Pickering real estate is attractive for many reasons. It’s more affordable by far than Toronto, and you’re surrounded by stunning green spaces, superb shopping, and fantastic restaurants. With so many benefits of living in Pickering, who needs the crowds and noise of Toronto anyway?

As part of the fastest-growing region in the GTA, buying a house is a smart investment, as real estate values are sure to rise substantially over time. However, for families, the abundance of excellent schools outshines nearly every other reason to put down roots in Pickering. In this post, we’ll explore Pickering’s entire education system and how proximity to reputable schools can affect your real estate choices.

An Overview of Pickering’s High-Quality School System

If you’re a newcomer to Pickering, you’d be forgiven if you found the education system a little confusing. Even those of us who have lived here for years can have a hard time keeping everything straight.

There are not one – but four (yes, four) school boards to be aware of. Then there are the private schools that have no affiliation with any of them. Alternatively, you can homeschool – so long as you keep up with the Ontario curriculum. Before you tear your hair out in confusion, here’s a brief overview of how it works.

• Public schools, both elementary and secondary, fall under the Durham District School Board, which also serves Ajax, Whitby, and Oshawa.
• The Durham Catholic District School Board oversees all Catholic elementary and secondary schools in the region.
• There is also Conseil Scolaire Viamonde, the public school board for French-as-a-first-language students.
• French-as-a-first-language students also have their own Catholic school board, MonAvenir Conseil Scolaire Catholique (we just know you read that in a French accent; admit it!)

Great schools are just one thing home buyers love. Here are just a few of the other benefits of living in Pickering:

• Where are the Places of Worship in Pickering, ON?
• Is Pickering a Good Place to Live?
• What Are the Best Parks in Pickering?

Who Attends What School Where in Pickering?

Now that you understand the four school boards, the confusion can really begin. Who attends what school? And can you decide for yourself what the right fit is for your child? Let’s drill down a little deeper.

• Public and Catholic schools have catchment areas, where students in one neighbourhood will attend a particular location. If you’re moving specifically for your youngster to attend a specific school, work with a local real estate team (like us) to ensure you end up in the right postal code before placing an offer on a new home.
• What about French education? This is the part that really makes people’s eyes glaze over. (Leave it to the French to confuse the rest of us!) To start with, what’s the difference between French Immersion and French school? The following should clear it up:
• French Immersion takes place in English schools, where nearly all teaching and communication takes place in French. Upon graduation, students are typically very fluent in French as a second language.
• French is also taught in French schools (unsurprisingly). The difference is that, upon graduation, students will be bilingual with French as their first language.
• Now let’s talk about the difference between Catholic schools and public schools. Do you have to be Catholic to attend a Catholic school? No, all students are welcome, but there will be a strong emphasis on religious education and values.

Finally, Pickering is also home to several private schools. These are open to anyone as long as the tuition is covered or sufficient scholarships are obtained. They are also not subject to any oversight, so you will want to do your due diligence and make your choice carefully.

The Ontario schools guide will be a helpful site to keep on hand if you’re searching for another research tool. Just enter your postal code, and you can get an overview of the options in your neighbourhood.

Are you sold on Pickering for your next home? You can get a head start on your house hunt by setting up a complimentary, no-obligation buyer’s meeting with us right here.

The Fraser Rankings of Pickering Schools

In Ontario, you’ll often hear about schools having a ranking. What this means is that, like a student’s report card, the school itself also has to earn a grade. The authority that grants this grade is called the Fraser Institute, and you can look up the larger and more well-known schools at compareschoolrankings.org.

However a school ranks (or doesn’t), it’s important to take it as one small part of your overall assessment. Let’s take Gandatsetiagon Public School as an example. At the time of this writing, the school has an 8.7 ranking. Impressive! That said, there are a couple of caveats.

First, the rankings at the elementary level are based on standardized tests in Math, Reading, and Writing from Grades 3 and 6. A high score likely indicates that a school is of high quality, but a low score doesn’t mean it is bad. There is just not that much data to work from.

Secondly, the ratings change year by year, just like grades on your youngster’s report card. A school that earned a whopping 9.7 last year might only have 8.1 the next. But that doesn’t mean that the quality of education has drastically dropped.

Lastly, some children freeze up and underperform on standardized tests. That doesn’t mean they aren’t good students; just that they don’t necessarily fare well under pressure.

In short, we recommend starting your research with the Fraser Rankings. From there, you may want to visit a school in person and talk to some other parents about their experiences.

Are you ready to search for your new home in Pickering? Here are some other posts you might want to read first:

• Pickering Vs Toronto: Where Should You Buy a Home?
• How NOT To Buy a House
• Should You Buy or Sell First?

How Schools Affect Pickering Real Estate Values

Even if you don’t have children and don’t plan to, you may still want to look for a house in the vicinity of well-regarded schools. It has nothing to do with the quality of education and everything to do with real estate values.

Remember that you’re not just buying a house to live in. Like it or not, it’s likely your number one financial asset and a massive part of your overall net worth.

Most people searching for a home want to be in a good catchment area, especially if they have families. That’s why properties near highly desired schools retain their value even when prices are dropping everywhere else. Plus, they are the first to rise in value when the market heats back up.

To put it another way, the resale value is critical. Being in the right area alone makes your home more attractive to potential buyers, which results in a more impressive return on investment when the time comes to move on.

Do you have questions about buying or selling a home in Pickering? Our Pickering real estate agents are happy to shed some light on your situation. Connect with us today at info@teamrajpal.com or call 647-875-8000.

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