OUR MISSION

The Giles School's mission is to cultivate lifelong learners and responsible global citizens who can rise to the challenges of the future while making a valuable impact on society. We provide a well-rounded bilingual education with an inclusive perspective that develops students of character who are committed to making the world a better place.

THE GILES ADVANTAGE

Dare To Listen

Inclusive Learning

Inclusive Learning

Inclusive learning and teaching are essential to equip our students with the understanding, preparedness, and resources needed to thrive in our ever-changing world. Society faces a range of challenges, and individuals from varied backgrounds, ideals, beliefs, abilities, and ways of thinking are needed to tackle what lies ahead. We focus on nurturing each child’s unique characteristics, interests, abilities, and learning needs to ensure they can develop to their full potential. Teaching is differentiated as required so that students feel safe and able to thrive.

International Growth Mindset

International Growth Mindset

The Giles School provides students with an international growth mindset by equipping them with four main languages: English, French, Mandarin, and Spanish. With a specific focus on French immersion, students are educated in cultural awareness and equipped with the language skills necessary to interact effectively in a variety of settings.

A growth mindset helps children face the inevitable challenges of life and view them as opportunities to learn, rather than as failures. By fostering this mindset, alongside the benefits of a multilingual, immersive language education program, children are given everything they need to grow, develop, and explore themselves and the world around them.

Innovative Thinking

Innovative Thinking

An innovative thinker is able to utilize both sides of their brain by using critical thinking skills, creativity, and emotional flexibility to make sense of situations from a 360-degree perspective. The Giles School fosters innovative thinking skills in all its students through all the blended learning programs. Innovative thinking encourages self-awareness, self-reflection, and resilience, enabling individuals to cope with a range of emotions, situations, and experiences, and ultimately helping them stay ahead of the competition in today's fast-paced world.

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The School History

Formerly known as The Markham School for Human Development, The Giles School was founded in 1989 with Mr. Harry Giles, CM, QC, at the helm as headmaster. Mr. Giles also founded the Toronto French School in 1962 and was a pioneer in modern education. Regarded as an influential educator in Canada, he established prestigious pre-university competitions such as the Chemistry and Physics Olympiads, and started the first GCE Ordinary and Advanced Examination Center in Canada. He played a key role in the creation of the International Baccalaureate (IB) and the first examination for the IB in Canada.

Situated in the basement of an Anglican church, The Giles School started with a handful of students and was built upon the foundations of six philosophical pillars: early academic intervention, bilingualism, third languages, small classes, the highest international standards, and love.

Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal Harry Giles

Originally, the dual immersion school offered English and French language programs, with a third choice of either Mandarin or Japanese. The school continued to develop, and in 1994, a second branch for older students was introduced at Donway Covenant United Church. Due to popular demand, the following year a third language curriculum focusing on Mandarin was introduced.

In 2008, the school relocated to North York and evolved into a well-rounded multilingual and multicultural institution. Over the next decade, the French Immersion Program was implemented from Pre-K onward, and the Giles Parents Association was founded.

Highlighting the school’s continued commitment to student leadership training, 2018 saw the establishment of the Giles Student Leadership program to equip students across Grades 4 to 8 with relevant life skills to aid their holistic development through focused service-learning projects. In 2019, our Coding and Robotic programs were introduced to The Giles School as part of its curriculum. Recently, principal Ms. Caroline Bernaba, has added Financial Literacy and Investment courses for grades 4-8 plus Matatalab Coding for grade 1.

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