The Sacred Heart School of Montreal

What The Sacred Heart School of Montreal does

The Sacred Heart School of Montreal is a private, non-profit English Catholic girls' school founded in 1861 and located at the heritage City House building (3635 Atwater Ave) since 1928. It is Montreal's oldest and only English Catholic girls' school and operates as part of the global Society of the Sacred Heart network of 150 schools across 41 countries. The school delivers day and boarding education for Grades 7-12, with the Grades 7-11 program leading to the MEQ Secondary Leaving Diploma and the Grade 12 program leading to the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) through a partnership with Northern Pre University and Ontario Virtual School. Signature programs include the Scholars Distinction Program (Global Leadership, STEM, Creative Arts pathways), the Sacred Heart Elite (SHE) athletic program, the Global Exchange Program, and a mandatory Spanish language curriculum, supported by an 18-student average class size and a 0:6 teacher-to-student ratio.

The business model is tuition-driven, layered with boarding fees, application fees, summer school revenue, donations, and facility rentals. Domestic day tuition ranges from roughly $21,942 (Grade 12) to $24,606 (Grades 7-11 new students); international day tuition is approximately $47,743; 7-day boarding for returning Grades 7-11 boarders is priced at $76,500. The school became fully independent in 2024, no longer receiving government funding, and now operates a need-based bursary program (capped at 50% of tuition, assessed via Apple Financial Services) plus merit-based entrance scholarships. Revenue diversification includes The Heart Fund annual giving program, the City House Foundation (established 1981), and recurring fundraising events (Casino Night, Sweetheart Pasta Night, Giving Day). Distribution is admissions-led via the COBA online portal with rolling admissions, family interviews, virtual tours, shadow days, and multilingual international student recruitment.

The technology footprint is built on standard educational SaaS: COBA (PedNet) for enrollment and student records, Google Classroom and Google Meet for synchronous summer school, Apple Financial Services for bursary analysis, DonorPerfect for fundraising, Vidigami for family photo sharing, and FormStack/PayPal for forms and payments. There is no proprietary technology platform, and AI is not part of the disclosed capability set. Recent strategic priorities center on operational independence, signature program expansion, the Concordia University partnership for accelerated admissions, and growth in international boarding enrollments.

Name

The Sacred Heart School of Montreal

Legal name

The Sacred Heart School of Montreal

Website

https://sacredheart.qc.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1861

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Sacred Heart School of Montreal is a private, non-profit English Catholic girls' school in Montreal offering day and boarding education for Grades 7-12, including a Grade 12 OSSD pre-university program, Scholars Distinction pathways, elite athletics, and global exchange within the 150-school Sacred Heart network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC)

Keywords

• Private girls education
• Catholic secondary school
• Boarding school programs
• University preparatory curriculum
• International student programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Montreal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Primary revenue stream from tuition fees for grades 7-12 day school programs. Domestic and international pricing tiers with returning vs new student rates. Covers comprehensive academic program, student services, technology, co-curricular activities, and facility access.
2. Boarding Fees: Revenue from 5-day and 7-day boarding options for grades 7-12. Includes room, board, and after-school/weekend activities. Domestic and international pricing.
3. Application Fees: One-time application processing fees: $50 domestic, $250 international for grades 7-11; $100 domestic, $300 international for grade 12.
4. Summer School Courses: Online summer school courses offered to Sacred Heart and non-Sacred Heart students (co-ed). Course fees range from $105 for practice exams to full course pricing.
5. Donations and Fundraising: The Heart Fund annual giving program with giving circles from $20 to $50,000+. City House Foundation manages larger donations and planned giving. Major fundraising events including Casino Night ($110,000 raised), Sweetheart Pasta Night ($26,000 raised), and Giving Day ($65,000+ raised).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Sacred Heart School of Montreal provides private Catholic girls' education from Grades 7 through 12, structured around an MEQ Secondary Leaving Diploma pathway and a Grade 12 Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) pre-university program. The core offering is delivered through day school and 5-day or 7-day boarding programs, supplemented by signature programs (Scholars Distinction, Sacred Heart Elite athletics, Global Exchange, Spanish language) and a virtual summer school. Tuition is structured annually by grade, residency (domestic vs. international), and boarding status.

Product overview

The Sacred Heart School of Montreal is Montreal's oldest and only English Catholic girls' school, offering a unified private education from Grades 7-12. The core academic programs include the MEQ Secondary Leaving Diploma pathway (Grades 7-11) and an Ontario-accredited Grade 12 Pre-University Program leading to the OSSD. Supporting the academic mission are specialized programs: the Scholars Distinction Program (Global Leadership, STEM, Creative Arts pathways), SHE Elite Athletic Program, Global Exchange Network (150 schools worldwide), Spanish Language Program, and Experiential Trips (Europe, Costa Rica). Boarding services (5-day and 7-day options) and Summer School serve as supplementary offerings. Financial accessibility is supported through Entrance Scholarships and Bursary Programs, while The Heart Fund and City House Foundation enable community fundraising. The institution also generates revenue through Facility Rentals and hosts community events like the annual Christmas Market.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Scholars Distinction Program: A program that empowers students to take ownership of their education and pursue their passions within chosen pathways including Global Leadership, STEM, and Arts.
• Sacred Heart Elite (SHE) Program
• Global Exchange Program
• Grade 12 Program

Products and services

• Grades 7-11 Academic Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of students advance to post-secondary education
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Concordia UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFive-year landmark partnership creating pathways for Grade 12 students through accelerated admissions, prioritized application processing, and personalized guidance. Collaboration includes academic enrichment sessions, campus experiences, and dedicated opportunities for student-athletes, giving students meaningful exposure to university life.
• Northern Pre University (NPU) / Ontario Virtual School (OVS)coreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with NPU powered by OVS (accredited by Ontario Ministry of Education) provides pre-university curriculum for Grade 12 program. Students earn Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) through combination of virtual materials and in-person active learning with Sacred Heart teachers.
• Green CommunitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Green Communities (Working for the Forest and the People) for Costa Rica Service Trips. Students engage in sustainable community coffee farm work in Los Santos region, promoting environmental stewardship and community building.
• Apple Financial Services (AFS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThird-party platform providing bursary and financial assistance analysis for independent schools since 1993. AFS assesses need-based financial aid applications confidentially, making recommendations to Sacred Heart Bursary Committee.
• Le Deuce ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPickleball club providing guidance for Paddles & Prosecco alumnae event. Owned by Sacred Heart Past Parent '25, Marcela Silva.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Stanstead College: Quebec-based independent boarding school (Grades 7–12) in the Eastern Townships. Comparable boarding offering, bilingual character, and Quebec private school context, though co-ed and nonsectarian.
• Royal West Academy: Montreal-area private English high school serving grades 7–11. Regional peer competing for the same English-language Montreal families, although co-ed and not faith-based.

Direct peers

• The Study: Montreal-based independent English girls' school (Kindergarten through Grade 11). Directly comparable as the only other major English all-girls private school in the Montreal market, serving the same affluent family demographic and competing for the same applicant pool.
• Trafalgar School for Girls: Montreal independent English girls' school (Grades 7–11). Direct peer in product offering, single-gender environment, and Montreal private-school market, with overlapping tuition bands and academic positioning.
• Branksome Hall: Independent girls' school in Toronto (Grades JK–12) with boarding. Highly comparable model: all-girls, CAIS-accredited, boarding program, premium urban Canadian location, and dual-diploma university preparation.
• Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart: Catholic all-girls college-preparatory school in Omaha, Nebraska, affiliated with the Society of the Sacred Heart. Direct comparable on Sacred Heart mission, network benefits, and single-gender faith-based model.
• Sacred Heart Schools Atherton: Catholic independent school in Atherton, California, also part of the Sacred Heart Network. Sister-school relationship and shared Society of the Sacred Heart affiliation make it structurally and pedagogically comparable.
• Havergal College: Toronto-based independent girls' school (JK–Grade 12) with boarding. Direct model comparable on all-girls education, signature programs, leadership development, and CAIS accreditation.
• Bishop Strachan School: Independent day and boarding girls' school in Toronto (JK–Grade 12). Comparable in single-gender premium positioning, boarding operation, signature programs, and Canadian private school competitive set.

Broad incumbents

• Lower Canada College: One of Montreal's largest and oldest independent schools (K–11), co-ed. Overlaps on premium private education, CAIS membership, and similar tuition level, but serves a broader co-ed market rather than Sacred Heart's single-gender Catholic niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=hslmv2imI0M
• Instagraminstagram.com/shsmalum
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/the-sacred-heart-school-of-montreal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Sacred Heart School of Montreal