May 16th, 2025 | Lifestyle

Best Public Schools in Toronto

Proximity to quality education is a dominant priority for parents – especially those who are actively searching for a new property and community to call home. To that end, many of Ontario’s most reputable public schools are found in Toronto.

In this article, we offer a detailed selection of Toronto’s best public schools, based on reputation, legacy, and rankings from the esteemed Fraser Institute.

Best Public Kindergarten & Elementary Schools in Toronto

Bessborough Drive Elementary & Middle School

Recently celebrating its centennial, Bessborough Drive Elementary & Middle School (BDS) has a storied history. Located in Leaside, BDS was the earliest public school in the community – in addition to serving as Leaside’s town hall prior to annexation.

Today, Bessborough Drive Elementary & Middle School’s strong reputation remains a major draw for families settling in Leaside. Serving junior kindergarten through grade eight, students and their families build meaningful relationships within the school community.

Hillcrest Community School

Nestled in the sought-after Casa Loma neighbourhood, Hillcrest Community School is a reputable elementary school recognized for its community-informed approach to learning and unique extracurricular opportunities. Hillcrest’s values evolve around cultivating a passion for learning, stimulating intellectual curiosity, and ensuring students feel confident in their environment.

Hillcrest Community School shares various facilities with Hillcrest Community Centre, including an indoor pool. This partnership presents unique opportunities for students, including Hillcrest’s standalone swim program which encourages students to embrace a healthy lifestyle while nurturing their passion for swimming.

John Ross Robertson Junior Public School

Nurturing students from junior kindergarten to grade six, John Ross Robertson Junior Public School (JRR) is located in charming Lytton Park, a secluded neighbourhood idyllic for discerning families.

Harmonizing with Toronto’s multicultural nature, JRR offers an after-school International Languages Elementary Program, which encourages students to learn and appreciate various languages, traditions, and cultures from around the world.

Rolph Road Elementary School

Rolph Road Elementary School, located in south Leaside, offers a well-rounded and enriching approach to learning. Beyond the everyday curricula, Rolph Road’s specialist partnerships often bring engaging guest speakers and artists to the school, inspiring children to become curious and creative learners.

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Best Public Secondary Schools in Toronto

Harbord Collegiate Institute

Located in the Harbord Village neighbourhood, only steps from the University of Toronto’s downtown campus, Harbord Collegiate Institute is one of the oldest and most commemorated public secondary schools in Toronto. Since its inception in 1892, the school has consistently ranked as one of the best in the city.

A reflection of Toronto’s welcoming, multicultural evolution, Harbord Collegiate Institute offers various language courses including French, German, Portuguese, and Spanish – in addition to a complete French immersion track for students pursuing bilingualism.

Riverdale Collegiate Institute

Situated just east of downtown Toronto in the rising Riverdale neighbourhood, Riverdale Collegiate Institute is a historic secondary school ranked among the most exceptional in the province. Since its establishment more than a century ago, Riverdale has developed a reputation for high academic standards and providing a rich portfolio of extracurricular opportunities, including The Riverdale Spectator – the school’s in-house publication.

Rosedale Heights School of the Arts

Serving grades nine through twelve, Rosedale Heights School of the Arts is a public arts-focused secondary school renowned for its dedication to academic achievement, performing and visual arts programs, elite faculty, and impressive amenity-dense campus.

RHSA is celebrated for its inclusive, fluid approach to arts-based education. It is the only fine arts secondary school within the Toronto District School Board that does not follow an auditions-based acceptance model, or insist that students declare a particular major. This distinct approach recognizes potential in all students and encourages them to explore a diverse range of creative endeavours.

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Ursula Franklin Academy

Boasting a perfect 10.0 rating from the Fraser Institute, Ursula Franklin Academy is a specialized, limited-admission high school located on the premises of Western Technical-Commercial School in High Park North. Exclusive to just five hundred students, the academy offers distinctive education tracks in fields such as science and liberal arts with the intention of preparing learners for future post-secondary success. As a result of its forward-thinking approach to schooling, UFA was enlisted as one of the twenty-four inaugural members of the Canadian Network for Innovation in Education.

École secondaire Toronto Ouest

Part of the Conseil scolaire Viamonde, École secondaire Toronto Ouest is a public Francophone high school located in Toronto’s west end, close to the enclaves of Little Portugal and Roncesvalles. Due to the limited volume of French-language schools in Toronto, Toronto Ouest serves an expanded grade range of seven through twelve.

The school proudly offers an accredited International Baccalaureate (IB) program, encouraging students to explore global ideas and perspectives while striving for scholastic achievement.

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Best Public Schools in Toronto

Best Public Kindergarten & Elementary Schools in Toronto