For the Young Children’s Community (YCC): No, your child does not need to be toilet trained to begin in the YCC. In the Montessori tradition, learning to use the toilet is a core tenet of our curriculum and a significant milestone in a child's journey toward independence. Our environment is specially prepared to support this transition, and our staff works collaboratively with your child to develop these skills at their own pace. We do, however, require all children to arrive at school in training underwear.

For the Casa Classroom: Yes. For children entering our Casa program (ages 3–6), they must be reliably toilet trained before their start date. This means the child can recognize their own bodily needs and use the toilet unassisted. As per our Ministry License, we are not equipped for diapers or pull-ups in the Primary environment.

Note: We understand that accidents can happen as children adjust to a new environment. Each child has a dedicated extra clothing bin at school, and our staff is always on hand to assist with changes and provide support when needed.

Mixed-age classrooms reflect natural social communities and allow children to learn from one another. Younger children observe and learn from older peers, while older children reinforce their understanding through leadership and responsibility.

Families can support their child by encouraging independence, respecting routines, and allowing the child time and space to practice skills independently.

Ivy Montessori School is licensed by the Ministry of Education under the Child Care and Early Years Act, 2014. 

Our school day runs from 8:30am to 4:00pm

We offer Before School Care (8:00am – 8:30am)  and After School Care (4:00pm – 4:30pm) Programs for an additional fee. 

Please contact us for more information. 

We provide two snacks each day, carefully planned to include two servings of dairy, protein, grains, or fruit, as recommended by Canada's Food Guide. We also believe in hands-on learning, so children sometimes participate in preparing and serving additional healthy foods.

Ivy Montessori School provides nutritious and delicious catered lunches daily. Prepared fresh in a nut-free facility, our menu includes a wide variety of choices to accommodate dietary needs and preferences, including vegetarian, halal, dairy-free, and gluten-free options.

Children have access to fresh water throughout the day, and all bowls, plates, glasses, and utensils are provided.

Ivy Montessori School is a nut-free environment.

At Ivy Montessori School, we prioritize the well-being of our students. In accordance with Ministry requirements, children under four years of age have a designated rest/quiet period.

Children of any age are welcome to rest if they feel tired.

We maintain staff-to-child ratios that meet or exceed licensing requirements to ensure individual attention and high-quality care.

For the YCC, the ratio is 1:5 and for the Casa Program, the ratio is 1:8

Yes. We are inspected by Toronto Public Health and have to meet strict regulations in order to obtain clearance to operate. 

Ivy Montessori School, while located in the bright, sunny basement of St. Matthias Anglican Church is not a religious school nor do we have a religion based curriculum.

We are a non-denominational school that acknowledges and observes many traditions, holidays and cultures.