Arrowsmith School Inquiry
Interested in learning more about Arrowsmith School?
Student Suitability
The first step in determining whether the Arrowsmith Program is right for you or someone you know.
Parent Info Session
Register to attend a parent information session at Arrowsmith School.
When was Arrowsmith School founded?
Arrowsmith School was established in Toronto in 1980 and has operated continuously in Toronto since then. The cognitive exercises that are the foundation of the Arrowsmith Program began to be developed by Barbara Arrowsmith Young and were first offered to students with specific learning difficulties (referred to as learning disabilities in North America) in 1978.
Where is Arrowsmith School located?
Arrowsmith School Toronto is located in two buildings at 243-245 St. Clair Avenue West, two blocks west of Avenue Road in mid-town Toronto.
Is the Arrowsmith Program available in other schools?
There are more than 100 educational organizations throughout Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Spain, South Korea, Malaysia, and the Cayman Islands offering the program to school-age children and adults.
Please visit Participating Schools for a list of schools currently implementing the Arrowsmith Program.
What are the criteria for students entering the Arrowsmith Program?
How do you determine if a student is suitable?
To consider whether the Arrowsmith Program would be suitable for you/your child, please complete our Arrowsmith Program® Cognitive Profile Questionnaire. The detailed learning profile generated will allow you to determine whether the learning issues you/your child experience could be addressed through the Arrowsmith Program. You can learn more by visiting Suitable Students or by speaking with our Admissions Coordinator. Contact our Admissions Coordinator by filling out an inquiry form.
What are the ages of the students?
Do you have adult students?
Is the Arrowsmith Program effective in addressing Developmental or Intellectual Delays or Autism Spectrum Disorder?
The Arrowsmith Program is developed for individuals struggling with specific learning difficulties (SLD) referred to as learning disabilities in North America. The standard definition of SLD is that the individual has an average or above average full-scale intelligence score, and has a specific difficulty in an area related to learning or academic skill acquisition.
Conditions such as Developmental or Intellectual Delay typically indicate an impairment of general intellect and function, and students with developmental or intellectual delay have needs that are more complex than a student with a specific learning difficulty.
Individuals with learning difficulties who also have high functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) or Asperger’s have benefitted from the Arrowsmith Program. While the Arrowsmith Program will enable these individuals to address their cognitive learning needs, it will not address features related to the specific Autism Spectrum Disorder. In such cases, there is careful deliberation when determining appropriateness during the admissions process to ensure suitability. The Admissions Coordinator will be pleased to answer your questions. Contact our Admissions Coordinator by filling out an inquiry form.
Is the Arrowsmith Program effective in addressing Attentional Issues?
How do I obtain information about admissions?
Please visit the Admissions page or contact admissions
Do you accept students during the school year?
Are all incoming students assessed?
All students enrolling in the full time day school and after school part time programs at Arrowsmith School are assessed. The Motor Symbol Sequencing program described on our Part Time Programs page does not require an initial assessment. Please visit our Assessment page for further information.
What is the purpose of the initial assessment?
Who conducts the assessment and analyzes the results?
What does the assessment involve?
Individuals will spend between 1 to 3 days completing an assessment which will identify their unique learning profile. The assessment is made up of tests designed by Barbara Arrowsmith Young as well as standardized cognitive and achievement tests. The outcome of the assessment will provide recommendations for enrolment and programming options. During the assessment period, individuals are welcomed into their peer group during the school day’s breaks and lunchtimes.
Please contact Admissions at *protected email* for further information.
Can assessments performed elsewhere or other reports be used in place of the Arrowsmith assessment?
How much is the annual tuition?
The annual tuition fee for Full-Time In-Person Program is $30,000 and includes all program and academic fees and materials for the full school year. The tuition fee includes an activity fee of $250 that covers such things as the school yearbook, school trips, and other special events. There are no other fees or charges. Tuition fees are not subject to the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) or Provincial Sales Tax.
The annual tuition fee for Full-Time Online Program offering 4 periods a day 5 days per week is $18,500. For Canadian residents, tuition fees are not subject to the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) or Provincial Sales Tax.
Are the tuition and fees tax deductible?
Can fees be paid through private health plans?
Do you offer bursaries or is there any other funding available?
How many years do students spend in the Arrowsmith Program?
The majority of students will usually require a three to four year program of full time attendance before returning to a full academic program in a public or private school or other educational organization at his or her appropriate grade level. If a student is unable to complete the three to four year program, they will still achieve benefits each year they are in the program.
Upon completion of the program, some students may require one to two years to gain experience using their strengthened learning capacities and some students may need tutoring initially to bring academic skills to grade level.
What is the student to teacher ratio?
What academic subjects and school credits are offered?
During their elementary years (Grade 1 to 8), most students will participate in one period of English and one period of Mathematics each day in our Academic Programs. We do not provide secondary school credits. Some adolescent students may benefit from a class per day of academic skill development during their time at Arrowsmith School. This will depend on the individual needs of each student.
Why do you offer only English and mathematics and not other academic subjects?
Students come to Arrowsmith School because they have been struggling with the regular academic curriculum. The goal of our program is to strengthen weak learning capacities to better prepare these students to learn academic skills and content. Learning in all academic subjects requires reasoning, thinking, problem solving, conceptual understanding, retention of material (through both visual and auditory memory), and the ability to express oneself in writing.
English and Mathematics are offered to elementary aged students in order to develop the cumulative and essential academic skills of reading, writing and mathematics.
Do you offer part time programs?
Arrowsmith School Toronto offers Part Time Programs. Students in a Part-Time Program work on one cognitive program per school year. Like the Full Time Program, the Part Time Program requires an initial assessment.
The Motor Symbol Sequencing Program is also offered as a Part Time Program. This is an at-home program in which students complete six hours of work per week at home and attend one in-person check-in with a teacher every other week.
The Motor Symbol Sequencing Program is also offered as a Remote Program.
You can find additional information about the Part Time Programs on our website.
Do you have a summer program?
Arrowsmith School’s Cognitive Intensive Program will target the Symbol Relations cognitive function that processes and understands ideas. This is a very important cognitive function that is involved in processing concepts, understanding and quickly grasping what we read and hear, gaining insight, logical reasoning, seeing connections between ideas, cause and effect processing, and mathematical reasoning.
This cognitive function plays out in academic learning as well as in understanding our world. Individuals at all levels of functioning in this area can benefit from this program. Our experience has been that through targeting this cognitive function, we see positive changes in the individual’s ability to understand the world around them. Reports from parents and students who attended previous Cognitive Intensive Programs are documented in the video.
For additional information on dates and fees, or to express interest in this program, please contact admissions at Admissions page or contact admissions
What research is available for the Arrowsmith Program?
The Arrowsmith Program Research Team headed by Arrowsmith Program Director, Barbara Arrowsmith Young, Arrowsmith Program Executive Director, Debbie Gilmore is currently working with researchers to design and conduct studies in various disciplines, including education, psychology, and neuroscience. These studies will investigate the changes in the brain as well as academic, cognitive, emotional and social outcomes that occur for students engaged in the Arrowsmith Program. It is expected that the results of these current studies will be published in peer-reviewed journals upon completion.
Read more about all research studies on the Arrowsmith Program on the website