2.1 The kindergarten program

The kindergarten program is available to all four- and five-year-olds attending publicly funded schools in Ontario. The program is child-centred and developmentally appropriate, offering a full day of integrated play- and inquiry-based learning. It includes a core day program during school hours and, where there is sufficient demand and viability, a before- and after-school program. (See section 2.4.1 for more information on before- and after-school programs.)

For information on the assessment, evaluation and reporting of children’s growth in learning in kindergarten see section 2.3.

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2.2 The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1 to 12

The Ontario Curriculum outlines the knowledge and skills students from Grades 1 to 12, are expected to develop and demonstrate. For an overview of Ontario’s curriculum process, see The Ontario Curriculum Review and Revision Guide. For more information on assessment and evaluation, see section 2.3.

All curriculum expectations from the relevant curriculum policies for an elementary grade or a secondary course must be accounted for when planning the classroom program. Changes to curriculum expectations may be made for French- or English-language learners and for students with special education needs. For more information, see section 3.1.2 and section 3.4.1.

PPM 162: Exemption from instruction related to the human development and sexual health expectations in The Ontario Curriculum: Health and Physical Education, Grades 1–8 requires school boards to develop and implement a policy or procedure that allows for students to be exempted, at their parent(s)/guardian(s)’ request, from instruction related to the Grade 1 to 8 human development and sexual health expectations in strand D of The Ontario Curriculum: Health and Physical Education, Grades 1–8, 2019.

PPM 160: Protected time for daily mathematics instruction, grades 1 to 8 sets out minimum time requirements for mathematics.

PPM 168: Reading Instruction and Early Reading Screening provides direction to school boards on the requirement for Ontario’s publicly funded schools to complete annual early reading screenings for all students in Year 2 of kindergarten through Grade 2.

In Roman Catholic separate school boards, learning programs also include religious education programs and courses. For information on religious education courses in secondary schools, see section 7.3.2.

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2.2.1. Learning programs in English-language and French-language schools

In Ontario elementary schools, learning programs must include the following curricula:

English-language schools

  • the arts
  • French as a second language (core French required beginning in Grade 4; boards may also offer extended or immersion French)
  • Language
  • health and physical education
  • mathematics
  • science and technology
  • social studies (Grades 1 to 6)
  • history and geography (Grades 7 and 8)

French-language schools

  • the arts
  • English (required beginning in Grade 5 but usually offered starting in Grade 4)
  • French
  • health and physical education
  • mathematics
  • science and technology
  • social studies (Grades 1 to 6)
  • history and geography (Grades 7 to 8)

For students in need of such programs, schools must offer French-language development programs, support programs for newcomers and English for beginners programs (see sections 3.1.1, 3.1.2 and 3.1.3).

Schools may also offer Indigenous languages, in accordance with the relevant curriculum policy. The elementary curriculum does not mandate the study of international languages, but parent(s)/guardian(s) may request international language classes for their children (see section 2.5.3).

School boards must ensure that all elementary students, including students with special education needs, have a minimum of 20 minutes of sustained moderate to vigorous physical activity each school day during instructional time (see section 1.1.1).

In Ontario secondary schools, the courses that may be offered to secondary school students are described in the curriculum policy for the various disciplines. These may be found on the ministry’s Curriculum and Resources website (see section 7.1).

Schools may also offer, in accordance with the relevant ministry policies, locally developed courses, dual credit courses and alternative (non-credit) courses not outlined in curriculum policy (see section 7.3.1, section 7.3.3 and section 7.4). All Ontario Curriculum courses, and locally developed courses may be offered as cooperative education (see section 8.1). Schools may offer other experiential learning programs, including job shadowing and job twinning, as described in sections 8.3 to 8.5, as well as specialized programs, as described in section 9. By successfully completing courses based on the Ontario Curriculum policy and other ministry-authorized courses, students earn credits toward the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (see section 6).

In addition to curriculum expectations, elementary and secondary school teachers must also address the learning skills and work habits described in Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting in Ontario Schools (see section 2.3). They must also ensure their programs clearly reflect ministry policy on:

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2.2.2 Textbooks and supplementary resources

School boards are required to select Minister-approved textbooks from the provincial Trillium List for use in their schools. They are also responsible for the selection and approval of supplementary learning resources.

Textbooks on the Trillium List

The Trillium List contains the titles of current textbooks approved by the Minister of Education that educators can use to teach students in kindergarten to Grade 12 in Ontario’s publicly funded schools. The ministry posts the up-to-date list on its website.

The Minister’s authority to select and approve textbooks and to publish the Trillium List is established under the Education Act.

The Ontario Curriculum Review and Revision Guide provides a detailed description of the Trillium List textbook life cycle and Ontario’s specific textbook legislation and regulations.

Supplementary learning resources

A supplementary resource is any learning resource that is not a textbook. Examples are storybooks, novels, dictionaries, instructional guides and online learning tools. A supplementary resource is not comprehensive. It supports:

  • only a limited number of curriculum expectations, or the curriculum expectations in a single strand, as outlined in the curriculum policy document for a subject or course, or
  • a limited number of expectations in one or more of the four frames of the kindergarten program

School boards have the responsibility for the selection of supplementary resources for use in their schools. Boards are expected to ensure that an effective process is in place for evaluation and approval and that the resources selected are age-appropriate, free from bias and discrimination and enable the promotion of inclusion.

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2.3 Assessment, evaluation and reporting

Growing Success: Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting in Ontario School, 2010 outlines the policies and practices for assessing, evaluating and reporting on students’ achievement of curriculum expectations and on the development of learning skills and work habits. Please note the addenda for each of the Grade 10 Academic and Applied Mathematics courses outline additional learning expectations that support students in their transition from the new de-streamed Grade 9 Mathematics course (MTH1W) to the current Grade 10 Mathematics course.

Growing Success: The kindergarten addendum, 2016 sets out the policy for assessing, evaluating and reporting for kindergarten. It includes templates for kindergarten communication of learning reports (see section 2.1).

While “Growing Success” and “the kindergarten addendum” include report card templates, teachers should refer to Elementary and secondary report card templates for the most current versions of the elementary and secondary report card templates and kindergarten communication of learning templates.

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2.4 Education and career/life planning program

Creating Pathways to Success: An Education and Career/Life Planning Program for Ontario Schools – Policy and Program Requirements, kindergarten to Grade 12, 2013 sets out the career development policy for Ontario schools, which involves the implementation of a comprehensive kindergarten to Grade 12 education and career/life planning program.

The goals of this program are to engage students in identifying and reflecting on their strengths and interests, and in setting goals and planning their individual pathway through school so they can make a successful transition to their initial postsecondary destination (e.g., apprenticeship training, college, community living, university, workplace). Students in kindergarten to Grade 6 reflect and document in an All About Me portfolio, and students from Grades 7 to 12 do so in an Individual Pathways Plan.

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2.4.1 Before- and after-school programs, kindergarten to Grade 6

School boards must offer before- and after-school programs to children from kindergarten to Grade 6 in every elementary school where there is sufficient demand and viability.

These programs may be delivered by the school board (also referred to as “extended day programs”) or by a third-party provider (a licensed child-care provider or authorized recreational and skill-building program) under an agreement with the school board.

Requirements related to programs, staff ratios and staff qualifications are set out in Part IX.1 of the Education Act, Ontario Regulation 221/11 and “Before and After School Programs, kindergarten–Grade 6: Policies and Guidelines for School Boards”. Third-party programs operated by a licensed child-care provider must comply with the Child Care and Early Years Act and associated regulations.

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2.5 Additional programs and programming options

2.5.1 Combined classes (multigrade, multitype)

It may not be feasible for some schools to offer separat classes for every grade in elementary schools or all course grades and/or types in secondary schools. In such cases, a single class may combine more than one group of students across grades or course types. In these combined classes, the expectations and the assessment and evaluation procedures for each grade or type of course must be clearly outlined.

2.5.2 Promotion from Grade 8 to Grade 9

Students who successfully complete Grade 8 will be promoted from elementary school and admitted to a secondary school in Grade 9.

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2.5.2.1 Reach-ahead opportunities for elementary school students

Under exceptional circumstances, a student in Grade 8 may be given permission to “reach ahead” to take secondary school courses, either during the school year or in the summer before Grade 9.

The decision on whether reaching ahead would be in the student’s best interest is made on a case-by-case basis by the principals of the elementary and secondary schools involved. The decision is also subject to parental consent. The principal of the secondary school will be responsible for evaluating the student’s achievement and for granting and recording the credit.

Students in Grade 8 may also reach ahead to start earning community involvement hours in the summer before Grade 9 (see section 6.1.4).

2.5.3 International and Indigenous language programs for elementary school students

Boards may offer international and Indigenous language classes (that is, languages other than English, French, American Sign Language or Langue des signes québécoise) to students in kindergarten to Grade 8 through a continuing education program (see section 10.1).

If a board receives a written request from parent(s)/guardian(s) on behalf of at least 23 students for an international or Indigenous language program, the board must establish the requested program or enter into an agreement with another board to provide it. Programs must be delivered for the duration of the school year, provided that at least 10 students attend the first class and at least one student continues to attend for the duration of the year. If, at the end of the year, there are fewer than 23 students in the program, the board may discontinue it.

International and Indigenous language classes may be held during the school day but outside regular instructional time (for example, at lunch), or after school or on weekends at a school or other location. Students may attend classes in one or more languages. During the school year, students may attend international and Indigenous language classes for up to two and one-half hours per week. During the summer, they may attend such classes for up to two and one-half hours per day.

School boards that offer international and Indigenous language classes are fully responsible for staff, curriculum and class supervision.

Elementary Indigenous language classes offered through continuing education are not the same as elementary Indigenous language instruction offered through The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1–8: Native Languages (2001).

To allow boards to offer First Nation, Métis and Inuit Studies and Indigenous Languages courses despite limited enrolment, the funding benchmarks for these courses recognizes an average class size of 12 students.

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2.6 Languages of instruction and programming

Canada’s two official languages, English and French, are the languages of instruction in English-language and French-language schools across Ontario. American Sign Language (ASL) and Langue des signes québécoise (LSQ) may also be used as languages of instruction.

2.6.1 English-language schools

All students in English-language schools must graduate with the ability to use the English language effectively for thinking, learning and communicating. English is a required subject and opportunities to promote English skills should be integrated into the curriculum in all subject areas.

English is taught in each grade in elementary school. Students in secondary school must earn four credits in English (one per grade) and meet the provincial secondary school literacy graduation requirement (see section 6.1.1 and section 6.1.3). For English-language learners, schools must offer programs and courses to help them develop proficiency in English (see section 3.1).

French is also taught in English-language schools to provide students with the opportunity to become bilingual in Canada’s official languages. In elementary school, students in Grades 4 to 8 must study French as a second language. Secondary school students must earn at least one credit in French as a second language to graduate. Secondary students may also count two additional French credits as compulsory credits toward their diplomas. The mandatory French requirement can be met through core French programs, which involve the study of the French language, or through French immersion and extended French programs. In these two types of programs, French is not only taught as a subject but also serves as the language of instruction in other subjects.

Schools must offer core French programs from Grade 4 to the end of Grade 12. The delivery of French immersion and extended French programs is optional.

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2.6.2 French-language schools

Education provided in French-language schools is intended to enhance students’ bonds with Ontario’s French-language communities and support the development of their sense of cultural identity. (For more information, see Ontario’s Aménagement Linguistique Policy for French-Language Education.)

In French-language schools, students study French as a subject from kindergarten to Grade 12, and they are required to start learning English as a subject by Grade 5 (but this is usually offered starting in Grade 4). The requirements regarding language of instruction and English classes in French-language schools mirror those in English-language schools.

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2.6.3 American Sign Language

For students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, English-language school boards may provide instruction using American Sign Language (ASL). If there are multiple students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing in a school, a board may provide bilingual/bicultural classes for students, in which both ASL and English are used as languages of instruction.

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2.6.4 Langue des signes québécoise

For students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, French-language school boards may provide instruction using Langue des signes québécoises (LSQ). If there are multiple students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing in a school, a board may provide bilingual/bicultural classes for them, in which both LSQ and French are used as languages of instruction.

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