Fern Hill School
3300 Ninth Line, Oakville, ON
Gender: Coeducational
Living: Day
“Fern Hill”, the poem by Dylan Thomas from which this venerable institution draws its name, details a speaker’s reflections on youth – how joyful it is in the moment and memory, and yet how quickly it passes by. Fern Hill School savours every moment of youth, seeing them as opportunities for growth and learning. From Preschool through Grade 8, Fern Hill instills a system of moral values and goals that will last their graduates a lifetime.
In addition to focusing on traditional educational values such as mental math, cursive writing, and exam preparation, Fern Hill takes pride in staying current on new tools and methods, curating and adopting those that support the school’s mission. Over the years, Fern Hill has added Mandarin, Spanish, Field Studies and international service trips to teach both globalization and environmentalism. They have incorporated current technology to assist the learning process with smartboards, coding, robotics and using laptops in grade 7 and 8. Art, Vocal, Band, and Drama each enrich the learning experience, breeding millions of moments where passion may strike and futures are determined.
Athletics play an important role at Fern Hill, teaching both a love of sport and lessons in teamwork and strategy. Fern Hill has a strong standing in the PSAA (Private Schools Athletic Association). With three age divisions, students as young as 9 have the opportunity to represent their school in tournaments, both away and at home. Fern Hill is a proud and frequent recipient of many team titles, but their focus remains on developing a love of sport and providing that moment when a child experiences the exhilaration of being a part of something bigger than themselves and cheering their team on to victory.
While Public education is at the mercy of changing governments and political partisanship, Fern Hill remains free to adhere to these core beliefs and the time-proven pedagogy that has been their mission since 1982. For almost 40 years, the school has been an institution where “parents can trust that our approach and goals will remain consistent throughout their child’s journey with us, regardless of public policy issues that may come and go.”
