FAQs

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Student Suitability

The first step in determining whether the Arrowsmith Program is right for you or someone you know.

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?

Students who come to the Arrowsmith Program are of average to above average intelligence but are having difficulty learning academic and social skills efficiently and independently. The Arrowsmith Program addresses a wide range of specific learning difficulties (referred to as learning disabilities in North America) such as dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, auditory and/or visual processing disorders, attention difficulties and non-verbal learning difficulties. The Arrowsmith Program is also designed for individuals who do not have identified specific learning difficulties but are challenged with issues such as organization, processing, problem solving, communication, memory, and independence.

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. While it does not guarantee your enrolment at the Arrowsmith School, it will allow you to determine whether the learning issues you/your child experience could be addressed through the Arrowsmith Program. Should you/your child be within the average range of intellectual functioning and are experiencing the types of issues described in this checklist, you/your child are likely candidates for the Program. For a more detailed description of typical students follow this link.

Please note the Arrowsmith Program is not designed for individuals with developmental or intellectual delays, autism, brain injury or illness, or psychiatric or psychological disorders.

To complete an assessment or to enrol at the Arrowsmith School, parents or individuals are encouraged to complete the checklist to determine the Program’s suitability and then contact our *protected email*. The Admissions Coordinator will be pleased to answer your questions and if appropriate can arrange an assessment for you/your child.

What are the ages of the students?

The students at Arrowsmith School range in age from six years old to adults. Parents of children less than six years of age are encouraged to contact Arrowsmith School when their child is old enough to be considered ready for school participation.

Do you have adult students?

We have a population of adult students who have taken time out from their college or university studies, or in some cases, careers, to address their specific learning difficulties (referred to as learning disabilities in North America).

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. The program is designed and therefore most suited for individuals within the average to above average range of intelligence.

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 significant than a student with a specific learning difficulty.

In some cases, 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.

Is the Arrowsmith Program effective in addressing Attentional Issues?

The Arrowsmith Program has been successful in addressing attentional difficulties. Many individuals with specific learning difficulties (referred to as learning disabilities in North America) experience attentional issues which can arise from different underlying causes. In many cases these issues are a result of a combination of specific learning difficulties making it hard for the student to sustain attention in specific learning situations; others are related to specific learning difficulties related to regulating attention. These types of attentional difficulties have shown improvement as students engage in the cognitive exercises.

How do I obtain information about admissions?

Please visit the Admissions page or contact admissions

Do you accept students during the school year?

Arrowsmith School accepts enrolment during the year subject to availability.

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?

The assessment identifies each individual’s learning profile and provides the basis for designing individual programs to address a range of specific learning difficulties. Please note the assessment is not used as the basis for determining suitability for the Arrowsmith Program; suitability is determined through the telephone Admissions discussion.

Who conducts the assessment and analyzes the results?

The assessment of students entering Arrowsmith School in Toronto is conducted by a member of our staff who is a trained psychometrist and the tests are scored and analyzed at Arrowsmith School.

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?

The Arrowsmith assessment is vital in order for an individual to participate in an Arrowsmith Program as it identifies which cognitive exercises and at which level an individual would begin their program. While it is beneficial to review any previous assessment reports to learn about the individual’s learning history, a traditional psych-education report will not replace the Arrowsmith assessment.

How much is the annual tuition?

Arrowsmith School Toronto

The annual tuition fee for the full-time program is $24,500 and includes all program and academic fees and materials for the full school year. The $24,500 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.

Are the tuition and fees tax deductible?

Tuition fees at private schools are not tax deductible. Parents of students enroled in the Arrowsmith Program in Canada (at Arrowsmith School Toronto and Peterborough and at other schools that offer this program) may be able to claim the Medical Expense Tax Credit. Determination of whether an individual qualifies for the Medical Expense Tax Credit is made by Revenue Canada. We recommend that families in all cases contact their own accountant or financial advisor.

Can fees be paid through private health plans?

This may be available in some limited situations for families who are part of a private health and medical benefit plan. They should contact their individual benefits insurer or broker for further information.

Do you offer bursaries or is there any other funding available?

We do not offer bursaries or other financial support for our students. There may be assistance available from certain private charities. Arrowsmith School does not receive any subsidies or outside funding.

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?

The student to teacher ratio at Arrowsmith School is 10 to 1.

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.

Arrowsmith School Toronto Part Time Programs

Motor Symbol Sequencing Remote Program

Do you have a summer program?

Arrowsmith School Toronto runs the Cognitive Intensive Program every summer. We are also able to offer this 6-week Cognitive Intensive Program throughout the school year during any consecutive 6-week period that we are in session and depending on space and availability.

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

How effective is the Arrowsmith Program?

The study prepared by Dr. William A. Lancee in 2005 concluded that all deficit areas identified by the Arrowsmith Program improved as a result of the application of Arrowsmith Program cognitive exercises. Please refer to the full study and in particular the concluding summary for an overview of the effectiveness of the Arrowsmith Program.

Do students maintain their improvements?

Students that we have followed up to 30 years after completion of the program have maintained their improvements. Once the improvement is in place, it is hypothesized that the individual maintains this gain by using the cognitive area in everyday functioning.