Canadian curricula and Qlive families
Education in Canada is run by each province and territory, so there is no single national curriculum. A Grade 10 maths course in Ontario is not the same as one in British Columbia or Alberta. Families come to us from within Canada, and from international schools abroad that follow a Canadian provincial curriculum, usually for help with maths, the sciences, English or French.
How the provincial curricula are structured
Most provinces organise school from Kindergarten to Grade 12, split into elementary, middle or junior high, and secondary or senior high school. The details vary.
Elementary grades. Literacy, numeracy, science and social studies. Maths in most provinces puts weight on number sense, problem-solving and explaining reasoning.
Middle and junior high grades. Fractions, ratios, integers and the start of algebra, with more independent reading and writing in English.
Secondary grades. Students take courses and earn credits towards a provincial diploma, such as the Ontario Secondary School Diploma or the British Columbia Certificate of Graduation (often called the Dogwood). Courses in the senior grades are often split into pathways, for example university preparation and college preparation courses in Ontario, or the different maths sequences in Alberta and British Columbia. The courses a student chooses in Grades 11 and 12 can affect which university programmes are open to them.
Quebec follows a different structure, with secondary school followed by CEGEP, and other provinces have their own variations.
How assessment works
Most marks come from the classroom: tests, assignments, projects and a final exam or culminating task in many courses. Report card marks in the senior grades matter for university applications.
Provinces also run their own assessments at certain points. In Ontario, provincial assessments in reading, writing and maths are usually given in some elementary grades, with a literacy requirement for the diploma. British Columbia uses foundation skills assessments in the elementary years and graduation assessments in literacy and numeracy. Alberta uses achievement tests in some grades and diploma exams in many Grade 12 courses, which count towards the final mark. The details change from time to time, so the school is the best source on what applies to your child.
What students commonly find hard
- Early maths: number sense, fractions and explaining answers in words
- The start of algebra: equations and patterns in the middle grades, where earlier gaps start to show
- Senior maths: functions, trigonometry and calculus in university preparation courses
- Physics and Chemistry: calculations, lab reports and linking concepts across units
- English: essay writing, analysis and the reading and writing skills that provincial tests look for
- French: grammar and writing for students in core French or French immersion
How a one-to-one teacher helps
A teacher who knows your child’s provincial curriculum understands the course outcomes and how marks are given. In class, your child works through activities and problems in Qlive Space, Qlive’s AI-powered learning platform, and the teacher goes through their working with them on Google Meet, explaining each mistake.
Lessons follow your child’s current unit, so the work in class helps with the next test or assignment. Worksheets and a checkpoint every two to three weeks in Qlive Pulse show which topics are secure. Written answers are photographed and marked by the teacher or a member of Qlive’s academic team with comments.
Your Student Success Partner is the person at Qlive on your side, focused on your goal, whether that is catching up in maths or the marks for a chosen university programme. They bring in what helps, such as extra practice before exams or a change of teacher if needed, and keep you updated in the Qlive Learn app, where every class shows in your own time.
Subjects we teach
Maths, Science, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English, French, Computer Science, Economics, Accountancy and Business Studies, plus Spanish, German and home languages such as Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Urdu and Arabic.
Who it suits
One-to-one tutoring suits students who have fallen behind in a core subject, students who have moved provinces or arrived from another country’s system, and students in senior courses who want steady support before marks start to count for university.
Getting started
We have taught 100,000+ hours of live classes to families in 30+ countries. Start with the free assessment: about 40 adaptive questions, guided live by a Qlive counsellor, with a report on your child’s strengths and gaps. Fees are shared after the assessment.
