Pre-School Education in Canada
Pre-school education embraces all formal and informal education before the age of five (when compulsory schooling starts). It includes tots and toddler programmes, play school, nursery school and kindergarten. Attendance at school for children under five years of age isn’t compulsory in Canada, where pre-schools and nursery schools are private. However, kindergarten is part of the public school system and is compulsory for children aged five on 1st September, when they will start at the beginning of the school year in September.
There are various types of pre-schools in Canada, including non-profit co-operative schools, church-affiliated schools, local community schools, private schools and Montessori schools. A co-operative school is usually the least expensive as parents work voluntarily as teachers’ aides alongside professional teachers. Church-affiliated schools are usually attached to religious centres and may include religious education (it isn’t always necessary for children to follow the same religion as the school). Private schools are the most expensive and vary considerably from small home-run set-ups to large custom-built schools. A number of private nursery schools in Canada use the Montessori method of teaching, developed by Dr. Maria Montessori in the early 1900s. Montessori is more a philosophy of life than a teaching method and is based on the firm belief that each child is an individual with unique needs, interests and patterns of growth. Some Montessori schools have ‘pre-school’ (for children aged two and a half to six years) and elementary levels (ages 6 to 12).
Nursery school is highly recommended for all children, particularly those whose parents don’t speak English or French as their mother tongue. After a few years in nursery school a child is integrated into the local community and well prepared for elementary school (particularly when English or French isn’t spoken at home). Parents can also make friends in the community through pre-school contacts.
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Source:https://www.justlanded.com/english/Canada/Canada-Guide/Education/Public-Schools