Photo: Ryan Hodnett · CC BY-SA 4.07 above the middle in Ontario, 12 below: Highland West’s 28 tested schools
Top of the area on results: Mary Johnston Public School and Vista Hills Public School. None of them teaches in French, though 10% of schools in Ontario do. The 3 km around Highland West counts 29 elementary schools and 3 secondary schools, 17,680 students between them.
What stands out about Highland West’s schools
One big school
Resurrection Catholic Secondary School is the largest school here, with 1,920 students. Every school ↓
The strongest results
Top of the area: Mary Johnston Public School (elementary), its results in the top fifth in Ontario. Results ↓
The comparisons are with the province’s schools, never across provinces.
How Highland West’s schools do on Ontario’s tests
EQAO’s Grade 3, 6 and 9 assessments and the literacy test, 2024-25: each school against every school in Ontario.
Its School Grade is B+: it compares these results with the other towns of the province.
The area’s schools by fifth of the province
Each school’s band is the average of its measures’ fifths. The mark shows an even fifth of the area’s schools.
| Measure | Schools | Middle here | Ontario |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 3 reading | 25 | 74% | 76% |
| Grade 3 writing | 25 | 65% | 65% |
| Grade 3 math | 25 | 64% | 65% |
| Grade 6 reading | 25 | 87% | 88% |
| Grade 6 writing | 25 | 84% | 86% |
| Grade 6 math | 25 | 44% | 51% |
| Grade 9 math | 3 | 57% | 55% |
| Literacy test (OSSLT), first try | 3 | 88% | 85% |
On Grade 6 math the area trails, 44% against 51% in Ontario. Of 8 measures, 2 sit above the province’s middle and 1 below. At 13 schools more of the measures rose than fell over three years; at 9, more fell.
Every school’s results (28)
| School | Measure | Band |
|---|---|---|
| Mary Johnston Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 83% · G3 writing 79% · G3 math 81% · G6 reading 98% · G6 writing 98% · G6 math 72% | Top fifth |
| Vista Hills Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 94% · G3 writing 89% · G3 math 88% · G6 reading 96% · G6 writing 91% · G6 math 74% | Top fifth |
| John Darling Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 88% · G3 writing 56% · G3 math 80% · G6 reading 100% · G6 writing 100% · G6 math 90% | Second fifth |
| Kitchener Waterloo Collegiate and Vocational SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | G9 math 73% · OSSLT 88% | Second fifth |
| St Dominic Savio Catholic Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 78% · G3 writing 67% · G3 math 69% · G6 reading 93% · G6 writing 100% · G6 math 71% | Second fifth |
| Driftwood Park Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 73% · G3 writing 69% · G3 math 76% · G6 reading 93% · G6 writing 96% · G6 math 54% | Second fifth |
| Empire Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 86% · G3 writing 70% · G3 math 70% · G6 reading 87% · G6 writing 90% · G6 math 52% | Second fifth |
| Resurrection Catholic Secondary SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | G9 math 57% · OSSLT 90% | Middle fifth |
| Edna Staebler Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 76% · G3 writing 71% · G3 math 75% · G6 reading 86% · G6 writing 88% · G6 math 53% | Middle fifth |
| St Mark Catholic Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 94% · G3 writing 91% · G3 math 91% · G6 reading 76% · G6 writing 81% · G6 math 38% | Middle fifth |
| Westvale Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 82% · G3 writing 76% · G3 math 69% · G6 reading 87% · G6 writing 84% · G6 math 42% | Middle fifth |
| Holy Rosary Catholic Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 71% · G3 writing 68% · G3 math 66% · G6 reading 92% · G6 writing 85% · G6 math 58% | Middle fifth |
| W.T. Townshend Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 74% · G3 writing 68% · G3 math 59% · G6 reading 91% · G6 writing 91% · G6 math 50% | Middle fifth |
| Keatsway Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 79% · G3 writing 69% · G3 math 69% · G6 reading 84% · G6 writing 79% · G6 math 50% | Middle fifth |
| Sandhills Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 77% · G3 writing 69% · G3 math 67% · G6 reading 88% · G6 writing 80% · G6 math 59% | Middle fifth |
| St Bernadette Catholic Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 85% · G3 writing 48% · G3 math 52% · G6 reading 92% · G6 writing 83% · G6 math 42% | Middle fifth |
| Forest Heights Collegiate InstituteSecondary · Grades 9–12 | G9 math 48% · OSSLT 86% | Fourth fifth |
| Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 71% · G3 writing 54% · G3 math 64% · G6 reading 83% · G6 writing 83% · G6 math 45% | Fourth fifth |
| St Paul Catholic Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 72% · G3 writing 58% · G3 math 60% · G6 reading 88% · G6 writing 81% · G6 math 44% | Fourth fifth |
| Trillium Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 75% · G3 writing 62% · G3 math 62% · G6 reading 82% · G6 writing 88% · G6 math 30% | Fourth fifth |
| Westmount Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 66% · G3 writing 59% · G3 math 57% · G6 reading 93% · G6 writing 87% · G6 math 38% | Fourth fifth |
| J F Carmichael Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 72% · G3 writing 65% · G3 math 58% · G6 reading 70% · G6 writing 77% · G6 math 33% | Fourth fifth |
| Meadowlane Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 47% · G3 writing 27% · G3 math 43% · G6 reading 93% · G6 writing 89% · G6 math 33% | Fourth fifth |
| Forest Hill Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 64% · G3 writing 56% · G3 math 51% · G6 reading 64% · G6 writing 57% · G6 math 41% | Fourth fifth |
| Southridge Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 61% · G3 writing 51% · G3 math 37% · G6 reading 69% · G6 writing 69% · G6 math 38% | Bottom fifth |
| Hillside Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 30% · G3 writing 15% · G3 math 15% · G6 reading 81% · G6 writing 72% · G6 math 19% | Bottom fifth |
| King Edward Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 55% · G3 writing 33% · G3 math 36% · G6 reading 77% · G6 writing 77% · G6 math 30% | Bottom fifth |
| St John Catholic Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 44% · G3 writing 34% · G3 math 39% · G6 reading 63% · G6 writing 63% · G6 math 43% | Bottom fifth |
Ontario Ministry of Education, School Information Finder 2024–25 (EQAO results; N/R where groups are too small). Open Government Licence – Ontario.
Schooling in English and French around Highland West
English, French and other languages of instruction, beside the mix in Ontario.
The mark on each bar is the share of schools in Ontario.
Schooling in French isn’t on offer here.
Section 23 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms gives French-speaking parents the right to French-language schooling for their children, through the French-language boards.
Where the 32 schools in and around Highland West are
Each pin is a school, coloured by the system that runs it, sized by its students where the province publishes them.
Points from the provincial lists.
Who runs Highland West’s schools
Each level’s schools by system: English public, English Catholic, French-language, and independent or other.
By the system they belong to: English public 24 and English Catholic 8.
The provincial school lists: each school’s board, language and Catholic or public status.
Which of the 2 boards runs which school
Each board’s schools in the area, largest first.
Of 2 boards, the largest here is Waterloo Region DSB, with 24.
| Board | System | Schools | Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterloo Region DSBKitchener Waterloo Collegiate and Vocational, Forest Heights, Vista Hills, W.T. Townshend, Sandhills, Edna Staebler, Empire, J F Carmichael … | English public | 24 | 12,460 |
| Waterloo CDSBResurrection Catholic, St Dominic Savio Catholic, Holy Rosary Catholic, St Paul Catholic, St John Catholic, St Bernadette Catholic, St Mark Catholic, Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic | English Catholic | 8 | 5,220 |
Boards as Ontario’s list names them (its short forms: DSB, CDSB, CS).
How children get a place in Highland West
Catholic schools
Ontario funds the Catholic system in full; its high schools are open to all, its elementary schools mostly to Catholic families.
The neighbourhood school
Registration happens with the board, not the school; the board names the school for the address.
The provinces’ education acts and the boards’ own admission policies; check with the board for a given address.
The 32 schools in and around Highland West
Show all 29 elementary schools
High schools within reach of Highland West
The high schools a family here could reach, within 15 km.
Within 15 km, families can reach 16 high schools: 10 English public, 4 English Catholic, 1 French public and 1 French Catholic. The nearest is Resurrection Catholic Secondary School, 0.7 km away.
| School | Board | System | Band | Students | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resurrection Catholic Secondary SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo CDSB | English Catholic | Middle fifth | 1,920 | 0.7 km |
| Forest Heights Collegiate InstituteSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo Region DSB | English public | Fourth fifth | 1,555 | 2.2 km |
| Kitchener Waterloo Collegiate and Vocational SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo Region DSB | English public | Second fifth | 1,650 | 3.8 km |
| Waterloo Collegiate InstituteSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo Region DSB | English public | Middle fifth | 1,480 | 5.1 km |
| Cameron Heights Collegiate InstituteSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo Region DSB | English public | Second fifth | 1,765 | 5.3 km |
| St David Catholic Secondary SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo CDSB | English Catholic | Second fifth | 1,080 | 5.6 km |
| Laurel Heights Secondary SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo Region DSB | English public | Second fifth | 1,765 | 5.7 km |
| Bluevale Collegiate InstituteSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo Region DSB | English public | Second fifth | 1,115 | 5.8 km |
| St Mary's High SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo CDSB | English Catholic | Middle fifth | 2,240 | 6.4 km |
| Eastwood Collegiate InstituteSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo Region DSB | English public | Fourth fifth | 1,270 | 6.9 km |
All 16 secondary schools
| School | Board | System | Band | Students | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huron Heights Secondary SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo Region DSB | English public | Second fifth | 1,455 | 7.8 km |
| Grand River Collegiate InstituteSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo Region DSB | English public | Middle fifth | 1,560 | 9.1 km |
| École secondaire David Saint-JacquesSecondary · Grades 9–12 | CS Viamonde | French public | Top fifth | 105 | 11 km |
| Notre Dame Catholic Secondary SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo CDSB | English Catholic | – | – | 12 km |
| Waterloo-Oxford District Secondary SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Waterloo Region DSB | English public | Middle fifth | 1,460 | 12 km |
| ÉSC Père-René-de-GalinéeSecondary · Grades 9–12 | CS catholique MonAvenir | French Catholic | Top fifth | 495 | 13 km |
Distances in a straight line from the town’s centre point.
Towns its size in Ontario
Towns of a similar population, with their schools in or within 3 km; described, not ranked.
| Town | Population | Schools | Students | French | Nearest secondary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pelham | 19,980 | 20 | 7,290 | 3 | 1.2 km |
| … | |||||
| Meaford | 12,652 | 11 | 6,165 | 2 | 7.2 km |
| Alderwood | 12,596 | 37 | 16,950 | 2 | 2.1 km |
| Spring Valley | 12,564 | 41 | 26,720 | 0 | 0.7 km |
| Bayview Woods-Steeles | 12,499 | 68 | 25,740 | 3 | 0.8 km |
| Highland West | 12,476 | 32 | 17,680 | 0 | 0.7 km |
| Forest Hill North | 12,432 | 64 | 28,695 | 0 | 0.7 km |
| Yonge-Eglinton | 12,424 | 53 | 25,880 | 0 | 0.7 km |
| Wellesley | 12,413 | 5 | 3,400 | 0 | 13 km |
| Orleans Village - Chateauneuf | 12,399 | 52 | 23,190 | 23 | 0.9 km |
| … | |||||
| N-Section (bramalea) | 7,513 | 58 | 29,315 | 2 | 0.9 km |
In 232 of the 393 others the count is higher. Of the 394, 296 offer a French-language school.
Populations from Statistics Canada; schools from the provincial lists, in or within 3 km of each town.
Schools in the towns around Highland West
Schools in or within 3 km of each neighbouring town; distances in a straight line.
| Town | Schools | French | Catholic or independent | Nearest secondary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highland West | 32 | 0 | 8 | 0.7 km |
| Forest Heights 1.8 km | 33 | 1 | 12 | 1.2 km |
| Victoria Hills 1.9 km | 39 | 1 | 9 | 1.8 km |
| Westmount 2.2 km | 40 | 1 | 10 | 1.6 km |
| Forest Hill 2.7 km | 39 | 1 | 14 | 0.8 km |
| Meinzinger Park-Lakeside 3.3 km | 45 | 1 | 13 | 1.6 km |
| Cherry Hill 3.3 km | 43 | 2 | 12 | 0.6 km |
Meinzinger Park-Lakeside leads the neighbours with 45 schools.
What this data can and can’t tell you
- The kinds of school. Schools are grouped by what they teach: elementary, secondary, every grade, and the alternative, adult and online programs.
- Which schools count. Inside Highland West’s boundary, or no more than 3 km outside it: that is which schools are counted.
- What isn’t here. What no open list gives: inspection grades, several years of enrolment, and Ontario’s private schools.
- Bands, not ranks. Each result is placed in a fifth of Ontario’s schools on the same measure; a school’s band averages its fifths. EQAO doesn’t report small groups, so no school is ranked to the place.
- Boards and systems. English and French, public and Catholic: the board decides the system, and the address decides the school.
- The year. As the province lists them in 2024-25.
Questions about schools in Highland West
How many schools are there in Highland West?
3 are inside the town itself and 29 lie within 3 km of its edge.
Is there a French-language school in Highland West?
Not in or within 3 km of Highland West; the French-language board can name the nearest.
Which boards run the schools in Highland West?
Waterloo Region DSB (24) and Waterloo CDSB (8), with each one’s schools in brackets.
How do I get a place at a school in Highland West?
Ask the board which school serves your street, then register through it.
Sources: Ontario Ministry of Education, School Information Finder 2024–25 and school contact list (Open Government Licence – Ontario) · map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).