Published 30 October 2026 · By Jatin Dua, Broker of Record, RE/MAX Quantum Realty
My five picks for schools in Leaside and Lawrence Park are Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute (French Immersion and an SHSM in Hospitality), Leaside High School (French Immersion, founded 1945), Northern Secondary School (about 1,750 students with AP and technological education), Bessborough Drive Elementary and Middle School (JK to 8, Leaside’s first public school) and Blessed Sacrament Catholic School (TCDSB, French semi-immersion). The order is my judgement, not an official ranking.
How I chose these five
Leaside and Lawrence Park buyers almost always ask about schools first, so I picked the five I would want a client to research before making an offer. I used only the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) pages for each school.
- Coverage of the whole school journey: two elementary schools and three secondary schools, so a family with young children and a family with teenagers both have something to check.
- Program choice: French Immersion, Extended French, Specialist High Skills Majors (SHSM), Advanced Placement and specialized support programs.
- Both boards: four TDSB schools and one TCDSB school, with a second Catholic option noted.
I left out rankings and test-score tables on purpose. They shift from year to year and say little about whether a school fits your child; what a buyer can control is checking the program and the boundary for a specific address.
The order is my judgement, not an official ranking. School boundaries in this part of the city have been reviewed recently, so always confirm your exact address with the board’s school locator before you buy.
1. Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute
What it offers
Lawrence Park CI is the pick for families who want French and a deep extracurricular life in one school. The TDSB profile lists two special programs: French Immersion and Extended French, and a Specialist High Skills Major in Hospitality.
Students take part in university-level math competitions, which the board page names as Cayley, Euclid, Fermat and Pascal, along with computer science and science contests. Music ensembles include choral, orchestra, band and strings, and the school runs drama festivals, a dance show and a 24-hour challenge.
What it means for buyers and renters
Lawrence Park CI sits on Chatsworth Drive. If your child is in French Immersion now, the school’s French programs give you a clear secondary pathway to ask the board about.
Because French pathways are assigned separately from English-program boundaries, check both before you decide a house is “in” for this school.
Practical notes
- Address: 125 Chatsworth Dr, Toronto, ON M4R 1S1
- Grades: 9 to 12
- Board: TDSB
- Programs: French Immersion, Extended French, SHSM in Hospitality
2. Leaside High School
What it offers
Leaside High School is the neighbourhood high school for much of Leaside, and its board page stresses a size where staff get to know students individually. It runs a semestered program and offers French Immersion.
The school page also lists “numerous languages,” digital photography, forensics and communications technology, alongside arts, business, mathematics and science departments. Leaside High was founded in 1945, and its motto, “Seas Gu Dileas,” is Gaelic for “Stand Faithfully.”
What it means for buyers and renters
Leaside High sits on Hanna Road in Leaside. For many families, a high school their teenager can walk or cycle to is part of why they choose the neighbourhood, so map the actual route from the homes you are considering.
A smaller school also suits students who would get lost in a very large building. If that describes your child, compare a visit here with a visit to a larger school like Northern before you settle on a street.
The board page notes the school was involved in a boundary review. That is exactly why I tell buyers not to rely on an old listing or a neighbour’s experience; check the locator for the specific address.
Practical notes
- Address: 200 Hanna Rd, East York, ON M4G 3N8
- Grades: 9 to 12
- Board: TDSB
- Programs: French Immersion, semestered timetable
3. Northern Secondary School
What it offers
Northern is the pick for choice and scale. The school’s About Us page says it has about 1,750 students on a semester system, with Advanced Placement and Specialist High Skills Major programs.
Northern describes strengths in technological education, including construction, robotics and communication technology, plus “outstanding physical education and arts programs.” It also hosts programs for gifted students, students with learning disabilities and students who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as ESL, dual credit and co-op.
What it means for buyers and renters
Northern is on Mount Pleasant Road, between Leaside and Lawrence Park, so it is a realistic option for families on either side. The board page lists it as a Secondary School Without a Boundary, which changes how admission works compared with a typical neighbourhood school.
That status means you should not assume a nearby house guarantees a spot. Ask the school how admission works for your child’s grade and year.
The range of support programs is also worth noting. Families with a child who has an identified learning need often look for a school that already runs a dedicated program rather than one that would need to build supports from scratch.
Practical notes
- Address: 851 Mount Pleasant Rd, Toronto, ON M4P 2L5
- Grades: 9 to 12
- Board: TDSB
- Programs: AP, SHSM, technological education, gifted, deaf and hard of hearing, co-op
4. Bessborough Drive Elementary and Middle School
What it offers
Bessborough is the Leaside elementary pick, covering Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8 in one building. The TDSB profile says it was the first public school in Leaside and at one point the Town Hall.
Facilities listed on the board page include two gymnasiums, a music room, a computer lab, art rooms, a clay room and two science labs. The profile says Grade 7 and 8 students from Rolph Road and Bennington Heights Public Schools come to Bessborough for its middle years, and the building also houses the Bessborough Child Care Centre.
What it means for buyers and renters
A JK to 8 school means fewer transitions for your child and fewer school runs for you. With a child care centre in the building, younger siblings can stay close too, though spaces are never guaranteed.
Parts of the board’s profile appear to date from earlier school years, so ask the office for the current program list during a visit.
Practical notes
- Address: 211 Bessborough Dr, East York, ON M4G 3K2
- Grades: JK to 8
- Board: TDSB
- On site: Bessborough Child Care Centre
5. Blessed Sacrament Catholic School
What it offers
Blessed Sacrament is my Catholic elementary pick for the Lawrence Park side. The TCDSB page lists vocal music for all grades, a strings program for Grades 6 to 8, French semi-immersion for Grades 5 to 8 and withdrawal-based gifted enrichment.
The school opened in 1927 in a large house near its current location, staffed by the Sisters of Loretto. A new building opened in 1945, and a 1965 expansion added a gymnasium and library.
What it means for buyers and renters
Blessed Sacrament sits on Bedford Park Avenue, just west of Yonge Street, so it draws families from both sides of Yonge in north Toronto. Catholic school eligibility follows TCDSB rules, so confirm registration requirements before you count on it.
On the Leaside side, the TCDSB lists St. Anselm Catholic School at 182 Bessborough Drive, which describes itself as a small school in Leaside with a fixed attendance boundary. Gifted students there attend a specialized program once a week at St. Monica Catholic School.
Practical notes
- Address: 24 Bedford Park Ave, Toronto, ON M5M 1H9
- Grades: JK to 8
- Board: TCDSB
- Programs: French semi-immersion (Grades 5 to 8), strings (Grades 6 to 8), gifted enrichment
The five at a glance
| School | Board | Grades | Address | Stand-out program |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence Park CI | TDSB | 9 to 12 | 125 Chatsworth Dr | French Immersion, Extended French, SHSM Hospitality |
| Leaside High School | TDSB | 9 to 12 | 200 Hanna Rd | French Immersion |
| Northern Secondary School | TDSB | 9 to 12 | 851 Mount Pleasant Rd | AP, SHSM, technological education |
| Bessborough Drive EMS | TDSB | JK to 8 | 211 Bessborough Dr | JK to 8 in one building, child care on site |
| Blessed Sacrament CS | TCDSB | JK to 8 | 24 Bedford Park Ave | French semi-immersion, strings |
What this means if you’re buying or selling in Leaside or Lawrence Park
In these two neighbourhoods, school boundaries can change what a house is worth to a particular buyer. Two homes a few streets apart may sit in different attendance areas, so run every address through the board’s school locator before you set a price or make an offer.
Pay special attention to the boundary reviews. Both Leaside High School and Northern Secondary School note on their board pages that they were involved in a boundary review, and Northern is listed as a Secondary School Without a Boundary. What applied to a neighbour five years ago may not apply to you.
Think about French early. If your child starts in French Immersion in Junior Kindergarten, the French pathway to secondary school matters as much as the English one, and Lawrence Park CI and Leaside High both offer French Immersion. Ask the board which French school your address feeds into.
For sellers, a confirmed school result is one of the most useful things you can include in your listing package. Print the locator result for your address and give it to buyers’ agents so families can check it at a glance.
If you are renting first to test the area, the same rule applies: the address on your lease determines the school, so check before you sign.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best schools in Leaside and Lawrence Park?
My picks are Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute, Leaside High School, Northern Secondary School, Bessborough Drive Elementary and Middle School, and Blessed Sacrament Catholic School. They cover JK to Grade 12 across the TDSB and TCDSB. The order is my judgement, not an official ranking.
Does Leaside High School offer French Immersion?
Yes. Leaside High School’s TDSB page lists French Immersion. It is a Grade 9 to 12 school at 200 Hanna Road with a semestered program. French pathways are assigned by the board, so check which secondary French school your address feeds into.
Is Northern Secondary School a boundary school?
Northern’s TDSB page lists it as a Secondary School Without a Boundary, and notes it was involved in a boundary review. That means admission can work differently from a typical neighbourhood school, so ask the school how admission works for your child’s grade and year.
What programs does Lawrence Park Collegiate offer?
The TDSB profile lists French Immersion and Extended French, and a Specialist High Skills Major in Hospitality. Students also take part in math competitions such as Cayley, Euclid, Fermat and Pascal, plus music ensembles and drama festivals. The school is at 125 Chatsworth Drive.
Is there a Catholic elementary school in Leaside?
Yes. St. Anselm Catholic School at 182 Bessborough Drive describes itself as a small school in Leaside with a fixed TCDSB attendance boundary. Nearby, Blessed Sacrament Catholic School at 24 Bedford Park Avenue offers JK to Grade 8 with French semi-immersion in Grades 5 to 8.
How do I check which school my Leaside or Lawrence Park home is zoned for?
Enter the exact street address in the TDSB or TCDSB school locator on the board’s website, and check French program pathways separately. Recent boundary reviews mean older information can be wrong, so verify again before firm conditions are waived.
Sources
- Lawrence Park Collegiate Institute school profile — TDSB
- Leaside High School — TDSB
- Northern Secondary School — About Us — TDSB
- Bessborough Drive Elementary and Middle School profile — TDSB
- Blessed Sacrament Catholic School — About Us — TCDSB
- St. Anselm Catholic School — About Us — TCDSB
Related reading
- Top 5 Schools in High Park & Roncesvalles (TDSB / TCDSB) (2026)
- Top 5 French Immersion Schools in Etobicoke (2026)
- Top 5 Private Schools in West Toronto & Mississauga (2026)
- Top 5 Schools in Etobicoke
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. Every figure here comes from a published table, regulator or statute linked in the sources, so you can check all of it without asking me.
Reach me at [email protected] or 833-330-1925, or book a call.