Trafalgar School for Girls

We inspire our girls and our teachers to dream of a better world and then empower them to create it. As a small school, we foster an environment that nourishes an authentic experience founded on developing individualized excellence, leadership, kindness and global-mindedness.

We encourage girls to be open to new challenges, open to taking risks, and open to failing forward. We want to build resilience in our students, and we ground both our teaching and coaching practices in growth mindset theory. We believe in the importance of cooperative learning structures and activities that get our students to work and think together. Whether through Harkness dialogue or authentic performance projects such as our traditional House plays, our girls learn how to listen deeply and respectfully, appreciate a diversity of perspectives, and speak using their genuine voices. Traf girls take advantage of opportunities to engage and collaborate with local and international partners.

In the heart of downtown Montreal, our diverse school community challenges and inspires girls to embrace learning, be confident and shape a better world. We want our students to be life-long learners and have the independent thinking skills they need to be engaged citizens of the world. We believe this starts with curiosity. Through a variety of guided inquiry and perspective-taking activities, our students learn to ask meaningful questions rather than just find the “right” answers.

Self-compassion, empathy, and concern for the well-being of others are behaviours that are reinforced daily at Trafalgar. Our Wellness program teaches students what it means to be more mindful and helps cultivate a practice of being present. In both class and through special co-curricular projects, Trafalgar students learn about the importance of building a more sustainable world.

Trafalgar first opened its doors to students in September 1887, making it Montreal's oldest, English private school for girls. Effie Baker was the only student that day, but another arrived that evening, as did many more in the weeks and years to come.

The opening followed years of dedicated planning by several visionary Montreal leaders, beginning with Donald Ross. Ross acquired a property called the Trafalgar Estate, then generously made a bequest of it so that trustees could erect, establish and forever maintain a school for girls.