Bishop Strachan School

BSS is committed to continuing to foster a respectful, diverse and inclusive community. Fulfilling our Vision demands that our community understands and engages with the world we live in. We believe embracing and respecting differences honours our Anglican roots. For our students, the value to their intellectual and ethical development of learning amid diverse perspectives is to strengthen their confidence in their own voices while respecting the voices of others. Diverse perspectives enrich our learning environment and affirm our commitment to excellence. Our students’ futures will depend on their ability to work and live among the world’s citizens in an increasingly connected global community.

On the first day of school in 1867, our founders opened their doors with the intention of educating girls and teaching them how to be leaders. It was a new idea in its day – we believed women were equals at a time when the concept was radical. There were 31 students enrolled that first year. There are over 900 this year – and each have their own ideas, their own voice and an equal place at BSS to carve out their own path.

If you are interested in making BSS your new school, we want you to experience the energy and spirit of BSS on campus. Register now for our Connect Over Coffee and Open House sessions, which are a great way to learn about the school and meet teachers, staff and other students and parents. These sessions are on now and throughout the fall.

If you’re thinking about coming to BSS, you’re in good company. Every year we welcome more than a hundred girls who find themselves embraced by a warm, welcoming and lively community. Before long, they can’t imagine being anywhere else. We’ll do everything we can to make this process as comfortable and informative as possible. Such a major decision can feel overwhelming and we’re here to ease the path to the right choice for you. Scroll down to learn more.

A strong start means a better finish. Our Junior School’s inquiry-based learning approach gives JK to Grade 6 students just that, encouraging them to express themselves as they learn, grow, collaborate and create. All the while having an awful lot of fun.

We are intentional right from the first day of JK in welcoming our girls to a rigorous academic environment where they are encouraged to be confident, creative, collaborative thinkers who are ready to take on the challenges of the world around them.

What’s the big idea at BSS Junior School? We’ve got lots of them. Students explore new overarching ideas that connect to what they’re working on and helps them see things anew. From independence to diversity, gratitude and ethical citizenship, the girls immerse themselves in ideas, the bigger the better. View the 2016-17 Big Idea poster. At the core of our curriculum is the Signature of a BSS Girl, which establishes a set of personal attributes that are encouraged, nurtured and taught at BSS.

When a girl enters BSS Senior School, she’s not just taking the first step on her journey to academic success, she’s joining an encouraging and inclusive community where she can expect to be challenged, supported and enriched every day. As a result, when the day comes for her to leave BSS, she’ll step into the world as a capable, compassionate young woman who knows herself, and is ready for anything.

What makes Middle School different? Everything! It’s an important chapter in every girl’s life, when she is learning about the world, establishing her identity and finding a sense of belonging. We understand this time of growth and change, and know just what girls need to thrive.

Our Middle School program for girls in Grades 7 and 8 meets the needs of the learner in transition,addressing the intellectual, physical, social and emotional well-being of students to ensure a smooth transition to Senior School. We focus on both problem-based and project-based learning, which promotes discovery and exploration across a wide range of disciplines, both in and outside of the classroom. We know our students are curious, inquisitive and keen to learn about the world, so we design projects, events and units that navigate directly through that curiosity – experiences that engage their questions, challenge their thinking and require them to review and refine their work.