Fern Hill School
Fern Hill School is a private independent elementary school operating two campuses in Burlington and Oakville, Ontario, serving Preschool through Grade 8 students (ages 3-14) with a rotary timetable, subject-specialist teachers, and signature programs in French, Mandarin, and Field Studies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1982
- HeadquartersBurlington, Canada
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Fern Hill School does
Fern Hill School is a private independent elementary school operating two campuses in Burlington and Oakville, Ontario, serving students from Preschool through Grade 8 (ages 3-14). Founded in 1982 by Wendy Derrick and Joanne Mclean, the school differentiates itself through a high-school-style rotary timetable with subject-specific teachers from Grade 1 onward, capped class sizes of 19 students, and signature enrichment programs including French, Mandarin, Field Studies (nature-based learning), Music/Band, Drama, athletics through the PSAA, and international travel via Round Square membership. The Burlington campus sits on 30 acres and the Oakville campus on 10 acres, with facilities including gymnasiums, science labs, computer labs, music and art studios, and a bird banding station on the Burlington site.
The school's product portfolio is anchored in core academic programs (Early Years, Grades 1-2, Grades 3-4, Grades 5-6, Grades 7-8) augmented by an accelerated Grade 9 Credits Program that allows Grade 8 students to earn Ontario secondary school credits in Mathematics, French, and Business Technology. Ancillary revenue streams include Summer Camps, March Break Camps, Before and After School Care, Door-to-Door Bus Service, and a lunch program through catering partner Axxis. The school maintains partnerships with organizations including Round Square, Conservation Halton, Ontario Eastern Bluebird Society, Tallgrass Ontario, and Mathematica Centrum.
The business model is direct-to-consumer tuition-based, with families paying annual tuition plus a $300 application fee and a one-time $3,000 non-refundable New Student Registration Fee per student. The school employs 53 staff and is currently founder-led by co-founder Wendy Derrick following Joanne Mclean's 2012 retirement. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and there is no indication of institutional investment, M&A activity, or ownership transition. Distribution is entirely campus-based in the Greater Toronto Area, with marketing driven by the school website, social media (Facebook, Instagram), school tours, open houses, and parent referrals.
Fern Hill School firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Fern Hill School
- Legal name
- Fern Hill School
- Website
- https://fernhillschool.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1982
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Fern Hill School is a private independent elementary school operating two campuses in Burlington and Oakville, Ontario, serving Preschool through Grade 8 students (ages 3-14) with a rotary timetable, subject-specialist teachers, and signature programs in French, Mandarin, and Field Studies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Fern Hill School industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Private Elementary Education
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Preschool Programs within Private K–12 Schools (EDACABAM)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- General Preschools (Play-Based) (EDACABAA)
Keywords
Where Fern Hill School is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Burlington
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Fern Hill School business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Tuition Revenue: Fern Hill School generates revenue primarily through tuition fees for its private elementary education programs spanning Preschool through Grade 8. Tuition includes textbooks, notebooks, school field trips, and most activities.
- Application and Registration Fees: One-time application fee of $300 required prior to assessment, and a non-refundable New Student Registration Fee of $3,000 per student to secure placement.
- Transportation Services: Optional door-to-door bus service available for additional annual fee covering Burlington, Milton, Oakville, and Mississauga areas.
- Before and After Care: Optional before school care (7:30am-8:15am) and after school care (4:00pm-6:00pm) programs available for additional fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Preschool to Grade 8 Private Education |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Fern Hill School product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Fern Hill School delivers private elementary education from Preschool through Grade 8 across two campuses in Burlington and Oakville, Ontario. Its core educational product uses a rotary timetable with subject-specific teachers beginning in Grade 1, capped class sizes of 19 students, and signature enrichment programs in French, Mandarin, Field Studies, Music/Band, Drama, Athletics, and international travel. The school sells annual tuition, one-time registration, and add-on auxiliary services such as camps, bus transportation, before/after care, and lunch.
Product overview
Fern Hill School is a private elementary school operating two campuses in Burlington and Oakville, Ontario, serving students from Preschool through Grade 8. Founded in 1982, the school offers a unified educational program built on a rotary timetable with subject-specific teachers and small class sizes. The core educational products include Early Years Programs (Preschool, JK, SK), Primary Programs (Grades 1-2), Elementary Programs (Grades 3-6), and Intermediate Programs (Grades 7-8). Signature enrichment programs include French and Mandarin language instruction, Field Studies (nature-based outdoor learning), Music/Band, Drama, Math Contests, Morning Assembly, Athletics, House System, and International Travel through Round Square. The school also offers auxiliary services including Summer Camps, March Break Camps, Before and After School Care, Bus Service, and Lunch Programme. An accelerated Grade 9 Credits Program allows advanced students to earn secondary school credits before high school. The school maintains a maximum class size of 19 students with teacher-to-student ratios ranging from 1:8 in Preschool to 1:19 in upper grades.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Elementary Education Programs (Preschool-Grade 8)
- Grade 9 Credits Program
- Summer Camps
- March Break Camps
- Before and After School Care
- Door-to-Door Bus Service
- Lunch Programme
- International Travel - Round Square Program
- Field Studies Program
- French Language Program
- Mandarin Language Program
- Music and Band Program
- Drama Program
- Athletics Program
- Math Contests Program
Companies that use Fern Hill School
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Fern Hill School technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Fern Hill School partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Round SquarecoreFern Hill is a Global member of Round Square, an international organization of schools committed to experiential learning. Through this partnership, students in Grades 7 and 8 gain access to international service trips, conferences, and exchange programs. The partnership supports Fern Hill's focus on internationalism, democracy, environmental awareness, adventure, leadership, and service to others.
- Ontario Eastern Bluebird SocietyminorEndorsed and supported Fern Hill Burlington's campus restoration and monitoring work, particularly related to Eastern Bluebird nesting box programs.
- Conservation HaltonminorPartnered with Fern Hill Burlington to support field studies and conservation education programs on campus.
- Tallgrass OntariominorEndorsed and supported Fern Hill Burlington's campus restoration and monitoring work related to native species and prairie restoration.
- Ruthven Park National Historic SiteminorDeveloped Fern Hill's on-site bird banding laboratory in conjunction with Rick Ludkin, founder of the bird banding program at Ruthven Park. Rick Ludkin serves as a naturalist advisor to the school's Field Studies program.
- Axxis CateringminorExternal catering service provider offering optional hot lunch program for students. Flexible scheduling allows families to choose daily or per-meal options.
- Mathematica CentrumminorProvides math competitions for students in Grades 3-8. Fern Hill students participate annually in Thales, Byron-Germain, Fibonacci, Pythagoras, Euler, and Lagrange contests.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Fern Hill School competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Crescent School: Long-established Toronto boys' day school serving Grades 3 through 12. Comparable in private-school prestige and academic preparation narrative, though broader scope (3-12) and longer history position it as a more established GTA incumbent.
- Appleby College: Independent day and boarding school in Oakville serving Grades 7 through 12 with signature outdoor education and global programs. Comparable by Oakville geography and outdoor-education positioning (Field Studies, Round Square), but broader 7-12 scope.
- Upper Canada College: Prestigious Toronto independent boys' day and boarding school (SK-12). Largest GTA private-school incumbent with overlapping subject-specialist model and university-preparation narrative, though with significantly broader scope and resources.
- The Bishop Strachan School: Independent girls' day school in Toronto (JK-12). Comparable GTA private-school positioning with signature enrichment programs and academic preparation focus; broader grade band and longer institutional history position it as an incumbent reference point.
Direct peers
- Sterling Hall School: Independent boys' day school in Toronto serving Kindergarten through Grade 8. Closely comparable in grade-band scope (K-8), small class-size ethos, and private-school positioning targeting families seeking enriched elementary education before high school.
- Holy Trinity School: Independent K-12 day school in Richmond Hill, Ontario, with a comparable small-campus feel, subject-specialist teaching approach, and emphasis on character development and global-mindedness. Overlap in philosophy and Ontario private-school positioning.
- TFS - Canada's International School: Toronto-based independent school (formerly Toronto French School) offering bilingual French/English instruction from Pre-K through Grade 12. Directly comparable given Fern Hill's signature French and Mandarin language programming and similar language-immersion positioning.
- St. Mildred's-Lightbourn School: Independent girls' day school in Oakville, Ontario, offering programs from Pre-K through Grade 12 with subject specialists and signature enrichment. Most directly comparable by geography, age range, and private-independent model in the same Halton market as Fern Hill.
- Kingsway College School: Independent day school in Etobicoke (Toronto) serving Preschool through Grade 12 with small class sizes, specialist subjects, and broad enrichment programming. Comparable in size, age band, and GTA-located private-school model.
- The York School: Independent co-educational day school in downtown Toronto serving Junior Kindergarten through Grade 12. Comparable in urban Ontario private positioning, broad signature programs, and academic preparation focus, including international-mindedness.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Fern Hill School social profiles
Digital presenceFern Hill School compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Fern Hill School financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Fern Hill School leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Fern Hill School funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Fern Hill School M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Fern Hill School
What does Fern Hill School do?
Fern Hill School delivers private elementary education from Preschool through Grade 8 across two campuses in Burlington and Oakville, Ontario. Its core educational product uses a rotary timetable with subject-specific teachers beginning in Grade 1, capped class sizes of 19 students, and signature enrichment programs in French, Mandarin, Field Studies, Music/Band, Drama, Athletics, and international travel. The school sells annual tuition, one-time registration, and add-on auxiliary services such as camps, bus transportation, before/after care, and lunch.
Is Fern Hill School a public or private company?
Fern Hill School is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Fern Hill School founded?
Fern Hill School was founded in 1982. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Fern Hill School based?
Fern Hill School is headquartered in Burlington, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Fern Hill School make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Tuition Revenue is the primary driver. The others are application and Registration Fees, transportation Services and before and After Care.
Who are Fern Hill School's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Crescent School, Appleby College, Upper Canada College and The Bishop Strachan School. Direct peers are Sterling Hall School, Holy Trinity School, TFS - Canada's International School, St. Mildred's-Lightbourn School, Kingsway College School and The York School.
Does Fern Hill School have an API?
No public API is recorded for Fern Hill School.
What industry is Fern Hill School in?
Fern Hill School's product category is Private Elementary Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDACABAM, Preschool Programs within Private K–12 Schools, with a secondary code of EDACABAA, General Preschools (Play-Based). Its NAICS code is 61111 and its SIC code is 8200.