The distinguished independent all-girls school is exercising its curriculum inside and outside the school classroom!
The original vision when educator Ellen Knox established Havergal College’s current campus 100 years ago was to place girls in a positive environment for them to learn, think creatively, and spend meaningful time outdoors while remaining connected to the opportunities of a world-class city.
For more than a century, Havergal College has cultivated an environment where education extends far beyond the walls of a classroom. Situated on 22 acres of green space in the heart of Toronto, the school has transformed its expansive campus into something far more meaningful than a picturesque backdrop—it has become an active participant in the learning experience.
According to Maggie Houston-White, Executive Director of Strategic Enrollment, the geography and layout of the campus are one of Havergal’s defining strengths. As the largest girls’ school in Canada, Havergal benefits from both the scale of its student body and the breadth of its facilities, creating opportunities that few institutions can match. From athletics and performing arts to design, science, and entrepreneurship, the school’s physical environment supports an exceptional depth of programming geared for success.
Throughout the school, architecture and nature work together to foster creativity and curiosity. Art and fashion studios overlook green spaces designed to inspire, while the junior school was built to maximize natural light and promote connection between indoor and outdoor environments.
“We don’t really see our campus as just a beautiful backdrop,”Houston-White explains. “It’s actually part of our living classroom.”
That philosophy can be seen across every corner of the property. Students studying biology engage with Indigenous and native plant species, gaining insight into ecological stewardship and scientific research. The restoration and preservation of Burke Brook Ravine, which runs through the campus, provides opportunities to explore environmental sustainability, water systems, and conservation. Meanwhile, Havergal’s beehives offer lessons that extend beyond biodiversity, says Houston-White. “It’s not just about biodiversity and sustainability, but our students look at food systems, and they learn about the economics through selling the honey.”
These experiences connect directly to the school’s TC-9 (The Challenge 9) program, which introduces students to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and encourages them to think critically about their role in addressing global challenges. In this way, the campus becomes a microcosm of the wider world—one where learning is experiential, interdisciplinary, and deeply connected to real-life issues.
Walking trails, outdoor classrooms, athletic fields, and quiet gathering spaces provide students with opportunities to recharge, connect, and reflect. Despite being minutes from downtown Toronto, the campus offers a sense of calm and openness that feels remarkably removed from the city’s hustle and bustle.
The Havergal College student experience speaks for itself. Havergal graduates continue on to universities around the world, and more than half enter STEM-related fields. Equally important, Houston-White says, is the confidence, curiosity, and sense of purpose students carry with them into their careers.
www.havergal.on.ca
@havergalcollege
info@havergal.on.ca
1451 Avenue Rd Toronto, ON M5N 2H9
416-483-3519
