School guide for parents

GTA school rankings 2026: a parent’s guide to the best schools by region

Top-rated public, Catholic and private schools in York, Peel, Durham, Halton and Toronto, and how to make sure your new home is in the right school zone.

By Inderpal Sidhu · Updated October 2026 · 8 min read

Hi, I’m Inderpal Sidhu. If you are moving across the GTA for your kids’ school, this page is your starting point. Pick your region below to see the latest Fraser Institute ratings for every city, the private schools families shortlist, and the exact checks I do so your new address goes to the school you chose.

A note from Inderpal

Moving for a school is one of the biggest decisions a family makes. You are not just buying a house, you are choosing your kids’ friends, their walk to class and the next ten years of mornings. My job is to make sure the school you fall in love with is the school your address actually goes to. I check every home against the board’s locator, I tell you about holding schools and program boundaries before you offer, and I never pressure you to rush. Call or text me anytime at 647-338-6875.

Choose your region

York Region

Markham, Richmond Hill, Thornhill, Vaughan, Aurora, Newmarket, Whitchurch-Stouffville

Top-rated high schools: St Augustine CHS (10.0), St Theresa of Lisieux CHS (10.0), St Robert CHS (10.0)

See York schools →

Peel Region

Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon

Top-rated high schools: John Fraser SS (8.8), The Woodlands SS (8.3), St Joseph SS (8.2)

See Peel schools →

Durham Region

Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa, Clarington

Top-rated high schools: Donald A Wilson SS (8.4), All Saints CSS (7.9), Anderson Collegiate and Vocational Institute (7.9)

See Durham schools →

Halton Region

Oakville, Burlington, Milton, Halton Hills

Top-rated high schools: Iroquois Ridge HS (9.3), Abbey Park HS (9.3), École secondaire Gaétan Gervais (9.3)

See Halton schools →

Toronto

Toronto, North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke

Top-rated high schools: Bloor CI (9.2), Leaside HS (9.1), Lawrence Park CI (9.1)

See Toronto schools →

Free school-zone home list

Tell me the school. I’ll send homes inside its boundary.

Name the school (or two), your budget and timing. I check every address on the school board’s own locator before I send it to you, so you are not guessing from a listing description.

The GTA’s top-rated high schools you can get into by address

These are the highest-rated public and Catholic secondary schools across the five regions in the latest Fraser report card, leaving out schools that admit by application or audition.

School	Where	Type	Rating /10
St Augustine CHS	Markham, York Region	Catholic	10.0
St Theresa of Lisieux CHS	Richmond Hill, York Region	Catholic	10.0
St Robert CHS	Thornhill, York Region	Catholic	10.0
Pierre Elliott Trudeau HS	Markham, York Region	Public	9.5
Iroquois Ridge HS	Oakville, Halton Region	Public	9.3
Abbey Park HS	Oakville, Halton Region	Public	9.3
École secondaire Gaétan Gervais	Oakville, Halton Region	French Public	9.3
Bayview SS	Richmond Hill, York Region	Public	9.2
Oakville Trafalgar HS	Oakville, Halton Region	Public	9.2
Bloor CI	Toronto, Toronto	Public	9.2
Leaside HS	Toronto, Toronto	Public	9.1
Lawrence Park CI	Toronto, Toronto	Public	9.1

How to read school rankings (kindly)

The ratings below come from the Fraser Institute’s latest Ontario report cards, published at compareschoolrankings.org. Elementary schools are rated on Grade 3 and Grade 6 EQAO reading, writing and math results (3,052 schools ranked, released January 2026). Secondary schools are rated on Grade 9 math and the Grade 10 literacy test (747 schools ranked). Ratings are out of 10.

Please read them kindly. A rating measures test results, not how happy or safe a child is, how good the teachers are, or how much a school helps kids who need extra support. Many great schools sit in the 6 to 8 range. Use the rating as a starting point for your list, then visit.

Buying in a school zone: my 7-step checklist

Check the exact address on the board’s school locator, not the listing. Boundaries follow streets, and two sides of one street can go to different schools. I do this for every home before I send it.
Look at both the public and Catholic schools. In Ontario both are publicly funded. Catholic boards may ask for baptism or parish information at registration, so check the board’s rules.
Ask about “holding schools”. In fast-growing areas a full school can send new families to another school until space opens.
Program boundaries are different. French Immersion, IB, AP, gifted and arts programs often draw from a wider area and many need an application or audition. Schools marked † below take students that way.
French-language boards (Viamonde, MonAvenir) have admission rules based on French-language rights. Check before you count on them.
Call the board before your conditions expire and keep the answer in writing. Boundaries are reviewed and can change.
Visit the school. A rating is a test-score summary. Ask about class sizes, clubs, special education support and the feel of the place.

Every GTA school board locator

Registration pages for every GTA board

Forms, documents and kindergarten dates are on each regional guide. Here are the official registration pages:

Not sure which school zone fits your budget? Tell me what matters and I’ll map it out with you.

Book a free 30-minute call

FAQ

Which GTA high school is ranked highest?

Among schools that admit by address, St Augustine CHS in Markham rated 10.0 out of 10 in the latest Fraser Institute report card. Several Toronto specialty schools that admit by application or audition also rate very highly.

Where do the Fraser school rankings come from?

The Fraser Institute rates Ontario schools using EQAO test results: Grade 3 and 6 reading, writing and math for elementary schools, and Grade 9 math and the Grade 10 literacy test for secondary schools.

Does buying a home guarantee a spot at the school?

No. Living in the boundary gives you the right to register at your home school, but a full school can direct new students to a holding school, boundaries can change, and specialty programs need an application. Check the exact address with the board before you remove conditions.

Can you send me homes in a specific school zone?

Yes. Tell me the school and your budget. I check each home’s address on the school board’s locator before I send it, and I flag holding-school or boundary-review issues before you offer.

Questions? Call, text or WhatsApp me. I answer personally.

Call or text 647-338-6875

Sources

Fraser Institute: Report Card on Ontario’s Elementary Schools

Fraser Institute: Report Card on Ontario’s Secondary Schools

Fraser Institute school rankings

Ontario Data Catalogue: public school list

Ontario Data Catalogue: private school list

EQAO

General information only, not legal, tax or mortgage advice. Rebate and lending rules change; confirm with a real estate lawyer, mortgage professional and the CRA before you sign. Inderpal Sidhu, Salesperson, HomeLife Silvercity Realty Inc., Brokerage.