Grade 1-3
CGS has been everything we wanted and expected – an excellent education for our children.
Small classes, individual attention to our kids’ needs, opportunities to try new things in a safe environment, and a community of parents who believe in the school’s mission.
~ Grade 2 Parent
Grades 1-3
After gaining many skills and much confidence in Early Start through SK, our Grade 1 students hit the ground running. If your child is a new student to CGS in Grade 1, the first few months are dedicated to review for all students and there is plenty of time for the staff to determine how best to help your child catch up. Many students join CGS at this time to great benefit and CGS staff is there to ensure that your child’s transition is smooth and comfortable.
The Basics
Grades 1-3 students continue to build their language and math skills as well as deepen their studies in science, French and music. French continues to be taught four days a week and Phys Ed. continues twice a weekly.
The Phys Ed. program takes students off site to ski, skate and participate in the CGS Cross Country Meet and the CGS Track and Field Championships.
Students also make use of the Leaside High fields to play soccer, baseball and tennis. Music is two days a week and students are now part of the official CGS Choir with choral classes once a week. Art is once a week and students are always busy creating sets and props for the shows at CGS as well as creating their own unique works.
As the senior students at CGS, Grades 1-3 students take on more responsibility in the classroom and in all aspects of school life, including running for School Government, taking part in The Principal’s Club and helping younger students with their reading in the Reading Buddies program.
To find out more about our exceptional phonics program click here.
To find out more about math at CGS click here.
The Extras
At CGS we believe that what happens outside the traditional classroom is vital to a well-rounded education. Preparing for Assemblies, writing scripts and performing for Film and Media Studies class films, rehearsing for the musical, competing in the Public Speaking Contest, entering the Science Fair and participating in the many extra-curricular sports clubs and outreach projects at CGS are all ways that children build confidence and discover their unique gifts. At CGS we help your child get the most out of what CGS has to offer. We support them to try new things even when they are feeling out of their element.
It is important to note that in the larger private schools students do not get many of these opportunities until Grade 4 or 5. At Children’s Garden School your young child can test themselves in a safe and nurturing environment and build the confidence necessary to take advantage of all the opportunities they will inevitably have when they move on to other schools.
A Typical Day
A typical day at CGS for Grades 1-3 begins at 8:30 and ends at 3:30. Phonics and math blocks are typically taught in the morning and the afternoon is generally reserved for specialty classes like art and music. Before and after school care continues to be available for those families that need it (7:45am/5:30pm) and before and after school clubs are available each term for your child’s choosing. Even though the children are maturing, we still do not expect them to sit for more than 20 minutes at a time to complete desk work. Students have plenty of outdoor exercise at lunch and recess. Our hot lunch program is available to all of our full time JK-Grade 3 students.
What next?
In the private school system in Toronto there are many schools to choose from for the junior grades and it can be a tricky time for parents to make choices for their child. Entry years are not consistent and it can sometimes be difficult to determine when it is the ‘right’ time to move on to public or private school. CGS staff is there to help make this decision making process as smooth and informed as possible.
CGS students are among the most highly regarded applicants to the larger private schools and we take great pride in preparing our students for what lies ahead. Our students are known for their excellent academic skills, poise and kind and generous character. Students arrive well equipped to manage the routines and demands of their new schools.
If you have a son -
If you have a son and are looking to gain entry to Crescent School for Boys, their entry year is Grade 3. Your son remains at CGS until Grade 2 and then may move on to Crescent. This is a very common path at CGS.
If you are considering Upper Canada College, entry years are SK and Grade 3. We recommend that students remain with us until Grade 2 (as we are specialists in the primary years) and believe that students benefit from additional years of co-ed programming. Some families however, do choose UCC in SK if they have older children already there or are committed to being at UCC as soon as possible.
Some of our families also choose Royal St. George’s College or Sterling Hall, both with a Grade 3 entry year.
For those families wishing to keep their children in a co-educational environment our students typically chose Montcrest or The York School.
If you choose to transition into the public system we recommend a Grade 4 entry, when public school students go from the Primary to the Junior level.
Public and private school environments are very different and each comes with its own set of challenges and benefits. Many of our families transition to public schools and are very happy with the results for their child and their family.
If you have a daughter -
Most of our girls move on to Branksome Hall, Havergal, St Clements or BSS. All of these schools have official Grade 1 entries, with the exception of BSS which has an official Grade 3 entry. Some of our female students do leave in Grade 1, to join a sibling already at another school or to take advantage of the greater number of spots available. Most of our girls however, remain with us, confident that they will gain entry in Grade 3 or 4 when they are ready to move on. Families value the extended co-ed education for their girls and the additional time spent at CGS to give their daughters time to develop the confidence they will need to handle a larger environment. Parents of girls are also sometimes concerned about their daughters being in the same social group from a very young age and as a result, choose to spend the primary years at CGS and then move on to the school where their daughter will stay until Grade 12.
For those families wishing to keep their children in a co-educational environment our students typically chose Montcrest or The York School.
If you are choosing to transition into the public system we recommend a Grade 4 entry, when public school students go from the Primary to the Junior level. Public and private school environments are very different and each comes with its own set of challenges and benefits. Many of our families transition to public school and are very happy with the results for their child and their family.