, a process teachers monitor every step of the way.

We have the capacity to find a niche for every child, and our programme is an incredibly well-balanced mix of academics, music, art and physical education.

A: 

Class sizes vary from 14 to 20 students.  The average class size is 18 students and we try to ensure an even gender mix. In high school, where students have more electives, classes can be quite small in number.

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Homework is an essential part of the programme. Typically, it's related to a concept that's been taught. You can expect 15 minutes of homework per night in grade 1, 45 minutes in grade 4, 1.5 hours in grades 7 and 8, and more than two hours in grades 9 and above.

With laptops in grades 7 and above, students can focus on lessons in class and then revisit them later in Blackboard, our course management system.

In grades 1 to 6, research and project work on Units of Inquiry is done at school. This is when we teach students how to organize themselves. The motivation to manage their time well comes from them.

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Children can enter our Kindergarten Programme whenever spaces are available. Our major entry levels are grades 1 and 7, and limited spaces are usually available at grade 9. Vacancies occur from time to time at other grade levels and are filled from the applicant pool.

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Our students come from as far away as Etobicoke, Richmond Hill, Markham and the Beaches, but the majority of them are from within a 40-minute driving distance.  As York is an International Baccalaureate World School, we attract a number of overseas families who wish to continue an IB education for their children.

A: 

IB students at York have superb organizational and time management skills, and are fully involved in the life of the school.  Virtually all of our IB Diploma students participate in a wide range of extra-curricular activities and enjoy active social lives.

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Upon acceptance of a place, all new families must pay a $4,000 one-time, non-refundable registration fee on behalf of each student enrolled in our programme.

In grades 1 to 12, tuition is $20,500 for the 2007-2008 academic year.  You can also expect uniform, textbook, field trip and incidental costs.  For students entering grade 7 and above, the purchase of a school-selected laptop is mandatory.

Tuition for students enrolled in Junior or Senior Kindergarten in the 2007-2008 academic year is $17,100.

A: 

All of our York graduates pursue post-secondary education. In recent years, some of the universities they've chosen to attend include: Cornell University, Bryn Mawr College, Barnard College, University of Pennsylvania, Berklee College of Music, University of Michigan, London School of Economics, University of Chicago, Vanderbilt University, and Queen's University, McGill University, Mount Allison University, University of Toronto and University of Western Ontario in Canada.