How to Tell If a Neighbourhood Has Good Schools in Ottawa
One of the most common questions families ask when buying a home is, “Are there good schools in this neighbourhood?”
But almost no one is actually asking about rankings.
What they usually mean is:
Will my child be supported here?
Will this neighbourhood still feel like a good place to live years from now?
In Ottawa, figuring that out takes more than a quick Google search. School quality is real, but it’s layered. Here’s how to evaluate schools and school zones properly, without relying on a single number or oversimplified list.
Start With the Basics: School Boards and Catchment Areas
Ottawa has multiple school boards, and which one applies depends on language and religious preference:
Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (English public)
Ottawa Catholic School Board (English Catholic)
CEPEO (French public)
CECCE (French Catholic)
Each board publishes its own catchment maps online, and those maps matter more than proximity.
A house can be directly across the street from a school and still not feed into it.
Important:
Catchment boundaries can change. Always verify the school assignment using the board’s official address lookup before committing to a property.
This is one of the most common and costly assumptions buyers make.
Understanding School Rankings (Without Overvaluing Them)
Many buyers turn to standardized test results, such as EQAO-based rankings published by organizations like the Fraser Institute. These rankings can be helpful, but only as a starting point.
What rankings do well:
Provide a broad performance snapshot
Allow for high-level comparisons
What they do not show:
School culture
Student support systems
Teacher stability
How well the school serves different learning styles
A high-ranking school is not automatically the best fit for every child, and a lower-ranking school is not automatically a poor environment.
Use rankings as context, not a verdict.
Look Beyond Scores: Programs, Resources, and Stability
Some of the most useful indicators of school quality don’t show up in rankings at all.
Things worth looking into:
Student-to-teacher ratios
Availability of French immersion or bilingual programming
Arts, sports, or specialized academic programs
Graduation and retention rates
How long teachers and administrators tend to stay
Schools that offer diverse programming and retain staff often reflect strong community support and consistent leadership, both of which matter for long-term student experience.
Talk to Parents Who Are Actually There
No dataset replaces real-world experience.
Parents with children currently attending the school can tell you:
How communication is handled
Whether kids feel supported day to day
How engaged families are with the school
What mornings, drop-off, and pick-up actually feel like
Local community Facebook groups, parent councils, and even casual conversations with neighbours can offer insight that formal sources cannot.
Patterns matter more than individual opinions.
Visit the School and Walk the Neighbourhood
If possible, visit the school in person or attend an open house. Even a short visit can tell you a lot.
Pay attention to:
Maintenance and cleanliness
Student engagement
Staff interactions
General atmosphere
Then walk the surrounding neighbourhood during school hours.
Are families walking together?
Do people linger and talk?
Does the area feel calm, active, and cared for?
Schools don’t exist in isolation. They reflect the neighbourhood around them.
Consider the Bigger Picture: Schools and Long-Term Neighbourhood Value
Strong schools often correlate with stable, family-oriented neighbourhoods. Areas with good schools tend to retain families longer, support local amenities, and maintain long-term desirability.
Look for:
Nearby parks and playgrounds
Libraries and recreation centres
Community programming and events
Safe, walkable streets
These factors shape daily life just as much as what happens inside the classroom.
A Practical 5-Step Way to Evaluate Schools in Ottawa
Confirm the school catchment using the official school board address lookup.
Review standardized results alongside available programs and resources.
Read community feedback and talk to parents currently in the system.
Visit the school and walk the neighbourhood at different times of day.
Ask your real estate agent about long-term neighbourhood trends and family retention.
The Bottom Line
There is no single metric that defines a “good” school.
The clearest picture comes from combining official data, real experiences, school visits, and neighbourhood context. When those elements align with your child’s needs and your family’s lifestyle, that’s when a school truly becomes the right fit.
If you’re buying in Ottawa with schools in mind, take the time to look beyond rankings. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s confidence in the choice you’re making.
Joy Neville
joy@newpurveyors.com
