Published 2 November 2026 · By Jatin Dua, Broker of Record, RE/MAX Quantum Realty
The top schools in Clarington for 2027, on 2024–2025 EQAO results, are St. Mother Teresa (Courtice) and St. Joseph (Bowmanville) Catholic elementary schools, M J Hobbs Senior Public School in Hampton, Duke of Cambridge Public School in Bowmanville and St. Stephen Catholic Secondary. St. Mother Teresa led, scoring 94% in Grade 3 math against 64% provincially.
This guide is for families buying or renting in Bowmanville, Courtice, Newcastle or the hamlets of Clarington who want to know which schools had the strongest results heading into 2027. You get my top five, the official scores behind each one, how the six local high schools compare, the new schools that just opened or are planned, and what homes cost.
How did I rank the schools in Clarington?
I used Ontario’s School Information Finder dataset, which the province updated in November 2026 with 2024–2025 results from EQAO, the provincial testing office. For each elementary school I averaged six scores: the share of Grade 3 and Grade 6 students who met the provincial standard in reading, writing and math. For high schools I compared Grade 9 math and the Grade 10 literacy test (OSSLT) pass rate for first-time writers.
Clarington is served by two English-language boards: the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board (KPR) for public schools and the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board for Catholic schools. French-language boards also run schools here.
Keep three limits in mind. Small schools can swing a lot from year to year. The province rounds some figures to protect privacy, so 100% may not be exactly 100%. And test scores leave out teaching quality, programs and school culture. The Fraser Institute’s report cards are built from the same EQAO data; I have not reproduced its rankings here.
| # | School | Community | Board, grades | Six-score average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Mother Teresa Catholic Elementary School | Courtice | Catholic, JK–8 | 88% |
| 2 | St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School | Bowmanville | Catholic, JK–8 | 84% |
| 3 | M J Hobbs Senior Public School | Hampton | KPR, 1–8 | 81% |
| 4 | Duke of Cambridge Public School | Bowmanville | KPR, K–8 | 79% |
| 5 | St. Stephen Catholic Secondary School | Bowmanville | Catholic, 9–12 | Grade 9 math 53%, OSSLT 80% |
| Ontario average (elementary) | 71% |
Source: Ontario School Information Finder dataset, 2024–2025 (EQAO 2024–2025), November 2026. Six-score average is my arithmetic from Grade 3 and Grade 6 reading, writing and math. Ontario average from the provincial figures published by the York Region District School Board, December 2025.
1. St. Mother Teresa Catholic Elementary School (Courtice)
What it is like: a JK to Grade 8 school on Glenabbey Drive in Courtice with about 400 students. It had the best elementary results in Clarington in 2024–2025: 94% of Grade 3 students met the math standard, against a provincial average of 64%, and 72% of Grade 6 students met it, against 51%. Grade 6 reading was 97%.
Who it suits: Catholic families in Courtice who want strong results and a short drive to Oshawa.
What it costs to live nearby: the median detached home in Clarington sold for $820,000 from January to October 2026, down 4.1% from a year earlier. Courtice is not reported separately.
What to check: Catholic boards set their own rules for who can register in the elementary grades. Ask the board what documents it needs before you count on this school.
2. St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School (Bowmanville)
What it is like: a JK to Grade 8 school on Parkway Crescent in Bowmanville with about 505 students. Its Grade 6 results stood out: 100% in reading, 98% in writing and 62% in math, all well above the province. Grade 3 scores were 80% in reading and 77% in math.
Who it suits: families who want an established Bowmanville neighbourhood close to the downtown and Highway 401.
What it costs: Clarington’s freehold townhouses had a median of $647,850 from January to October 2026, down 9.4%, and semi-detached homes $627,500. Both are well below the detached median, which helps first-time buyers.
What to check: Bowmanville is growing quickly, and the public board has already adjusted elementary boundaries for its new Northglen school. Confirm the school for your exact address with the Catholic board, even on established streets.
3. M J Hobbs Senior Public School (Hampton)
What it is like: a public school on Taunton Road in the hamlet of Hampton, north of Bowmanville, for Grades 1 to 8 with about 325 students. It had the strongest results of any English public school in Clarington: 89% in Grade 3 reading, 80% in Grade 3 math, 89% in Grade 6 writing and 56% in Grade 6 math. Hampton also has a separate junior school for JK to Grade 3.
Who it suits: families who want a rural or estate-lot setting and a public school with above-average results.
What it costs: rural properties around Hampton vary widely, so the town-wide $820,000 detached median is only a loose guide. Lot size, well and septic systems affect value more than in town.
What to check: bussing routes and times, and the cost of a rural home’s well and septic inspection before you firm up an offer.
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4. Duke of Cambridge Public School (Bowmanville)
What it is like: one of the larger elementary schools in Clarington, on Liberty Street North in Bowmanville, with about 770 students from Kindergarten to Grade 8. In 2024–2025, 98% of Grade 6 students met the reading standard and 97% the writing standard. Grade 3 reading was 85%. Its Grade 3 math score, 60%, was a little below the provincial 64%.
Who it suits: families who want a big public school in central Bowmanville, close to Bowmanville High School on the same street.
What it costs: detached homes in Clarington sold in an average of 25 days from January to October 2026, faster than in Mississauga (31 days) or Brampton (30 days), so well-priced family homes near popular schools do not sit for long.
What to check: class sizes and portables at a large, popular school. Ask the principal what next year’s enrolment looks like.
5. St. Stephen Catholic Secondary School (Bowmanville)
What it is like: the largest high school in Clarington, on Scugog Street in Bowmanville, with about 1,300 students. It had the highest Grade 9 math result of Clarington’s high schools in 2024–2025, at 53%, and an 80% OSSLT pass rate. Both are below the provincial averages of 58% and 85%.
Who it suits: families who want a big Catholic high school with a wide choice of courses and teams.
What it costs: condo townhouses in Clarington had a median of $525,000 from January to October 2026, down 15.3%, one of the cheapest ways to buy near Bowmanville’s schools.
What to check: no Clarington high school beat the province in Grade 9 math in 2024–2025. If math matters to you, ask each school about its support and enriched programs.
How do Clarington’s high schools compare?
| High school | Community | Students | Grade 9 math | OSSLT pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Stephen Catholic Secondary School | Bowmanville | 1,300 | 53% | 80% |
| Courtice Secondary School | Courtice | 790 | 50% | 79% |
| Holy Trinity Catholic Secondary School | Courtice | 760 | 49% | 80% |
| Bowmanville High School | Bowmanville | 1,180 | 45% | 87% |
| Clarington Central Secondary School | Bowmanville | 950 | 40% | 84% |
| Clarke High School | Newcastle | 100 | 36% | 58% |
| Ontario average | 58% | 85% |
Source: Ontario School Information Finder dataset, 2024–2025; enrolment rounded by the province. Ontario averages as published by YRDSB, December 2025.
Bowmanville High School had the best literacy result, 87%, above the province. Courtice families have two nearby options, Courtice Secondary and Holy Trinity, with very similar results.
What new schools are opening in Clarington?
Northglen Orchard Public School in Bowmanville opened to students in September 2026, according to the Kawartha Pine Ridge board. It has space for 769 students from JK to Grade 8 and a four-room child care centre. CP24 reported its cost at $36.8 million, one of the GTA projects the province listed for fall 2026. It has no EQAO results yet.
KPR also lists a new Kindergarten to Grade 12 school planned for the Newcastle area. Opening dates for future schools can move, so check the board’s planning pages before you buy based on a school that is not built.
Clarington’s elementary schools did better than its high schools in 2024–2025, and the best of them, in Courtice and Bowmanville, beat the province by a wide margin. If you have young children, you can buy near a strong elementary school here for far less than in York or Halton Region. For teenagers, visit the high schools in person and ask about math support, because none of them beat the province in Grade 9 math last year.
What do homes near Clarington’s best schools cost?
| Home type, Clarington | Median, Jan–Oct 2026 | Change vs 2025 | Sales | Avg. days on market |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detached | $820,000 | −4.1% | 721 | 25 |
| Semi-detached | $627,500 | −9.5% | 36 | 19 |
| Freehold townhouse | $647,850 | −9.4% | 146 | 19 |
| Condo townhouse | $525,000 | −15.3% | 37 | 40 |
| Condo apartment | $440,000 | −13.7% | 100 | 37 |
Source: TRREB MLS data via REALM, January–October 2026 vs the same period of 2025. Municipality-wide figures; Bowmanville, Courtice and Newcastle are not reported separately.
For area-by-area detail, see my guide to the best neighbourhoods in Clarington and what a house is worth in Bowmanville. If you are also weighing Oshawa, read Oshawa vs Bowmanville.
A listing that says “walk to top schools” is not a guarantee of admission. Attendance is set by board boundaries, and Bowmanville’s were changed for the new Northglen school. Check the address with the board yourself, and if the school is a deal-breaker, talk to your lawyer about a condition that lets you confirm it before the offer is firm.
What to do next
- Look up each school on Ontario’s school finder and compare at least three years of EQAO results.
- Confirm the school for the exact address with KPR or the Catholic board before you make an offer.
- Visit the school and ask about class sizes, French Immersion and special education support.
- Compare Clarington with nearby options in my guide to schools in Pickering, Ajax and Whitby.
- If you need to sell first, get a value for your current home so your budget is real.
Need help with this? Talk to me.
I’m Jatin Dua, Broker of Record at RE/MAX Quantum Realty, and I’m the best agent to do this kind of work for you in Toronto and across the GTA. Over $100 million in GTA sales and 100+ families helped sell. Feel free to contact me any time: call or text 833-330-1925 or email [email protected].
Frequently asked questions
What is the best elementary school in Clarington?
St. Mother Teresa Catholic Elementary School in Courtice had Clarington’s best 2024–2025 EQAO results, averaging 88% across the six Grade 3 and Grade 6 measures. Its Grade 3 math score was 94%, against a 64% Ontario average. St. Joseph in Bowmanville and M J Hobbs Senior Public School in Hampton followed, according to Ontario’s November 2026 school dataset.
What are the best schools in Bowmanville?
In Bowmanville, St. Joseph Catholic Elementary School and Duke of Cambridge Public School had the strongest 2024–2025 elementary results, with Grade 6 reading at 100% and 98%. For high school, St. Stephen Catholic Secondary had the best Grade 9 math result (53%), while Bowmanville High School had the best literacy pass rate (87%).
What is the best high school in Courtice?
Courtice Secondary School and Holy Trinity Catholic Secondary School had almost identical 2024–2025 results. Courtice Secondary had 50% of Grade 9 students meeting the math standard and a 79% OSSLT pass rate; Holy Trinity had 49% and 80%. Both were below the Ontario averages of 58% and 85%, so visit both.
Which school boards serve Clarington?
Clarington’s English public schools are run by the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, and its English Catholic schools by the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board. French-language public and Catholic boards also operate schools in the area, such as École élémentaire Viola-Léger in Bowmanville.
Is there a new school in Bowmanville?
Yes. Northglen Orchard Public School in Bowmanville opened in September 2026, the Kawartha Pine Ridge board says. It has space for 769 students from JK to Grade 8 plus a four-room child care centre. Because it is new, it has no EQAO results yet, and nearby school boundaries were adjusted when it opened.
Are Clarington schools above the Ontario average?
Many Clarington elementary schools were above the Ontario average in 2024–2025, led by St. Mother Teresa, St. Joseph, M J Hobbs and Duke of Cambridge. Its high schools were not: none beat the 58% provincial average in Grade 9 math, though Bowmanville High School beat the 85% OSSLT average with 87%.
How much is a house near good schools in Bowmanville in 2027?
The median detached home in Clarington, which includes Bowmanville, sold for $820,000 from January to October 2026, down 4.1% from 2025, according to TRREB MLS data via REALM. Freehold townhouses had a median of $647,850. Bowmanville is not reported separately, so homes near popular schools can sell above these figures.
Does the Fraser Institute rank schools in Clarington?
Yes. The Fraser Institute publishes report cards that score Ontario schools, including those in Clarington, using EQAO test results. This guide uses the province’s own 2024–2025 EQAO data instead of reproducing those rankings. Use both as a starting point, then visit the school and check its boundary for your address.
Sources
- Ontario Data Catalogue: School information and student demographics (2024–2025, updated November 2026)
- Ontario: Find an elementary or secondary school
- York Region District School Board: EQAO results with 2024–2025 provincial averages (December 2025)
- Kawartha Pine Ridge DSB: Northglen Orchard Public School updates
- Kawartha Pine Ridge DSB: Clarington area accommodation planning
- CP24: These are the new and expanded schools set to open in the GTHA this fall (August 2026)
Related reading
- Top 5 Best Neighbourhoods to Live in Mississauga in 2027
- Top 5 Best Neighbourhoods to Live in Brampton in 2027
- Top 5 Best Neighbourhoods to Live in Markham in 2027
- Top 5 Best Neighbourhoods to Live in Oakville in 2027
About the author — Jatin Dua, Toronto and GTA real estate broker
I am Jatin Dua, Broker of Record and co-founder of RE/MAX Quantum Realty Inc., Brokerage, Unit 101, 799 The Queensway, Toronto. I work with buyers and sellers across Toronto and the GTA and have helped more than 100 families sell. Four-plus years of active GTA transactions and over $100 million in sales volume.
Reach me at [email protected] or 833-330-1925, or book a call.