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Wheatley School

Canada, St. Catharines

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The school at a glance
Fees Fees not listed
Ages Not listed
Type Co-educational
Opened 1986
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum Montessori Curriculum, IB (MYP), Canadian Curriculum
Taught languages French
Strengths Outdoor Education, Languages, Academic Enrichment
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language
Stages Infant/Toddler Care, Early Years, Primary School, Elementary, Middle School
Introduction

Wheatley School is an independent, co-educational program in St. Catharines for children from 18 months through Grade 8. The Primary division uses Montessori methods for ages 18 months to 6 years, including a Toddler program and Casa classes, while Lower Elementary continues with Montessori, and Upper Elementary follows the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme for Grades 5 to 8. Across the Canadian curriculum, core subjects incorporate IB methodologies, with an emphasis on intercultural awareness, critical thinking, and hands‑on, inquiry‑based learning. The campus includes a full‑size gym, a library, daily French instruction, Musik Garten music, and rich opportunities for field trips and outdoor play. A hallmark is Outdoor Education, bringing conservation and experiential learning to life. The school was founded in 1986 and named after Miss Evangeline Wheatley, reflecting a long‑standing commitment to nurturing the whole child through interdisciplinary studies, reading, science projects, and expressive arts. A welcoming, supportive learning community.

The Essentials

Location
497 Scott Street St. Catharines Ontario L2M 3X3

Stages
Casa Toddler; Primary; Lower Elementary; Upper Elementary

Type
Independent school
Diving Deeper

Governance and Ownership
Wheatley School is an independent, non-denominational school. It is a non-profit charitable organization governed by a Board of Directors. The Head of School is Eda Varalli.
Fees
Application fees

- A non‑refundable application fee is required for admission. A third‑party school directory lists this fee as CAD 100.

Tuition fees by year group (per year / per term)

- The school does not publish a public, itemized fee schedule broken down by year group or by term. Estimated annual tuition ranges published by independent school directories place total annual tuition for Wheatley School within approximately CAD 7,300 to CAD 15,200 per year. These listings are third‑party estimates and do not provide per‑term or per‑grade breakdowns.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- Single Pay: Full tuition is due in August.
- Three Pay: Tuition may be paid per term using three post‑dated cheques, payable at three designated times during the school year.
- Eight Pay: Tuition may be paid monthly using eight post‑dated cheques, payable on the first day of each month from August through March.
- Family discount: When a family has more than one child enrolled in elementary and full‑day primary programs, a discount is applied to the second and third child's fees.

Boarding / accommodation

- Boarding is not offered as a school program; Wheatley operates as a day school. For international students, billeting arrangements in the Niagara region can be arranged; this is separate from formal boarding and no published boarding fee schedule is provided.

Additional services and other costs

- Extended hours (before and after school) are available at an hourly rate; a sibling discount applies for additional children from the same family. The extended hours operate approximately 7:30 am–8:30 am and 3:45 pm–5:30 pm. Specific hourly rates are not published.
- Uniforms are required; official uniform supplies and guidance are provided through an official uniform supplier (McCarthy Uniforms). Specific uniform item prices are not published on school pages.
- Other potential costs commonly associated with enrollment (examples not publicly itemized by the school) may include activity or enrichment fees, field trip fees, instrument rental, or materials fees; no itemized public fee list for these items is published.

Refund information

- No public, itemized refund policy or refundable amounts for tuition deposits, application fees, or tuition payments is published in the school's publicly available admissions and fees materials.

Fee payment options (methods and surcharges)

- Accepted payment schedules include Single Pay (annual), Three Pay (per term via post‑dated cheques), and Eight Pay (monthly via post‑dated cheques).
- Credit card payments are accepted through an online payment processor (PaySimply) and are subject to a 2.5% surcharge; American Express is not accepted for credit‑card payments.
- The school explicitly references post‑dated cheques as the payment vehicle for the Three Pay and Eight Pay plans. No public statement explicitly listing bank transfer (electronic funds transfer) as an accepted method is provided in the published fee information.

Summary notes for parents

- The school publishes payment schedules and methods (Single, Three, Eight Pay), a family discount for multiple enrolled children, a 2.5% credit‑card surcharge, and that extended hours and billeting services exist, but it does not publish an itemized tuition schedule by program, year group, or per term. For an exact, grade‑specific annual and per‑term tuition schedule, plus precise amounts for application fees, extended‑hours rates, uniform item prices, and any refundable/deposit arrangements, the school's admissions office provides the detailed fee schedule directly.
Academics

Wheatley School teaches Montessori Curriculum, IB (MYP), Canadian Curriculum.

Curriculum
Montessori for ages 18 months to grade 4 and the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme for Grades 5 to 8. Core subjects follow Ontario curriculum expectations and IB methodologies, with an emphasis on intercultural awareness, critical thinking, and hands‑on, inquiry‑based learning.

Higher Education Progression
Graduates carry the spirit of Wheatley into many different paths in the world, continuing to grow, contribute, and lead in diverse fields.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
The school nurtures the whole child—their mind, heart, and potential. The school combines Montessori's individualized, hands-on approach and the International Baccalaureate (IB) emphasis on global awareness and critical thinking, empowering students to become curious, confident, and compassionate learners.

Mental Wellbeing
The school nurtures the whole child—their mind, heart, and potential.
Parent Experience

History
Founded in 1986 by Principal Eda Varalli, Wheatley School began with one Casa class of twelve children and twenty-four elementary students in Grades 1 to 4. It incorporated in 1988 and became a non-profit organization. Wheatley is named for Miss Evangeline Wheatley, who proved that the thirst for knowledge is a continuous process that stops only at the end of life. In 1991 the school moved to a larger facility, and between 1996 and 1999 three additional classrooms were added to accommodate increased enrollment. In 2001 Wheatley moved to a large building on Scott Street, with future plans to develop the grounds and further enhance the facilities.

Community
The Wheatley community is warm and diverse, serving children from toddler age through grade eight. The school emphasizes confidence, self-esteem, responsibility, and a lifelong love of learning, and it values hard work, having fun, and supporting one another with students at the center of learning. The upper elementary program reflects this warmth and diversity by challenging students at their optimum level. Events and activities are organized through the Parent Guild, with events posted on the school calendar and meeting dates included in the monthly Wheatley World e-newsletter.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
The Wheatley Parent Guild creates opportunities for families to connect with one another, support school initiatives, and contribute to a strong sense of community. All parents and caregivers are welcome to volunteer with the Guild, with options to participate in ways that fit your time and interests. Joining the Parent Guild connects families, supports your child's school experience, and contributes to a caring, engaged school community. Parent Guild activities include social gatherings and hands-on projects that enrich the life of the school. Meetings are posted on the school calendar, and events are listed in the monthly Wheatley World e-newsletter.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
Wheatley is a co-educational independent school serving children from age 18 months to grade 8. The Primary division uses Montessori methods, with a Casa program for ages 3 to 6 and a Toddler program for ages 18 months to 3 years. The Lower Elementary continues with Montessori, while the Upper Elementary follows the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme. The curriculum emphasizes nurturing the whole child and developing interdisciplinary skills for the 21st century. The Casa program includes a library and a full-size gym, daily French instruction, Musik Garten music, and enrichment through field trips and outdoor play.

Sports Facilities
The school features a full-size gym for physical education. Outdoor play spaces support active learning, and field trips are part of the program's experiential offerings.

Academic Facilities
The Primary division uses Montessori methods for ages 18 months to 6 years, including Toddler and Casa programs. Montessori education emphasizes hands-on learning, a low teacher-to-child ratio, and development of concentration, independence, and social skills. Lower Elementary (Grades 1–4) continues with Montessori, while Upper Elementary (Grades 5–8) is an IB World School with an enriched curriculum. The program includes daily French instruction and Musik Garten music, and supports library and gym activities as part of student learning.

Extra Curricular Facilities
Enrichment is evident through enriching field trips and outdoor play in the Casa years. Weekly library visits support reading development, and the Musik Garten music program, along with daily French instruction, enriches language and arts learning.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
The Wheatley School uses Ontario curriculum expectations and International Baccalaureate methodologies to provide an academically rich, robust, and challenging environment. Science is taught through hands‑on exploration, with scientific thought and methodologies integrated across the curriculum and an annual science fair that invites creative topics and projects. Language education is robust, with a language program that includes English and French, and units that feature novel study, poetry, and public speaking, while mathematics emphasizes mastery of basics and problem solving in unfamiliar contexts. Interdisciplinary Studies connect subjects through project‑based learning several times a year.

Arts & Creative
Weekly music classes introduce the joy of music as art and community, developing technical skills and cultural knowledge with opportunities to perform. An Instrumental and Royal Conservatory program begins in Grade 5. Art involves hands‑on projects across a variety of materials to build creativity and artistic ability, and Drama uses story theatre, choral speaking, and role play to foster self‑expression, communication skills, and confidence.

Cultural & Language
French is taught so students listen, read, write, and speak French through diverse resources including texts, workbooks, media, and software. The language program uses a broad range of resources and emphasizes mechanics and style, with units that include novel investigation, poetry, and public speaking, supporting intercultural awareness as part of the curriculum.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
Physical Education classes develop fitness, health knowledge, and social skills, and extracurricular teams foster competition, sportsmanship, and teamwork. Outdoor Education is a hallmark of the Wheatley experience, bringing conservation and outdoor learning to life through field activities, including fall and winter overnight excursions.
Languages

Language Provision
Language is a core subject taught within the Ontario curriculum framework, complemented by IB methodologies. The Language program uses diverse sources to explore local and global ideas/themes, and mechanics and writing style are taught in multiple ways through units such as novel study, poetry, and public speaking. French is taught with students listening, reading, writing, and speaking French through texts, workbooks, media, and software. The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme is used for upper elementary and includes Language and literature as well as Language acquisition among its eight disciplines.
Admissions

Admissions
1. Book a Tour. The school invites families to view classrooms and facilities, ask questions, and learn more. During the tour, information about Fee Policy and Schedule is provided. The tour helps families understand the learning environment and what to expect during the transition to Wheatley. 2. Submit Application. The application form is completed and submitted for review. If no space is available, the child is added to the waitlist. Families are called in waitlist order as spaces become available. 3. Parent Interview. Parents/guardians meet with the Principal to discuss teaching methods and mutual expectations. If possible, both parents/guardians should attend. The interview provides an opportunity to align on goals and expectations for the child. 4. Child's Class Visit. The child will visit their future class to meet classmates and teachers before their first day. Elementary applicants may spend a half or full day in class before registration. The visit helps the child become familiar with classroom routines and peers. The visit can ease the transition into school life.

Waitlist
Waitlist. If no space is available, the child is added to the waitlist. Families are called in waitlist order as spaces become available. The waitlist system ensures fairness in offering available spots.
School Events
The school has not added events
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