Published 2 November 2026 · By Jatin Dua, Broker of Record, RE/MAX Quantum Realty
The top Catholic high schools for 2027 are St. Joseph (8.2 out of 10), St. Francis Xavier (8.0) and St. Marcellinus (7.9) in Mississauga, and Holy Name of Mary (7.2) and Cardinal Ambrozic (6.9) in Brampton, based on the Fraser Institute’s latest ratings. All are Dufferin-Peel Catholic schools open to Catholic and public school supporters.
This guide is for families in Mississauga or Brampton choosing a Catholic high school for 2027, or choosing a house partly because of one. You get my top five from the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board, the scores and literacy results behind them, how every other Catholic high school in both cities compares, and who is allowed to enrol.
How did I rank the Catholic high schools in Mississauga and Brampton?
I used the Fraser Institute’s latest secondary school ratings, which score 747 Ontario high schools out of 10. The scores come from provincial tests: Grade 9 math and the Grade 10 literacy test (OSSLT). I then checked each school’s ratings in earlier years and its literacy test pass rate.
One judgement call: by score alone, the top five Catholic high schools are all in Mississauga. Most families buy in one city or the other, so I picked the top three in Mississauga and the top two in Brampton, and list every other school in a table further down. The two Mississauga schools that just missed out, St. Aloysius Gonzaga and St. Paul, both rated 7.7.
A rating measures test results. It does not measure teaching, sports, arts, faith life or how a school supports a student who is struggling. Use it to build a shortlist, then visit.
The five schools at a glance
| School | City | Latest rating | Ontario rank | Earlier ratings | Literacy test pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Joseph | Mississauga | 8.2 | 65 of 747 | 8.3, 7.5, 7.3 | 94.0% |
| St. Francis Xavier | Mississauga | 8.0 | 86 of 747 | 8.2, 7.7, 8.1 | 89.6% |
| St. Marcellinus | Mississauga | 7.9 | 95 of 747 | 8.4, 7.7, 8.0 | 93.2% |
| Holy Name of Mary | Brampton | 7.2 | 178 of 747 | 7.0, 8.0, 8.5 | 95.8% |
| Cardinal Ambrozic | Brampton | 6.9 | 238 of 747 | 7.2, 6.8, 7.5 | 88.3% |
Source: Fraser Institute school rankings (compareschoolrankings.org), latest rating year shown as 2024; earlier ratings are 2023, 2022 and 2019. Literacy pass rate is for first-time eligible students in the latest year. All five are Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board schools.
1. St. Joseph (Mississauga)
What it is like: a Dufferin-Peel Catholic high school at 5555 Creditview Road. At 8.2 (65th of 747) it is the highest-rated Catholic high school in either city. It has improved a lot since 2018, when it rated 6.8, and in its latest year 94% of first-time students passed the literacy test.
Who it suits: students who want the strongest measured results in the Catholic system, in a school that has kept climbing.
What to check: whether your address is in its area. The board places Grade 8 students from its own elementary schools in their local Catholic high school, so the boundary matters. Ask about space, too: the board says some of its high schools are full or have limited room.
2. St. Francis Xavier (Mississauga)
What it is like: a Catholic high school at 50 Bristol Road West. It rated 8.0 (86th), and it has stayed between 7.7 and 8.2 in every year shown, the most consistent record on this list.
Who it suits: families who want reliability. A school that has scored around 8 for years is less likely to surprise you than one with a single high year.
What to check: its literacy pass rate, 89.6%, is good but lower than St. Joseph’s or St. Marcellinus’s. Ask how the school supports students who need a second try at the test.
3. St. Marcellinus (Mississauga)
What it is like: a Catholic high school at 730 Courtneypark Drive West. It rated 7.9 (95th) after 8.4 the year before, and 93.2% of first-time students passed the literacy test. It has rated 7.7 or higher in every year shown.
Who it suits: students who want a school with a long, strong track record rather than one good year.
What to check: the dip from 8.4 to 7.9. Ask the school about its newest EQAO results to see whether the latest score was a blip.
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4. Holy Name of Mary (Brampton)
What it is like: a Catholic high school at 115 Glenvale Boulevard. At 7.2 (178th) it is the highest-rated Catholic high school in Brampton, and its literacy pass rate, 95.8%, is the best of all five schools here. It rated 8.5 in 2019 and 8.0 in 2022, so its recent scores are below its own past.
Who it suits: Brampton families who want the city’s strongest Catholic results. My guide to the best schools in Brampton also compares it with the city’s public high schools.
What to check: enrolment rules and space. Ask the school directly about its programs and who it accepts.
5. Cardinal Ambrozic (Brampton)
What it is like: a Catholic high school at 10 Castle Oaks Crossing. It rated 6.9 (238th) after 7.2 the year before, with 88.3% of first-time students passing the literacy test. It rated 7.5 or higher in 2018 and 2019.
Who it suits: families in Brampton who want a Catholic high school with a solid record. Notre Dame, in Brampton, is close behind at 6.8.
What to check: the downward drift since 2019. Look at three years of results, not one, before you treat the school as a reason to buy on a particular street.
How do all the Catholic high schools in Mississauga and Brampton compare?
| School | City | Latest rating |
|---|---|---|
| St. Aloysius Gonzaga | Mississauga | 7.7 |
| St. Paul | Mississauga | 7.7 |
| Loyola | Mississauga | 7.0 |
| Our Lady of Mount Carmel | Mississauga | 6.9 |
| Notre Dame | Brampton | 6.8 |
| Iona | Mississauga | 6.2 |
| St. Edmund Campion | Brampton | 6.2 |
| St. Marguerite d’Youville | Brampton | 6.1 |
| Philip Pocock | Mississauga | 5.9 |
| St. Joan of Arc | Mississauga | 5.9 |
| Cardinal Leger | Brampton | 5.9 |
| St. Roch | Brampton | 5.5 |
| St. Augustine | Brampton | 5.3 |
| Ascension of Our Lord | Mississauga | 4.9 |
| St. Martin | Mississauga | 4.9 |
| John Cabot | Mississauga | 4.4 |
| St. Thomas Aquinas | Brampton | 4.2 |
| Father Michael Goetz | Mississauga | 4.0 |
Source: Fraser Institute school rankings (compareschoolrankings.org), latest rating year. Dufferin-Peel Catholic English-language high schools rated by Fraser in each city.
The spread is wide: from 8.2 down to 4.0 in the same board. In Mississauga, seven Dufferin-Peel Catholic high schools rated 6.9 or better. In Brampton, the top three sit between 6.8 and 7.2, and the rest are lower. That is why the specific school matters more than the board. For public and private options too, see my guide to the best schools in Mississauga.
Families with French-language rights should also know about Sainte-Famille in Mississauga, a French Catholic high school run by a separate board, which rated 7.3 with a 97.6% literacy pass rate.
Can non-Catholic students attend a Catholic high school in Mississauga or Brampton?
Yes. The Dufferin-Peel Catholic board says students of both Catholic and public school supporters may attend its high schools, subject to its admission requirements. Students already in its elementary schools are placed in their local Catholic high school for Grade 9.
To register, the board asks for original documents, including proof of age, immunization records, proof of citizenship or permanent residence, two proofs of home address (such as a property tax bill or utility bill) and proof of English separate school support, which you can complete at registration. Requests to attend a school outside your area go to that school.
Space is the catch. The board reported that four of its high schools were full for 2025–26 and five had limited room for 2026–27. If you are buying a home for a particular Catholic high school, confirm with the board, before you firm up, that your address is in its area and that it is taking students in your child’s grade. A listing that says “near St. Joseph” is not the same as being in its boundary.
The board also runs regional and local programs, including Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, French Immersion, Extended French, a regional sports program and Specialist High Skills Majors. Ask the board which schools host each one in 2027–28.
What do homes cost in Mississauga and Brampton?
| Home type | Mississauga median | Change | Brampton median | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detached | $1,225,000 | −5.8% | $950,000 | −8.9% |
| Semi-detached | $885,000 | −7.3% | $790,000 | −8.1% |
| Freehold townhouse | $880,000 | −7.4% | $755,000 | −7.2% |
| Condo townhouse | $689,300 | −8.1% | $570,000 | −10.9% |
Source: TRREB MLS data via REALM, January–October 2026 vs the same period of 2025. City-wide medians; no prices by school area are published.
A median detached home costs about $275,000 less in Brampton than in Mississauga. My Brampton vs Mississauga comparison goes deeper on the trade-offs.
If a top Catholic high school is your priority and your budget allows Mississauga, St. Joseph, St. Francis Xavier and St. Marcellinus all have long records near 8 out of 10. If you are buying in Brampton, Holy Name of Mary has the best literacy results and Cardinal Ambrozic is a solid second. In both cities, confirm the boundary and the space before you pay for a location, because the board has schools that are full.
What to do next
- Use Peel’s Find My School tool, or call the Catholic board, to confirm the Catholic high school for each address on your list.
- Check three or more years of each school’s ratings on the Fraser Institute site.
- Ask the school whether it has space in your child’s grade for 2027–28 and which special programs it runs.
- Gather registration documents early, especially two proofs of address.
- Compare with the same board’s options closer to Toronto in my top Catholic high schools in Etobicoke.
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 Catholic high school in Mississauga?
St. Joseph is the highest-rated Catholic high school in Mississauga, scoring 8.2 out of 10, 65th of 747 Ontario high schools, in the Fraser Institute’s latest ratings, with 94% of first-time students passing the literacy test. St. Francis Xavier (8.0) and St. Marcellinus (7.9) follow, both with long records near 8 going into 2027.
What is the best Catholic high school in Brampton?
Holy Name of Mary is the highest-rated Catholic high school in Brampton, scoring 7.2 out of 10, 178th of 747 in Ontario, in the Fraser Institute’s latest ratings. Its literacy test pass rate for first-time students was 95.8%. Cardinal Ambrozic (6.9) and Notre Dame (6.8) are next among Brampton’s Catholic high schools.
How are DPCDSB high schools ranked?
The most-used ranking is the Fraser Institute’s, which scores Ontario high schools out of 10 from Grade 9 math and Grade 10 literacy test results. Its latest ratings place Dufferin-Peel Catholic high schools in Mississauga and Brampton anywhere from 8.2 (St. Joseph) down to 4.0, so check several years for any school before 2027.
Can non-Catholics go to Catholic high school in Mississauga or Brampton?
Yes. Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board says students of both Catholic and public school supporters may attend its secondary schools, subject to its admission requirements. Families register with original documents, including two proofs of address, and can complete proof of English separate school support at registration. Space can be limited at some schools in 2027.
Are Catholic high schools in Brampton full?
Some Dufferin-Peel Catholic high schools are. The board reported four of its high schools as full for 2025–26 and five with limited availability for 2026–27, without naming them on its registration page. Brampton and Mississauga families planning for 2027–28 should confirm space at their local Catholic high school before buying or registering.
Which Mississauga Catholic high school has the best literacy test results?
Among the top-rated Mississauga Catholic high schools, St. Aloysius Gonzaga had the highest first-time literacy test pass rate in the Fraser Institute data, at 94.6%, followed by St. Joseph at 94.0% and St. Marcellinus at 93.2%. Provincially, 85% to 86% of first-time students passed in the last two years.
Is there a French Catholic high school in Mississauga?
Yes. Sainte-Famille in Mississauga is a French-language Catholic high school, separate from Dufferin-Peel Catholic. It rated 7.3 out of 10 in the Fraser Institute’s latest ratings, with 97.6% of first-time students passing the literacy test. Admission is mainly for children of French-language rights holders; others can apply to an admission committee.
Is it cheaper to buy near a Catholic high school in Brampton or Mississauga?
Brampton is cheaper overall. From January to October 2026, the median detached home sold for $950,000 in Brampton and $1,225,000 in Mississauga, according to TRREB MLS data. No source publishes prices by school area, so compare sold prices on the streets inside each school’s boundary.
Sources
- Fraser Institute school rankings: St. Joseph, Mississauga
- Fraser Institute school rankings: St. Francis Xavier, Mississauga
- Fraser Institute school rankings: Holy Name of Mary, Brampton
- Fraser Institute: New rankings of Ontario secondary schools released
- Dufferin-Peel Catholic DSB: Secondary registration
- Dufferin-Peel Catholic DSB: Regional and local programs
- EQAO: Assessment results 2025–2026
- Government of Ontario: French-language education
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.