An engaged, busy room where three- to five-year-olds dig into letters, numbers and early writing — all through play they choose for themselves.
Senior Preschool is where children stretch into bigger thinking. The day leans into early literacy and numeracy — letter recognition, name and letter tracing, counting, sorting and patterning — alongside the friendships, problem-solving and self-regulation that make the move to “real school” feel easy. It’s all play-based and child-led, with the playground first thing each morning and daily creative, sensory and science activities. Children must turn 3 by December 31, and many arrive from our Junior class.
The Senior room heads outdoors first — fresh air and big-body play to start, then settling in for stories, snack and free play. And new this September: the day can continue through lunch and the afternoon, until 2:45.
Two specialist classes run every single week: Sportball every second Monday and French every Friday — plus a rotating mix of the activities below.
Monthly tuition, billed over our 10-month school year (September–June). As a co-operative, participating families pay less by lending a hand on Duty Days; non-participating tuition covers a hired assistant instead. Limited spaces available for 2026/27.
All mornings run 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m., from the second week of September to mid-June. The extended day adds $585/month of afternoon programming ($5,850 over the 10-month year) to the 5-morning rate — 8 spaces, ages 2.5+. Participating families assist on a bi-weekly Duty Day and hold a volunteer role, for lower tuition; non-participating families pay a higher rate and still hold a volunteer role. Duty Days cover the morning program only (9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.) — even if your child stays for the extended day. Oriole is a non-profit co-operative and has opted out of CWELCC.
View the full fee schedule — payment breakdown, dates & policies →A quick look inside our classrooms, gym and playground — then come see it in person.
Tell us a little about your child and we’ll send program details and answer your questions.
Throughout the year, the Senior room fills with guests, celebrations and a few adventures out into the city.
Heather has led the Senior room and overseen the whole school for well over a decade. She brings a theatre and music background into the classroom, building a program full of stories, songs and dramatic play that gets children ready — and excited — for kindergarten.
She holds an Early Childhood Education credential from Toronto Metropolitan University (Ryerson) and is a Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE), accredited by the College of Early Childhood Educators.
Yes. The Senior year leans into early literacy and numeracy — letters and sounds, name and letter tracing, counting, sorting and patterning — plus the focus, independence and social skills kindergarten asks for. It all stays play-based and child-led, guided by ELECT.
Senior Preschool is for children aged 3–5 who turn 3 by December 31. Many children move up from our Junior class, and new families are welcome too, space permitting.
No. Toilet training isn’t required for any class. We work alongside you to encourage toileting readiness as a positive, pressure-free experience.
A co-operative is a non-profit run with its families. Parents take part in classroom life and in how the school is run, which keeps classes small, fees lower, and the community close. We’ll explain the options on your tour — or see our Co-operative page for how it works and the volunteer roles.
We keep small classes with high adult-to-child ratios — 1:5 in the Toddler room and 1:8 in the Junior and Senior rooms — with at least one Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE) leading the room.
Not at this time. Our board found that staying outside CWELCC protects our program quality, staffing flexibility and financial stability as a small co-op.
During times of low enrolment, our Senior class may run in conjunction with our Junior class, with separate circle times.
Enrolments are open for the 2026/2027 school year. Come visit and meet Heather.