Branksome Hall

Welcome to Branksome Hall, Toronto’s only all-girls, all-years International Baccalaureate World School. We offer courses from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12, boarding for Grades 7 through 12 and more than $1 million in financial assistance for qualifying students. Our curriculum is globally focused. Our faculty, international. And our technology and facilities, state-of-the-art. We believe that intellectual curiosity and advanced problem-solving are key to thriving in a complex, changing world. From our campus in downtown Toronto, and our sister school in South Korea, our students go on to be welcomed at the world’s most prestigious universities, usually with scholarships. Every day, the students of Branksome Hall are challenged to reach higher, to develop personally, to become leaders. Here, you don’t just learn. You learn to excel.

We invite you to consider boarding with Branksome Hall. Open to students applying to Grades 7 to 11, our warm and supportive boarding community provides a home away from home as students build their independence, engage in their learning and have fun. Branksome Hall was delighted to host a special plaque unveiling and commemoration ceremony in Portia White’s honour, featuring soprano Measha Brueggergosman-Lee, on Monday, April 11. To learn more and watch a recording of the ceremony. Our school community is a diverse, equitable and inclusive place to learn and to work. Our aim is to be a community that embraces diversity, equity and inclusion so that it permeates our institutional culture, guides our actions, and is reflected in our students’ and employees’ lived experiences.

Our school community is a diverse, equitable and inclusive place to learn and to work. Our aim is to be a community that embraces diversity, equity and inclusion so that it permeates our institutional culture, guides our actions, and is reflected in our students’ and employees’ lived experiences.

Since our founding in 1903, thousands of great women have walked our halls as Branksome students. They have been routinely welcomed into the finest colleges and universities around the world, with many receiving scholarships. Branksome alumnae have gone on to make a difference in just about any and every imaginable field and endeavour.

As you read through this website, you’ll discover more about the Branksome difference and what sets us apart. When you’re ready to learn more, drop by our campus for an Open House or reach out to our Admission team. We look forward to welcoming you and sharing more about what makes our school so very, truly remarkable.

The school was founded by Miss Margaret Scott, who served as our first principal from 1903 to 1910. Branksome Hall was originally located in rental property at 102 Bloor Street East, with an enrolment of 70 girls. Seven years later, that property was purchased by the province and Branksome relocated to 592 Sherbourne Street.

Over the years, both the campus and student enrolment have expanded. Branksome’s campus now includes more than a dozen buildings, ranging from heritage mansions to modern structures, all linked by state-of-the-art technology. While today’s IB World School is globally-minded and has a diverse student body, Branksome Hall has retained many of its early Scottish traditions.

Branksome Hall students love learning on our picturesque urban campus. Located in the heart of Toronto, our 13-acre campus includes a gorgeous ravine woodlot with an outdoor classroom and a winding pathway – places where girls can learn about their natural environment. Branksome Hall is nestled in the residential neighbourhood of Rosedale, within walking distance of the University of Toronto, public transit, libraries, theatres and the vibrant intersection of Yonge and Bloor streets.

Every student at Branksome Hall, from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12, benefits from the IB curriculum. It promotes curiosity and critical thinking, provides for regular assessments and feedback against standardized criteria, and has been shown to improve students’ performance, and provide unmatched preparation for university studies.

IB Program students study English, Mathematics, Sciences, Technology, Physical Education, the Arts (Drama, Music, Visual Art), humanities and a foreign language every year. Grounded in the liberal arts tradition, IB teaches students at every age to become critical thinkers and effective communicators of their ideas and opinions. As a result, they develop habits that last through a lifetime of shaping a better world.

From an early age, our students are thoughtful learners who seek knowledge and think critically. They are comfortable with differing points of view. In addition, they understand that our world is a complex, changing place that needs caring, compassionate and principled leaders, and they take action to make the world a better place.