Moving to Halifax, NS - Question about schools (middle schools, universities)

[cjl848602]

Hello, I am new to the forum. Our family (myself, my wife, and son) are moving to Halifax and had some questions about the private schools in the area.

I am trying to get an unbiased opinion on which private schools they believe offer the best education and atmosphere for the students.

I really want to live right in the city(south end), so one of the schools in within the city is what we are looking for. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

[nuala]

The most we hear here in NS is about a couple of private schools, Halifax Grammar School (http://www.hgs.ns.ca/en/home/default.aspx - broken link) and Ambrae Academy. The "About Us" page on Halifax Grammar website tells you the gist of "why" :

"Of our graduating class of 2010 who applied to university, 100 per cent have earned offers of admissions to Canadian universities. Our students have overwhelmingly enrolled in Bachelor of Science programs, although Bachelors of Arts, Engineering, and Commerce remain popular. More than 80 per cent of the graduating class of 2010 earned one or more scholarships. More than $737,000 of scholarship money has been offered to our graduates, including entrance awards, renewable & named scholarships, and a national scholarship. Priya Koilpillai earned one of the most prestigious scholarships in Canada, the Loran Award, while Rachel MacLean will attend one of the top ranked liberal arts colleges in the United States."

There are more private schools in Halifax of course: Private Schools in Halifax,Dartmouth and Bedford Nova Scotia

[cjl848602]

Thank you for your reply back. Yes i have seen that realtor website(sandyhines.com), we have got alot of helpful information from that. We have been leaning toward Halifax Grammar School, but have also considered Sacred Heart(even though we are not overly religious, just like the impression we got).

I guess what my question should have stated, is there any which are more highly regarded than the others, and hoping i could get an unbiased opinion. With private schools it is harder because parents can choose which one, and generally all believe the one they have chose is the best.

Again any info is very appreciated. Thank you.

[umtiki]

If it has to be in Halifax, Halifax Grammar School is probably the best. But if you can do like 30-45 minutes out of the city king's edgehill School in Windsor is probably the best :/

[cjl848602]

Thanks for your reply. We are going to be moving right in the city(south end) and kind of want to leave small town feel we already have, so only looking for somewhere right in Halifax.

Any other opinions?

[cfa]

I've had two children attend Halifax Grammar School. The Prep (Gr. Primary to 4) and Middle Schools (Gr. 5-9) are (or were) exceptional in terms of the quality of the program. They offer music, art and French taught by specialized teachers. They actually teach grammar! In grade 4 my child received instruction in how to take notes during a lecture. The high school (Gr. 10-12) is too small, IMO, to offer the diversity of academic, social and extra-curricular experiences that students need. Many graduates, while academically prepared for university, seem unable to cope with the pressures of the real world university environment. This would probably be true for any small private school.
The Halifax Grammar School also attracts most of its students from the upper economic circle; this often leads to a lot of comparisons (What kind of car does your father/mother drive?).
One note - private schools can and do change rapidly. The direction and mandate of the school are largely determined by the head master and the board of governors. As these change the school will also change. In the past 10 years the Grammar School has had 3 different head masters.

In general, Grammar is seen as the school for the academic (and financial) elite. Armbrae works better for those students who prefer a more creative approach. Sacred Heart separates boys from girls after grade 6.