The 11 Largest Schools In Ottawa-Gatineau Today

The Ottawa-Gatineau region is where the capital of Canada, Ottawa, meets the city of Gatineau. Ottawa is in the Canadian province of Ontario, and Gatineau is in the French-Canadian province of Quebec. The Ottawa River separates the two cities and serves as the border between the provinces. The area is called the National Capital Region and is a unique part of Canada. With French-speaking Gatineau on one side and English-speaking Ottawa on the other, the area is culturally diverse, which adds to the beauty of this metropolis. The area is known for the arts, with a plethora of museums and interesting architecture, like the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Ottawa and the Museum of Civilization in Gatineau. The population of the area is one million four hundred thirty-seven thousand and growing each year. The growth has led to some of the largest schools in Ottawa-Gatineau.

Benefits of Attending Larger Schools

There are many different reasons that families may decide to send their children to school in larger districts. One reason is that there are more academic programs and extracurriculars. Apart from the regular academic curriculum, larger schools may have advanced programs for students who excel or other programs to help students with learning disabilities or struggling to keep ahead. Larger schools often have more after-school programs for sports and the arts. Another advantage of larger schools is diversity. Students will be with a larger pool of classmates and have opportunities to meet others from different backgrounds. 

The Largest Elementary Schools in Ottawa-Gatineau

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board is the biggest school district in Ottawa, Ontario. The largest public elementary schools are in this district.

1. Broadview Public School

535 Dovercourt, Ottawa, ON K2A 3W3

Broadview Public School is in the Ottawa-Carlton school district. The elementary school has students from kindergarten through grade 8 and a student body of 1,040. Aside from academics, the school offers sports and extracurricular activities. For students in grades 4-6, boardball, soccer, cross-country running, and basketball are available. For grades 7-8, they offer basketball, cross-country running, volleyball, badminton, track and field. In addition, the school offers a robotics club and intermediate band for those who are musically inclined.

2. Vimy Ridge Public School

4180 Kelly Farm Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, K1T4J2

Vimy Ridge Public School is part of the Ottawa-Carlton school district. This community school has 1,020 students from kindergarten to grade 8. The school offers intramural sports teams with sports like basketball, volleyball, soccer, badminton, cross-country running, and track and field. And they have clubs for all grades, like chess, math, Pride, Black Student Union, Muslim Student Association, and games. The diverse student body makes this a great school for the community.

3. Hopewell Avenue Public School

17 Hopewell Avenue Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

The Hopewell Avenue Public School is one of the largest schools in Ottawa-Gatineau. The school has 860 students and is located within the Ottawa-Carleton School District. The school first opened its doors in 1910, making it one of the oldest schools in the area. At this historic school, the academic instruction is in English, but they also offer French immersion classes. The school also has plenty of sports programs and clubs like math, chess, and music. This school is great for students interested in the arts as they have musical productions and art classes for budding creatives.

4. Chapman Mills Elementary School

 260 Leamington Way, Ottawa, Ontario, K2J3V1

Chapman Mills Elementary School is an elementary school of 775 students from kindergarten through grade 6. The school principal describes his school as “a vibrant, linguistically diverse and multi-ethnic school.” With students from varying backgrounds, students at this school are exposed to other cultures and lifestyles, which leads to a stronger connection and understanding of others. The school offers the typical sports programs with the addition of dance and yoga. The other clubs range from LEGO to Junior Ambassadors to Choir to Pride. The diverse school has something for every student's interests. 

The Largest High Schools in Ottawa-Gatineau

5. Glebe Collegiate Institute

212 Glebe Avenue Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 2C9 Canada

The Glebe Collegiate Institute is one of the largest schools in Ottawa-Gatineau. The high school is for grades 7-12. Students can prepare for college with the abundance of course offerings, including earning college credits for internships and apprenticeships. The school is a proponent of experiential learning, which is a hands-on approach to learning where students are able to dive into the subject matter and learn through active participation. This is a great high school for second language learners as the school has ESL programs for English learners, including extracurriculars like the ESL Book Club. While they offer the typical sports and academic clubs, they also offer some unique clubs like Dungeons and Dragons, Guitar, Film, and Knitting clubs. With so many students across languages and cultures, it makes sense that they would offer so many ways for students to learn and connect with each other.

6. St. Joseph High School

3333 Greenbank Road Ottawa, Ontario, K2J 4J1 Canada

St. Joseph High School is a Catholic high school for grades 7-12 with a student body of 3000. The school offers traditional classes with an academic curriculum, but they also offer flexible learning with online learning programs, apprenticeships, co-op learning, and focus programs where students can lean into a subject matter. They also offer programs for students to earn college credits so they can be one step ahead when it is time to go on to university. But it isn't all academics. The school also provides plenty of opportunities for sports and clubs so students are able to have a well-rounded high school experience.

7. Immaculata High School

 140 Main Street, Ottawa K1S 5P4 Canada

Immaculata High School is a Catholic high school for grades 7-12. The school has 985 students and is operated under the Ottawa Catholic School Board. The school originally opened its doors as an all-girls Catholic school in 1928, but now it is a co-ed high school. The high school offers many paths to graduation, including e-learning, internships, focus programs, and dual credit programs to earn college credits.

One unique program the school founded is the St. Mary’s Home Community Outreach for pregnant teens from the greater Ottawa-Gatineau area to be able to stay in school and finish their education.

The Largest Colleges and Universities in Ottawa-Gatineau

9. University of Ottawa 

75 Laurier Ave E, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada

The University of Ottawa is one of the largest schools in Ottawa-Gatineau, with 43,699 students. The university offers 550 undergraduate and graduate programs, so prospective students can be sure they will find something that they want to major in. The school is a great choice for students who are eager to learn and experience the beauty of the Ottawa-Gatineau area. The university offers French and English programs and has many international students in the student body. With such a large student population, there are many activities and events for students to get together and make friends while studying at this excellent university.

10. Carleton University

1125 Colonel By Drive Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Carleton University was founded in 1942 and today has a thriving student body of 32,116 students. The university has six faculties, including Arts and Social Sciences, Engineering and Design, Public Affairs, International Affairs, Science, and Business. Carleton University is known for its excellence in academia, but aside from a quality education, students get to study in a beautiful place in the city. The university is located on 62 hectares south of the vibrant downtown area. It is near the Rideau Canal and river, making it a pretty picturesque place to spend those college years.

11. Algonquin College – Ottawa Campus

1385 Woodroffe Ave, Ottawa, ON K2G 1V8, Canada

Algonquin College – Ottawa Campus has three campuses: one in Ottawa, one in Perth, and one in Pembroke. The college has 19,000 full-time students and 37,000 part-time students. The Ottawa campus has 21,059 students. Algonquin College focuses on applied theory and practical experience, which means it's a hands-on approach to learning. And you can see that approach in the apprenticeship, co-op, and collaborative degree programs.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Howard Sandler/Shutterstock.com.