Photo: GTD Aquitaine · Public domainSchools in Peterborough: 3 boards, side by side
The largest is Kawartha Pine Ridge DSB, with 21; beside it are Peterborough Victoria Northum Clarington CDSB and CS catholique MonAvenir. Of its 30 tested schools, 3 sit in the top two fifths in Ontario and 15 in the bottom two. Within 3 km of Peterborough are 26 elementary schools and 8 secondary schools, teaching 14,960 students.
What stands out about Peterborough’s schools
Results on the rise
More of the results rose than fell over three years at 21 schools of the 30 with results, Queen Elizabeth Public School, St. Paul Catholic Elementary School and St. Catherine Catholic Elementary School among them. Results ↓
One big school
Thomas A Stewart Secondary School is the largest school here, with 1,260 students. Every school ↓
The strongest results
The area’s best results are at Queen Elizabeth Public School (elementary), in the top fifth in Ontario. Results ↓
Every figure here sets the area’s schools beside the rest of its province.
Which of the 3 boards runs which school
Every board or service centre with a school in the area, and its schools.
| Board | System | Schools | Students |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kawartha Pine Ridge DSBThomas A Stewart, Adam Scott, Kaawaate East City, James Strath, Crestwood, Prince of Wales, Edmison Heights, Kenner … | English public | 21 | 9,760 |
| Peterborough Victoria Northum Clarington CDSBSt. Peter Catholic, Holy Cross Catholic, St. Catherine Catholic, St. Anne Catholic, Monsignor O'Donoghue Catholic, St. Paul Catholic, St. Teresa Catholic, St. John Catholic … | English Catholic | 11 | 4,955 |
| CS catholique MonAvenirÉÉC Monseigneur-Jamot, ÉSC Monseigneur-Jamot | French Catholic | 2 | 245 |
Boards as Ontario’s list names them (its short forms: DSB, CDSB, CS).
How Peterborough’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 C+: 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 | 23 | 75% | 76% |
| Grade 3 writing | 23 | 61% | 65% |
| Grade 3 math | 23 | 56% | 65% |
| Grade 6 reading | 23 | 83% | 88% |
| Grade 6 writing | 23 | 82% | 86% |
| Grade 6 math | 23 | 41% | 51% |
| Grade 9 math | 7 | 51% | 55% |
| Literacy test (OSSLT), first try | 7 | 81% | 85% |
Furthest from the provincial middle is Grade 6 math: 41% here, against 51% in Ontario. On 0 of 8 measures the area beats the provincial middle; on 7 it trails.
Every school’s results (30)
| School | Measure | Band |
|---|---|---|
| Queen Elizabeth Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 87% · G3 writing 100% · G3 math 100% · G6 reading 100% · G6 writing 94% · G6 math 72% | Top fifth |
| St. Paul Catholic Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 96% · G3 writing 81% · G3 math 85% · G6 reading 100% · G6 writing 95% · G6 math 63% | Top fifth |
| St. Catherine Catholic Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 80% · G3 writing 65% · G3 math 76% · G6 reading 92% · G6 writing 97% · G6 math 48% | Second fifth |
| James Strath Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 82% · G3 writing 77% · G3 math 77% · G6 reading 85% · G6 writing 92% · G6 math 44% | Middle fifth |
| St. Peter Catholic Secondary SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | G9 math 61% · OSSLT 83% | Middle fifth |
| ÉSC Monseigneur-JamotSecondary · Grades 9–12 | G9 math 73% · OSSLT 81% | Middle fifth |
| St. Teresa Catholic Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 76% · G3 writing 72% · G3 math 76% · G6 reading 79% · G6 writing 85% · G6 math 59% | Middle fifth |
| Adam Scott Collegiate and Vocational InstituteSecondary · Grades 9–12 | G9 math 53% · OSSLT 85% | Middle fifth |
| Crestwood Secondary SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | G9 math 51% · OSSLT 84% | Middle fifth |
| Edmison Heights Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 82% · G3 writing 64% · G3 math 76% · G6 reading 83% · G6 writing 80% · G6 math 46% | Middle fifth |
| Immaculate Conception Catholic Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 75% · G3 writing 70% · G3 math 60% · G6 reading 89% · G6 writing 83% · G6 math 39% | Middle fifth |
| Westmount Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 73% · G3 writing 56% · G3 math 52% · G6 reading 90% · G6 writing 84% · G6 math 57% | Middle fifth |
| St. Anne Catholic Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 75% · G3 writing 53% · G3 math 58% · G6 reading 89% · G6 writing 85% · G6 math 57% | Middle fifth |
| ÉÉC Monseigneur-JamotElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 77% · G3 writing 62% · G3 math 85% · G6 reading 80% · G6 writing 72% · G6 math 48% | Middle fifth |
| Kawartha Heights Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 88% · G3 writing 71% · G3 math 59% · G6 reading 79% · G6 writing 82% · G6 math 23% | Middle fifth |
| Kaawaate East City Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 84% · G3 writing 66% · G3 math 56% · G6 reading 85% · G6 writing 79% · G6 math 32% | Fourth fifth |
| St. John Catholic Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 78% · G3 writing 61% · G3 math 74% · G6 reading 57% · G6 writing 79% · G6 math 29% | Fourth fifth |
| Monsignor O'Donoghue Catholic Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 61% · G3 writing 58% · G3 math 53% · G6 reading 72% · G6 writing 94% · G6 math 44% | Fourth fifth |
| St. Alphonsus Catholic Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 75% · G3 writing 50% · G3 math 55% · G6 reading 82% · G6 writing 82% · G6 math 41% | Fourth fifth |
| R F Downey Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–6 | G3 reading 63% · G3 writing 50% · G3 math 55% · G6 reading 71% · G6 writing 82% · G6 math 46% | Fourth fifth |
| St. Patrick Catholic Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 79% · G3 writing 43% · G3 math 43% · G6 reading 89% · G6 writing 72% · G6 math 39% | Fourth fifth |
| Thomas A Stewart Secondary SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | G9 math 49% · OSSLT 76% | Fourth fifth |
| Highland Heights Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 38% · G3 writing 38% · G3 math 44% · G6 reading 84% · G6 writing 92% · G6 math 32% | Fourth fifth |
| Keith Wightman Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 56% · G3 writing 44% · G3 math 44% · G6 reading 89% · G6 writing 81% · G6 math 37% | Fourth fifth |
| Queen Mary Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 69% · G3 writing 61% · G3 math 53% · G6 reading 68% · G6 writing 50% · G6 math 29% | Fourth fifth |
| Roger Neilson Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 61% · G3 writing 33% · G3 math 52% · G6 reading 83% · G6 writing 79% · G6 math 34% | Fourth fifth |
| Holy Cross Catholic Secondary SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | G9 math 50% · OSSLT 71% | Bottom fifth |
| Prince of Wales Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 49% · G3 writing 40% · G3 math 41% · G6 reading 83% · G6 writing 77% · G6 math 33% | Bottom fifth |
| Kenner Collegiate and Vocational InstituteSecondary · Grades 9–12 | G9 math 19% · OSSLT 68% | Bottom fifth |
| Otonabee Valley Public SchoolElementary · Grades JK–8 | G3 reading 59% · G3 writing 38% · G3 math 38% · G6 reading 68% · G6 writing 56% · G6 math 25% | Bottom fifth |
Ontario Ministry of Education, School Information Finder 2024–25 (EQAO results; N/R where groups are too small). Open Government Licence – Ontario.
Where the 34 schools in and around Peterborough 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.
Schooling in English and French around Peterborough
English, French and other languages of instruction, beside the mix in Ontario.
The mark on each bar is the share of schools in Ontario.
ÉÉC Monseigneur-Jamot and ÉSC Monseigneur-Jamot teach in French; CS catholique MonAvenir runs the public ones among the 2.
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.
Who runs Peterborough’s schools
Each level’s schools by system: English public, English Catholic, French-language, and independent or other.
By system, they split: English public 21, English Catholic 11 and French-language 2.
The provincial school lists: each school’s board, language and Catholic or public status.
How children get a place in Peterborough
French-language schools
The French boards take rights-holders’ children by right and others by committee.
Catholic schools
Catholic schools here are public, paid for by the province. Elementary places usually go to Catholic families; Catholic high schools take any student.
The neighbourhood school
Attendance zones do the sorting here. Inside the zone a child is in; outside it, the answer turns on how full the school is.
The provinces’ education acts and the boards’ own admission policies; check with the board for a given address.
The 34 schools in and around Peterborough
Show all 26 elementary schools
High schools within reach of Peterborough
Every secondary school within 15 km of the town, nearest first.
Counting out to 15 km, there are 8: 5 English public, 2 English Catholic and 1 French Catholic. St. Peter Catholic Secondary School lies closest, 1.1 km from the centre.
| School | Board | System | Band | Students | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Peter Catholic Secondary SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Peterborough Victoria Northum Clarington CDSB | English Catholic | Middle fifth | 1,035 | 1.1 km |
| Peterborough Collegiate and Vocational SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Kawartha Pine Ridge DSB | English public | – | 385 | 1.3 km |
| Kenner Collegiate and Vocational InstituteSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Kawartha Pine Ridge DSB | English public | Bottom fifth | 525 | 2.7 km |
| ÉSC Monseigneur-JamotSecondary · Grades 9–12 | CS catholique MonAvenir | French Catholic | Middle fifth | – | 2.8 km |
| Adam Scott Collegiate and Vocational InstituteSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Kawartha Pine Ridge DSB | English public | Middle fifth | 1,055 | 3 km |
| Holy Cross Catholic Secondary SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Peterborough Victoria Northum Clarington CDSB | English Catholic | Bottom fifth | 840 | 3 km |
| Thomas A Stewart Secondary SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Kawartha Pine Ridge DSB | English public | Fourth fifth | 1,260 | 3.8 km |
| Crestwood Secondary SchoolSecondary · Grades 9–12 | Kawartha Pine Ridge DSB | English public | Middle fifth | 715 | 4.1 km |
Distances in a straight line from the town’s centre point.
Towns its size in Ontario
Places of about the same size and their schools in or within 3 km, largest first.
| Town | Population | Schools | Students | French | Nearest secondary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Catharines | 153,865 | 62 | 21,825 | 3 | 0.7 km |
| … | |||||
| Thunder Bay | 117,671 | 44 | 15,300 | 4 | 3 km |
| Bowmanville | 114,180 | 60 | 32,365 | 1 | 0.8 km |
| Niagara Falls | 113,983 | 48 | 18,410 | 3 | 0.4 km |
| Chatham | 112,716 | 45 | 14,950 | 6 | 0.9 km |
| Peterborough | 97,834 | 34 | 14,960 | 2 | 1.1 km |
| Newmarket | 95,763 | 48 | 27,000 | 2 | 2.2 km |
| Bolton | 90,201 | 86 | 48,920 | 2 | 5.5 km |
| Lindsay | 85,351 | 28 | 9,620 | 0 | 6.2 km |
| Sault Ste. Marie | 81,182 | 36 | 11,455 | 3 | 0.5 km |
| … | |||||
| North Bay | 62,062 | 29 | 9,310 | 8 | 1.1 km |
15 of 21 similar towns count more schools. Teaching in French: 20 of the 22 have it.
Populations from Statistics Canada; schools from the provincial lists, in or within 3 km of each town.
Schools in the towns around Peterborough
For each nearby town, its schools in or within 3 km of its outline, with straight-line distances.
| Town | Schools | French | Catholic or independent | Nearest secondary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peterborough | 34 | 2 | 13 | 1.1 km |
| Otonabee-South Monaghan 11 km | 20 | 1 | 8 | 9.3 km |
| Bridgenorth 12 km | 26 | 1 | 8 | 9.7 km |
| Millbrook 16 km | 20 | 1 | 7 | 13 km |
| Douro-Dummer 18 km | 20 | 0 | 7 | 15 km |
None of its 4 neighbours has more schools in reach.
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Which schools count. The area is Peterborough plus a 3 km margin around it, measured from its census outline.
- The kinds of school. An all-grade school teaches from kindergarten through high school; elementary and secondary schools split those years.
- What isn’t here. Enrolment is a single year, where published at all, and no inspectorate rates schools.
- Bands, not ranks. Ontario’s results are whole percentages with small groups left out, so the page gives fifths, not ranks.
- The year. 2024-25, the latest open list.
- Boards and systems. The board is the public body that runs a school; this province has English and French boards, each public or Catholic.
Questions about schools in Peterborough
How many schools are there in Peterborough?
32 are inside the town itself and 2 lie within 3 km of its edge.
Is there a French-language school in Peterborough?
Yes, schooling in French is at ÉÉC Monseigneur-Jamot and ÉSC Monseigneur-Jamot.
How do I get a place at a school in Peterborough?
Ask the board which school serves your street, then register through it.
Which boards run the schools in Peterborough?
By number of schools: Kawartha Pine Ridge DSB (21), Peterborough Victoria Northum Clarington CDSB (11) and CS catholique MonAvenir (2).
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).