Trafalgar Castle School

• Location: Whitby, Canada,
• Year of foundation: 1874,
• Number of students: about 240,
• Language of instruction: English,
• Type of education: girls only.

Trafalgar Castle School is a prestigious Canadian private school that accepts exclusively girls. It is one of the national leaders in terms of pre-university preparation and education, offering high-quality programs for grades 4-12. It holds prestigious accreditations from professional councils and is a member of private school associations both in Ontario and in Canada as a whole.

The school is located in Whitby, Ontario, about 15 minutes by public transport east of Toronto. It is a small, cozy and peaceful city located on the northern shore of a large lake, offering pupils both a secluded rural area for measured learning and life, as well as proximity to megacities providing various leisure and entertainment options. Students are offered modern conditions for study, sports and creativity, a variety of activities to improve their personal and social skills and improve their abilities in areas of interest to them. The extensive leisure program complements the academically rigorous schedule in a balanced way, allowing students not to be overwhelmed, to have time to devote to everything that is important to them.

The school employs a qualified and experienced teaching staff: they constantly collaborate with colleagues around the world, improve in their field, exchange experiences and introduce new teaching methods and technologies into the curriculum. Some electives are taught online, and 15-25% of the total study time is spent using the latest information technology. Therefore, all students need to have their own laptop for better and more complete learning, even a specific technical model is recommended. 

Nadya Shupta

Regional Marketing & Recruiting Manager at London International Academy (until 2021)

Why are Canadian schools so popular with families around the world?

Canadian schools are distinguished not only by the quality of their education, but also by their approach to respectful personal development. In a Canadian school, you will not hear rudeness or shouting, which, unfortunately, are so familiar to our schools, they are great at preparing for Western universities.

The educational process includes not only classroom lessons, but also outdoor activities, on trips, in an online format: students have access to dozens of Internet portals, resources and ample opportunities for both curriculum and self-development. Teachers actively support the use of modern technologies in the classroom and beyond, helping to adapt and learn how to interact with the Internet in a competent, safe way.

Trafalgar Castle School has two academic departments, each of which educates children of a certain age: middle and high school. The school has a camp during the summer months that offers short-term courses.

Under boarding conditions, up to 45 students from grades 7 to 12 live on campus — the residence is located in the same building as the academic building. The school offers two accommodation options: five- and seven-day.

• By choosing to stay for five school days, students stay on campus from Sunday evening to Thursday evening, going home for the weekend.
• With a full week of accommodation, students stay on campus during the entire school time, leaving the territory only during holidays and vacations.

Most often, students live in pairs, the rooms are fully equipped with comfortable furniture and necessary appliances, Wi-Fi access is provided, and personal lockers with locks. Every day, staff check the condition of the rooms and the cleanliness in them — the pupils themselves must monitor the cleaning and maintenance of order. There is a teacher on duty who helps with lessons and solves household and organizational issues, a nurse is on duty around the clock.

The spacious school canteen is located right on campus: thanks to the intimate, family atmosphere at Trafalgar Castle School, every meal becomes an occasion to meet and chat with friends, have a good time over delicious food and interesting conversation. The menu is balanced and varied, all dishes are prepared from the freshest and most natural products: the canteen staff received special awards for organizing healthy and varied meals for their students. Various salads, plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-calorie and healthy desserts are regularly served, which will delight sweet tooths.

Subject list: anthropology, Art, chemistry, communications, geography, history, Information Technology, law, literature, maths, music, philosophy, physics, Science and technology, sociology, Technological processes
Activity list: Art studio, badminton, basketball, Chorus, Drama, field hockey, football, rowing, singing, tennis, volleyball

In their free time, students can attend a variety of clubs, sections and interest groups: sports, creativity, community service, scientific activity, personal qualities and many other topics are taught by qualified specialists, invited speakers. For example, you can study robotics and LEGO, attend a fine art club or a debate, music and vocal club, a special literary workshop, learn dancing or horseback riding. Older schoolgirls take over the patronage of the younger ones: It helps to develop the ability to work in a team, to be responsible for one's words and actions, teaches responsibility and independence, and improves communication skills. More and more big holidays are celebrated at the school, various festivals and shows are held — among them, of course, Christmas occupies the main place.

Trafalgar Castle School is divided into 4 faculties, and there is a constant competition between them based on the results of their studies, the degree and success of their participation in leisure and sports events. Each victory and success is a certain number of points, and at the end of the year, the faculty with the most points is declared the winner and awarded with memorable prizes. This approach allows children to learn how to compete healthily, instills the ability to work in a team and develops leadership skills that they will definitely need at further stages of their academic and career paths.

The sports program is also diverse, with many team and individual sports. There is a sports hall and a fitness center on site, and soccer, rowing, cross-country, basketball, volleyball, swimming, and other activities are regularly held in specialized halls and outdoor areas. Trafalgar Castle School has received the prestigious Platinum Award, awarded by the Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance for special achievements in physical and sports education of students. Schoolgirls constantly participate in various competitions, games and matches, including with students from other surrounding schools.

On weekends, various leisure activities are organized for pupils: visits to museums, theaters and cinemas, shopping trips and sports matches, ice skating and skiing, hiking trips and visits to amusement parks, visits to the huge Whitby Public library. When holidays or long weekends come, exciting trips become the main type of extracurricular development: schoolgirls visit New York, Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec City, will be able to visit Niagara Falls and explore other architectural, historical, and natural attractions.

• The only independent girls' school in Ontario,
• Partnerships with universities, local scientific organizations for practical preparation,
• Multinational student community,
• Small classes with a teacher-to-student ratio of 1:5: each girl will receive a sufficient amount of individual attention,
• The opportunity to live on campus from the seventh grade,
• Strong emphasis on the socio-emotional development of students, mental health support,
• 100% university admission, most graduates enter leading universities around the world and universities of first choice.
• An extensive extracurricular development program, from robotics and STEAM to art and athletics.

The school was founded in 1874, and the building of Trafalgar Castle, in which it is located today, was built in 1859: it was originally a luxury apartment building. This is a true architectural monument of the Elizabethan style, one of the key attractions of the city of Whitby. The building is a combination of historical architecture and modern technology: here students move through luxurious spacious halls and corridors, enjoy stucco, classic furniture, gilded details, fireplaces, stained glass windows, a huge wide main staircase, while studying in technically equipped classrooms, specialized laboratories, computer rooms, studios for music and creativity. The following facilities are located on the campus:

• A spacious indoor swimming pool, a gym and a fitness center, and a chapel that supports all faiths.,
• A modern medical center with qualified staff, a large dining room,
• Shops and shopping pavilions.

The total area of the Trafalgar Castle School campus reaches 23 acres: outdoor playgrounds, including a squash court and three tennis courts. The study area allows students not only to develop physically, but also to relax: green glades, walking areas, shady recreation areas provide a cozy and secluded atmosphere for communication, self-study, and snacks between classes.

The academic year at Trafalgar Castle School runs from September to mid-June. The weekly schedule includes five school days and two weekends. On weekdays, students attend academic and extracurricular classes, and on weekends they often go on excursions. Students have breaks during national and international holidays and vacations.

Approximate list of additional expenses:

• Registration fee for new students,
• Deposits for reserving a place in the class and residence,
• Individual needs, additional one-on-one classes with teachers (if necessary),
• Technology fee (for students in grades 4-6),
• Transportation fees,
• Some extracurricular and off-site activities,
• School uniform,
• Textbooks, online resources,
• Laptop,
• Pocket money.

Accommodation and meals are included in the program cost if the student has chosen boarding at the school residence.

The registration procedure consists of several stages:

• Submission of the application, required documents,
• Payment of the registration fee,
• Receiving an official response from the Admissions Committee,
• Passing a mandatory personal interview, entrance exams if necessary,
• Receiving a letter of acceptance within two weeks of submitting the application,
• Payment of the amount to book a seat in the class, residence,
• Arrival at the campus and start of training.

Applications at Trafalgar Castle School are accepted all year round, giving international applicants the opportunity to prepare documents in advance and get into training.

Trafalgar Castle School has a rolling admissions process, meaning applications are accepted throughout the year, with the busiest admissions period between October and February. Families are advised to apply early, as boarding usually fills up quickly and it takes time to obtain student visas.

The educational standard of Trafalgar Castle School is the development of leadership skills and the conduct of non-traditional classes. Due to the diversity of campus infrastructure, different approaches and methods of teaching, compliance with modern learning conditions and the requirements of universities, the labor market, Trafalgar Castle School graduates are more likely to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) than girls in coeducational schools.

Every year, Trafalgar Castle School celebrates a 100% admission rate of high school girls to universities, 98% of them take places in the best universities in the United States and Canada:

• York University,
• University of Toronto,
• Middlesex University,
• Western University,
• Boston University,
• University of California, San Diego and other prestigious universities.

Prospective students coming from abroad must provide:

• Package of personal documents: passport, health insurance, visa or residence permit,
• Two final report cards for the last academic years,
• IELTS, TOEFL, Duolingo language test results or equivalent,
• Letters of recommendation from teachers from the previous school.

Trafalgar Castle School does not provide scholarships as a private school, but students can apply for scholarships, grants, and financial aid from partner organizations, national foundations, and international study programs.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision