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MacLachlan College

Canada, Oakville

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees CA$25,250 - 31,920
Ages 3 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 530
Type Co-educational
Opened 1978
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), Advanced Placement (AP), Canadian Curriculum
Taught languages French
Typical class size 18
Strengths STEM, Academic Enrichment, Sport
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Arts and Creative, Community and Service
Stages Preschool, Early Years, Primary School, Middle School, Secondary School, High School
Introduction

MacLachlan College is an independent, co-educational day school in Oakville with two campuses serving ages 3 to 18. The Lower School is at 337 Trafalgar Road; the Upper School at 2794 South Sheridan Way. The school offers an international curriculum: IB Primary Years Programme for Pre-K to Grade 6; IB Middle Years Programme candidate for Grades 7–8; and Advanced Placement courses in Grades 11–12, alongside a Canadian curriculum and a university-preparatory focus. The Duke of Edinburgh Programme and Round Square IDEALS promote leadership, service, and international-mindedness, complemented by global travel opportunities and participation in academic competitions. Experiential learning is emphasized across campuses, with field trips and outdoor learning, personalized academic advising, and partnerships with training centres for advanced athletic development. The community offers a broad range of clubs—from math clubs and robotics to music, choir, DECA, and Model United Nations—fostering curiosity, collaboration, and responsible citizenship.

Lower School (Trafalgar Campus): 337 Trafalgar Road, Oakville, ON L6J 3H3, Canada; Upper School (South Sheridan Way Campus): 2794 South Sheridan Way, Oakville, ON L6J 7T4, Canada

The Essentials

MacLachlan College has 530 pupils, typical class sizes of 18, instruction in English.

Location
Oakville, Ontario, Canada. Lower School Campus is at 337 Trafalgar Road in Olde Oakville; Upper School Campus is at 2794 South Sheridan Way, Oakville. The campuses are connected by an Inter-Campus Shuttle and transportation services for students.

Stages
Lower School (Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 6) and Upper School (Grade 7 to 12).

Type
Independent private, co-educational day school

Country affiliation
Canada

Bus service
Transportation program provides door-to-door service for Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 6; Grades 7–12 use designated community bus stops approximately a five-minute walk from home; GPS bus tracking; Inter-Campus Shuttle; registration required; complete details in the Transportation Services Guide.
Diving Deeper

Food Options
Food services are designed to provide nutritious, balanced meals tailored to each campus. Lower School offers snacks and a four-week rotating lunch menu with hot entrées, pizza/sliders, a daily cold table, and vegetarian and meat options; allergy-aware with halal and gluten-free options; no pre-order required. Upper School meals are prepared by Vince Barbod and team, with daily features; students order via the Transact Mobile Ordering app up to five days in advance; Meal Plan and MAC Money payment options available.

House System
MacLachan's vibrant House System includes all students from PK to Grade 12 and consists of four houses: Colborne Gators, Sumner Sharks, Thomas Red Hawks, and Chisholm Cheetahs. Houses foster school spirit through inter-house activities, house league events, and fundraising; house names honor local Oakville founders.

Governance and Ownership
Independent private school in Oakville, Ontario, governed by the MacLachlan College Educational Foundation, whose Foundation Board of Directors leads governance.
Fees

Annual tuition at MacLachlan College ranges from CAD 25,250 to CAD 31,920 for 2026/27.

Application and Enrollment Fees
- A non-refundable application fee of USD 250 is required with each application for admission.
- A one-time, non-refundable New Student Enrollment Fee of USD 3,000 is payable for students entering Grades 1–12 when an offer of admission is accepted.
- A Registration Deposit of USD 3,000 is payable to confirm a place for a child; this deposit is not included in annual tuition calculations. For returning students the re-registration agreement and deposit are due by January 30, 2026 for the 2026–2027 year.

Annual Tuition — 2026–2027 (by year group)
- Pre‑K, Junior & Senior Kindergarten (Full day): USD 25,250 per year.
- Grades 1–6: USD 31,160 per year.
- Grades 7–12: USD 31,920 per year.

Per-term / instalment amounts and per-payment examples
- Two-payment schedule (example dates and amounts for 2026–2027):
- Kindergarten: USD 13,350 due July 1 and USD 8,900 due December 1 (these amounts are shown net of the Registration Deposit).
- Grades 1–6: USD 16,895 due July 1 and USD 11,265 due December 1 (amounts shown net of the Registration Deposit).
- Grades 7–12: USD 17,352 due July 1 and USD 11,568 due December 1 (amounts shown net of the Registration Deposit).
- Monthly Payment Plan (example): 10 pre-authorized monthly payments from July 1, 2026 to April 1, 2027, with sample monthly amounts shown as:
- Kindergarten: USD 2,314 per month (10 payments).
- Grades 1–6: USD 2,928 per month (10 payments).
- Grades 7–12: USD 3,007 per month (10 payments).
- Note: the Registration Deposit (USD 3,000) and New Student Enrollment Fee (USD 3,000 for Gr.1–12) are payable when admission is accepted and are not included in the tuition instalment amounts above. Interest/administrative charges are included in the Monthly Payment Plan.

Billing schedule and payment terms
- Payment options and standard plans shown for 2026–2027 include:
- Standard Payment Plan: post-dated cheques, pre-authorized debit, or e-Transfer.
- Monthly Payment Plan: Visa or Mastercard, pre-authorized debit, post-dated cheques, or e-Transfer (10 pre-authorized payments July 1–April 1). Interest/administrative charges apply to the Monthly Payment Plan.
- The Registration Deposit confirms a reserved place for September 2026 when received; returning families use an online re-registration agreement and deposit (due Jan 30, 2026).

Boarding / Billeting
- MacLachlan College does not operate on-campus boarding houses. A Billeting (host-family) program is available for student-athletes and other families who require a home‑stay arrangement; host families provide room and meals under the billeting program structure. No institutional boarding fee schedule is listed.

Other costs and typical inclusions
- The published tuition amounts include daily hot lunch and recess snacks for Kindergarten (PK–Gr.6), technology fees, all textbooks, and most field trip costs; some field trips (including some overnight trips) and other optional items may be billed separately.
- Extended Hours Program (Before/After Care) — full year fees per child for 2026–2027:
- Morning only (7:30–8:30 a.m.): USD 2,000 per year.
- Afternoon only (3:30–6:00 p.m.): USD 3,000 per year.
- Both morning and afternoon: USD 4,000 per year.
- Food services and meal payments:
- Lower School lunches and snacks are included in Kindergarten tuition; Upper School offers ordering via a mobile app (Transact) and a Meal Plan option with prorated fees based on enrolment date. Families can add funds (“MAC Money”) to student accounts via Armourpay for pay-as-you-go purchases.
- Transportation:
- Optional school bus service is available (door-to-door for PK–Gr.6; community stops for Gr.7–12). Transportation is a separate charge; a 2026–2027 Transportation Services Guide provides service-area, schedule and fee details.
- Optional or occasional charges that may be billed separately include some overnight trips, specific external exam fees, specialized program fees, equipment for certain courses, and optional extracurricular or athletics costs. Tuition materials note that ‘‘most'' field trips are included but exceptions can apply.

Refund and withdrawal policy
- The Registration Deposit (PK–Gr.12) and the New Student Enrollment Fee (Gr.1–Gr.12) are non-refundable and are not included in tuition calculations.
- Refund structure for withdrawal from the academic year is published as follows:
- Withdrawal from July 13 to November 16: 30% of annual tuition will be charged; any excess tuition paid will be refunded.
- Withdrawal from November 17 to March 1: 60% of annual tuition will be charged; any excess tuition paid will be refunded.
- Withdrawal after March 2: 0% of tuition paid will be refunded (no refund).

Fee payment options (methods accepted for tuition and related charges)
- Accepted payment methods shown in the published payment plans include: Visa and Mastercard, pre-authorized debit, post-dated cheques, and e-Transfer. The Monthly Payment Plan (10 payments) lists Visa/Mastercard, pre-authorized debit, post-dated cheques, and e-Transfer as options.
- Meal payments and on-campus account top-ups use the Transact mobile ordering system and Armourpay for adding MAC Money to student accounts.

Additional notes on family discounts and tax receipts
- A tuition discount is offered to families with three or more children enrolled; details are available from the Admissions Office. Official tax receipts for eligible child-care portions of fees are issued; some parents may be eligible to claim a portion of school fees under applicable child care expense deductions.
Academics

MacLachlan College teaches IB (PYP), IB (MYP), Advanced Placement (AP), Canadian Curriculum for students aged 3 to 18.

Curriculum
IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) for Pre-K to Grade 6, IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) Candidate for Grades 7–8, and Advanced Placement (AP) in Grades 11–12, with a university-preparatory focus.

Student Teacher Ratio
The school has small class sizes.

Higher Education Progression
AP and IB programs prepare students for leading universities in Canada and abroad.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
Wellness and social-emotional learning are supported through the Wellness & Emotional Intelligence framework. Students from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 6 participate in the Healthy Minds program, with sessions led by a teacher who holds a Certificate in Positive Education and is trained in the Mindful Schools Curriculum, providing mindfulness tools to enhance social-emotional development. Building on mindfulness, MacLachlan College's Emotional Intelligence program supports students in their interactions with others and helps develop life skills such as self-awareness, self-regulation, perseverance, motivation, resilience, self-esteem, confidence, and independence.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)
Everest programs include enhanced supports such as Enriched program units for Gifted Students; Direct Instruction Modules; Academic Coaches; and Tutoring Services.

Mental Wellbeing
Mental wellbeing is supported through the Wellness & Emotional Intelligence framework, including the Healthy Minds mindfulness program and the Emotional Intelligence curriculum, focusing on developing self-awareness, emotion regulation, resilience, and positive social engagement.
Parent Experience

History
Humble Beginnings: In 1978 Audrey Hadfield opened a small space above a Lakeshore Road storefront in downtown Oakville with eight students. A year later MacLachlan College moved to Donessle Drive and enrolment grew to 35. Today MAC serves students across two campuses: the Lower School at 337 Trafalgar Road and the Upper School at 2794 South Sheridan Way. Audrey Hadfield's vision was to provide a continuum of highly personalized education as an alternative to the regular school system, and her husband Colin contributed to the school's establishment by converting the 1856 mansion known as the Grand Old Lady of Trafalgar into the school. Approaching 45 years of operation, MAC has embraced design thinking, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit in its classrooms.

Community
The MacLachlan College community is inclusive of people from all continents and cultures, and extends beyond students, parents, faculty, and staff to include alumni. The MAC Team forms a vibrant, close‑knit community where everyone is welcomed for who they are, and teachers guide and support learning by making real‑world connections with their students. The strong relationships between MacLachlan students and teachers are a source of pride and reflect the high level of faculty engagement.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
The MacLachlan College Parents' Association makes a valuable contribution to the life of the school community. It is governed by an Executive Board comprising a Chair, treasurer, and secretary, with sub‑committees set up as deemed necessary. Meetings are held monthly, and all parents are welcome to attend in person or virtually. The Association's purposes include instilling unity among parents, coordinating parent volunteers, and fundraising to provide supplemental funds for the school, while helping new families integrate and promoting positive relationships between the school and the wider community.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
MacLachlan College operates two campuses in Oakville: the Lower School Campus at 337 Trafalgar Road and the Upper School Campus at 2794 South Sheridan Way. The Upper School campus features a dedicated state-of-the-art weight and training room, a modern gymnasium with climbing wall, and partnerships with top-tier training centres to support advanced training needs. Experiential learning is a focus across both campuses. Lower School highlights include the IB Primary Years Programme and technology integration. Upper School highlights include the IB Middle Years Programme as a Candidate School for Grades 7–8, Advanced Placement courses, personalized academic advisors, and global travel opportunities.

Sports Facilities
The Upper School campus includes a dedicated weight and training room and a modern gymnasium with a climbing wall. There are partnerships with top-tier training centres to support advanced training needs. The athletics program offers Fall, Winter, and Spring teams and activities such as hockey, sport climbing, golf, volleyball, cross country, track and field, and more. A billeting program provides housing options for student-athletes.

Academic Facilities
Lower School features the IB Primary Years Programme and technology integration. Upper School offers the IB Middle Years Programme as a Candidate School for Grades 7–8 and Advanced Placement courses. Personalized Academic Advisors support students. The Duke of Edinburgh Programme and Round Square Initiatives are part of the Upper School curriculum. Global travel opportunities and engagement in academic competitions are available.

Extra Curricular Facilities
Lower School highlights include field trips and outdoor learning, character education, wellness and emotional intelligence, and technology integration. Upper School offers vibrant clubs and extracurricular activities. The Duke of Edinburgh Programme is part of the Upper School experience. Round Square Initiatives are part of Upper School. Global travel opportunities and engagement in academic competitions are available.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
Clubs and activities supplement classroom learning with intellectual challenge, including math clubs and competitions and robotics and STEM programs. The school participates in a range of academic competitions such as ACMUN, American Mathematics Competition, DECA, DramaFest, and Model United Nations conferences, fostering critical thinking and presentation skills. The Duke of Edinburgh's Award and Round Square programs provide structured opportunities for research, project work, and leadership beyond the classroom. Field trips and international travel broaden academic perspectives, connecting studies to real-world contexts and global cultures.

Arts & Creative
Arts are nurtured through music and choir and opportunities for an Upper School Band. Students also participate in Dance Club, Film Club, and a range of arts and crafts, as well as reading and storytelling. The school hosts performance events such as the Winter Concert and other showcases that highlight student creativity. A broad Clubs & Activities program supports creative expression across grade levels.

Cultural & Language
Language programs are offered through clubs as part of the student experience. Round Square is a Global Member School emphasizing Internationalism and cultural exchange as core IDEALS. Field trips and international travel are integral, with day trips and opportunities for international travel in the middle and senior grades. Past travel experiences include Montreal, France, Kenya, Italy, Japan, England, and other international destinations.

Social & Hobbies
Clubs and Activities span a wide range of hobbies, including student journalism, health and wellness, music and choir, math clubs and competitions, LEGO and hands-on building, reading and storytelling, arts and crafts, and recreational games. Upper School offers clubs such as DECA, Spirit Squad, Round Square, Run Club, Upper School Band, Public Speaking & Debating, Math Clinic, HOSA, Prefect Council, Student-Staff Sports, Film Club, Dance Club, Chess Club, and Engineering Club. The program emphasizes student involvement outside the classroom to build community and friendships.

Community & Service
Community service is an important part of the MacLachlan experience through programs like Service in Action in the Lower School, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, school-wide drives, and student-led projects. Senior students participate in international service experiences and support organizations such as Kerr Street Mission and the Round Square Discovery Fund.

Leadership & Professional
Leadership opportunities are embedded in the school culture through Prefect Council and the Round Square IDEALS, which include Leadership and Service. The Duke of Edinburgh Award and DECA, public speaking and debating, and other competitions help develop leadership and professional skills. Round Square's emphasis on internationalism, democracy, environmentalism, adventure, leadership, and service informs student preparation for future studies and careers.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
Wellness is woven into everyday learning, including the Healthy Minds mindfulness program for Pre-K through Grade 6 and an Emotional Intelligence framework. Mindfulness supports self-care and constructive responses in social interactions and collaboration. Wellness initiatives, mindfulness, and Wellness Week are part of MAC traditions to sustain wellbeing. Athletics foster teamwork, leadership, and resilience, supporting physical health and future success in sports.
Languages

Language Provision
IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) for Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 6. Language is one of the six subject areas in the PYP, alongside arts, mathematics, social studies, science, and personal, social, and physical education. MacLachlan is expanding to the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) as a Candidate School for Grades 7-8, ensuring a seamless transition into the Upper School. The PYP framework emphasizes inquiry-based learning and international mindedness.
Reputation

Accreditations
IB PYP Authorized; MYP Candidate
Admissions

Admissions
Step 1: Create an Online Account. The application is submitted through maclachlan.myschoolapp.com. A non-refundable application fee of CAD 250 for Canadian and Permanent Resident students and CAD 300 for International students accompanies each application; payment is due when the completed application form is submitted.
Step 2: Complete the Online Checklist. After creating the account, upload the required items: School Report Cards (final reports from the previous two years and any progress reports for the current year), Confidential Reference Form (downloadable from the checklist and provided to the student's teacher for completion), and Birth Date Verification. Prospective families can view the status of their application online.
Step 3: Not Ready to Apply? Inquire Online. Complete an Online Inquiry Form to express interest; a member of the Admissions Department will respond promptly and guide the next steps.

Scholarships
Bursaries up to CAD 20,000 are awarded through The MacLachlan College Educational Foundation; bursaries are based on financial need, academic accomplishments, strength of character and leadership, athletic accomplishments, artistic accomplishments, and community participation and contributions; bursaries are available to applicants to all grades. Applications for bursary/financial aid are made through Apple Financial Services, an independent financial services firm, and cost CAD 130 payable to Apple Financial Services. The process is annual and confidential, and returns are reviewed by the MacLachlan College Educational Foundation. New applicants should complete the Apple Financial Services process by February 15 to be considered in the first round; returning MacLachlan students should apply by January 30.
School Events
The school has not added events
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